Why dont people like trading in their guns every few years?

For me the answer to this is very simple - I lose too much money on the trade in.

I'd love to get new guns more frequently, but if I buy a gun for $700 bucks in 2015, then try to trade it in in 2016, I get $350 for the trade. I just wasted $350. Nobody, private party or dealer is willing to give me a good deal on the trade in.

If I could get about $500 or $550 for the trade in, it might be worth it. Once Pawn Stars became famous, everybody began to realize that you only get about 40-50% of what your trade in is worth. Now that's the norm.
 
It's several factors.

Cars wear out quicker than guns. Cars last longer these days, but a few hundred thousand miles or a couple decades is about it. A well made firearm is extremely difficult to wear out, and most of us here will not even come close to doing so.

Guns are also extremely mature technology.

Imagine if Ford had produced the Model T for a hundred years with no sign of stopping, and that the Model T was still one of the most popular cars in America. That's where we are with guns.

My car was made in 2002 and doesn't even have anti-lock brakes. And the paint is peeling. And it needs a new timing chain. And who knows what else?

Self driving cars will probably be a thing in a couple decades. Maybe even electric ones.
 
Foreign competition had nothing to do with it. The buyer demographic at the time was to trade-in, or get a new automobile every 2-3 years. The cars were thought of as disposable by the people buying the cars. The buyers WANTED a new car every 2-3 years.
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That was primarily a post WWII thing
 
Imagine if Ford had produced the Model T for a hundred years with no sign of stopping, and that the Model T was still one of the most popular cars in America. That's where we are with guns.
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And, if the old bastard were still alive, that's exactly what he would have done. This also applies to some gun manufacturers.
 
Trading in a gun every two or three years means that over time I'm losing thousands of dollars in equity and will have only one gun to show for it.
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This.

Cars are depreciating assets, guns are investments...
 
I have several guns that are over a century old. They're still in very nice condition and work just fine. Repair parts are easily available too.

My daily driver is 36 years old, but I don't think it's going to make it that long...
 
So basically what this means is when it comes to guns and ammo we are only progressing at a snail's pace compared to things like cell phones, computers or automobiles? I mean today's cars are way better in almost every way compared to one that was made 40 year's ago but a 40 year 9mm pistol is the same in terms of performance? Why aren't these gun companies investing more in research and development?
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How people trade in their 10 year old car because of "new technology"?

How many trade in their 10 year old car because it is showing some serious wear and tear, and they don't trust it to be reliable any more?

How many would trade in a 10 year old gun for either reason?
 
Most everyone has explained it, but no one has nailed down why gun technology has slowed. It's actually a very simple answer... modern firearms are actually a very mature technology. Firearms have existed in China since at least the 13th century AD. They existed in Europe and Arabia since at least the 14th century AD. Firearms were in rather common use since at least the 16th century. We're going on over 800 years since the first basic firearms were invented, and 600 years from where firearms started to look like what they do today (with a stock, barrel, receiver, trigger, etc.).

We've had cars for... a little over 100 years. Cars are much more complex than firearms, and there are a lot of areas where technology can advance beyond other systems. For example, brake technology has been mostly the same for 30 years. Differential technology hasn't had any radical advances for nearly 50 years. A differential is a differential, with minor upgrades. 30 years has seen radical changes in ECM, fuel delivery, and many other technologies.

So... we have a much simpler item; the firearm. It's been around for a very long time and it is a mature technology. This versus a much more complex piece of machinery with many different systems; the car. It has been around a little over a hundred years and is not a mature technology.
 
Cars have a limited life expectancy that most are likely to hit.
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Cars wear out quicker than guns.
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Mostly because most guns don't really get shot that much.

I have a Remmy 721 that needs a new barrel and the little extractor doohickey inside the ring around the bolt face is becoming worn to the point that it won't always reliably extract ....... and I can't find a replacement part (short of stealing it off another 721 with less use).

It is the only gun I have that is in danger of being shot to death........
 
5whiskey nailed a large part of the reasoning : mature technology.

The revolver, for example, is just about perfect from a standpoint of design, metallurgy, and manufacturing tolerance and precision. It's not going to improve beyond trivial aspects of function.
 
I can't think of any significant mechanical advance in automotive technology since disc brakes became common about 50 years ago.

Although there have been major advances in fuel management (computer controlled fuel injection), ignition (computer controlled ignition), brakes (computer controlled anti-lock), and safety (computer controlled air bags).

The next major advance is going to be self-driving (computer controlled) cars.

Anyone notice a trend here that doesn't apply to firearms?
 
