How fast do guns depreciate?

[Hooker]

I have been lurking through the classifieds for several weeks now looking to add to my growing "collection" (basically want a third handgun or first shotgun) and have noticed that many used guns are priced pretty closely to those being sold new everywhere else.

My question is how fast do guns depreciate? Is a gun that is a year old considered "old" or does it really depend on how many rounds have been fired? Is a gun old after 5 years? 10 years?

How old does a gun have to be before it is considered a clunker that really isn't worth buying?

 

[Sylvain]

A gun loses lots of its value as soon as you leave the gun store where you bought it.
If come back to the same store 5 minutes after you bought your gun to sale it I bet most places would offer you 30% less money than what you had to pay for it.

 

[ATM]

Depends a lot on the make and model.

 

[Ronald]

Depending on the model, I would rather buy an older gun with less wear and tear before a newer one with more wear. Kind of like a car.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Depends a lot on the make and model.

This. Half of my guns are worth more now than when I bought them. Have you seen the price of AKs and classic Colts? That being said, I bought a Kimber brand new a year and a half ago and I would lose my butt if I would sell it now. But why on earth would I do that .

If you are worried about resale when you buy then get a used crappy looking gun and fix it up. If you realize that buying a Block online for $500 doesn't make sense when you can get it for the same price... anywhere... Then don't.

 

[WebSnyper]

Depends on political climate at any given time, how good of a deal you got when you purchased it (like most things), how common the item is, etc.

Also, as with many things, it depends on how fast you need to sell at the time and if you find the right person to buy it.

 

[snapping turtle]

It is such a gamble as what will go up in price and what drops to worthless.

It also works like the stock market. Lots of over and under midas grade shotguns were 7,000 - 10, 000 a few years ago and sell for 3,000 to 7.000 today. That a real loss over 10 years. Then again they were 3000 new.

SOme that sell very well go up in price. Some that you can't get anyone to buy now will go up in price years late because nobody bought one.

Roll the dice and get it.

 

[PistolBob]

Buy quality, not quantity and you'll never have to worry about losing money on a gun. The Ruger 10-22's I bought almost 20 years ago are even worth more now than when new. Junk guns are that, junk. I like to stick with Ruger, Springfield, Mossburg, Remington, Colt, Walther, and Taurus. I usually don't buy chinese guns. I know about Glock, I just don't care for them, so I don't have any Glocks. I may be the only one.

 

[orange]

A gun loses lots of its value as soon as you leave the gun store where you bought it.
If come back to the same store 5 minutes after you bought your gun to sale it I bet most places would offer you 30% less money than what you had to pay for it.

That really seems a characteristic of gun stores rather than depreciation, they routinely give ridiculous buying prices. I tried selling some guns when I was in dire need of money. Like-new Ruger Super Redhawk with scope, holster, two sets of grips and reloading dies? 200 bucks!

I haven't sold a gun in a long time. But when I check prices on gunbroker or in a store I see everything I've ever bought has gone up in price, not down.

 

[INMIline]

Because alot of guys seem to think their used Glock gains value after being fired! I think alot of guys place high prices on items in the classiifeds because they are expecting to get low balled

I have been lurking through the classifieds

 

[spec4]

Years ago I bought a NIB PPK from GAT Guns in Illinois. A month later I traded it with them for a used FS92 that I love and still have. Paid $500 for the PPK, they gave me $175 in trade. I took the deal, but they lost my future business.

 

[Doug]

New guns, like new cars, drop in value as soon as you buy them.
In the short term, guns drop in value; in the long term they hold their value due to inflation and the perceived decrease in quality caused by new manufacturing techniques such as using polymers and investment castings.
As I understand it, in 1910 you could buy a new Colt for a $20 gold piece and that same gold piece will buy the same gun today.

Buy quality, care for the guns, and don't refinish an old one unless it is REALLY bad. My

 

[BlueEagle]

Just like a car. You'll almost ALWAYS get less than what you paid for it, but you can keep that price higher with good maintenance and care.

 

[Clay]

Your guns go down rather quickly, especially if I want to buy them.

On the other hand, my guns do not loose value, and in fact will only increase in value, especially if I want to sell them.

 

[Squib]

Clay summed up the popular thinking on how it works. First rule, never trade a gun to a dealer; that mantra is Buy Low-Sell High. That's how they pay for the storefront.

Second rule, some guns appreciate with age. It depends on supply and demand and condition at sale. There are some 3rd Generation S&Ws that cost more now than they did when new. Just try to find a CS9, CS45, or 3913 for the original price. If they are NIB, hold onto your wallet. The last NIB CS45 I saw went for $720!

Third rule, if you buy a gun currently in production and easy to get, you will lose if you decide to sell it.

 

[bobzilla]

I think everything I own is worth more now than what I either paid for it or I got it for. I could make an easy $250 on the Colt, the shotty I could double my money on, the Rossi would sell for a decent price since it was a gift.....

 

[philagothon]

Because alot of guys seem to think their used Glock gains value after being fired! I think alot of guys place high prices on items in the classiifeds because they are expecting to get low balled

That's because they are more confident it won't go KABOOM!!!

 

[Chesh97]

....

I bought a Kimber brand new a year and a half ago and I would lose my butt if I would sell it now.

That's where I was at. I have 1100 in it, safe queen, beautiful pistol, and I couldn't get anyone interested for even 800.

I'm not going to take more than a 300 hit on it, even though I need the funds for other things. I will still hang onto it, as it's my favorite pistol.