If you could only buy one firearm for a solid investment........

May sound kind of "kooky" but a fellow with a few unused condition, complete with transit box and accessories Enfield #4 MK1 "T" sniper enfields could reap a decent profit from them considering they have gone from $29.95 back in the early 1970's to upwards of $5,000.00 recently. Also untouched M-1 Garand sniper rifles are in the stratosphere pricewise. Wish I could have bought a bunch back in the day!!
 
Lot of hindsight here. Just like the 53 Corvette I bought that a man died in for $300 and sold it for $25,000, or the soon to be divorced lady that sold me her husband's gun collection for a $100 so he couldn't have them.
I don't think buying a few guns a year or maybe a bunch of them are illegal, just don't turn around and sell them all at one time. A few people make money buying and selling things, but I will stick to what I know if I want to make money.
 
Butch Lambert said:
...or the soon to be divorced lady that sold me her husband's gun collection for a $100 so he couldn't have them.
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That kind of deal would make me feel very nervous, not to mention quite guilty.

I've witnessed a few gun deals where someone had no idea of a gun's value and sold it for a fraction of it's worth. There's a difference between a good deal and a genuine theft.
 
One thing that is absolutely necessary is to keep an updated value on the gun(s) that your wife can find, you don't need to show it to her but make sure she is aware where the list is and that the guns are valuable.
There are unscrupulous people (friends, estate lawyers) that won't let your body get cold before they offer the widow money for those old guns, because she needs ready cash and then she won't have to bother with them or they are possibly even illegal for her to own.
 
The most important thing you can do is make and update once a year a list of the gun(s) and an approximate value on each. Don't show the list to your wife, because we all know they have no idea what we spend, but make sure she knows the guns are valuable and where to find the list.
In the event of your untimely death, and before the body is even cold, unscrupulous people (friends, estate lawyers) will try to convince your wife to sell the guns to them at a price they name. The excuses are numerous: The widow needs ready cash and this will provide it. The deceased owed them money or had borrowed some of the guns. The guns are possibly illegal for the widow to own. And on and on.
 
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vicvanb,
I really don't think you got my message. You probably think I am out tripping old ladies and stealing their purses. MY MESSAGE was to work hard at what you do to make your money. You can't make it in life looking for the big kill.
 
Butch,
I quite agree with you that there is no assured easy or fast way to make "the big kill" in buying or selling guns, and if I felt that there was, I'd have quit my day job already and obtained an FFL.

From the stand point of a hobbiest, I started this thread more for the purpose of wanting to listen and learn from other shooters here which kind of NEW guns (ummmm....one or two guns and not a Budweiswer Clydesdale Wagon full of them) might bring the best returns in the shortest time. Sometimes, folks do mention ideas and things that you were either unaware of or may have overlooked. (like limited production special edition guns, etc). But, I haven't heard any siver bullet ideas here yet. And short of an unforseen gun ban, there may not be any one gun out there that would return a sizeable profit. HOWEVER, it is my steadfast opinion that a 6% to 10% return on a number of specificn firearms is almost a certainty. For example, if I did have an FFL license, I would want to buy 100 of those Colt LEO rifles. I have absolutely no doubt that I could sell them each at a $100 profit 1 year from now. No, a $10,000 profit over a 12 month period of time is not a sustitute for a day job, and is not going to make anybody rich. But, I hope you would agree that as supplemental income applied toward ones savings, $10,000 sure as hell beats the $1,500 that a CD would get you.
 
VaniB said:
Butch,
I quite agree with you that there is no assured easy or fast way to make "the big kill" in buying or selling guns, and if I felt that there was, I'd have quit my day job already and obtained an FFL.

From the stand point of a hobbiest, I started this thread more for the purpose of wanting to listen and learn from other shooters here which kind of NEW guns (ummmm....one or two guns and not a Budweiswer Clydesdale Wagon full of them) might bring the best returns in the shortest time. Sometimes, folks do mention ideas and things that you were either unaware of or may have overlooked. (like limited production special edition guns, etc). But, I haven't heard any siver bullet ideas here yet. And short of an unforseen gun ban, there may not be any one gun out there that would return a sizeable profit. HOWEVER, it is my steadfast opinion that a 6% to 10% return on a number of specificn firearms is almost a certainty. For example, if I did have an FFL license, I would want to buy 100 of those Colt LEO rifles. I have absolutely no doubt that I could sell them each at a $100 profit 1 year from now. No, a $10,000 profit over a 12 month period of time is not a sustitute for a day job, and is not going to make anybody rich. But, I hope you would agree that as supplemental income applied toward ones savings, $10,000 sure as hell beats the $1,500 that a CD would get you.
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Yea, but then taking the same money and buying a Skag and then mowing the neighbors grass, that's another way to do the same thing. Except, it has a known risk point, known end value within limits, and virtually no chance of loss.

I kept looking at this thread title and just shaking my head. This sounds like someone wanting to buy a brand new car and calling that an investment. Why not buy used, and have some variability in the final value and margin? Go look for steals and have cash in hand to pick em up. Now, selling the next day for 30% starts looking more attractive as an 'investment'.
 
Butch Lambert said:
You probably think I am out tripping old ladies and stealing their purses.
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Good idea! The "profit" made by doing that would exceed the gains I've made selling a few guns over many years. The only overhead involved would be a good pair of running shoes.

But wait! Some of those old ladies these days are packing heat. Bad news messing with them.
 
