Firearms as an investment

[billdeserthills]

Probably the best investment is to learn how to use a firearm to defend your life. Making money on the side is just gravey.

With Biden's highest inflation, you'll almost never hafta worry about actually making any money when ya sell anyhow

The mini-14 I paid $479 for pre-Y2K will never be worth what that $479 would buy now

 

[Longwalkhome]

With Biden's highest inflation, you'll almost never hafta worry about actually making any money when ya sell anyhow

The mini-14 I paid $479 for pre-Y2K will never be worth what that $479 would buy now

Inflation is a tax for living in America with a bad government. People buy and sell trying to just stay even but there is no way for some generations to stay even.

People are sold a bill of goods when it comes to politics and unfortunately people buy into the foolishness. This is the worst time in my lifetime for small businesses, government is doing all it can to destroy them.

Buying and selling guns in Oregon my soon stop if 114 the democrats voted in is put in place. There is no system to follow the law set up.

 

[wired]

It's certainly a better 'investment' than spending the same money at a bar

Yeah but you can get the gift that keeps on giving from a bar fly

 

[Certaindeaf]

In the grand scheme of things, there's worse things. I mean you could "invest" in hookers n blow, bitcoin, yada, and many do.
In other words, I wouldn't worry about it all too much.

 

[wired]

Inflation is a tax for living in America with a bad government. People buy and sell trying to just stay even but there is no way for some generations to stay even.

People are sold a bill of goods when it comes to politics and unfortunately people buy into the foolishness. This is the worst time in my lifetime for small businesses, government is doing all it can to destroy them.

Buying and selling guns in Oregon my soon stop if 114 the democrats voted in is put in place. There is no system to follow the law set up.

I remember 1970's and early 80's inflation. It sucked but I also remember my parents making 30K a year as engineers and houses costing 25K . I knew people that bought homes for $25K in 1969 and were still making their $114 house payment in the mid 90's. Inflation sucks to be sure but fixed interest debt essentially gets wiped out by it and wages eventually catch up

 

[Longwalkhome]

I remember 1970's and early 80's inflation. It sucked but I also remember my parents making 30K a year as engineers and houses costing 25K . I knew people that bought homes for $25K in 1969 and were still making their $114 house payment in the mid 90's. Inflation sucks to be sure but fixed interest debt essentially gets wiped out by it and wages eventually catch up

My house was built in 1978 and it sold for $28k. House similar across the street sold recently for $400k. It takes two wage earners to buy a house because of inflation. Stocking a business like a gunstore would take a huge amount of money now.

 

[wired]

My house was built in 1978 and it sold for $28k. House similar across the street sold recently for $400k. It takes two wage earners to buy a house because of inflation. Stocking a business like a gunstore would take a huge amount of money now.

I dont know, I make 5-6 times more than my dad did in 1978 doing essentially the same job. 400K for a half decent house is pretty standard these days . Remember that 1978 interest rates were a LOT than todays already crappy 7% . A 15% rate between 1978 and 1982 wasnt uncommon . At least now we have pretty much universal employment as much as that sucks when you're trying to hire people. .

 

[Knobgoblin]

It's certainly a better 'investment' than spending the same money at a bar

This is something akin to my rationale.
My " fun" is buying and stacking arms, ammo and accessories.
Leaving that money visible to the horde that shares my last name will result in it's expenditure anyway .
Unfortunately, you can't sell pictures of your last 6 trips to the beach/Leavenworth/Alaska etc. when you need some cash back. Shockingly, memories of vacations and expensive meals have zero resale value. No matter how much money you laid out to acquire them.

 

[Zingularity]

They're somewhere in between "store of value" and investment - My rotating collection has given me an average annual return of 18% in value, with a lot of research on my part (that I enjoy by the way). It's often shocking how much guns will appreciate. Recent data point: a CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical I bought four years ago for $550, street value, I just sold for $850 easy.

 

[Ruger Rich]

I've bought guns on almost an impulse because they were ridiculously cheap.
After a short period of reflection I've thought "I will never sell that gun that cheaply."
Why did the guy sell it so cheap? I don't know and I don't know why I bought it.
And I still have a pile of them. I have controlled myself recently.

 

[Knobgoblin]

I've bought guns on almost an impulse because they were ridiculously cheap.
After a short period of reflection I've thought "I will never sell that gun that cheaply."
Why did the guy sell it so cheap? I don't know and I don't know why I bought it.
And I still have a pile of them. I have controlled myself recently.

The garage sale conundrum.

How many $100 mossbergs , and $50 Marlin .22s do I need?

Lol , wish I still had all of them.

 

[arakboss]

It's certainly a better 'investment' than spending the same money at a bar

Or on boats.

