|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,423 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,423 Likes: 6 |
All you guys that are financial whizzes will surely quibble this to death, but I look at guns as more of a hedge against inflation. Some gun values will outpace inflation, some won�t. But unless it rusts away, I haven�t really seen one that lost value over the years.
Sometimes I wish they did. I�d love to get a 1969 vintage $115 Model 17 for $85, or that 1968 $99 �Colt's Government Model� for $50!
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,357
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,357 |
True the masses of guns are not a solid financial investment, as is true with the masses of traditional investments. If they were we would all be millionaires. Knowing what you are investing in is the first step in making good investment choices. Eron and Maddoff preyed on the unknowing.
Eat Fish, Wear Grundens, Drink Alaskan.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 671
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 671 |
But my point is, assuming the investor knows what he or she is doing in both cases, and assuming equal currency to devote to said investments, the best "traditional investments" provide a much better return than the best firearms investments and the choices of the former for diversification are far greater and more readily available than the latter. It's not even close, in fact.
I'm not a financial whiz nor am I encouraging anyone to avoid buying guns as investments, as there's something to be said for investing in stuff that relates to your hobbies and therefore brings you happiness. However, I think viewed objectively, firearms are not among the higher return investments one can make. I don't think that is a controversial view by any means.
Ted
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,727
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,727 |
If you just look where this country is headed, and the trouble we could all be in very shortly, I think guns can be a good investment in more than one way.
They can feed you.
They can protect you.
They have trade value for goods and services you may need.
I don't drink or Smoke. I spend my money on gunpowder and gasoline.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 337
Campfire Member
|
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 337 |
All you guys that are financial whizzes will surely quibble this to death, but I look at guns as more of a hedge against inflation. I'm certainly not a financial whiz but I think that's a good way to look at it. If I spend say $500/yr eating out that money is basically completely wasted. If I spent that $500 on a gun and it keeps up with inflation or even if it only grew at half the pace of inflation it would be a relatively far better investment than money spent at the restaurant. In other words there's a lot worse things we could be spending our money on than guns 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,423 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,423 Likes: 6 |
Plus, I tried oiling my stock certificates and it just wasn�t any fun. 
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 671
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 671 |
No doubt. That's a great way to look at it. You guys have given me extra arrows in my quiver I can deploy on my wife to justify more gun purchases! 
Ted
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,679 Likes: 45
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,679 Likes: 45 |
I bought one O/U in '80 for $750 that I can get in excess of $3,000 today.. Not a bad investment.. 2,000 of the 3 was eaten up by inflation over the 31 years. So the gun made you $32/year. Better than spending the money on women and booze but not a great investment as investments go. I guarantee I could make a heck of a lot more than $1k with $750 over 30 years of buying and selling guns than buying one and sitting on it. Investment is as subjective as the investor. I have over $180,000.00 market value of guns in my safe. I did not take it from our family budget, I saved everything I could to acquire a nest egg of $8,000.00 and then bought, sold and traded guns to accumulate what I have in that safe. I still have the $8,000.00 I started with and the past few years have accumulated the collection that I have and it still grows. Had I done the same with the Stock Market, I would have needed over $50,000.00 of available capital to accomplish the same net value. On an annual basis, I never netted less than 100% on my money, sometimes as much as 200%...try that in the Stock Market!
![[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]](https://i.postimg.cc/63b8KsVp/DSCN4329.jpg)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 337
Campfire Member
|
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 337 |
Shrap, I think we're saying the same thing. You started with 8k and bought and sold guns until you accumulated a sizeable collection as opposed to spending 8k on a few guns and sitting on them for decades till the price went up.
I agree on the stock market. I'm not a big fan of it.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,022
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,022 |
I bought one O/U in '80 for $750 that I can get in excess of $3,000 today.. Not a bad investment.. 2,000 of the 3 was eaten up by inflation over the 31 years. So the gun made you $32/year. Better than spending the money on women and booze but not a great investment as investments go. I guarantee I could make a heck of a lot more than $1k with $750 over 30 years of buying and selling guns than buying one and sitting on it. I dunno about that...
