Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Why do people sell guns that they like?

It’s not uncommon for the things that once brought us joy to no longer bring us joy.

I sold off my African game rifles when health dictated it. I dont like inventory lying round that isnt fulfilling a purpose.

I sold 3 of my rifles earlier in the year when I had almost no work. have a mortgage payment to make, wish I didn't have to but did.

i have a bunch of guns i like. i will sell some because i have enjoyed them and will let someone else enjoy them and i will buy something else with the money. thats really the reason i bought most of the guns. i call them my 401G. when i would come home from a gunshow with one and my wife would look at me, i would say "401G" and she trusted me. she has seen me buy guns and then sell them for 2-3 times what i paid. i have only sold a couple for less than i paid and that was because there was something wrong with them and i got burned. i also never sell a clunker without telling the person what i think is wrong with it. that goes for cars too. thats why i have sold some for a loss. but all in all, i am waaaay ahead.

now then again, i have guns i will never sell and an order of guns i would sell if i was destitute. i started my adult life with a good 22, a good deer gun, a good shotgun and a good flintlock. i could go back to those 4 if i really, really had to.

Sold in a few in the last 4 years that I liked because although I liked them and they were beautiful; they just didn't get used because they were so nice. So in retirement I'm thinning out the safe queens and concentrating on stuff I shoot more often. The safes were too crowded, anyway.

Sometimes you fuuuck up.

Stupidity mostly.

I sold my H&K collection during the Obama assault weapons high, I kinda sorta regret doing it. But making money is never a bad thing. I've been trying to talk myself out of selling some 9mm, 5.56 and 7.62x51 ammo. It's worth to much to shoot and is irreplaceable at the moment.

Because most of us would rather sell our guns and put the money in our pocket than loan them to friends who sell them and put the money in there pocket!

It's simple logic.....Lol

Im more of a buyer than a seller .

Exactly. The OP doesn't realize some people feel like they need the money more at the time, regardless of how much they like the rifle/firearm... When I sell a rifle, I say to myself that it is going to a good home. I've sold some good ones too. Some to guys here and I know they went to great homes. I also won't sell a rifle that doesn't shoot well. I also agree with what nyrifleman said and "re evaluate" that friendship...I have friends that are more like brothers, I can't imagine any of them doing that to me, or viseversa...

Pretty much this.

I’ve set aside 3 for the 3 grandsons and have sold 5 in the past 2 weeks, all were good stuff. Another One intended for “sale” was actually a swap for a Savage 99F that’ll go to the middle grandson.

Time to pare back on niceties vs need to haves and those that I truly use.

“Put thy house in order “
Prov:

Sometimes you lose guns due to silly things like house fires or thieves. Other times you just don't think right.

Sold a svelte little single shot .410 that I wasn't using much. Didn't regret it for 6 years. Then TSS .410 ammo became a viable turkey load. Now I regret not having it for turkey hunting.

I have a few that will never leave til I'm dead. But I hage others that I like to buy,sell and trade with. They're nice,but I'm not that attached to.

Your not weird, when I left alaska I gave a 4x4 truck that ran great to one of my employees. Single dad that needed reliable transportation. I also gave my Hyundai elantra to my buddies daughter as it was her first vehicle.

I sold alot of my rifles and handguns before I moved back to MI. 1, to help pay the moving bill and 2, the damn laws here would mean I cant use them in my area and handguns I would have to register. To hell with the govt.

Miss some but I won't ever use them. Kept a few incase I go out west or somewhere where people are free.

I sell one occasionally if I haven’t shot it in years and don’t know when or if I will shoot it again. Case in point, I sold a smith 629 classic a month ago. Had not been out of my safe in more than 10 years. Sold it and put the money toward something I’ll use.

Never! Have sold a couple that did not meet accuracy expectations.

Very well said.

I’ve sold guns that didn’t compare well to “X” and then realized later that X was just a fad and not as important as I thought at the time making the gun one I ought not have let go of.

That's called thoughtful and generous. You're a good man John.