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Are Guns Bad Investments?

This subject is very interesting. A bit like my way of thinking. after In France we have categories to differentiate weapons C rifle Type Mauser.1903...
B semi car with authorization to go shooting in a club
the French government can at any time take back all our weapons like in 1940 without paying
 
Are firearms a good investment? Honestly, no. I have some guns that are now worth three or even four times what I paid for them many years ago. But many others, not so much. It depends greatly on what it is, its condition and its desirability.
I've found that on average, if you buy a brand new gun, you have to keep it roughly 5 years before you can sell it for what you paid for it and just break even. However, if you hold that gun for 40-50 years AND take good care of it, you may see a two, three or possibly four times return depending on what it is.
There's saying among collectors. "Condition is everything." A LNIB example will bring up to 10X more that the exact same model in well worn condition. However, I don't believe in Safe Queens. I shoot everything I own. Granted some may only get shot once every few years. But I do shoot them. After all, that's what they are made for. What's the point of owning a fine collectible firearm if you never enjoy it? ;)
A big problem today is that the great collectible guns are long out of production. Classic S&Ws, Colts, Winchesters and such haven't been produced in years. Most are already up to their peak prices as it is and likely won't go much higher. Buying these guns now will cost you a lot of money and even 20 years from now they won't gain much over what you paid.
The real money is in blue steel and walnut. I just can't see today's plastic wonders ever becoming real collectibles. :rolleyes:
 
Grayfox said:
Are firearms a good investment? Honestly, no. I have some guns that are now worth three or even four times what I paid for them many years ago. But many others, not so much. It depends greatly on what it is, its condition and its desirability.
I've found that on average, if you buy a brand new gun, you have to keep it roughly 5 years before you can sell it for what you paid for it and just break even. However, if you hold that gun for 40-50 years AND take good care of it, you may see a two, three or possibly four times return depending on what it is.
There's saying among collectors. "Condition is everything." A LNIB example will bring up to 10X more that the exact same model in well worn condition. However, I don't believe in Safe Queens. I shoot everything I own. Granted some may only get shot once every few years. But I do shoot them. After all, that's what they are made for. What's the point of owning a fine collectible firearm if you never enjoy it? ;)
A big problem today is that the great collectible guns are long out of production. Classic S&Ws, Colts, Winchesters and such haven't been produced in years. Most are already up to their peak prices as it is and likely won't go much higher. Buying these guns now will cost you a lot of money and even 20 years from now they won't gain much over what you paid.
The real money is in blue steel and walnut. I just can't see today's plastic wonders ever becoming real collectibles. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Pretty much sums it up.
 
IMO, a “Good Investment” is something that you can easily and legally sell at your time of choosing. Not the case with firearms and it’s only going to get more restrictive.
If you can’t legally sell it then invest in something else. Otherwise buy what you like , enjoy them.
 
Not counting any hardships in selling guns like new laws/restrictions, etc, guns are typically a good investment in my mind assuming you've bought reasonably quality guns to begin with. Every gun I've ever owned with exception of the three I owned when I got married, has been a reasonably good investment ... in other words I've never sold one for less than I paid for it. And in every case of me selling one, I've been as restrictive as I anticipate I will live to see. I never once sold any gun to anyone I didn't know personally as a responsible, law abiding citizen. Now thar doesn't mean I don't expect things to get harder over time relative to the buying/selling of guns, just that at my age I'm not likely to see very many new gun laws implemented.

Now to the three guns I mentioned earlier ... I owned an 870 Remington (only left handed gun I ever owned), a .270Win cal 700ADL, and a Savage O/U .22/410cal IIRC. Just a few months after I married, I ran into a real unexpected financial situation but had to pay rent for the month to keep a roof over my new bride's head. So, off to the LGS I go with my three favorite possessions and sold them right over the counter to make the rent money. Obviously I didn't know those guys personally, but the sale was to the store. So that being the case I still feel like I've been every bit as careful and particular to whom I ever sold a gun to as I could have been.

Know that I disagree strongly with most 2nd Amd infringements, and I consider the NICS background check as an infringement. I would like to think if everyone was as particular as I who they might sell a gun to, it wouldn't have ever happened. But people in general (this forum excepted) don't always take that stand and will sell to simply the highest bidder.
 
Thanks for the link, Mike.

Everybody has an opinion, and so do I. I think the return on your investment in a gun is not in what you can sell it for years down the road, but rather in how much enjoyment you can have in shooting it and the added comfort you have in carrying it for self defense and defense of others. I am not a collector but prefer shooting guns to looking at them or trying to sell them for a profit. Guns are an investment in your mental well being and I think a good investment! :)
 
If my Wife is asking…..Yes!!!

Seriously though they are an investment however very rarely will you get a return like the stock market. I mean sure you could make some bank on a crate of ARs during the next panic over a Newtown or pandemic but it’s not like buying $1,000 dollars of Microsoft stock and selling it for what like a million it went for in the early 2,000’s
 
at my age, and the time i started shooting, i ain't gonna see any of my guns appreciating much if at all, before i die.

to me, they are a commodity that can be bought, traded, or sold like anything else.

so i buy, shoot, sell.........done deal.

one thing i will not do anymore is put any of my guns on consignment......as they can sit a very long time...i want the cash now.
 
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