Cutting down the number and bumping up the quality

U

USAF Ret

New member
I watched an interesting video a while back talking about taking a look at all the firearms you have, for those that have quite a few, and selling things that are maybe not your favorite, just okay or something you bought just because it was on sale. Yeah, I am guilty.

Then spending the money, having fewer, but higher quality firearms.

For instance, most of my bolt guns are ho-hum. And I have quite a few. One I have that's not anything to write home about, but has sentimental value, is a Savage 6.5 CR. My late son took his last deer with it before his passing. Will never sell it, but will probably gift it to someone special that had a connection with my son.

However, I have one rifle that fits me like a glove; perfect trigger, just a tack driver and a joy to carry. It is a Christensen Mesa 308. I wish I had maybe 3 of them in my favorite calibers, but that would be about another $2400 and with the economy, I decided not to buy anything else unless I sell something to pay for it.

That being said, any stories of folks doing that? Maybe selling 2-3 ho-hums and getting something top notch that you love? Or maybe even cutting the number of guns you have in half and getting 3-4 that are just perfect? What did you sell? What did you get?
 
I used to have several single shot shotguns -- got rid of all of them and picked up my dream shotgun, Beretta Silver Pigeon.
I also sold several cheaper rifles in 243, 25/06, 270 and bought a single, more expensive, 270 Nosler to replace those -- If the 280 Ackley Improved had been popular at the time, i might have bought one of those instead.
I think i have one rifle purchase left in me (couple years from now as it isn't in production yet) and it is going to be a high end 7 mm PRC.
 
I'm not sure that spending more on a gun is going to improve MY results because the gun is only as good as the shooter, IMHO!
That being said, I did sell a Sig p320 to help finance a Smith M&P 2.0. I prefer the Smith. Better sights, I like the trigger, and threaded.
 
Last edited:
I have done so a few times.
Two, three, five lower price point items in favor of one better (or more fun) option.

Hasn't really put a dent in my garbage pile, though. :rolleyes:
 
I sold 13 guns this summer, mostly all my milsurp collection, because I wasn’t shooting them. I did keep a 6.5 Swiss Mauser and a Mosin M-38. However, I also bought 4 fine quality, older firearms, in the category of “I’ve always wanted a …”
I should also probably thin things out in the AR department, because I’ve always wanted a (fill in the blank).
 
I have a few with sentimental value, like a 1950s Wingmaster with the old corn cob forend. It's been spray painted a few times, and my dad thinned the duck population with it for about 4 decades. It stays, almost no matter what. Same with my 12th birthday present, a Standard Issue 10/22 that I have subsequently tricked out a little. It stays, almost no matter what.

As for the rest, I tend to research the holy bejeebers out of a purchase before I actually lay down my money. I've never had the budget to buy a lot of guns, so I wanted to be sure I bought ones that were going to work for me. The result is that I tend to have fewer guns than many here, but I most definitely have guns that I like.
 
Doing my first sale. Selling a circa 1920 Winchester Model 12 16 gauge. Just no need for it and taking safe space. It would sit there until I am gone and get sold. Going to do some shooting with everything in the safe and may start weeding out a few that I feel are things I just don;t get a lot of enjoyment out of.
 
USAF Ret, I wish you a lot of luck in your weeding process. I compare the elimination choice to our younger years if one had to decide which fabulous girlfriend he didn't want to date anymore. All of the multitude of rifles, handguns, and shotguns I have carry a personal use or family history that makes giving up one a very difficult decision. I sold an absolutely beautiful Winchester Model 70, pre-64 action, in .338 Win caliber because I figured I'm not going out west anymore for Elk and why let it sit in the safe waiting for me to croak and having my family try to get rid of it. I'm not at the stage where I want to sell what I don't use in order to get another, whether it's higher-end or not. I'm just reluctant to sell because I really like every piece that I have. I told my wife when I die I want to take all my guns with me. She said a two-casket funeral for one person is not generally acceptable.
 
cdoc42 said:
USAF Ret, I wish you a lot of luck in your weeding process. I compare the elimination choice to our younger years if one had to decide which fabulous girlfriend he didn't want to date anymore. All of the multitude of rifles, handguns, and shotguns I have carry a personal use or family history that makes giving up one a very difficult decision. I sold an absolutely beautiful Winchester Model 70, pre-64 action, in .338 Win caliber because I figured I'm not going out west anymore for Elk and why let it sit in the safe waiting for me to croak and having my family try to get rid of it. I'm not at the stage where I want to sell what I don't use in order to get another, whether it's higher-end or not. I'm just reluctant to sell because I really like every piece that I have. I told my wife when I die I want to take all my guns with me. She said a two-casket funeral for one person is not generally acceptable.
Click to expand...
I completely understand that. I have a few that have sentimental value, those definitely go to folks that had some type of ties to that. I have only a few that I really have no need for. I may just end up selling those and buying one nice rifle or shotgun I have been looking at. Definitely something I will use.
 
My “safe” is a revolving door. I sell stuff all the time. I’m a first generation gun owner, so I don’t really own any guns with significant emotional or sentimental value to me. If I buy a gun and don’t absolutely love it or shoot it regularly, it’s gone.

I currently own about 1/3 of the guns I did at the height of my collecting a few years ago. I don’t really miss any of the ones I’ve sold. And to be honest, I still don’t shoot most of the guns I kept. I could probably cut it in half again without missing any of them.

So yes, I fully support the “less but better” mentality.
 
