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Deciding to Sell or Trade a Gun

wmg1299

wmg1299

Professional
I have always had difficulty parting with guns, but my safe is getting a little full. I was hoping to be able to get rid of some guns that I don’t really like. The problem is that I’ve rarely ever bought a gun that I didn’t like. At best, I have a few guns that I love less than others.

For example, I bought an XD Mod.2 .45 ACP Compact on a great sale when Springfield discontinued the Mod.2 line. I bought it because the full-size XD Mod.2 was the most accurate .45 I’ve ever fired. The Compact has been 100% reliable and there isn’t a thing wrong with it. I’m accurate with the gun, just not as accurate as I am with the full-size. The Compact is chunky enough that it isn’t much easier to conceal than the full-size, and I already own an XDS in .45 ACP if I decide to switch my EDC to a .45.

I don’t dislike the .45 Compact, but I don’t have any real use for it. I use the full-size for target/plinking work, and would use the XDS for carry duty. This situation is pretty similar for any of the guns I’m thinking of selling/trading.

For those of you who have traded and sold guns in the past, what criteria do you use to decide when it’s time to let a gun go? Have you had better luck trading guns, selling them outright, or putting them on consignment at an LGS?
 
Market value and how much you use it dictates a bunch for me.

I sold a Mossberg 500 All-Purpose that I never shot on Gunbroker because people were paying stupid prices for it, so I sold a gun that cost me $380 for $650. I didn't ask for that price, that's what the bidding went up to, so that was a positive sale experience for me.

Let me upgrade the guns I use. Once I had a Benelli M4 there was really no need to have an unused Mossberg as well.
 
It’s a seller’s market right now; that’s the upside...but you’ll probably have to move it yourself to get the best price for it.

You’ll likely get the worst deal by selling to a dealer...usually. Right now, though? A lot of dealers, particularly smaller ones, can’t get guns from distributors, so...you might do better than normal that way, or by consignment.

And when do I decide to move a gun on? When I don’t shoot it enough, or it may have appreciated due to a market fluctuation...or I just don’t like it (I’ve bought a LOT of guns that I didn’t care for after shooting them). Out of the dozens of guns I’ve sold/traded...there’s really only a couple I regret.
 
Similar to what Hans said, as much as a despise price gouging, Gunbroker is the platform more likely to keep you from getting lowballed than any other as a seller right now.

Pawn shops, consignments, and dealers will not give you market value.

Some consigners do use gunbroker though.
 
I don't usually sell to the general public, especially right now, me and my brother usually swap back and forth, but the way I determine if I don't want to keep a gun or not is, I will take it out one more time, shoot and handle it, then, if I think I could get rid of it I do, my local shops won't give you diddly for a gun if you sell it, and trade ins around my area are few and far between, plus most shops will low ball you on trades. If the gun isn't taking up space, keep it, I have a few I don't even shoot, take out of the safe, unless I am wiping it down, the way I look at it now, better keep what you got cause you don't know what's going to happen in the near future.
 
Annihilator said:
If the gun isn't taking up space, keep it, I have a few I don't even shoot, take out of the safe, unless I am wiping it down, the way I look at it now, better keep what you got cause you don't know what's going to happen in the near future.
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That's where I keep getting hung-up. The few handguns that I am considering parting with don't take up too much space. It would be easier for me if my local stores had something that I really wanted to upgrade to, but the local inventory is currently very sparse. When I first started shooting, the department rangemaster advised recruits to never sell guns, and to just save up for new guns, because you never know if you'll be able to replace something you wind up missing. This advice has stuck with me and has severely limited my trading. I tend to trust people with more experience than me, and will probably try selling/trading a few if many of the other members have had good luck doing so.
 
Other things to consider?

Guns are mechanical, they wear and break down occasionally. Having back up's is usually a wise decision. While 10 back ups of same caliber size/type gun usually isn't. Rifle and handgun ammo compatibility is important consideration too. Not just with weight issues, but with ammo availability as well. In this day and age with ammo conditions and markets in general the way they are? Personally I'd hold onto 'em until more sure of everything. You seem to be having prob's with keeping, letting go or selling them is also a key to keeping?

Possibly get another safe or replace the one you have? I do two. One for handguns, one for long guns and am considering another for just ammo for example. I do understand on space and inventory limitations too.

But, like handguns each has it's own merits and feel, so do particular circumstances, needs and values too?
 
The last firearm I got rid of was my Kimber Tactical Ultra II .45. Not because I disliked it but because I wanted a Ruger LCP II .380 for pocket carry. I got the LCP II , my XDs.45 , a box of ammo for each and 2 extra mags for each.

