I have an Annaconda I bought 4 years ago. I would rather have a nice target .22 auto that I can afford to shoot as much as I like. With all the crap I hear about Colt, will the value of this piece rise, fall, or stay the same? I like the gun and it has always worked well, but it is expensive to shoot. I would like to keep it but am tempted to trade it. What do you think?
Should I keep my Colt?
- Thread starter BigTim
- Start date
Keep it. Look at it this way, it will never return in dollars what it does in pleasure. You like it, and that's what matters. Here is the list I use when I am tempted to get rid of one of my guns.
1.) Do I like it?
2.) Can I shoot it?
3.) Will I ever want to replace it?
If yes or no to any of these, then I keep it or dump it. If the answer is, yeah kinda then;
This gets a little tougher:
4.) How much will I lose on the deal?
5.) Would that money be better spent on something to make the gun better?
6.) Can I shoot something else cheaper?
7.) Will the cost of making the gun better be more than half the cost of a new gun?
8.) Thinking of a new gun, will I have to settle for less gun because I kept the one I am thinking of trading/selling?
9.) Cost of ammo?
10.)Possible value of the gun in the future?
Economic status chamges. The price of ammo may seem unacceptably high today, but sometime in the fuure it may not be a factor at all. Here are 3 examples from personal experience.
Kimber Custom Target. It's Ok, but .45 ammo is a bit high. I like it a lot more than I hate it. It could use a little better sights, and I would prefer wood grips instead of the hard rubber(?). Trigger is good, but not great. Cost was $725 out the door. Thinking of getting a Wilson at $1200.00, well,,,just because it's a Wilson. I am set up to reload for the .38/.357 already. Solution: Wooden grips bought at a gun show, unfinished, for 7 dollars. Ciener .22 Conversion for $215.00. Set of .45ACP dies for $27.00. Trade in value of the Kimber was $450.00, and best offer to sell was around $500. The Kimber will go up in value, but not for a long time, most likely not in the next 25 or so years. Instead of taking a 175 dollar hit, I spent another 250 to get something I am 100% satisified with. I still want a Wilson, but the want is a whole lot less every time I shoot the Kimber, in .22 or .45 flavor.
Another is the Winchester in 30-30. I bought it 25 years ago for $89.00, used but unfired, shoot it very little and in general didn't take very good care of it. I was offered $125.00 for it as part of a tradein for a .44Mag Trapper. I liked the idea of the 30-30, even though I shot it little. I stood to make money on the deal. At some point in the future, I figured I would get another 30-30. I kept the 30-30. why? A replacement was going to cost around $200. used, while I would only have made $35.00 or so on the trade.
Lastly there was the Walther PPK. I bought it used but unfired for $420.00 Tax, Brady etc. .380 is kind of expensive, but I could get dies, so I would reload it. The gun was 100% functional,with any ammo, so I got a good one as far as American PPK's go. It shot well, and it was something I had always wanted. I sold it for $400.00. Why? I didn't care for it. It bit the top of my hand, was the same size as a compact 9mm, and had a great deal of felt recoil. Wonderful gun with a great reputation, holds it's value well, but I could never see myself wanting/buying one again. There are decent .22's that run in the mid $200.00 range that will shoot beter than they should, and even after shooting them for a long time, return a decent portion of what you spent for them. Browning Buckmarks go new around here for $200-$265, depending on the model, will shoot as well or better than anything else, and still fetch close to $200.00 used if you want to move up to something else. I vote keep it. Years from now you will see one and think, Dam@, I used to have one of those, mine was in better shape, and look at what they want for that one! If you don't like it get rid of it, otherwise look for an alternative.
The best advice, FWIW, is unless you have a .22 in mind, and the price is so good you can't pass on it. Wait 2 weeks and see how you feel about it.
[This message has been edited by RAE (edited December 27, 1999).]
1.) Do I like it?
2.) Can I shoot it?
3.) Will I ever want to replace it?
If yes or no to any of these, then I keep it or dump it. If the answer is, yeah kinda then;
This gets a little tougher:
4.) How much will I lose on the deal?
5.) Would that money be better spent on something to make the gun better?
6.) Can I shoot something else cheaper?
7.) Will the cost of making the gun better be more than half the cost of a new gun?
8.) Thinking of a new gun, will I have to settle for less gun because I kept the one I am thinking of trading/selling?
9.) Cost of ammo?
10.)Possible value of the gun in the future?
Economic status chamges. The price of ammo may seem unacceptably high today, but sometime in the fuure it may not be a factor at all. Here are 3 examples from personal experience.
Kimber Custom Target. It's Ok, but .45 ammo is a bit high. I like it a lot more than I hate it. It could use a little better sights, and I would prefer wood grips instead of the hard rubber(?). Trigger is good, but not great. Cost was $725 out the door. Thinking of getting a Wilson at $1200.00, well,,,just because it's a Wilson. I am set up to reload for the .38/.357 already. Solution: Wooden grips bought at a gun show, unfinished, for 7 dollars. Ciener .22 Conversion for $215.00. Set of .45ACP dies for $27.00. Trade in value of the Kimber was $450.00, and best offer to sell was around $500. The Kimber will go up in value, but not for a long time, most likely not in the next 25 or so years. Instead of taking a 175 dollar hit, I spent another 250 to get something I am 100% satisified with. I still want a Wilson, but the want is a whole lot less every time I shoot the Kimber, in .22 or .45 flavor.
Another is the Winchester in 30-30. I bought it 25 years ago for $89.00, used but unfired, shoot it very little and in general didn't take very good care of it. I was offered $125.00 for it as part of a tradein for a .44Mag Trapper. I liked the idea of the 30-30, even though I shot it little. I stood to make money on the deal. At some point in the future, I figured I would get another 30-30. I kept the 30-30. why? A replacement was going to cost around $200. used, while I would only have made $35.00 or so on the trade.
Lastly there was the Walther PPK. I bought it used but unfired for $420.00 Tax, Brady etc. .380 is kind of expensive, but I could get dies, so I would reload it. The gun was 100% functional,with any ammo, so I got a good one as far as American PPK's go. It shot well, and it was something I had always wanted. I sold it for $400.00. Why? I didn't care for it. It bit the top of my hand, was the same size as a compact 9mm, and had a great deal of felt recoil. Wonderful gun with a great reputation, holds it's value well, but I could never see myself wanting/buying one again. There are decent .22's that run in the mid $200.00 range that will shoot beter than they should, and even after shooting them for a long time, return a decent portion of what you spent for them. Browning Buckmarks go new around here for $200-$265, depending on the model, will shoot as well or better than anything else, and still fetch close to $200.00 used if you want to move up to something else. I vote keep it. Years from now you will see one and think, Dam@, I used to have one of those, mine was in better shape, and look at what they want for that one! If you don't like it get rid of it, otherwise look for an alternative.
The best advice, FWIW, is unless you have a .22 in mind, and the price is so good you can't pass on it. Wait 2 weeks and see how you feel about it.
[This message has been edited by RAE (edited December 27, 1999).]
I'd keep it. If I had it and liked it and sold it, no matter what I would always look back and be sorry I did so. I did this a number of years ago with a pistol and a rifle and now I sure wish I had them back
Hind sight is always better then foresight.
------------------
Help Stamp Out Gun Ignorance.
Hind sight is always better then foresight.
------------------
Help Stamp Out Gun Ignorance.