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,364
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,364 |
This is my two cents.
I have been a gun enthusiast (fanatic) since I was old 5 years old. I have, over time, gravitated to what I call "classic" american guns. Pre 64 Winchesters (model 70,71,94,64,12 etc) Brownings (Belgian and Jap A5, O/U, Hi power rifles, BAR etc) 1911's, hi powers, SAA, Rem 722, Garands, etc. I began purchasing them because I liked them. Pretty soon I had more than I could realistically shoot. I then began to cull and upgrade until one day I had a safe full of some really nice stuff. Some stuff I shoot and some stuff just gets fondled and oiled lovingly from time to time. I tell myself that my guns are an "investment" and I do believe they are. Given some time and energy, I feel I could cash out and get back much more than I invested. However, I dont really foresee "wanting" to sell, so in some ways, my guns just have my money tied up. An investment is only an investment, if you eventually cash in on it. I have the same issue with some nice timber on my property. There is a lot of potential there, but I would rather walk through large ipen hardwoods with my kids than cash in and be left with a clearcut. Many have mentioned Blue Book values. I used to rely on blue book values as a general guide, but I now feel that Gunbroker is a better gauge than Blue Book. My thoughts. thanks
Last edited by pharmvet; 02/24/11.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 904
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 904 |
This is my two cents.
I have been a gun enthusiast (fanatic) since I was old 5 years old. I have, over time, gravitated to what I call "classic" american guns. Pre 64 Winchesters (model 70,71,94,64,12 etc) Brownings (Belgian and Jap A5, O/U, Hi power rifles, BAR etc) 1911's, hi powers, SAA, Rem 722, Garands, etc. I began purchasing them because I liked them. Pretty soon I had more than I could realistically shoot. I then began to cull and upgrade until one day I had a safe full of some really nice stuff. Some stuff I shoot and some stuff just gets fondled and oiled lovingly from time to time. I tell myself that my guns are an "investment" and I do believe they are. Given some time and energy, I feel I could cash out and get back much more than I invested. However, I dont really foresee "wanting" to sell, so in some ways, my guns just have my money tied up. An investment is only an investment, if you eventually cash in on it. I have the same issue with some nice timber on my property. There is a lot of potential there, but I would rather walk through large ipen hardwoods with my kids than cash in and be left with a clearcut. Many have mentioned Blue Book values. I used to rely on blue book values as a general guide, but I now feel that Gunbroker is a better gauge than Blue Book. My thoughts. thanks That's very well said.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 904
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 904 |
Again, sounds like your best gun financial investment is a gun safe.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,749
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,749 |
It's embarrassing what my buddy paid for this: ![[Linked Image]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/djpaintles/STG43.jpg) A 4000% return on investment isn't bad. In general nice transferable Class III weapons are a good investement since there is still strong demand and there is fixed number of them with no new ones allowed.......................DJ
Remember this is all supposed to be for fun.......................
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 17,290 Likes: 4
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 17,290 Likes: 4 |
If you just look where this country is headed, and the trouble we could all be in very shortly, I think guns can be a good investment in more than one way.
They can feed you.
They can protect you.
They have trade value for goods and services you may need. Desperate times call for desperate measures. We could soon see the excellent value of guns as an investment. Just consider game getter/personal defense type firearms as valuable, no particular brand..sorry JM :)) and remember the firearm is not complete without ammo! Maybe ammo would be an excellent investment too, all alone I rent all my guns...some I've had rented for over 50 years, haven't lost a penny and have gotten my money's worth from all, in one way or another!
"I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."
Thomas Jefferson
GeoW, The "Unwoke" ...Let's go Brandon!
"A Well Regulated Militia" Life Member
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 939
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 939 |
I think guns could make a fine investment. Probably as good as anything else. Investing boils down to knowledge of the market. I know guys that have made a living out of buying and selling bamboo fly rods, fine art, coins, you name it. Most of these people make their money buying and selling this stuff because they're able to buy really cheap from folks that don't really know what they have or what its worth.