 

[dangerranger60]

For me guns have always been a liquid asset. I could always sell or trade a gun for what I needed. I traded a pair of 357 revolvers to my lawyer for my first divorce. I got from a guy that need braces for his kid.
My best deal had more to do with timing than any investment planning. In the late 80's some idiot shot up a school yard in ca. My FFL friend had cases of Chinese AK's and was afraid they would be banned, and he would be stuck with them. So, I bought 7 of them for the kids and me. I paid just under $150 each. When the state could not work up enough votes to ban them, they stopped the import into CA. And the price shot up. 6 months later, FFL calls back to see if I wanted to sell any back. without even opening the boxes I was offered $750 each. The kids each got an SKS and an ATV. DR

 

[Longwalkhome]

I dont know, I make 5-6 times more than my dad did in 1978 doing essentially the same job. 400K for a half decent house is pretty standard these days . Remember that 1978 interest rates were a LOT than todays already crappy 7% . A 15% rate between 1978 and 1982 wasnt uncommon . At least now we have pretty much universal employment as much as that sucks when you're trying to hire people. .

I haven't bought a house for 30 years so I have no idea what the true cost is today. In my day with 10% down you would end up spending 3 times what you bought the house for if you rode out the payments for 30 years. When I bought mine I paid it off early, originally cost $108k and total payout was $160k. Biggest raise I ever got was having no house payment.

 

[wired]

I haven't bought a house for 30 years so I have no idea what the true cost is today. In my day with 10% down you would end up spending 3 times what you bought the house for if you rode out the payments for 30 years. When I bought mine I paid it off early, originally cost $108k and total payout was $160k. Biggest raise I ever got was having no house payment.

Anything you'd want to live in starts at 400k in most markets. More in others. Mortgage on a 450K house was around 2 grand a month at 2 1/4% until rates went up, Now its more like 3 grand at 7%. Thats why the reas estate market has ground to a halt and why recruiting for jobs requiring relocation has ground to a halt. This might get better if rates go down but interest rates and hot economies are scrappily tied to inflation.

 

[bradsteen]

Hey all I was wondering what your guy's opinion on buying guns as an investment to be able to sell/fall back on if you need funds for an emergency etc.

I mean it's not like the depreciate as long as they are kept in good condition.

What are some of the guns you'd recommend trying to get to hold on to or that you see the value containing to climb on.
For example I used to buy m1 carbines for cheap and you can't seem to find any of them for under 1k now.

Depends on how you approach it. Collecting old, rare, and/or limited production guns as an investment is similar to collecting anything else - if you know what you're looking for and can find it for a good price, you'll probably make some money. For example, I had an opportunity to buy an HK P7M8 for $700 about 10 years ago, but didn't have the cash. Now they're worth near $3k. So some guns can appreciate in value fairly quickly, and that value may remain stable.

That being said, it's guns we're talking about, so federal and state laws may affect your collection's value, liquidity, or profit potential. For example, WA just passed a really stupid AWB, so now I can't sell many of my nice guns locally. I can still sell them online and ship via a FFL, but that will cut into my potential profit. If suddenly there are limits to the number of guns you can sell in a year (supposedly something like this might be in the works from the Biden administration), that could prevent you for cashing out your investment in times of need.

Instead of calling it an investment, I consider my guns just another collection of assets. If I find myself in dire straits, I can sell some and take a bit of the financial pressure off, but I don't buy guns with the intention of resale. I buy them with the intention to use and enjoy them.

 

[arakboss]

This is something akin to my rationale.
My " fun" is buying and stacking arms, ammo and accessories.
Leaving that money visible to the horde that shares my last name will result in it's expenditure anyway .
Unfortunately, you can't sell pictures of your last 6 trips to the beach/Leavenworth/Alaska etc. when you need some cash back. Shockingly, memories of vacations and expensive meals have zero resale value. No matter how much money you laid out to acquire them.

Exactly, my wife spends tons of money on eating out, occasional trips, new car payment, high insurance for new car, expensive groceries, plays and other experiences. Except for the car most of that money is spent with nothing more than memories to show for it. We both spend money, but I have lots of guns, gun parts, ammo and reloading supplies to show for it. I am guessing I could get at least 50% of what I paid for the stuff if I had liquidate it in a hurry.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Exactly, my wife spends tons of money on eating out, occasional trips, new car payment, high insurance for new car, expensive groceries, plays and other experiences. Except for the car most of that money is spent with nothing more than memories to show for it. We both spend money, but I have lots of guns, gun parts, ammo and reloading supplies to show for it. I am guessing I could get at least 50% of what I paid for the stuff if I had liquidate it in a hurry.

Push come to shove , she might could sell her dirty socks online .
Lol

 

[arakboss]

Push come to shove , she might could sell her dirty socks online .
Lol

So could I.

 

[Knobgoblin]

So could I.