Selling off my collection - trying to "cut the cord"

wojownik

No, never have. Sold a few from time to time for much needed funds for school or other necessities but have never felt the need to willfully divest myself of most of my collection. Pretty much standing pat right now with what I have.

Never got out of the game, but I did go from 100 junkers to 25 higher quality guns in the course of a year. I still occasionally miss having literally a pile of guns to enjoy, but now I have better guns which I enjoy more and never worry about them blowing up.

I concluded I was not a Collector, per se, and sold off those of my guns with no shooting application to collectors who would appreciate their novelty.

Dump my "accumulation" of guns kept for use or sentiment?
No.

I am doing the same. I have 14- .303 Enfields that are going to be paired down to 3 or 4 "keepers". I don't shoot them anymore and want to share them with the community, since they are not common anymore.

I have recently sold off some unused duplicates. I happily made a profit. I don't miss them a bit.

I thinned the herd in 1994. All shooters to me, collectables to others.

I hate having clutter. To me, its all just "stuff". Once you lose everything (my case was divorce), you realize just how meaningless all that extra stuff is. I'll keep a few sentimental guns and a few working guns, the rest are just hobby stock/fodder.

I've thinned out a few a couple times in the past. For the most part I havent missed them.

I've had to sell guns to survive the past year or so. Not so much sense of satisfaction.

I've kept my "workers" and gotten rid of the drones.

Sell your guns?

I did it. I realized I had so many I couldn't decide which ones to shoot. I came to the conclusion that it wasn't having the guns I enjoyed really. It was the hunt for the gun. I love going around to gun stores, talking about guns, going to gun shows...looking at guns...finding "the one." Then once I found "the one" it usually ended up in the back of the safe, and I was off looking for the next "holy grail."

So I sold most of them. All of them really. I don't have any of the original ones I started off with. I've replaced a few that I came to the conclusion I really did like for shooting, not just for having.

And I had just as much fun selling them as I did buying them. I got to meet a lot of nice people, men and women, and got to see them as excited to get a "chrome plated whiz-bang" as I had been. I will admit that being out of work at the time helped speed the process along, but I believe I would have done it anyway. I had started the sell off even before I lost my job.

But I haven't regretted selling a one of them. If I ever do, I'll go buy another one.

Sort of, I'm passing them to my adult children while I'm still alive, and they are quite pleased. I get to enjoy those guns of my youth I've passed along all over again through my kids and grand kids.

I have a database and will and every gun has an intended heir, but I also have a "living plan" that's working out most pleasantly.

Been thinking along the same lines myself.
There are some I won't get rid of, they'll pass to my kids, but honestly, sometimes I feel like I'm buried in guns.
I just can't find any I want to get rid of

I turned 65 in Jan. and retired April 1st and with no heirs that are that interested in guns I started thinning the herd considerably early last year (most were sold but a few were 'gifted') and I kept the 20 or so firearms that I felt I just couldn't live without.

I'm considering cutting back even more and I think that I've now finally been able to distinguish between the 'Needs' and the 'Wants'.

In my case, liking to just go shooting and hunt, I've come to the conclusion that I actually only 'Need' five firearms........1. shotgun.....2. center fire rifle.....3. center fire handgun.....4. .22 LR rifle.....5. .22 LR pistol.

It's going to be hard getting down to just five but with no heirs it needs to be done sooner or later.

wojownik said:

Over the past 25 years, I've accumulated a pretty decent collection of firearms. For various reasons, it's time to divest most of it. Some items are "just metal," but others have some significant sentimental or intellectual attachments. And it means getting rid of a hobby I've had for a quarter century.

I was going to post something asking how some of you might have "come to terms with it." But, I guess the bottom line is that sometimes you gotta dig in and just do it.

Have any of you ever to give up a sizable collection?

Click to expand...

only sold one gun, a beretta model 70, i still miss it.

I have several hundred firearms and as i get older have concerns as to the disposition of them. I am very adamant that a mass sell off does not occour consequently i have moved/given a lot of them to my close friends knowing the weapons will be preserved and if i choose to "borrow" one the firearms it would be readily available. Many of the weapons have historical value so i have begun a record for each indicating known history, Colt SAA, Winchester lever rifles and carbines and many WWII era firearms fall into this area of concern. Hopefully my distribution will ensure the weapons are enjoyed for many years after i leave. Just my thoughts on the subject.

I have stipulated in my will that all of my property (guns and such) be auctioned off and the proceeds are to be invested in a trust fund to two grand children.

I've had to sell some I wish I still had-when you've got a baby in the house, you need running water and electricity. Lost my 2.5" Python then, and my 7.5" Redhawk. Couldn't afford to buy them back now, the Python for sure. I was down to a .410 I got for free, two BP guns, and my Dad's Pre-64 M94, and I had to pawn that once. (Barely got it back.) Later it was the first time SWMBO went into default on the mortgage. Sold a lot of my milsurp collection, and my .223 coyote gun. I have replaced that, bought back a few of the milsurps, (sold to a friend who will sell them back for what he gave me for them) and added some CCW pistols just before it passed here in WI. I have a couple I could pare down, but no plans to unless I get offers I can't refuse or run into money problems again. Or finally add that big bore (.300 WM, .338 LM, or .50 BMG) I 've always wanted.

As someone who is "just" building their collection now, the concept of getting rid of them is; at best, anathema.

However, I have sold off several pieces as well. ones I had no attachment to, or ones that I had purchased with the intent to use them as stepping stones.


Best of luck selling things off. I've done a little side math - and blued steel has been the best return on investment in the last decade. Some upwards of 1000% increase. No other retirement out there can beat that. That's my plan. What other investment can you make where you purchase something. use it - and it still manages to increase in value?

I sold off a pretty large collection of Brownings, I had one of the first A5 light twelve's made a weird looking gun compared to what ended up production. Sweet 16's with safety in front of trigger, a couple unfired with box light twenty, light twelve, pistols as well a very early colt 38 super one of the early testing guns markings were stamped all over the place on it as well a odd piece, and one of the most accurate handguns I have ever owned. I don't miss them one bit they are objects, I have a son that was born with a birth defect I needed some extra cash at Christmas and such, I would have sold everything I had to insure his life could be led as normal as possible !! In any event you can't tell anything was every wrong with him now, I also had the same birth defect (club foot) travel money to doctors got expensive, so everything I had of value become green fast including fine horses, saddles guns whatever, I assure you they are just objects.

I was suddenly hit with a devastating diagnosis and many thousands of dollars worth of medical related expenses and a reduction in my self-employed earnings, all coming at a time right after a major home project depleted our savings. Sort of a perfect financial storm. I sold much of a nice collection including some of my father's guns (Belgian Brownings, old Colts etc) that I inherited. I reasoned that even Dad would want me to do what I had to do to keep my house and affairs together.

I did what I had to do.

The diagnosis was later determined to be INCORRECT. The Good? The bills were paid and I have my health back. The Bad? I can't ever replace most of what I sold. That's the part I can't forgive the "medical experts" for screwing up. That and the proper treatment that ultimately restored my ability to function was delayed by over a year.

over the years I've owned 55 guns, the vast majority have passed through my hands onto someone else with no regrets because I've kept my heirlooms and enough to meet the basic needs.

How much for ALL of them ? Also... You should post everything here and give the members of THR a shot first. Because were cool.