45_auto said:
I can't think of any significant mechanical advance in automotive technology since disc brakes became common about 50 years ago.
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Airbags.

Electric power steering.

Continuously variable transmissions. Automatic transmissions with more than 3 speeds.

Front wheel drive with transverse engine mounting. This technology was basically confined to the BMC Mini 50 years ago, but is now nearly universal among passenger cars and crossover SUVs.

Radial tires.

Suspension in general. With the exception of a few outliers (Corvairs, VWs, Porsches, Corvettes, Jaguar E-Types), solid rear axles and oxcart leaf springs were more or less universal 50 years ago, even on pricey European sports cars; now even many full-size SUVs have sophisticated multi-link rear suspension (and those full-size SUVs honestly handle better than those European sports cars did). Did I mention that modern suspension doesn't need to be lubed every 10k miles and rebuilt every 60k miles?

Variable valve timing and lift; more specifically, systems such as BMW Valvetronic which eliminate the need for a throttle plate.

Turbochargers that really work under normal driving conditions.

Traction and stability control. (OK, it's mostly electronic and works in conjunction with the ABS, but I think it still counts.) Interestingly, stability control statistically delivers a real-world safety benefit that ABS promised but didn't deliver.

All-wheel-drive systems that really work under normal driving conditions.

Multi-piston swash-plate A/C compressors. Even a lot of auto enthusiasts are probably saying "Huh?", but have you ever driven a 1960s or 1970s car and noticed that when you turn on the A/C, there's strong vibration and the engine loses so much power that you'd think the handbrake has just been pulled? Ever wonder why new cars aren't like this? Now you know.

Lastly, although advances in fuel injection and ignition have arguably been incremental, the sum total is pretty amazing; consider that you can buy a fairly inexpensive sedan with a naturally-aspirated 2.0L engine that delivers 155 hp, 150 ft-lb torque, and 41 highway MPG by running 13.0:1 compression on 87 octane gas (Mazda3). And it runs well in all weather, at any altitude, without having to fiddle with the carburetor jets and ignition timing. And without tuneups every 15k miles. And the computer tells you what's wrong with the system when it breaks. :)
 
Still looking for significant MECHANICAL advances in the last 50 years. As was stated earlier, automotive electronics have made significant advances, but a mechanic from the WW2 era would have no trouble with the mechanical systems of a modern car.

carguychris said:
Airbags. Electronically controlled.

Electric power steering. Need I elaborate on the "electronic" aspect?

Continuously variable transmissions. Automatic transmissions with more than 3 speeds. CVT was patented in 1886, first used on a car in 1896. 4 speed Hydramatic was an option on 1940 Oldsmobiles, used in some WW2 military vehicles. What automatic transmission with more than 4 speeds doesn't depend on electronic controls?

Front wheel drive with transverse engine mounting. This technology was basically confined to the BMC Mini 50 years ago, but is now nearly universal among passenger cars and crossover SUVs. DKW 1931, Saab 1949, Mini 1959. All much older than 50 years. Admittedly much more popular today than 50 years ago.

Radial tires. Patented in 1915, Developed and commercialized by Michelin, original equipment on 1948 Citroen. Again much older than 50 years.

Suspension in general. With the exception of a few outliers (Corvairs, VWs, Porsches, Corvettes, Jaguar E-Types), solid rear axles and oxcart leaf springs were more or less universal 50 years ago, even on pricey European sports cars; now even many full-size SUVs have sophisticated multi-link rear suspension (and those full-size SUVs honestly handle better than those European sports cars did). Did I mention that modern suspension doesn't need to be lubed every 10k miles and rebuilt every 60k miles? If it was in production use over 50 years ago (Corvairs, VWs, Porsches, Corvettes, Jaguar E-Types, etc) then it's not a significant mechanical advance made during the last 50 years.

Variable valve timing and lift; more specifically, systems such as BMW Valvetronic which eliminate the need for a throttle plate. Valvetronic = Valve + electronic. "This highly advanced technology replaces the conventional throttle butterfly with a electrical mechanism that controls the amount of lift of the individual intake valves on each cylinder." - BMW blurb. Did someone mention "electronics" earlier?

Turbochargers that really work under normal driving conditions. Patented in 1905, very common on aircraft and diesel engines since WW1. First used on production automobiles (Oldsmobile Jetfire) in 1962. Admittedly more common than previously (like FWD).

Traction and stability control. (OK, it's mostly electronic and works in conjunction with the ABS, but I think it still counts.) Interestingly, stability control statistically delivers a real-world safety benefit that ABS promised but didn't deliver. Electronics again.

