[greyhawk50]

I read a comment that SW01 made about missing a trade for a Savage 99 and selling a Win. 88.
Didn't want to hijack the thread so;
Do you buy & keep? Or do you buy, sell & trade.
I've never had a lot of money and have wanted a variety of guns. So, I have bought, sold, traded over 300 guns in my 65 years. I've had a few given to me and I've given a few away. Like SW01, I've missed a few really good ones and I've sold a few that I should have kept. I still have a modest collection and every gun has a purpose (at least in my mind). Only have 2 center-fire rifles and they are both 336 Marlins. Have a Marlin 60 and a Savage 22 mag. and (sorry guys) about half of my guns are shotguns. I don't hunt much any more because of health problems and failing eyesight but I still enjoy busting a few clay birds from time to time.
Let us know what your style is?

Grey

 

[greyhawk50]

And, while we're at it, list the "ones that got away".
I owned several that I should have kept. Just to mention a few.
6" Colt Python.
2 ea. Thompson Contenders w/5 diff. barrels. (not at the same time)
Marlin Mod. 62 Levermatic in 30 carbine.
12 ga. Browning Citori.
12 ga. Browning BT-99. Signature Model

 

[SHOOTER13]

Very rare for me to sell off any of my collection...

As for ones that got away...and that I deeply regret:

A S&W Model 19 Combat Magnum K frame blued with 6" barrel, TT TS WO RR

 

[28Shooter]

Buy? Sell? Trade? Keep? - The age old dilemma of the firearms enthusiast! I've done and do all three. My list of things that I've owned and still lament the sale of is to long too list here but a few highlights include a '60s vintage Browning HiPower, a 4" S&W Model 25 in .45 Colt (fit and finish better than any Python I've ever seen), a S&W Model 49 Bodyguard, a .22 Colt New Frontier, my first collection of British Enfields, and last but not least, an unfired Long Branch Arsenal No. 4 Enfield. I sold these and others to raise money for my first house and the $20K went a long way.

 

[squirrelhunter]

I buy with the intentions to keep,even though it doesn't always work out that way. There's only 2 I've sold or traded that I really regret and that's a Marlin Model 25 22lr my dad gave me as my 1st rifle (that thing was a real nail driver) and a Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk 44 mag with a ported 10 1/2" barrel and scope.

 

[duster066]

My only regret was trading my mod 60 my dad gave me for my first gun. I got a LLama 1911 in 38super for it, so at the time I couldn't say no.

 

[Windy]

You guys have to learn how to think like a girl. Sentimental value wins out every time for me. I wouldn't sell or trade any of my guns.

 

[1894]

Don't have to think like a girl Windy , when I was younger, back in the 70's I asked my dad about buying and selling guns. His reply was " Don't sell any " he had only sold or traded off 3 guns in his life and regretted it later. I follow that principle to this day . Most of the guns I own I inherited from my dad , those and the ones I have bought / will buy get the same one way treatment. I figure that after I'm worm food , whoever inherits them can do what they like with them

 

[FOUR4D4]

I have said that i will never sell any of my guns but i hit a financial hardship and had to sell 3 of them So never say never it can happen to you!!!!

 

[axxe55]

very seldom do i ever get rid of a firearm now. as i have gotten older, i tend to research my purchases a little more now before i commit to buying one. even most of my impulse buys are usually firearms i have on a list to buy if they become available. usually i only get rid of one, is that it just doesn't meet my performance expectations. for the most part, mine are bought with the intentions of it being a keeper. yes there are those now that i sold or traded when in my younger foolish years that i wish i hadn't. there are those that i wish i had bought but passed. but hindsight is 20-20!

 

[1894]

I have said that i will never sell any of my guns but i hit a financial hardship and had to sell 3 of them So never say never it can happen to you!!!!

Good point !!! Barring any extenuating circumstances I hope to never have to sell any .

 

[28Shooter]

I rather enjoy buying, selling and trading. I've had the opportunity to own and shoot some great guns over the years and actually make a little money when I sold them.

 

[axxe55]

for the most part i buy with the intentions of keeping. but have bought some, that were bought to try out and if i didn't care for them, they would be traded or sold. sometimes, you just have to spend time shooting a particular firearm to find out if it suits your needs or that you are happy with it.

case in point, i have a SA XDm40 that i like very much. i traded one of my 1911 pistols to a very close friend for a SA XD45C, that i shot about 25 rounds through and just didn't really care for it. so about two weeks later i traded it in on a Remington R1 Enhanced that i really like much better.

 

[SWO1]

Well I don't collect guns. I have owned a lot. A firearm has ONE purpose. Sitting in a safe or in a cabinet is NOT it. Once I obtain it I shoot it , a lot. It has to feel right and SHOOT TO POINT OF IMPACT. If it dosnt, it's history. I don't have a lot of em, compaired to some on this forum and others. If I count correctly...9 center fire rifles, the oldest a 1899 made 30.40, the newest a Marlin x youth model..1 week old. 4 .22 rifles and 5 shotguns along with 2 pistols and 3 in-line black powder rifles.

