OK, do I sell my collection?

[Hoosier8]

A rough estimate of selling all but maybe a few would wipe out my credit card debt freeing up cash flow now.

I see most of them once a year to spray them down with Eezox. I used to shoot more but have not shot much since the ammo shortage, just to conserve ammo though my visit to Cabela's last week I saw more on the shelf plus I have been very busy with work and have little time to shoot.

Some of them are collectible like some WWII and Civil War but a number are run of the mill Mosin's (some sort of collectible).

My problem is 'letting go'. They are mine. I don't need them but I don't want to let them go. They really don't do me any good though.

So, what would I keep? After all, even with a Zombie Apocolypse, you can only handle a couple at one time.

My fav handgun (at this time). Whatever my daughter wanted (she lusts after my Kimber). At least one shotgun and maybe one long range rifle.

What would you pare down to pay off debts?

 

[Brando]

I'm in the same boat. I wouldn't sell those hard to find firearms. Mosins and Kimbers would be first in the classifieds.

 

[actaeon277]

Why sell? They are not going to go bad, or spoil.

 

[littletommy]

I don't know, it's a tough call. I love being debt free, but I regret every firearm I've sold over the years. I made a decision several years back that I would never sell another gun of mine again. I guess if you have zero attachment to some of them, then do it, but I know somewhere down the road I'd regret it.

I'm not much help, am I?

 

[loudpedal]

I love being debt free, but I regret every firearm I've sold over the years. I made a decision several years back that I would never sell another gun of mine again.

Tommy speak truth!

 

[pudly]

Why sell? They are not going to go bad, or spoil.

Its not about the guns going bad. It's about getting out of debt. Getting out of debt provides tremendous benefits to your mental well-being and ability to handle problems/disasters.

I would cut back, particularly on duplicates and ones that are easily replaceable when cash is more available. Each of mine have a specific niche/function. Extras get sold/traded. I understand some have a hard time letting go, but safe queens that keep you in debt are not doing you any favors.

 

[metaldog]

Keep the guns! Sell the kids. JK!

 

[atvdave]

Call me old fashion or just call me old. If you got into dept buying fire arms, then yes... sale want you need to get out. But if you are just in a little debt due to other issues then I say keep them. I for one would love to give all my fire arms to my kid's & grand kids when that time come... Just like my father did to me and my loved ones.

 

[Hoosier8]

Its not about the guns going bad. It's about getting out of debt. Getting out of debt provides tremendous benefits to your mental well-being and ability to handle problems/disasters.

I would cut back, particularly on duplicates and ones that are easily replaceable when cash is more available. Each of mine have a specific niche/function. Extras get sold/traded. I understand some have a hard time letting go, but safe queens that keep you in debt are not doing you any favors.

Yeah, I have 3 Mosin 91/59's and still have a hard time deciding which one to release.

 

[Hoosier8]

On top of that, I keep checking the WTS.

 

[metaldog]

On top of that, I keep checking the WTS.

LOL. Me too! I dont have more pair of shoes than years to my life & my wife tells me I have a problem.

 

[Que]

The guns are paid off. Just stop some extracurricular activities for a while and use that money on debt. I'm a different kind of guy. I normally sell a gun to get something that I want, instead of taking money out of the house. However, I've had some regrets doing that, too. Whatever you do, don't sell everything.

 

[sbcman]

If your house is anything like mine, there's probably a lot of non-firearm junk around you could sell to accomplish the same goal.

 

[Bunnykid68]

The guns are paid off. Just stop some extracurricular activities for a while and use that money on debt. I'm a different kind of guy. I normally sell a gun to get something that I want, instead of taking money out of the house. However, I've had some regrets doing that, too. Whatever you do, don't sell everything.

This ^^^^^^

 

[Hoosier8]

Well, so far I have traded one gun for another, another gun for a motorcycle, another for a guitar. I have yet to sell one.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

FWIW...Like a couple of other guys have mentioned, I don't like the idea of selling any of my guns. If there were something I just didn't like, I might reconsider but as hard as it is to come up with the cash to get them in the first place, it doesn't seem like it'll get any easier in a few months/years when you try to buy a replacement. But you've hot to do what you think will work best for you.

 

[Cameramonkey]

meet yourself in the middle. Set aside the guns in three piles:

1: I dont care: Any gun you dont touch regularly, and if there were a fire you wouldnt cry over the gun itself (careful not to weep over its sale value, irrelevant for this part of the exercise).

2: I Like this/Utilitarian: The guns you shoot often/regularly or you know have good value but dont really mean anything to you emotionally.

3: NO WAY!: these are the ones that have sentimental value, family heirloom, or you know there is no way in hell you are going to find one again for a reasonable cost. it can also include your favorite weapon in a specific caliber while the others are put into the other two piles.

