What would make you get rid of a gun that had nothing wrong with it? (Kind of a random ramble)

[WVGunman]

Please note: I am deliberately NOT mentioning a brand name here, because that will immediately sidetrack all discussion into arguments about that and other brand names. This is about personal tastes and aesthetics, which are not unique matters to any particular make, market niche, or model.

So, I fired my small 9mm handgun at the range the other day for the first time in a long time, and ... lets just say I'm not sure why I'm keeping this thing around. It IS very small, (though not the smallest) and it HAS been 100% reliable, with several hundred rounds since I bought it without a single failure of any kind.
But ...

The short barrel on this thing means it's loud. I mean, LOUD. But even worse, I can't hit the broad side of a barn with it, and I'm starting to think it's not just me. From about 10 yards I fired 8 shots at a 4-inch circle, and not only didn't hit the circle, but only two shots even hit the 2' x 2' paper the circle was on. (!) This gun has never been a tack driver, but with the muzzle blast and inaccuracy, I'm struggling with why I should keep it. One does that saw "never sell a gun" meant to be ignored?

Background: I now live in a state where I would have to get a license just to buy another handgun at all, but bought this gun before I moved here. I do not currently carry, nor do I really plan to do so, but I think a basic 9mm should be part of everyone's personal battery.

 

[defjon]

Sell it if you don't like it. Nothing chains you to a caliber/ platform that you don't like.

Find something that works for you, makes you wanna go to the range and practice, or makes you want to carry it. Sounds like whatever it is, it doesn't work for ya. No worries, send it on down the line and I bet there's someone out there it'd be perfect for.

I've sold many guns that don't work for me, but they WORKED just fine.

Sounds like you're not too into it or shooting/ carrying right now. Eventually maybe you'll see or find something that makes you wanna sign up for the card or do whatever it is your state is making you do to exercise your second amendment constitutional right ( I get it, I'm in illinois. One must deal with those hoops).

Anyway, long winded reply. Life is short, sell it.

 

[Whiskeyhotel2020]

Get the license and trade it for something that actually puts rounds where you want them. Or thinking about it if you dont want to jump through hoops with the permit to purchase then the next quest I guess would be finding out if and how to fix the issue.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

If you had to carry it, would you feel confident in your ability to put rounds on target effectively?

If not, I say definitely sell. The last thing you need in a SD situation is worrying about your equipment.

 

[25-5]

There comes a time in life when one knows to start letting go of favorite possessions. If your younger, it may be girlfriends. Older, your firearms.

 

[goon]

It would have to be a pretty serious problem to make a modern handgun that inaccurate. If it’s something like a SIG, Glock, S&W, etc. it’s probably shooter’s error. I’ve never owned a handgun that wouldn’t shoot better than I could shoot it. One thing to try is get some 115 grain Federal American Eagle FMJ - a fairly light 9mm factory load - and practice to see if you improve. Back in the day I also handloaded 115 and 125 grain cast lead bullets pretty mild for good practice rounds. Get better ear protection too. Handguns are loud. Pay attention to the fundamentals.

If you absolutely think it’s an incurable fit issue with the gun, sell it and get something else.

 

[MikeInOr]

I am much better at buying guns than disposing them. But a gun that doesn't fit me well and I cant shoot well will be disposed of.

Case in point, MY CZ-75D compact didn't like me and I didn't like it. It was one of the few guns that I just couldn't learn to shoot well because the ergonomics were all wrong for my hands. My girlfriend loved it and shot it well so it is her gun now.

 

[Dragonfly]

Life’s too short to hang onto guns you don’t like.

 

[tarosean]

I kick em down the road for various reasons.

Mediocrity, textures, edges, trigger, controls, etc. they have to do more than just make noise.

 

[halfmoonclip]

I've had guns that seemed like a good idea at the time, and cooled on the idea later. I've a whole binder of guns I used to own, sent on their way because they no longer met a need, or I wanted something else.
Some guns are harder to shoot than others.
But I've the liberty of being in a free state, where it is no big deal to replace a gun. You have a different circumstance.
Maybe share the make/model, and get some opinions on the gun itself.
Moon

 

[Bazoo]

I've swapped a bunch in the past just to try something different. I say... swap that bad boy and get something that suits your fancy better. If you don't carry and don't particularly plan to, get something for target work. A full size, or even medium sized gun; A 1911/glock/Revolver, whatever suits you. You can still carry it later if you plan to, but since you will shoot it more, you'll get a lot more practice in than having something that doesn't agree with you.

 

[WVGunman]

It would have to be a pretty serious problem to make a modern handgun that inaccurate. If it’s something like a SIG, Glock, S&W, etc. it’s probably shooter’s error. I’ve never owned a handgun that wouldn’t shoot better than I could shoot it. One thing to try is get some 115 grain Federal American Eagle FMJ - a fairly light 9mm factory load - and practice to see if you improve. Back in the day I also handloaded 115 and 125 grain cast lead bullets pretty mild for good practice rounds. Get better ear protection too. Handguns are loud. Pay attention to the fundamentals.

If you absolutely think it’s an incurable fit issue with the gun, sell it and get something else.

Putting really light loads through it IS the one thing I haven't tried. Hmmm...