And that has led me to dispose of some that today are said to be worth quite a bit of money. Although I never owned I had the oppertunity in 1964 to buy a Holland & Holland Double Rifle for the large sum of (then to me)$150. One of my early desires was to be a Big Game Hunter in Africa or India. The deciding factor for me was the cost of .500 shells. Cant remember what they were but it was a lot. Just before this post I looked up values of H&H double rifles (havnt been made (if the info was correct since just after WW2) and in 2007 a Holland & Holland in ANY caliber was worth over 40,000 English pounds.

All the sold, traded, missed-out-on but not forgotten ones really dont bother me as if I have a need for a firearm I want to be certain it will perform when I pick it up. All my firearms will perform and SO FAR I am able to use them for their intended purpose. 11 of these guns are really my grandkids, but mine until they are legally of age to own them. As will be all of mine someday.

 

[Shooter]

I have said that i will never sell any of my guns but i hit a financial hardship and had to sell 3 of them So never say never it can happen to you!!!!

I have a younger brother. Whenever he needs a hand, I buy his firearms from him and sell them back at the price I bought at.

It's a good system, but not one everyone can use obviously.

 

[28Shooter]

SWO1 - a Holland and Holland for $150 - now that does make me cry. I had the opportunity in 1986 (the year I got married) to buy a matched pair of Woodward 12-bores that looked to be unfired and in their leather maker's case for $5,000. I actually had the money from a cashed out profit-sharing plan from my college job but didn't think my new bride would understand why the living room furniture money would be better invested in the guns. Furniture of course has long since gone away and those Woodwards are are now worth around $75K.

 

[SWO1]

I have an offer to buy my 336 30.30. He wants it for his son to start hunting this deer season. Dosnt want to lay out $400 (here) for a new one and would rather have one in great shape that is a proven shooter. Mine is. I havn't even shot it in a couple of years. As I stated earlier I don't collect them, they have to serve a purpose....and this one has outlived that purpose. Now someone has a NEED for it and will put it to its proper use. I invited him and his son over this weekend to shoot it on the range before he(they) make a firm decision. If they like it, Its theirs. Will go with scope bases, sling, and quick detach swivels. I have round nose 150s and 180s along with LeverRevilation rounds they can try. 25, 50 and 100 yds. I rate it at better than 95% and for $300 I dont think (and he dosn't either) his son can go wrong.

 

[axxe55]

I have an offer to buy my 336 30.30. He wants it for his son to start hunting this deer season. Dosnt want to lay out $400 (here) for a new one and would rather have one in great shape that is a proven shooter. Mine is. I havn't even shot it in a couple of years. As I stated earlier I don't collect them, they have to serve a purpose....and this one has outlived that purpose. Now someone has a NEED for it and will put it to its proper use. I invited him and his son over this weekend to shoot it on the range before he(they) make a firm decision. If they like it, Its theirs. Will go with scope bases, sling, and quick detach swivels. I have round nose 150s and 180s along with LeverRevilation rounds they can try. 25, 50 and 100 yds. I rate it at better than 95% and for $300 I dont think (and he dosn't either) his son can go wrong.

SW01, $300! i would pay that much without firing one shot! a good used in decent to very good condition used 336 would go for between $400-500 in my area. $300 is a steal.

 

[SWO1]

SW01, $300! i would pay that much without firing one shot! a good used in decent to very good condition used 336 would go for between $400-500 in my area. $300 is a steal.

They came over Sunday afternoon. Shot the 336. The boy loved it...tried some Rem 150s and some LeverRevelations. Really not much difference at 50 and 100 yds. He had used his fathers .270 the last few years and couldnt shoot it very good. Kept the 336 under 2" with about 12 rounds. Said the open sights were a lot different than a scope. James (father) shot it and did better with the groups. I threw in almost 3 boxes of shells as I have no other 30.30. They live just about a mile down the road and I can hear him practicing in the evenings after school. (these hearing aids are Great....lol) He went away a HAPPY 16 year old. Saw James in town today and he said he had bought every box of Federal 30.30 that Wal-Mart had @ $14 and that John would probley shoot out the barrell and wear off the bluing cleaning it before Deer Season........ I took deer with it, my oldest grandson took deer with it, and now it will continue to do what it was ment to do..... Thats worth more than a few more bucks I might have gotten for it.

 

[axxe55]

They came over Sunday afternoon. Shot the 336. The boy loved it...tried some Rem 150s and some LeverRevelations. Really not much difference at 50 and 100 yds. He had used his fathers .270 the last few years and couldnt shoot it very good. Kept the 336 under 2" with about 12 rounds. Said the open sights were a lot different than a scope. James (father) shot it and did better with the groups. I threw in almost 3 boxes of shells as I have no other 30.30. They live just about a mile down the road and I can hear him practicing in the evenings after school. (these hearing aids are Great....lol) He went away a HAPPY 16 year old. Saw James in town today and he said he had bought every box of Federal 30.30 that Wal-Mart had @ $14 and that John would probley shoot out the barrell and wear off the bluing cleaning it before Deer Season........ I took deer with it, my oldest grandson took deer with it, and now it will continue to do what it was ment to do..... Thats worth more than a few more bucks I might have gotten for it.

sounds like it worked out well for everyone! sounds like it found a happy home also.