4Mesh said:
Yea, but then taking the same money and buying a Skag and then mowing the neighbors grass, that's another way to do the same thing. Except, it has a known risk point, known end value within limits, and virtually no chance of loss.

I kept looking at this thread title and just shaking my head. This sounds like someone wanting to buy a brand new car and calling that an investment. Why not buy used, and have some variability in the final value and margin? Go look for steals and have cash in hand to pick em up. Now, selling the next day for 30% starts looking more attractive as an 'investment'.
Click to expand...

Thanks, but I already have a decent day job which is easier then mowing lawns....and it pays better too. If I had an FFL, I have absolutely no doubt that certain NEW guns I could buy would accrue in value in one years time. Not so with cars, or motorcycles. You'd have to hang onto those sought of things considerably longer and have a lot more storrage space to boot. While there's nothing that is "risk free", certain things just about can't lose. Mainly this would be popular gun manufacturers that are about to discontinue limited calibers or models. But, this would require quantity purchase and an FFL. (yes, insight too)

As for used collector's stuff....as you're kind of suggesting.......
If you're hunting around at gunshows or estates for that odd used gem or two, you'll have to love what you're doing, because that's a slow and tedious game. You'll be no different then the folks that go running around to garage sales looking for the $15 Picasso, and when they can't find it, they instead end up selling on ebay all the petty little odds and ends they did manage to scavenge up. That can be a full time job in itself. But, buying fifty discontinued HS stocked Remington VSSF 17 Fireball Rifles direct from Remington or their distributor via a phone call is fast and convenient; you can order them today, and get them delivered in a week. No muss no fuss. But...YOU GOT TO HAVE AN FFL. I concede without that, this is just a lot of idle talk on my part..... going nowhere.
 
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I also have read and followed this thread for some time. The idea of buying and selling a "FEW" rifles or pistols or what ever is not a bad thing. But you limit your self severely by only wanting to purchase or invest in "NEW". By reading your last post it seems that you are wanting to limit yourself simply for the reason that you do not want to take the time to educate yourself into what older and much more collectable guns would best serve your bottom line. And that is making money. As a matter of fact it looks like you don't really want to take the time to find out for yourself what New guns "YOU" should purchase, and are seeking advice from the members of this board to make or at least help you make up your mind. I believe this strategy is so flawed from the begining as to have almost no chance of succes.

Roland
 
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Hombre0321 said:
.......... that you do not want to take the time to educate yourself into what older and much more collectable guns would best serve your bottom line. .......... As a matter of fact it looks like you don't really want to take the time to find out for yourself what New guns "YOU" should purchase, and are seeking advice from the members of this board to make or at least help you make up your mind.
Roland
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No Roland, one doesn't just "educate" himself and become a self-professed gun collector and overnight expert in old guns because you say he should. Neither did I ask you to help me "make up my mind". If I am as clueless as you suggest, and I need somebody to help me "make up my mind" how I should spend my money, then I'll go to my wife thank you.....not you. And what do you mean to say that I haven't taken the time to "find out for myself"? To provide an example of my objectives, I've already mentioned the names and models of which guns might meet my strategy. There's others, but I won't bother to name them. Some folks on this thread have also provided some viable input in naming some guns.

If you can't think of the name or model of a particular new rifle, shogun, or pistol that you believe might meet my objective of a 7%-10% return, then you needed not reply with what amounted to nothing more then a condescending lecture. Just say nothing. -Randall
 
butch

my in-laws passed away recently there were 4 heirs we were asked and appointed to take care of things me directly by the father-in-law in his last days. guess what no one is speaking now over 10k im like you i wish i had ran as fast and far away as i could away.

as for stealing the ladys guns if you hadnt someone would have come by and bid less and got them it sounds bad but it isnt and you had to do some work for her in the process.

bob
 
As I told a woman I used to work with who had quite a bit of Microsoft stock, "if you mess with me I'll go buy a few shares of Microsoft." That inspired sufficient fear that she was pretty pleasant afterwards.

If I found a gun that I thought would make a great investment and bought it, it's value would drop like a 2000 lb iron bomb from 50k ft. I have the reverse Midas touch gentlemen.
 
Larry,
I remember all the good deals[few] but, I don't remember the multiple losers. Guns to me are not measured by what I made money on or lost. I just love playing with them.
 
Colt 6920 AR 15 small pin

Limited run Ruger or Smith and Wesson revolver

I think the key to this kind of purchase is buying something which is highly desired in it's timeframe which will likely remain a desired entity. That is why I chose the AR and the solid revolver brands. In addition, I think limited avalability in it's popularity period is key. Colt has had trouble keeping dealer shelves full on Colt 6920's. Also, the Ruger and S&W limited run guns are based on highly popular guns in their line with good availability, but have something different. I have one of each.

I have a S&W M640. It was a performance center model with magnaporting and a slicked up trigger. I didn't pay a huge premium for it, but it is a great gun.

I also have a Ruger 5.5" SS Bisley in 45 LC. I think these are more common now, but when I bought mine, it was a limited run for a local distributer. They were easy to find here in OH and I only paid like a $25 premium for it, but elsewhere, they are more rare. I think they have made so many special runs of this that it might be watered down a bit.
 
Butch Lambert said:
Larry,
I remember all the good deals[few] but, I don't remember the multiple losers. Guns to me are not measured by what I made money on or lost. I just love playing with them.
Click to expand...

That's why if I wouldn't be interested in shooting a gun or fiddling around with it I just walk away.
 
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