My gun is too pretty to shoot!
- Thread starter ftballgod
- Start date
But that's the point here, these aren't unfired, out-of-production high grade collector guns. They are, sorry to put it bluntly, run of the mill service pistols. Good guns, yes, but nothing that special.
I can understand not wanting to shoot high end, unfired collectibles. I bought two unfired, limited edition Colt Detective Specials long after they were out of production. I was sorely tempted to shoot them because that's what I do with my guns. I have, however, kept them unfired. Instead, I shoot my Colt Cobra and Colt Agent, lightweight versions of the DS.
I have some excellent condition Pythons. I take them shooting from time to time because shooting them in a respectful manner won't hurt their value much and I like shooting them.
I also have some high end 1911s that are still in production (Brown, Baer, Wilson). It has never even occurred to me not to shoot them. I even carry two of them regularly.
Well, If I go out and buy a Glock 36 and melt it for kicks and giggles, what difference does that make? None, except maybe to me. Folks who like Glocks might think this is really stupid....they may not approve, but it's not their gun, is it.
There are folks who would really like to have an unfired or ANIB 1957 Python and would cringe at the idea of someone getting one and then using it as a shooter....like myself. I can't do anything about it, I know that. But, I can have an opinion about it. In my eyes, melting down a glock and taking a rare firearm and shooting it which will or could devalue it (especially when you could get an identical gun that's not as valuable to shoot) is really the same thing.
Do any of you collect coins? Do you feel compelled to spend your Morgan Silver Dollars? How would you handle an AU Carson City Morgan Dollar? Would you even spend a bunch of well worn Peace Dollars at face value? Why not? That's their purpose and they are still legal currency. Perhaps you can understand how I feel about SOME guns. They are like collectible coins to me.
But, beyond that, there are simply some guns that I personally don't want to fire because they would be too hard to replace in the condition that I happen to have them. So, I take them out, admire them, but don't shoot them - they are not even particularly rare - just not easy to replace. I've got more than enough guns to shoot. But, that's just me.
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aarondhgraham
New member
I have one it took a while to shoot,,,
I bought an absolutely pristine Model 12 on impulse one time,,,
No turn ring on the cylinder and no carboning anywhere,,,
One of those "shot one cylinder then put it away" guns.
I had her for a few months before i finally decided to take her dancing,,,
So I do understand the temptation to not shoot pretty guns.
None of my guns are "collectable" though,,,
So I shoot them and just try to keep them clean and un-dinged.
Aarond
I bought an absolutely pristine Model 12 on impulse one time,,,
No turn ring on the cylinder and no carboning anywhere,,,
One of those "shot one cylinder then put it away" guns.
I had her for a few months before i finally decided to take her dancing,,,
So I do understand the temptation to not shoot pretty guns.
None of my guns are "collectable" though,,,
So I shoot them and just try to keep them clean and un-dinged.
Aarond
Skans the chance of me spending thousands on a rare collectible handgun is low. I will not be the guy who shoots a pristine rare gun, thereby lowering its value to those who value such things. The original poster's unfired weapons are not rare collectibles. They are production handguns. Their value, whether pristine or gently used will change little. To keep them unfired in the safe is not something I would do.
The idea that shooting a gun, any gun, is akin to or worse than destroying one for "kicks and giggles" is not one that makes sense to me. I do understand collectors have their own way of determining the value of whatever it is they collect. Because of this, if for no other reason than financial, I would treat a rare gun with respect. That a weapon or any mechanical device is meticulously made to the standards of the day, using quality materials and then never used for its purpose seems a little sad to me. A Rolex or a Timex should be worn; a Corvette or an Impala should be driven; a Python or a Glock should be fired. Just my opinion.
The idea that shooting a gun, any gun, is akin to or worse than destroying one for "kicks and giggles" is not one that makes sense to me. I do understand collectors have their own way of determining the value of whatever it is they collect. Because of this, if for no other reason than financial, I would treat a rare gun with respect. That a weapon or any mechanical device is meticulously made to the standards of the day, using quality materials and then never used for its purpose seems a little sad to me. A Rolex or a Timex should be worn; a Corvette or an Impala should be driven; a Python or a Glock should be fired. Just my opinion.
