Selling or trading first rifle - REGRETS?!

[madmax]

Every I've sold, was sold for a reason. No regrets

 

[Ura-Ki]

I used to change guns like underwear, Now I am retired and have more play time and funds, I have carefully chosen the guns I really like or really wanted all along! I have also had the good fortune of growing up in a gun family and learned to build and customize into exquisite collector grade rifles and shotguns! Those are what drive me and I couldn't ever part with them. Each has its own story and life and could never be replaced. My "Black Guns" are almost like the collectors, each is unique and super cool. My pistols, only two are factory stock, all the others I built from kits and all are now "collectors" to me!
My Wife an I had a very simple wedding, nothing expensive, her dress was her grandmothers, the rings were family heirlooms, and friends and family helped on the wedding reception and the honeymoon was a simple road trip to Lake Louise Canada! I have never had any limits on the number of guns mainly due to what the costs of my "other Hobbies" are, the wife just reminds me how much those others cost, and so I end up with more gun stuff! Do not ever start building HotRods, man, those can run into serious money! My current one cost more then my entire collection, twice!!!

 

[UserNameInUse]

A friend of mine who is close to 90 years old told me he was having trouble sighting his .22 rifle. After tightening the scope mounts we got it dialed in. Then he tells me he has had this rifle since he was a kid. I almost can't think of anything cooler than that.

 

[Joe13]

4) My objective: Diversify my gun types to have 1 of each (future wife is a stickler to this limit): home defense shotgun, Aerial shotgun, medium range carbine, long range AR15/AR10 style rifle

No offense and I hate to be the first (as far as I could tell) to tell you this but having been married 20+ years now and having gotten married a little younger then you, you better get on top of that agreement sooner then later...

Because if your selling rifles now to meet that requirement then you most likely won't make it 5 years unless your really not all that into guns yet.

At 4 guns my wife said she thought I had enough. At 20 she stopped asking but dang me if there wasn't some real friction over the transition.

She looked at me late into the arguments and said "your not going to be happy until you have every gun you want are you?". I told I was sorry that was the case and yea, it was going to be a very long time before I was content if ever. This is 17 years into the marriage (I didn't buy any more guns the what I had before my kid was almost 18 for various reasons).

When I started selling guns to help with bills, any and all "conversations" about how many guns or boxes of ammo I had stockpiled disappeared completely. Especially, when I'm getting at least what I paid 9 out of 10 times, so it's easy to show it is a great investment. Compare that to jewelry, clothes, shoes, purses and makeup and you will find your not spending the lions share but your "toys" are worth as much as you paid for it, even years later.

Take the above to heart and think long and hard about your gun rights in the relationship (this is from a guy with a wife that doesn't hate guns but certainly isn't into them or gets why I love them).




Barring that advice here are some "categories" I have for my guns.

Small game rifle
Small game shotgun
Small game pistol

Large game rifle
Large game shotgun (slugs)
Large game pistol (6" .357mag)

Turkey and goose shotgun (3")
Dove and quail shotgun (2 3/4"?)
Home defense shotgun for me
Home defense shotgun for her

.22lr rifles & pistols for fun (3 of each min)
AR for me
AR for her (or SHTF)
AK for me
Ak for her (or SHTF)

Bump in the night gun
BOB gun
Summer carry pistol
Winter carry pistol
Backup carry pistol


That gives you at least 25 guns so get a big safe for your wedding present.



I was getting close to that number but then had to start selling because of finances so I'm down to about 4-5 I'm willing to sell now.

Best Luck and Congrats on your upcoming marriage!!!

 

[Member 34319]

Joe I think you and I are cut from the same bail of wire.

Just to add, I came home with another rifle yesterday as well as bought a magpul stock online for the 700. All I got was a firm talking to. I reassured her that I understood, then reminded her politely that I didn't need to work the extra 16 hours of overtime.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Man, am I lucky! My Wife has the firearms bug, so justifying any thing to her isn't ever a question! Thank the God's!!! Unless I dropped a ton of coin on something (like 25k on a uber sweet custom shop Winchester mod 70 super grade)Then, I would have some splaining to do, Lucy!!