All-wheel-drive systems that really work under normal driving conditions. A standard 4WD with a center diff. Miller AWD competed in the 1931 Indy 500, standard on Jensen FF in 1966, commonly used on military trucks since the early 1900's. Mechanical technology that's been in use for well over 100 years.

Multi-piston swash-plate A/C compressors. Even a lot of auto enthusiasts are probably saying "Huh?", but have you ever driven a 1960s or 1970s car and noticed that when you turn on the A/C, there's strong vibration and the engine loses so much power that you'd think the handbrake has just been pulled? Ever wonder why new cars aren't like this? Now you know. Sorry, I rate advances in air conditioners as right up there with advances in power mirrors, radios, power seats, power windows, and curb feelers as "nice to have" but not an advance in a primary mechanical system that would inspire me to buy a new car.

Lastly, although advances in fuel injection and ignition have arguably been incremental, the sum total is pretty amazing; consider that you can buy a fairly inexpensive sedan with a naturally-aspirated 2.0L engine that delivers 155 hp, 150 ft-lb torque, and 41 highway MPG by running 13.0:1 compression on 87 octane gas (Mazda3). And it runs well in all weather, at any altitude, without having to fiddle with the carburetor jets and ignition timing. And without tuneups every 15k miles. And the computer tells you what's wrong with the system when it breaks. Pretty sure I mentioned electronic fuel injection and ignition earlier.
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Cars keep improving with more and better electronics and safety features. When you buy a car after a few years, you're upgrading even if you buy the same car again. When you buy a quality gun, a new one a few years later will be the same or possibly worse. How is a new 1911 better than an old 1911 if it was kept in great condition? How is a new Ruger 22 pistol better than a well kept one that is 40+years old? How is a new shotgun better than a well kept one that is many years old?
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Guns do get upgraded and quite often. Just a couple of years ago Ruger made an upgraded version of their GP 100, the Match Champion. And just last year this new gun became a very hot product, the Canik by Century Arms. So its not uncommon for guns to get upgraded. Granted they aren't upgraded as much as cars or for that matter computers but they do get upgraded. As for me, if there is an upgraded version I want I buy the upgraded version and keep any earlier version of the gun that I've already got, without selling or trading it in.
 
So basically what this means is when it comes to guns and ammo we are only progressing at a snail's pace compared to things like cell phones, computers or automobiles? I mean today's cars are way better in almost every way compared to one that was made 40 year's ago but a 40 year 9mm pistol is the same in terms of performance? Why aren't these gun companies investing more in research and development?
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Yes. Technology tends to stabilize after reaching a certain level in any given field. Although not to the same extent as guns its happening with cars too. Back in the 1800s when the technology of the gun was still being greatly developed there were great advances in that century. In the very start of the 1800s there were just flintlocks but through the century we progressed to cap locks, breech loading firearms, single action repeaters, brass cartridge firearms, lever action rifles, double action revolvers and even some of the first machine guns such as the gatling gun as well as some of the first semi automatics. So by the end of the 1800s we had progressed from single shot flintlocks to semi automatics and full automatics. But as always happens, technology stabilizes after awhile. You see the same thing with earlier technology too. Today you don't hear much about technological advances with swords but in medieval times there were lots of technological improvements with the sword one of which was the addition of the fuller, the groove down the center of the blade. Cars have stabilized a bit too although we are still making significant advances every year but I would say cars are past their prime in terms of advancement. Computers is where in this day and age you see real advancement as computers are still relatively new compared to cars and especially guns. In the old days a single computer would take up a whole room and then in the 80s they had desktop computers and now days they've really made advances with laptops and with computers that fit in your pocket which in addition to being able to call and text people with can do over 100 times more than what those 80s desktops did. Today you still do see technological advances with guns but not to the degree with cars and computers because guns have already passed that stage where you make tons of advances in a relatively short time. After all, guns are I would say about 600 years old if you want to include some of the earliest cannons. Some of the first cars were built in the 1880s so cars would be about 130 to 140 years old. Computers were first invented after cars so for computers the technology is even younger. So since the technology for guns is much older than cars or computers, that's why its stabilized and you don't see that many advances in the modern day.
 
A lot of us will buy another gun before we will trade a good gun to get another gun. That way, we still have our "good" gun, in case the new one is a lemon.
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If the new gun is a lemon, that's when I will trade it in and buy another gun of the same make and model. Sure, I will suffer a financial loss, but its better than being stuck with a lemon. I might do that with my Ruger Redhawk.
 
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