 

[LiveLife]

There are many reasons why people sell guns and one of those reasons is lack of accuracy. IMHO, most modern pistols have inherent accuracy greater than most shooters. But lack of accuracy could be from insufficient break-in of trigger parts, too heavy of trigger pull that could move muzzle and/or adding input to grip by shooting hand/fingers to move POI away from POA, etc. - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/trigger-control.834737/page-2#post-11245640

BTW, US AMU Marksmanship Training Guide chapter on trigger control - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/trigger-control.834737/page-4#post-11320782

small 9mm handgun ... I can't hit the broad side of a barn with it, and I'm starting to think it's not just me. From about 10 yards I fired 8 shots at a 4-inch circle, and not only didn't hit the circle, but only two shots even hit the 2' x 2' paper the circle was on.

For over 30 years, I have used 1" at 7 yards, 2" at 10-15 yards and 3" at 25 yards as accuracy reference for factory pistols AFTER proper break-in with decent ammunition. (And pistols that produce smaller than 2" groups at 25 yards, I consider very accurate)

My Glock 17/19/26 all could achieve this reference standard as well as Glock 22/23/27 (With 40S&W barrels or 40-9mm conversion barrels) after break-in of 4.5 lb triggers that did not move the front sight (Glock 17/22 were used for USPSA matches). M&P40/45 with 7+ lb trigger required trigger job but afterwards, were tack drivers (Sister liked the M&P40 so much she took it for her match shooting). M&P Shield 9mm had gritty trigger out of the box that jerked the front sight when striker was released but after several hundred dry firing, trigger smoothed out and after shooting several hundred rounds, trigger smoothed out further for me to do headshots readily.

Try this with your pistol ... WATCH the front sight while dry firing. If the front sight moves/jerks when the firing pin/striker is released, see if you can slow down the dry firing so it doesn't. If proper trigger control is exercised without shooting hand/fingers adding input on grip to move POI away from POA, trigger parts may need further break-in.

Before I buy any pistol, I prefer to dry fire while watching the front sight and select the pistol that does not move the front sight or move the front sight minimally. I figure by starting out with a trigger that doesn't move the front sight will help with accuracy as pistol/trigger parts break-in.

 

[CajunBass]

Oh Good grief. It's a gun. A thing. Not one of your kids, or even a pet dog. If you don't like it, get rid of it. Why keep a "thing" around you don't like. If you had a pair of shoes you didn't like to wear would you keep wearing them? Or a car you didn't like to drive? Would you keep it or get something else you did like.

I guess I've never understood this whole "never sell a gun" philosiphy. I buy, sell, trade, swap them all the time.

 

[rust collector]

You are in a vicious cycle with that gun. It doesn't perform well for you, so you don't shoot it very often, so you don't hone your skills by shooting it regularly. Theoretical accuracy doesn't matter. Figure out what you like and what you don't, then sell or trade for something that you find more appealing.

 

[jmr40]

When I married my wife 41 years ago I promised to keep her till death do us part. I make no such promise when I buy a gun. If something better comes along, I have no problem trading up. Or if I no longer use it I'll sell it.

I've let a lot of perfectly good guns go over the years when they no longer served a role for me. I only keep the ones I use and the ones with family history. And I still have too many.

 

[LiveLife]

When I married my wife 41 years ago I promised to keep her till death do us part. I make no such promise when I buy a gun. If something better comes along, I have no problem trading up. Or if I no longer use it I'll sell it.

So we are "polygunists" with occasional one nighters/monthers?

Wife of 29 years says she will beat me to the grave so she doesn't have to attend my funeral. My doctor thinks otherwise.

 

[Howland937]

I've gotten rid of all but one revolver I've ever owned. It's a cheapie SA convertible rimfire from West Germany. Belonged to my great uncle and it's going nowhere. I always think I'll come around on revolvers but just haven't. Doesn't stop me from getting them because one day I may find "the one". Til then, easy come easy go.

 

[Show Me]

Since you asked. So you look around and in to see what you don't need. You have chosen wisely so trading off is possible. Do that enough and see how you end up with what you started with. That's the definition of buy back. The grass may be greener but it's still grass. You chose wisely to begin with.

 

[Ed]

If you keep it, you are keeping it out of the hands of criminals. Think about this. If you sell it and someone not law abiding gets it there are bad scenarios.If it is that inaccurate and a gangbanger tries to shoot a rival, he will miss and probably hit an innocent person. Do you want that to happen? You are doing good work keeping it out of the hands of criminals. Every day you own it you are protecting lives..

 

[GreenWolf]

My feeling on getting rid of stuff is that it is good for all of us to "de-junk" our lives. Get rid of clutter and stuff we no longer need or will never use anymore. The way you described your experience shooting this pistol seems to me that hanging on to this pistol is not going to do you any good. It's just a pain in the butt. Sell it and use the money for something that you do like.

 

[Show Me]

My feeling on getting rid of stuff is that it is good for all of us to "de-junk" our lives. Get rid of clutter and stuff we no longer need or will never use anymore. The way you described your experience shooting this pistol seems to me that hanging on to this pistol is not going to do you any good. It's just a pain in the butt. Sell it and use the money for something that you do like.

That you might actually use?

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Urgent need of $$$.

 

[drobs]

I note no mention of the make and model. Are you afraid we will think poorly of you?
We probably will...

I sell off guns all the time. One of the problems of living rural is it's difficult to try before you buy if you don't want to drive 1.5 hours to the nearest indoor gun range.

 

[GreenWolf]

That you might actually use?

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.