Guns you could sell but will not sell

Rustydust

Rustydust

Active member
Every time I think about how much money that I could get for some of my guns I occasionally start thinking about maybe peddling away some that I never shoot any longer. Or at least shoot very little. But as I reach in my safe I always stop and think of why I bought whatever it was in the first place. Did it fill a need or was it just a want? I sometimes say to myself that I guess that I could get rid of this or that as I rarely take it out anymore but then I catch myself. No, I don't shoot it a lot but when I do I always enjoy it. My old Colt .38, my pre M27 .357 S&W, my back of the safe Anshutz .22 rifle. I bet I have not shot my S&W .22 Kit Gun 10 times in the last as many years. But they still have a home in my safe. Funny that.

How many of you have guns that you have held onto for years, maybe decades, and never or at least rarely shoot them? I bet there are quite a few of you. Hard to part with old friends. At least for me.
 
Rusty I think you’re right, we all have something laying around like that. For me it’s a 6” colt python and a browning shotgun, actually a few shotguns. Just don’t need many of those. But that blueing on the python is always nice to look at every year or so. But I also was so close to selling a couple ruger rimfire rifles with the canoe paddle stocks over the years, and I’m glad I didn’t. Some reason I like those stocks more now. Got a 22 mag, and a 17 hmr and they’re nice to grab when I’m on the SxS checking on things. With the politics the way it is, I feel I need to keep as much as I can for the future generations in the family.
 
There are a few that I could never part with. Like matching ruger m77 with tang safety heavy barrel 220 swifts with consecutive serial number that my uncles owned and hardly ever shot. Or the S&W 629 performance center with 7.5in barrel that was my dad's. Or the remington action that my son built up to a 6XC a couple of years ago. And that is just a few and when the safe gets too full I will just buy another bigger safe. LOL!!!
 
I usually regret getting rid of anything lol. My biggest regret is my first rifle, a 243 built on a Mauser that my late uncle had. It had a Fajen stock but wasn't really anything too fancy. I shot the barrel out and didn't have money back then to rebarrel so traded it off for a M77 220 swift. Loved the swift also, and traded it 10 years later or so. I'd like to have both back, but if I could have one it would be that 243.

Yeah I've got several right now that the market is pretty good on. But I have a feeling it will get even "better".
 
I bought a FN Mauser in 6AI from a friend only to find out the barrel was toast. I went cheap and bought an ER Shaw barrel, and cheap doesn't mean it isn't a good barrel, just didn't cost a lot as it was pre-chambered and threaded, only needing head spaced. The new barrel is 25-06 and actually shoots very well. I spent a few days refinishing the nice walnut stock that was buried in black spray paint and now its a very nice rifle that just sets. I don't have a ton of money in it but probably more than any pawn shop would pay. I think about flipping it but haven't made it to the door with it yet. Also have a Beretta Mato in 270 that I just had to have. Come October, I still grab the 7mm08 cause I know its a killer and the Beretta sets. Thought about flipping it as well. When I'm gone, I have no one to really leave them to as the son isn't a hunter any longer. Sometimes I think sell a few and buy me something crazy stupid nice.
 
Mine are mostly sxs shotguns, I just let go a couple that were hard to sell but with the political climate today I thought it might be time.

Marlin 90 16ga O/U

Pretty little Spanish 16ga sxs with pristine case colour

Marlin 1894 CL in 218 Bee

Win Mod 70 222 Rem

Husqvarna Mod 51 Hammer 12ga sxs that was really nice

My old Stevens 235 12ga hammer sxs.

I debated myself for a couple years before putting them on the block. I regularly hunted all of them but they were the bottom of the rotation and got skipped every once in awhile except the Win. killed coyotes with it right up to the end.

The bad thing is I have some spending money and am now looking at a Merkel O/U but keep telling myself I don't need it.

I did sell my Nickle Plated Model 34 4" round butt a few years ago, couldn't see the sights any longer.
 
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Yeah I had the chance to buy that Bee and should have, just hard to justify neat guns that don't necessarily fit your normal hunting/shooting style.
 
With the lock downs I've had more time to shoot so pulled out the 07 351, sighted it in, and carried it on a couple stands- no luck. Ordered a base for an old 99 in 303 and loaded up some ammo, plan to take it bear hunting. Had thought about selling a nice 73 Win in 38-40 and buying a stronger reproduction, then remembered its pre 1898 so I'll hold on to it. In fact, digging thru the safes made me wish I hadn't sold some of the things I did.

My buddy has one of those Bee's and has killed a few yotes with it. My brother and I have 4" nickle 34's with consecutive numbers, not many of those out there.
 
I sold my 1100 Comp shotgun. I know I'm not a skeet shooter so it went down the road to a club member. I had a Winchester 7x57. Sold it to my friend that has a reloading shop. It didn't have 50 rounds through it. But didn't think I really needed it and so far don't miss either. Have a few others I could sell but just hate messing with the shipping part of it. Maybe when and if the pandemic calms down I'll hit the gun shows again and flip them then.
 
With the kids grown and becoming more independent, and my ability to finally say "no" at work to additional things, I'm just now starting the find time to start enjoying some of the firearms I've not shot in almost 20 years.

