Firearms as investment/savings? What would you buy?

[BLACKVANDRIVER]

I was not lucky enough to have a family that hunted or collected so nothing was ever passed down to me. What is that one special one that you got or what do you want to pass down. Firearms are always an investment as with any hobby but I feel they can be well worth it..Nothing like recoil therapy!

Edited March 20, 2012 by BLACKVANDRIVER

[nightrunner]

Registered machine guns, they go up in price every year.

Really anything not made anymore and in high demand, such as colt double action revolvers, etc.

[Guest RCLARK]

AR lower receivers....they seem to be rare as hens teeth....and sell like hot cakes.... :-)

[Ropin4gold]

S&W Registered Magnum. Older S&W revolvers complete with boxes and tools.

[Jonnin]

some sniper mosins, authentic in best condition you can find --- a couple hundred now, worth a ton once all the idiots get thru cutting the bulk of them into cheap deer or range "sporters". Look at what happened to all the 1909 mausers.... same thing is happening to these guns.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Useable weapons in common calibers will be a good investment for some. Depends

on what you intend on doing with them. I have a few extras laying around, but I hadn't

considered them as investments. I just like them and end up on the losing end of a

transaction. If i had a gun shop i would treat them as investments and run it as the

business end of a fun hobby. Profit motive changes the outlook.

Machine guns, past their prime as an investment, unless you have a crazy uncle

and inherit a few. If you'd bought several around 85 or 86, I'd say you made a

great investment, but, otherwise gold is about the same value wise.

Bottom line for me is that guns are useful tools and if you want to be in the business

to make money, buy low and sell high within the marketplace. But above all, just because

you paid a certain price for something, doesn't mean your product is worth that.

Market value! Learn about it.

[RobertNashville]

I don't consider any of my firearms an "investment" - for investments I still buy mutual funds and some gold/silver (the gold and silver just because I like having something tangible with true value that I can hold in my hand). I buy firearms for a couple of different reasons; mostly because I like them and appreciate well-crafted machines and because they are fun to shoot and, because they could save my life. I don't think I'd really enjoy them much if all they were to me was an investment. That said, I do think is important to note that unlike most of the things people spend money on today, a good firearm is an asset that usually won't depreciate and generally will appreciate over time.

Spend $1,500 on a flat screen and theater system today and five years from now you'll be lucky to get someone who will take it off your hands for free...spend the same money on a Dan Wesson 1911 and I'd bet you'll get your money back and then some in five years. That said, I wouldn't count on getting rich from collecting firearms but a good firearm will hold its value and usually, over time, at least keep pace with inflation...sometimes, it appreciates faster than inflation.

I would suggest that any good quality firearm in any, as 6.8 AR said, "common calibers" will do well long term - they don't have to be incredibly expensive custom guns, just good quality firearms from manufactures with good reputations.

"Plastic guns" (and I've nothing against them and have a few) will probably not hold there value as well as more "traditional style" firearms such as a good revolver or 1911 style handgun or say a Marlin or Winchester lever action rifle, Browning A-bolt, etc. Again, nothing against a Glock or similar; I just doubt that they'll be as desirable to have 50 years from now as a good 1911 or Marlin 30-30 would be.

Edited March 20, 2012 by RobertNashville

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Robert. You're probably right about the plastic fad, even though I have my share. I had to

base my opinion on what the world is up to and I'm just not into the long term right now.

My statement about the common caliber was primarily keeping in mind the availability of ammunition

in some questionable times ahead and that's always a consideration.

The guns I will probably never trade are those made mostly of steel for the reasons you

mentioned. First rifles in the house were Marlins and Winchesters from the sixties and they

have the kids names on them. That old Mauser that my liberal brother effectively gave me,

isn't going anywhere, either. I don't really own any safe queens, but they are all keepers.

[SonnyCrockett]

anything colt and never fired......

[peejman]

Old iron.... Garand, 1903, K98 sniper, 1911, Colt revolvers, etc. A few MG's would be fun too.