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So, Skans, what is the value of a gun that never gets used?
If you bought it as an investment, and it actually has investment value, then I could see it.
I don't view guns, even really nice ones, as investments. Rate of return on most of them is actually not all that good, and it's very, very rarely great.
If you want to keep your guns unfired and NIB, that's great.... but to my mind, you might as well have bought a really nice replica, if all you want to do is look at it. (Again, unless you have something that was really bought as an investment.)
A friend of mine was given a katana by our Shihan, years ago - on the condition that my friend would use it for cutting practice. Turned out it was a $25,000 plus sword. But my friend uses that blade. He cleans it regularly, and keeps it in great shape, but it cuts bottles and mats quite frequently.
Another friend of mine tore up his brakes, driving his Maserati GT in a Pro-Am race at Sebring. Spent around $7k to fix it, afterward - and opted to trade it in on a Rausch 427, for easier future maintenance. The Maserati wasn't too nice to abuse, but it was a pain to get serviced.
You'd hate the number of flight hours another friend puts on his 1940's vintage Cessna. He uses it as a daily driver, for frequent trips between the Nashville and Dallas areas. Another friend routinely motors his 1960's V-tail Bonanza between Florida and NC.
Frankly, I think all those things have more value in being used, than they would have in being locked away somewhere so Gollum can occasionally take out and fondle his Precious...
Edit: On a related note, I recently gave a martial arts friend my Regimental A-1 Kukri knife, which was one of the last to be imported when the Gurkhas were disbanded. I used it once, to kill a hog on a hunt, but hadn't used it since. My friend is studying a knife and short sword style which combines Arnis, Eskrima, and Bando, so I gave him the knife, knowing he will cut things with it. It was just taking up space in my gun safe, so...
If you bought it as an investment, and it actually has investment value, then I could see it.
I don't view guns, even really nice ones, as investments. Rate of return on most of them is actually not all that good, and it's very, very rarely great.
If you want to keep your guns unfired and NIB, that's great.... but to my mind, you might as well have bought a really nice replica, if all you want to do is look at it. (Again, unless you have something that was really bought as an investment.)
A friend of mine was given a katana by our Shihan, years ago - on the condition that my friend would use it for cutting practice. Turned out it was a $25,000 plus sword. But my friend uses that blade. He cleans it regularly, and keeps it in great shape, but it cuts bottles and mats quite frequently.
Another friend of mine tore up his brakes, driving his Maserati GT in a Pro-Am race at Sebring. Spent around $7k to fix it, afterward - and opted to trade it in on a Rausch 427, for easier future maintenance. The Maserati wasn't too nice to abuse, but it was a pain to get serviced.
You'd hate the number of flight hours another friend puts on his 1940's vintage Cessna. He uses it as a daily driver, for frequent trips between the Nashville and Dallas areas. Another friend routinely motors his 1960's V-tail Bonanza between Florida and NC.
Frankly, I think all those things have more value in being used, than they would have in being locked away somewhere so Gollum can occasionally take out and fondle his Precious...
Edit: On a related note, I recently gave a martial arts friend my Regimental A-1 Kukri knife, which was one of the last to be imported when the Gurkhas were disbanded. I used it once, to kill a hog on a hunt, but hadn't used it since. My friend is studying a knife and short sword style which combines Arnis, Eskrima, and Bando, so I gave him the knife, knowing he will cut things with it. It was just taking up space in my gun safe, so...
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Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Destroying 100% of a guns value is not really a good analogy to shooting a previously unfired collectors piece.
Is running a 2011 Mustang through a car crusher the same as driving a "0" miles, museum quality '67 vette? I should think not.
I understand why people collect things. I don't understand why people collect things that are not and never will be rare.
People collect baseball cards from the early-mid 1990s. The complete sets aren't worth the initial selling price and were produced in such quantity that they never will be.
I worked at a bank for several years. When the Sacagawea dollars came out, everybody thought they were suddenly collectors items. We had people coming in every week and buying out the entire supply. Those coins were mass produced, heavily collected and widely available. They do not and will not have any collectors value.
A '57 Python might be something to collect. A 92s isn't.
If you want to, more power to you, but it's nothing more than a personal "fetish" so to speak. There's no rational reason in terms of value, rareness, or future desirability.
