Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles How Do You Decide What To Sell???

I have bought my share of rifles in the last year. All the newer ones that I bought I want to keep. I did however sell a Ruger Hawkeye blue/walnut in .338 WM and a Ruger No.1 in .300 WM. I pretty much need to move one more to fund some current rifle related things. The one that I am considering moving is a Winchester M70 Classic Stainless (serial no. G40552) in .270 Win. This is a real tight shooter. I have a target with a 5 shot one hole group. I know some think I am prolly crazy for getting rid of this but to me this rifle has satisfied me and I feel that its time may have come to pass. I am currently on a levergun kick here and don't see me using this rifle as my interest lies elsewhere.

I wouldn't sell an exceptionally accurate rifle unless it somehow did not mechanically function well, or I had another of the same class to take it's place.

I have been through probably 30 rifles (currently own 6). Even though you are going through a lever phase, the accurate bolt rifle URGES will probably return! Odds are you may go through several before you find an exceptional one.
Another thing is you usually lose by buying high and selling low.

EZ ... I rarely sell.

To answer the topic,
I cull the rifles that are not as accurate, or that have a rougher action, or that don't fit me as well etc.

i have too many in the same caliber, and type. so the one that will get me the most money will go first. that way i have money for something new that tickles my fancy.

i have few rifles that i hold dear, or have too fond of memories to not let go of and let someone else make new ones.

i do have special ones that i have owned for too many years, or can not be easily replaced. my mauser model 66 comes to mind, or a remmy hb varminter in 243 that has been with me for many a year and taken game who's heads i am looking at right now on the wall.....

accurate or not, if it's time for a change they go...

Agreed. I have sold some SUPER accurate rifles, that for one reason or another no longer had a useful place in my safe. I've had heartburn over a few, and some regrets, but nothing that I can't eventually get over.

Like you Rich, my "favorites" tend to change over the years, and the style or phase of guns that intrique me one year may not hold much interest later, so most of them eventually move on.

If you've got to sell to make room for something else, take your best guess and put it on the block. There are a select few that I'll never sell, but the rest are fair game. It's an ongoing evolution....

yep....

Within my collection of firearms I refer to a few as my "permanent collection". Those are the ones that have some special meaning to me (i.e., my parents, my wife or a friend gave it to me or it represents some great first in my hunting life). All the others, no matter how nice, are subject to trade or sale when I want something new. I got on a Garand kick one time and had eight very nice variations (Springfield early and late, H&R, International, etc.) Today I only have one, the most worn of the bunch, but it is a WW2 vet with it's original barrel and rear sight (all the other's where made after WW2 and Korea). There is always a new or interested firearm to own and I cannot afford to own them all, so trade or sell is the only way.

I know how you feel...I get on these gun kicks too...I'M currently on this Savage Model 99 kick..I Love them...However, I hate getting rid of guns...I always regret it, especially if it's a tack driver like you have. Keep your Winchester, save your money and buy some "Levers" a little later....You'll love them...Joe

For me, I base it on how much I use the thing. If it ends up sitting around too much, I want to sell it. A lot of my guns were inherited, and it causes me to think if I should even bother to sell them. However, if they don't have any sentimental meaning or use for me, I'd sell.

I don't worry over such matters, much.

if a year passes and i haven't hunted with the rifle it is either given to my son or someone else, or i sell it.

Rich. Try this. Sell it to a friend with the agreement that if he sells it someday,you get first crack at it. Everytime I've done this ,I get more enjoyment watchin it become their favorite rifle,instead of being my "safe Queen".Everytime you see 'em they'll thank you profusely and tell you the latest story about your rifle.I've even loaded ammo for them-knowing what it likes from my records. Of course they'll never part with it,so you just smile & move on. Bob K.

Ok, what is the number one thing that we hear people whining about on gun boards? Ok, aside from the black helicopters coming to take the guns. It is people bemoaning the fact that they used to have a (fill in the blank) that they sold for whatever they were currently collecting, and golly gee, they really wish they had it back. So here is a tip. Short of having to raise money for a new kidney, DON'T SELL YOUR GUNS!!! We don't what to have to listen to you lamenting the loss of a prized rifle in a year or two. Save your pennies and get your new toys when the funds become available. You are much less likely to be upset over that toy that you didn't get around to buying than that treasured gun that you let get away when you wanted some new fad gun that you lost interest in after a few months. Don't do it, you will only regret it later.

-Mb

Friend Rich-

Perhaps a Remington Classic in 350 Mag in exchange for your 270?
Taint a lever but.........<grin>

Hi Rich!

I've sold a few guns, 6 or 7 of them, and only regret about half of them <g>. But none were tack drivers. I dunno, it sure did seem like you were going nuts buying guns ever since we "met", so I can see why you might be weeding through them some.

Reasons I have sold them- in answer to your question:

-.357 revolver, to upgrade to something more concealable.

-44 mag revolver, wasn't right for my hand, hard to shoot it, hurt my wrist.

-.358 BLR, I liked .358 so much I had my M7 rebarreled. Didn't need two .358's.

-45/70 Guide Gun, the straight stock was really quite brutal for recoil, for me anyway.

-Marlin 336 Stainless 30-30, didn't really do anything "better" than other rifles I had.

-Savage Tactical .308, this one was a tack driver, forgot about it until now. It wasn't a good hunting rifle and I was taking up deer hunting.

-Kahr K40 Elite 98, gorgeous pistol but really had no practical value to me.

Springfield M1a, The big full size match version. A wonderful rifle. Sold it to buy other stuff, wasn't using it, have another M1a more to my liking.

One criterion I use to determine a 'seller' is whether or not the rifle in question is currently in production by the manufacturer, or otherwise available and easy to replace. I have owned 3 different Marlin 1895G guide guns. The latest one is not quite as accurate as the first one, but it is not ported, so even if I miss the target, I can hear it run away. But I digress.

If it is easily replaced, it can be sold without [much] heartache...much.

-

I don't sell many, but the ones I do I get rid of when I forget why I bought them. I found a .30-30 lever action in the safe at my grandmothers a few weeks ago. I have no clue why I bought a .30-30 but apparently I did. I think I'll have it up for sale. I'm guessing I shot it 7 times since I found a box of 13 rounds.

I forgot to mention something:

I've experienced the Marlin phase and the Savage 99 phase and a few other phases. To those that have yet to experience these pleasures, I suggest you keep at least one, or maybe two, good specimens from each phase. You will end up with an interesting collection and fewer regrets. Just my $0.02.

-

I've mad some big mistakes in the guns I've sold. I can remember a Marlin .35 Rem 336, a Remington 700 in 7mm RM, and Browning HP 9mm, and probably some more if I put my mind to it.
Did it for the same reason you did. Needed the money to buy other stuff. I stongly suggest that you make darn sure it's what you really want.
I've also learned that if I get too many guns, I don't shoot most of them much. That's bad. I forget how they handle and loose some ability to shoot them well. Particularly under stress. So....
I've also learned that before I get rid of one, I go over it and see if I can't tweak it somehow. Different sights, recoil pads, stocks, having them lightend, etc. Sometimes that is all that is needed.
Another thing I've learned is that what sounds and feels good in the gun store or the off season, might not pan out when you take it hunting.
Best of luck. E