[hipower]

How about Smith and Wesson revolvers? Some are still readily available and reasonably priced. Though in the recent past, they, along with most everything else in the firearms world; are rising in price. Sixties and seventies K/N frame guns in various calibers are still in great shape and can be had in most calibers. And what about the

2nd and 3rd generation Smith autos. A new market seems to be opening up on these as they are taken out of service use and put on the open market. JMO

[laktrash]

2nd and 3rd generation Smith autos. A new market seems to be opening up on these as they are taken out of service use and put on the open market. JMO

I like this they're still affordable but seem to be creeping up in value

[Mike.357]

For a short term investment ammo might be better.

Buy it cheap and stack it deep now. Come September sell it for half again what you paid toay.

[1gewehr]

Well-made, quality firearms in common calibers will always be in demand. Savage 99s in .308 always seem to sell quickly. So do pre-lock S&W .357 revolvers. Pretty much any quality brand American-made firearm from before 1980 will gain in price.

I would not view machine guns as a valid 'investment' since a single act of Congress could easily make their value drop precipitously. They are much more vulnerable to legislation than any other type of firearm. A change in the $200 NFA tax or transfer requirements is not something that most firearms owners would fight very hard.

[10-Ring]

Excuse me for getting slightly off course. If you are looking at something gun related to invest in I'm buying high capacity Glock mags every now and then. They are running around $30 right now so they don't break the bank to pick one or two up a month. But, if for some reason they should ever become banned again their value will skyrocket. They were running well over $100 during the AWB. And if they don't ever get banned they will retain their value. Not going to really get rich either way, but may make something for someone to invest a little in easily.

[Jonnin]

I would argue that said act of congress would make the price go UP exponentially.

There is something to be said for a fine, valuable firearm. But what comes to mind is "difficult to sell for what you think it is worth". Take for example my 243 sako finnbear deluxe. Supposedly its worth 3-4k. Getting that kind of money out of someone in these economic times for a gun they would not (or should not) shoot is difficult! Yes, its a desirable piece, and if I spent enough time I might get a good value for it, but most buyers would rather have the my shooter 243 for 1/10 the cost of the safe queen. So, this gun was a "good" investment, but at the same time, its a frustrating one in a bad economy. Too many people are selling the safe queens because they need the money, and the supply of interesting guns that have been long stored away is UP right now (lotta people need the money!). As an investor, you could do well buying some of them. But the next time the economy is in the tank, or if it never recovers, the actual ability to turn the item into cash is lessened and the cash is worth less to boot.

I would have more luck selling a sackful of $500 or less guns than the "investment" if I had to sell stuff right now, or a can of ammo, than I would with the pricy stuff. If you want long term investment, then, I would say get a safe queen from some poor guy selling off his collection in hard times, this is good time to do that. If you want a short term investment, get some reliable, working hardware that you can resell when the price goes up after one of the democrats (obama or romney) win.

[f3joel]

JM stamped marlin rifles

browning b-92 .357

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Well-made, quality firearms in common calibers will always be in demand. Savage 99s in .308 always seem to sell quickly. So do pre-lock S&W .357 revolvers. Pretty much any quality brand American-made firearm from before 1980 will gain in price.

I would not view machine guns as a valid 'investment' since a single act of Congress could easily make their value drop precipitously. They are much more vulnerable to legislation than any other type of firearm. A change in the $200 NFA tax or transfer requirements is not something that most firearms owners would fight very hard.

An act that should take place!

[1gewehr]

An act that should take place!

Whle I know that you are referring to repeal of NFA or the Hughes Amendment, I believe it MUCH more likely that we would see a ban of transfers or a huge increase in the transfer tax. If we saw a $10,000 transfer tax, many machine guns would be virtually valueless. Likewise if transfers were frozen, meaning you can own what you got, but can't sell it or transfer it to anyone.

[gregintenn]

I've found a good rule of thumb is to buy high quality firearms of yesteryear. They should be in top condition, and often times boxes, papers, tools, etc., that came with them can rival the value of the gun itsself. They have appreciated rapidly in value historically, but I have seen recently the interest in antique pocket knives decrease dramaticallty. It's as if the old guys who traded them have died out and no one has replaced them. I can see that potentially happening in the fine firearm market as well in years to come.

I've bought, sold, and traded most of my life, and have done pretty well financially with it. More importantly, I've been able to enjoy some really cool examples of the gunmaker's craft. I buy what I like. I don't usually have as much luck anticipating what someone else wants.

Edited March 24, 2012 by gregintenn