Is running a 2011 Mustang through a car crusher the same as driving a "0" miles, museum quality '67 vette? I should think not.
I understand why people collect things. I don't understand why people collect things that are not and never will be rare.
People collect baseball cards from the early-mid 1990s. The complete sets aren't worth the initial selling price and were produced in such quantity that they never will be.
I worked at a bank for several years. When the Sacagawea dollars came out, everybody thought they were suddenly collectors items. We had people coming in every week and buying out the entire supply. Those coins were mass produced, heavily collected and widely available. They do not and will not have any collectors value.
A '57 Python might be something to collect. A 92s isn't.
If you want to, more power to you, but it's nothing more than a personal "fetish" so to speak. There's no rational reason in terms of value, rareness, or future desirability.
Lost River
New member
While I do have new in the box guns, most of mine are "working" or "recreational" guns. The new ones or pristine ones will either be given to kids when I get older (given that I do not die unexpectedly) or sold and the money given to the kids.
To die with new in the box guns serves no purpose to me.
While my whole life I have made my living with a gun on my hip, on my own time, I am an outdoorsman and competition shooter (former) first, collector a distant second.
Besides, a well worn gun speaks to me of adventures I have had with it on my hip.
To die with new in the box guns serves no purpose to me.
While my whole life I have made my living with a gun on my hip, on my own time, I am an outdoorsman and competition shooter (former) first, collector a distant second.
Besides, a well worn gun speaks to me of adventures I have had with it on my hip.
Just because you have or collect something doesn't mean that you bought it as an investment. There is a difference. A person might purchase an extremely rare car that is worth $300,0000, but that he would never consider parting with. In that case, the car, gun or "thing" was not bought as an investment.
I don't think I've ever purchased a gun as an "investment". I have bought guns for reasons other than to shoot them. I do like rare, odd and hard to find guns. But, not as a method of making money - I just like them. And, I typically don't shoot those guns. There's no fun or thrill in that for me. I've got plenty of good guns I can shoot! The "fun" for me is being able to admire a particular design, workmanship, or just knowing that a limited number of a particular kind of interesting gun was made.
I owned a fully restored 1964 1/2 Mustang 4-speed V8 Convertible for about 5 years (sold it 7 years ago) (4-speed '64 V8 verts are very hard to find). It was my daily driver - in fact the only car that I owned at the time. I put about 50,000 miles on that car and left it in better condition than when I got it (fully restored never really means fully restored). I bought it to drive, and I drove the heck out of it - it was fun!
My original response addressed a '57 Python. Not that many were made and they nice ones are hard to come by. Leave those for the collectors if you want to shoot a Python - that's all I'm saying.
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zombieslayer
New member
Ive shot every gin I've ever bought. I have an engraved special edition revolver on layaway thats going to be my edc. I have a limited edition mini "queen of hearts" with gold etching on the cylinder that got a good range session an hour after purchase. Also my $1500 Vbob is a range gun. Theyre meant to be shot and if you did have the odd lemon gun youd never know. Your kids or grandkids will get to find out. I say theyre just tools. Go use em... Just my two cents.
Shotgun693
New member
I once handled the SAA that had been well used by an old Texas Ranger Captain. As a gun it had some value. Having been used by that old Ranger it had more. Now since his name was engraved on it and a blood stain had taken some finish off the barrel the gun has worth a whole lot.
I have my S&W M28 I used in my first shooting. I have the Colt SAA that I used when I captured the President of the Latin Kings. Both show wear but have more value because of their history.
One day your Grandson or even Great Grandson might sit by a fire holding your gun and be glad they have the chance to use the gun you used. There's all kinds of value, a lot of it based on who owned a gun and if they actually used that gun.
I have my S&W M28 I used in my first shooting. I have the Colt SAA that I used when I captured the President of the Latin Kings. Both show wear but have more value because of their history.