I came out smelling like a rose because I got a smoking good deal on the Kimber when I bought it and had put many rounds through it.

I sold several firearms , both handguns and rifles , back in very early '80s because I was out of work and had 3 young kids and a wife who kept hollering they were hungry . Well it wasn't quite that bad but bad enough I sold firearms.
 
Selling decision tree for me -
I shoot it/it goes to the range with me often - Keep

I Don't shoot it:
Does it have nostalgic or historic value to me? - Keep
Does it fill a particular niche/purpose that is not covered by another gun I own? - keep

Don't shoot. No nostalgic/historical value to me. Purpose covered by another gun I own. - sell

Not saying that's easy to sell one, as I like a number of guns.
Recently sold a Glock 43X - liked the gun - just didn't shoot/carry it and had a couple others that fill that niche - i.e. Sig 365XL (EDC); Walther PPS M2; Sig 365.
Planning to sell a Ruger 556 pistol as I upgraded with a Saint Edge Pistol.
 
I have a hard time getting rid of guns, even if I haven't shot them in a long time. All of my firearms have special meaning, I busted my butt to save up and buy just about every one of them over over the last twenty five years. I sold a Bushmaster AR15 way back when, it had a Burris illuminated reticle 1x4x24 scope, a low profile bi-pod, I could kick myself just thinking about it. At the time I needed money but I wish I had that one back. Also sold a Glock 19 Gen 4 Talo edition a couple of years ago. I got a S&W Shield 9mm and 1000 rounds of .40 cal ammo out of it but for some reason I still miss that Glock 19. I had carried it on me CCW for quite a while. Even longer ago I pawned a Marlin 30-30 rifle, my first rifle that I ever had. Did that back in my 20's and for reasons I can't even remember. I'd love to have that one back for damn sure.
 
BobM said:
Other things to consider?

Guns are mechanical, they wear and break down occasionally. Having back up's is usually a wise decision. While 10 back ups of same caliber size/type gun usually isn't. Rifle and handgun ammo compatibility is important consideration too. Not just with weight issues, but with ammo availability as well. In this day and age with ammo conditions and markets in general the way they are? Personally I'd hold onto 'em until more sure of everything. You seem to be having prob's with keeping, letting go or selling them is also a key to keeping?

Possibly get another safe or replace the one you have? I do two. One for handguns, one for long guns and am considering another for just ammo for example. I do understand on space and inventory limitations too.

But, like handguns each has it's own merits and feel, so do particular circumstances, needs and values too?
Click to expand...

Good idea on the ammo safe. A good stash of ammo at today's prices might cost more to replace than the gun(s) that shoot it!
 
dadoser said:
Selling decision tree for me -
I shoot it/it goes to the range with me often - Keep

I Don't shoot it:
Does it have nostalgic or historic value to me? - Keep
Does it fill a particular niche/purpose that is not covered by another gun I own? - keep

Don't shoot. No nostalgic/historical value to me. Purpose covered by another gun I own. - sell

Not saying that's easy to sell one, as I like a number of guns.
Recently sold a Glock 43X - liked the gun - just didn't shoot/carry it and had a couple others that fill that niche - i.e. Sig 365XL (EDC); Walther PPS M2; Sig 365.
Planning to sell a Ruger 556 pistol as I upgraded with a Saint Edge Pistol.
Click to expand...
Yep, I'm left handed, and it's hard to get guns that expel casings that don't cross my face, so I bought the ambidextrous Beretta ARX 100, but as cool as the gun is, I spend all my time tinkering ARs and would like to sell it to someone that would get more use out of it.
 
Lock n' Load said:
Good idea on the ammo safe. A good stash of ammo at today's prices might cost more to replace than the gun(s) that shoot it!
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Thanks, Yah, ammo costs, concerns are crazy. Reminded of fuel prices and concerns?

Another idea's to use lockable multi drawer metal file cabinet for ammo. Smaller, multi drawer lockable card index or pattern file cab's may work too, but are almost impossible to find. Another thought is lockable tool cab's normally used for hand tools.

While maybe not as safe as conventional safes, much better than open topped pull out boxes in closets or under beds? Still, is a lot to be said for out of sight, out of mind security thoughts too? Am 110% for separating ammo caliber. Helps track inventory at a glance....as anal as it may sound? :)
 
TacticalPirate said:
Yep, I'm left handed, and it's hard to get guns that expel casings that don't cross my face, so I bought the ambidextrous Beretta ARX 100, but as cool as the gun is, I spend all my time tinkering ARs and would like to sell it to someone that would get more use out of it.
Click to expand...
Yup, very good usually overlooked thoughts, points on lefties, little distractions can be as bad as gnats on or up noses. :)
 
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