I sold about 15 in the last 2 years, and 20K rounds of factory ammo and 5 AR15 uppers.

Turned the proceeds into a few I have always wanted. Including a Henry 45-70, a Marlin .35 Rem, a Weatherby 20g and a Defiance .280AI. Also picked up a pair of Stoeger STR9s for students to use in class.
 
Good stories folks. Thank you!

Any concerns about not getting what you put into a rifle? Kind of like fixing up a car, but the KBB value doesn't change.

Ex, I got a really good deal on a Ruger American 6.5 CR. $375 at the PX with no tax. Added a Magpul stock, Timney trigger, precision bolt handle, Magpul bipod. I made it into a decent little rifle. But, from a use aspect, it's a bit heavy for a hunting rifle and I am not a bench shooter. Would rather have a Christensen Ridgeline.

That being said, I ended up making a $375 rifle into an $850 rifle. I will not get that money back if I sell it. It is still a Ruger American. While it is something that can go, I hate losing that much money on it.
 
Last edited:
I’ve bought and sold guns since I’ve started…some I regret selling and others not. With that I sold both machineguns last year, as I hadn’t shot either in a couple years and really didn’t shoot them that often to begin with, plus the money will get me retired sooner rather than later…same for some others I’m offloading.
 
Most of the guns I have are either unusual, odd, rare, or have an interesting design. Those that I have that are just "guns" are the ones I shoot or use the most. For example, I have a savage 30-06 which I hunt with. I have a Diamondback db9 which I like to carry. I have a Baikal O/U 12 gauge that I use for Skeet/sporting clays. If I were actually good at Skeet or sporting clays, I would step up to a Beretta I once bought thinking I would have the time to get good at this sport.

Overall, I agree - if you are going to have safe queens, make sure they are higher quality or at least rare/interesting such that you still enjoy them.
 
A few years ago, I sold a Mosin Nagant 91/30 and an M44 to purchase a K31. Ammo costs about the same to reload, but everything about the K31 is more enjoyable. The moist nuggets were a lot of fun and easy to let others take a few shots when surplus ammo was cheap, but I was always trying to make them better, more accurate. Now, I just shoot and enjoy.
 
Collecting has been evolutionary, for me.

I watched an interesting video a while back talking about taking a look at all the firearms you have, for those that have quite a few, and selling things that are maybe not your favorite, just okay or something you bought just because it was on sale. Yeah, I am guilty.
Click to expand...
Well, you are in good company as I too have gone through cycles. I have evolved through a number of types. Prior to enlisting in the Navy, I sold my first "entire" collection as I did not trust some of my relatives to maintain them as well as sell them, for their profit. Lately, I only keep those that touch my heart and pretty well leveled off. I do have some regrets, like a Savage 99, two Arisacus and one High standard. Most of what I have now, is dairly collectable and will eventually go to an auction house. My Traditional M/L's will stay where the are. I did have one Marlin 39, that I bought in Gitmo, that meant too much to me and considered priceless so I gave it to one of my Grandsons with a letter...... :D

Be Safe !!!
 
Pahoo said:
Well, you are in good company as I too have gone through cycles. I have evolved through a number of types. Prior to enlisting in the Navy, I sold my first "entire" collection as I did not trust some of my relatives to maintain them as well as sell them, for their profit. Lately, I only keep those that touch my heart and pretty well leveled off. I do have some regrets, like a Savage 99, two Arisacus and one High standard. Most of what I have now, is dairly collectable and will eventually go to an auction house. My Traditional M/L's will stay where the are. I did have one Marlin 39, that I bought in Gitmo, that meant too much to me and considered priceless so I gave it to one of my Grandsons with a letter...... :D

Be Safe !!!
Click to expand...
I like the last part.

Oh, a Savage 99. Would love to have one of those in 300 Savage. My previous neighbor had one and I tried to get him to part with it several times, but he would never sell anything. He had three gun safes and it still wasn't enough. He spent his deployment money all on firearms.

Oh, he did say he did a major sale back when we had the firearms shortage during the Obama years. He said he made a small fortune. Held onto the money and restocked when things normalized. Back when a mil-spec AR was going for a grand if you could even find one.
 
I did recently drop a good amount on a Remington 270 Mountain Rifle from a collection being sold off. Manufactured 2 years before the trigger issues and quality problems. My gunsmith showed me the bolt face and looked like it was brand new and had never been shot. Great trigger as well. I could have gotten a Christensen, but it is a beautiful rifle. Always loved the stainless and wood.
 
Cutting down the number and bumping up the quality
Click to expand...
That sounds suspiciously un-American. Are you trying to put WalMart out of business? Savage firearms owners across the country just recoiled in pain! Hi-Point owners will unite and vow a holy war against you!

No, seriously, once you get the "quality over quantity" thing nailed down you will be happier. Better quality only bothers you when you buy, poor quality will bother you every time you pick up that gun. I have never heard the owner of a well-made custom rifle complain that it was too accurate, or too pretty, just too expensive.
 
dumping?

Good timing as I am very seriously considering selling a good number of guns.
The shotguns are too difficult to shoot well due to vision issues.

Hunting has greatly declined so most rifles will be going as well. I will keep a few just in case.

Handguns, though I still shoot competition I have limited that to 22 and use a
Volquartsen Scorpion w red dot now. So most will also go.

Get the cash and look at one or two high-end or semi-custom pieces is always on my mind.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top