The ENTIRE first pile goes into the sale pile. If you have THAT many guns and you are concerned about debt, you really dont NEED these guns. for instance put the two worse off Mosins in this pile, the third in your choice in one of the other two piles. Also ask yourself "Do I really NEED an O/U, Auto AND Pump in 12 GA? Can I keep the one that will function for trap, deer AND turkey and get rid of the other two?" If so, the other two shottys go in one of the first two piles above. Also dont be afraid to keep only one specific caliber. Keep your auto 12Ga and get rid of ALL other shotguns. There really isnt much you can't do with that one. Sure the O/U is grand for a day of trap, but the auto works good enough to get the job done.

The second pile can be weighted individually by weapon whether its worth getting rid of. Ask yourself "what can I get out if this weapon? Is it worth getting rid of debt to make it go away?"

The third pile is off limits. Period. In the end it should only consist of what you will hand down to your kids, what you carry daily, what you use FREQUENTLY and cant be replaced with another gun if this one happens to be broken, and what you absolutely couldn't replace.

The bottom line is you can pare down pretty easily without making critical cuts in your shooting/defense. Is it NICE to have a task specific weapon? YES! Can you make due for several years with one that is "good enough" until you can afford to pay cash for the perfect weapon(s) again? Probably.

It also might help to get an objective shooting buddy to help sort. I dont recommend a spouse as they tend to not be as objective as you would want. (especially if the cash benefits them) You want somebody that can objectively listen to your reason to keep, while still able to say "seriously? You want to keep this? How often do you use it? You dont NEED this nice, 4 digit O/U to shoot trap 4x a year. It wont be as convenient, but you can use your pump since you dont do it regularly." Im sure you can find several people here willing to help with that task.

Good luck.

 

[Hoosier8]

meet yourself in the middle. Set aside the guns in three piles:

1: I dont care: Any gun you dont touch regularly, and if there were a fire you wouldnt cry over the gun itself (careful not to weep over its sale value, irrelevant for this part of the exercise).

2: I Like this/Utilitarian: The guns you shoot often/regularly or you know have good value but dont really mean anything to you emotionally.

3: NO WAY!: these are the ones that have sentimental value, family heirloom, or you know there is no way in hell you are going to find one again for a reasonable cost. it can also include your favorite weapon in a specific caliber while the others are put into the other two piles.

The ENTIRE first pile goes into the sale pile. If you have THAT many guns and you are concerned about debt, you really dont NEED these guns. for instance put the two worse off Mosins in this pile, the third in your choice in one of the other two piles. Also ask yourself "Do I really NEED an O/U, Auto AND Pump in 12 GA? Can I keep the one that will function for trap, deer AND turkey and get rid of the other two?" If so, the other two shottys go in one of the first two piles above. Also dont be afraid to keep only one specific caliber. Keep your auto 12Ga and get rid of ALL other shotguns. There really isnt much you can't do with that one. Sure the O/U is grand for a day of trap, but the auto works good enough to get the job done.

The second pile can be weighted individually by weapon whether its worth getting rid of. Ask yourself "what can I get out if this weapon? Is it worth getting rid of debt to make it go away?"

The third pile is off limits. Period. In the end it should only consist of what you will hand down to your kids, what you carry daily, what you use FREQUENTLY and cant be replaced with another gun if this one happens to be broken, and what you absolutely couldn't replace.

The bottom line is you can pare down pretty easily without making critical cuts in your shooting/defense. Is it NICE to have a task specific weapon? YES! Can you make due for several years with one that is "good enough" until you can afford to pay cash for the perfect weapon(s) again? Probably.

It also might help to get an objective shooting buddy to help sort. I dont recommend a spouse as they tend to not be as objective as you would want. (especially if the cash benefits them) You want somebody that can objectively listen to your reason to keep, while still able to say "seriously? You want to keep this? How often do you use it? You dont NEED this nice, 4 digit O/U to shoot trap 4x a year. It wont be as convenient, but you can use your pump since you dont do it regularly." Im sure you can find several people here willing to help with that task.

Good luck.

Well the only one interested is my once a Marine (always a Marine) daughter and of course I will defer to her wishes. I don't really 'need' any of my guns as I have reached coothood without ever needing one though I will keep something around just the same.

This really gets around to obsession rather than need. If you have more than one or two firearms, it really comes down to that.

 

[beararms1776]

I wouldn't sell anything you couldn't get a fair price for. Personally, I would work to pay down the debt.

 

[jy951]

I would sell some of the guns, and keep a few. They are just material possessions. If you can provide a better life for yourself or family by selling some, I think it would be worthwhile. I know one family that is makes average income and has a fair amount of debt but the husband has literally 25K worth of guns. IMHO that is just selfish and dumb.