About 75% of my "collection" has some kind of connection that I can't simply do away with... no matter the money.

Russ... I've got a Mule deer hunt planned with the boy come October... he's finally got off his rear end this past season and found some good public access areas. The first three days of the October vacation the wife has given us the green light to go hunting... then it's off to Utah and other places for family time... but the first three days will be for the boy and I to spend time together in the field.

I bought a Rem 700 BDL in .30-06 back in 1985 when I was stationed in Germany. I've not fired that rifle since retiring from the Army 20 years ago and have yet to harvest anything with it... that's about to change because that's the rifle I'm taking. Whether I get a deer or not does not matter... just being out there will be enough I'm sure.
 
Originally Posted By: Bowhntr6ptWith the kids grown and becoming more independent, and my ability to finally say "no" at work to additional things, I'm just now starting the find time to start enjoying some of the firearms I've not shot in almost 20 years.

About 75% of my "collection" has some kind of connection that I can't simply do away with... no matter the money.

Russ... I've got a Mule deer hunt planned with the boy come October... he's finally got off his rear end this past season and found some good public access areas. The first three days of the October vacation the wife has given us the green light to go hunting... then it's off to Utah and other places for family time... but the first three days will be for the boy and I to spend time together in the field.

I bought a Rem 700 BDL in .30-06 back in 1985 when I was stationed in Germany. I've not fired that rifle since retiring from the Army 20 years ago and have yet to harvest anything with it... that's about to change because that's the rifle I'm taking. Whether I get a deer or not does not matter... just being out there will be enough I'm sure.

What mule deer hunt do you have out here this year? I'm going to guess you're hunting a CWMU unit with a guide as we're still in the application process at the moment for tags. I bought a lifetime license when they quit selling them in '94 so fortunately I get a mule deer tag every year and don't have to worry about maybe getting a tag every three years or so. Good luck on the hunt. Shoot me a pm with details of where you'll be and if you need any help while you're out here just give a shout.
 
I hardly ever shoot my bolt action 12 gauge that my dad gave me. But I wouldn't sell it because.....my dad gave it to me. I try to shoot all of my guns though from time to time.
 
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Originally Posted By: OKRattlerI hardly ever shoot my bolt action 12 gauge that my dad gave me. But I wouldn't sell it because.....my dad gave it to me. I try to shoot all of my guns though from time to time.

I have an 1100 field grade my dad bought me for my first shotgun that i feel the same way about. Killed my first shotgun coyote with it and don't think I've shot it since. That was many years ago.


My dad also gave me a remington tang safety m77 in 243 for my first big game rifle. He had a matching m77 in 7mm rm. I was young and dumb and liked his big boomer so i sold my "kids gun". Wish i had never done that.
 
My plan was to sell all my guns someday, hoping to average $500 apiece gun and scope, looking at prices people are getting today could almost double that! I have eleven deer rifles most with luepold scopes and I haven't hunted for about ten years, most get shot every other year or so, but I can't get my self to let them go l did a lot of reading and studying before each purchase, and I will never find guns or scopes to replace them. I could get by with my cz 7.62x39, cz 221, cz f/s 22, and my 20 o/u but I would sure miss my six odd ball caliber Remington classics, and all my other cz center fires, 20 rim fires. This is one of those don't need them but sure want them. If I sold my collection it would be a lot of money! But it's just money and I make that everyday, most of these guns are not made anymore and when there gone there gone. I really know I should sell them (wife says I should ) but if I do it it's the end of the best era of my life.
 
I definitely have some that I would not git rid of and a few of them are:

Heckler & Koch Model 300 22 WMR
Remington 721 270 Win - first big game rifle my father gave me
Remington 722 222 Rem
S&W Model 27 Nickel 357 Mag in presentation box - first pistol my father gave me
Winchester 9422 - first rifle my father gave me
 
I have been buying since I was 12 and I have never even thought about selling any. LOL... I just add gun safes. And I wrapped them all into my trust and made it so they cant be sold. My Daughter and Son in Law better get me a Grandson Brewing so I can teach him to be a addict like me. LOL
 
Last gun I sold was '77 or '78. It was a Rem700 in .25-06 and
was sold only because of very hard times and it was the only
way to supply the family with food. Were it only me, I would
have gone dumpster-diving!

The only gun I would now part with is a Marlin X7 in 7mm-08. It
is accurate enough with an extra Criterion barrel and a nice
Boyds stock, but is just not for me. I attempted to make a
trade a couple years ago at a LGS, but they said as nice as it
is, bolts just weren't selling in eastern Iowa and wouldn't
even make an offer.

As for the rest of my collection, they are going no where. To
this day, I regret parting with that Rem700. Some are not shot
for a year or two, but I do not care to get rid of my metallic
"kids".
 
I had a friend tell me once, they are just tools. They can be replaced. Lately I been thinking along the same lines. I have no "collectors" but some are nicer than others and some are "hard to find", but nothing that couldn't be replaced.
 
I've got an old old Remington model 11 I inherited from my grandpa. Everyone in the family figured it was a mid 70s A5 but I dug into it and it was a 43,xxx serial# 1904 or 05 (second year they were made) Remington.
 
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