One day your Grandson or even Great Grandson might sit by a fire holding your gun and be glad they have the chance to use the gun you used. There's all kinds of value, a lot of it based on who owned a gun and if they actually used that gun.
shootniron
New member
There are several ways to enjoy gun ownership, shooting them is only one way. I have a safe half full of guns that I like and shoot very little, if at all. Only a few of them would qualify as collectors, only a few of them qualify as beautiful guns, only a few of them qualify as sentimental favorites, but they all qualify as mine to enjoy in any legal manor that I choose. For these guns, I get my value out of them by just knowing they are in the safe and I can take them out and admire, fondle or shoot them at any time that I want.
So, if your guns are too pretty to shoot...fine by me, as pride of ownership is reason enough to keep a gun.
So, if your guns are too pretty to shoot...fine by me, as pride of ownership is reason enough to keep a gun.
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Sparks1957
New member
Personally, I don't believe in "safe queens", guns are made to shoot. Actually you are denying them a chance to fulfill their purpose in life by keeping them locked up like that. 
Must incur some sort of karmic debt by doing that.
Would you keep a Ferrari in the garage and never, ever drive it?
Must incur some sort of karmic debt by doing that.Would you keep a Ferrari in the garage and never, ever drive it?
I hear ya, OP. I've been down this road.
For me, it's not that I don't want to shoot them... it's that I get horrified if I'm shooting with someone else and they accidentally bang them around in to something... each other, the table, a nail head on the table, whatever. I also fear holster wear on guns that aren't my carry guns. (my carry guns are tools and I have no struggle with them)
Also, it's not like some of my guns are horribly rare or valuable -- it's simply that I really like them and don't want to see them get worn.
I still shoot them. I try to clean them with care. (lots of guns are beaten up while "cleaning.")
Guns I don't shoot? I have a family heirloom that I don't ever shoot anymore. I have shot it, and anyone in my family that wishes to shoot it shall be able to shoot it if they want. For me, it's simply that the nickel finish on this 88-year revolver doesn't want to go through more shooting and cleaning without wearing even more.
I bought a similar revolver (circa 1982) so that I could shoot something like it instead of shooting it. That works.
A gun that I bought and refused to shoot? Yep, I did that once. It was unfired outside of the factory when I bought it for an absolute steal and my plan was to flip it. I fawned over it for many months and then sold it for a juicy profit which completely funded another handgun that I had been pining over. I'm bummed that I never got a chance to shoot it, but part of my sale "feature" was the simple fact that outside of the factory, it had been neither fired nor field stripped. I had hoped that would add to the sale and I wasn't about to make up a lie, so I never got to shoot it.
My buyer got a really great deal on an expensive pistol that was every single possible bit as good as new, but he got it for a price that ANYONE looking for one would have been out of their mind to pass up. And I had the fond memory of owning it for a while... and I bought a pistol that I've been shooting the heck out of since I got it.
For me, it's not that I don't want to shoot them... it's that I get horrified if I'm shooting with someone else and they accidentally bang them around in to something... each other, the table, a nail head on the table, whatever. I also fear holster wear on guns that aren't my carry guns. (my carry guns are tools and I have no struggle with them)
Also, it's not like some of my guns are horribly rare or valuable -- it's simply that I really like them and don't want to see them get worn.
I still shoot them. I try to clean them with care. (lots of guns are beaten up while "cleaning.")
Guns I don't shoot? I have a family heirloom that I don't ever shoot anymore. I have shot it, and anyone in my family that wishes to shoot it shall be able to shoot it if they want. For me, it's simply that the nickel finish on this 88-year revolver doesn't want to go through more shooting and cleaning without wearing even more.
I bought a similar revolver (circa 1982) so that I could shoot something like it instead of shooting it. That works.
A gun that I bought and refused to shoot? Yep, I did that once. It was unfired outside of the factory when I bought it for an absolute steal and my plan was to flip it. I fawned over it for many months and then sold it for a juicy profit which completely funded another handgun that I had been pining over. I'm bummed that I never got a chance to shoot it, but part of my sale "feature" was the simple fact that outside of the factory, it had been neither fired nor field stripped. I had hoped that would add to the sale and I wasn't about to make up a lie, so I never got to shoot it.
My buyer got a really great deal on an expensive pistol that was every single possible bit as good as new, but he got it for a price that ANYONE looking for one would have been out of their mind to pass up. And I had the fond memory of owning it for a while... and I bought a pistol that I've been shooting the heck out of since I got it.