I doubt you would make much by walking into a gun shop and paying retail, unless you hold onto that gun for a long time. I'll bet that a lot of pawn shops have made a fortune "investing" in guns because they pay about a third of the retail price to folks that need cash right away. They also have the funds to buy estate collections, etc.
Last edited by TomSmith; 02/24/11.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 59,180 Likes: 3
Campfire Kahuna
|
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 59,180 Likes: 3 |
I bought one O/U in '80 for $750 that I can get in excess of $3,000 today.. Not a bad investment.. 2,000 of the 3 was eaten up by inflation over the 31 years. So the gun made you $32/year. Better than spending the money on women and booze but not a great investment as investments go. I guarantee I could make a heck of a lot more than $1k with $750 over 30 years of buying and selling guns than buying one and sitting on it. If you're lucky - yes.. Like one other above - I'm not necessarily in it to make tons of money but as a hedge against inflation.. The one I mentioned above is an extreme example.. The others I buy/sell are more in line with 1-3 years, tops.. One other example was a rifle I bought in '09 for $1600 and sold for $2950 the next year.. When you average all of them I've done over the last few years it's been close to a 10% annual return overall.. As with any 'investment', luck, timing, market etc., along with many factors outside one's control can make/break a profit.. What I like about firearms is that me, myself and I control everything about it instead of relying on some 'money manager' or 'fund manager' to be both good and lucky.. This is my two cents.
I have been a gun enthusiast (fanatic) since I was old 5 years old. I have, over time, gravitated to what I call "classic" american guns. Pre 64 Winchesters (model 70,71,94,64,12 etc) Brownings (Belgian and Jap A5, O/U, Hi power rifles, BAR etc) 1911's, hi powers, SAA, Rem 722, Garands, etc. I began purchasing them because I liked them. Pretty soon I had more than I could realistically shoot. I then began to cull and upgrade until one day I had a safe full of some really nice stuff. Some stuff I shoot and some stuff just gets fondled and oiled lovingly from time to time. I tell myself that my guns are an "investment" and I do believe they are. Given some time and energy, I feel I could cash out and get back much more than I invested. However, I dont really foresee "wanting" to sell, so in some ways, my guns just have my money tied up. An investment is only an investment, if you eventually cash in on it. I have the same issue with some nice timber on my property. There is a lot of potential there, but I would rather walk through large ipen hardwoods with my kids than cash in and be left with a clearcut. Many have mentioned Blue Book values. I used to rely on blue book values as a general guide, but I now feel that Gunbroker is a better gauge than Blue Book. My thoughts. thanks That's very well said. +1 added: I should have clarified my original post.. That '80 shotgun is not new, nor do I have the box/papers any more.. It's been used for 25+ years but is still in 95%+ condition.. If it was NIB the price could nearly double.. I neglected to give better info the first time.. My bad..
Last edited by Redneck; 02/25/11.
Ex- USN (SS) '66-'69
Pro-Constitution.
LET'S GO BRANDON!!!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,423 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 28,423 Likes: 6 |
For those people into very high risk, high yield ventures, one Colt SAA would make a good basic portfolio. You might want to look into offshore accounts as a follow up to this particular investment strategy. Gimme all your stocks and bonds! ![[Linked Image]](http://www.westernclassicmovies.com/images/people/great_train_robbery_still.jpg)
Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,038 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,038 Likes: 1 |
Wish I would have bought up a few Colt Mustang 380s when
they were plentiful and cheap.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,873
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,873 |
A local shop closed out NIB Colt Pocket Nines at $350! 
Talk is cheap. It takes money to buy whiskey.
|
|
|
|
|
110 members (3dtestify, 7887mm08, 358wsm, 280Ackleyrized, 338Rules, 35, 12 invisible),
980
guests, and
891
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,194,091
Posts18,522,129
Members74,026
| |
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|