 

[Stomper]

My first rifle bought was a Colt AR15A2

My first pistol bought was an Italian made Beretta 92F

My second rifle bought was a Pokytech AKM-47

After a couple years of NAGGING from my 2nd wife, I relented and sold the AMK for twice what I paid. I rue the day I sold it and the 2nd wife is 15 years ago in the rear view mirror... In this day and time wives have a 60% probability of moving on (aka divorce), but your weapons should be forever. Don't do it, you WILL (ultimately) regret it if you do.

I also sold off a Ruger GP100 and 45LC NM Blackhawk years ago which I also regret. For years now my standing rule is "I only buy or acquire guns, and never get ride of them". That's why I only buy guns "I can't live without".

 

[Brutus57]

What he said

Ditto

Brutus Out

 

[P7M13]

Barring that advice here are some "categories" I have for my guns.

Small game rifle
Small game shotgun
Small game pistol

Large game rifle
Large game shotgun (slugs)
Large game pistol (6" .357mag)

Turkey and goose shotgun (3")
Dove and quail shotgun (2 3/4"?)
Home defense shotgun for me
Home defense shotgun for her

.22lr rifles & pistols for fun (3 of each min)
AR for me
AR for her (or SHTF)
AK for me
Ak for her (or SHTF)

Bump in the night gun
BOB gun
Summer carry pistol
Winter carry pistol
Backup carry pistol

Dang, @Joe13, I _like_ your priorities!
@Tylervang10, I cannot offer anything I consider wisdom, but I do have some experience in these departments.

• Establish your interest in firearms very clearly with your bride. Arbitrary limits are stupid, IMO. Your limits should be based on prudence (affordability, sensibility, practicality).
• Always be straight forward about your purchases: I have done that, and also purchased many without my partner knowing. While she may express displeasure at the ones you're up front about, the arguments that may erupt over the sly ones are not worth it.
• @Velzey gave great advice: shelter is a much higher priority. Food, health and financial stability is too. Many people get into trouble buying guns and ammo in boom cycles, having to sell them later when things have gone bust for a while.
• Firearms are like red wine or whiskey: your tastes will probably change. Set aside the ones you don't use, and you will probably appreciate them when you come back to them.
• Only sell the ones you don't care for, that is, unless you need to sell them.

I have sold 6 in the last 30 years, 4 of which I wish I still had. I _hated_ my first rifle and had no problem selling it. My 1st wife insisted I sell my firearms when we started having kids. Man, that was stupid. I can remember an argument where she insisted it was her or the guns, and I told her, "let me think about that for a day." Though you may think that, and in my case it was the right thing to say, don't make the mistake of saying it. LOL
Two of the six I sold were to help for my 2nd wife's cancer treatments. Those took no thought at all, though I do sincerely wish I still had them. If I had to again, as fates can change, I would do so with my whole collection, in a heartbeat. I'm grateful I haven't had to this year, even though our out of pocket medicals are already over $14K since January.

I come from a large family and we had weddings range from extravagant to married at the courthouse. IMO, keep it simple (I'm not the sentimental type). It's a celebration of friends and family, and for that you could have a barbecue that does it much better than any bash. The event doesn't mean sh1t - it's the day-to-day you share with your mate that makes all the difference in your marriage.

 

[blurry6]

I've sold a couple of rifles that at one time I regretted selling, but about a year ago, I got an opportunity to shoot one of those regrets several (6) years since I'd sold it,... Sure, it was a little more worn than I remembered it, but overall, I distinctly remember thinking it was an example of the old saying: "absence makes the heart grow fonder..." and that once I held it in my hands, worked the action, and shot it, I realized I didn't need or want it again. It still had that clunkiness when working the action that I'd since forgotten about, and that annoying little hitch in the trigger pull that I could never quite tweak out of it was still there. This one still had the same barrel I put on it and it still shot like a laser-beam, but with a little effort, most do. The new(er) owner even asked if I wanted to buy it back from him as he didn't shoot it all that often (obviously). Had I not seen/handled it, I might have taken him up on it, but getting the chance to handle/shoot it, I was reminded of its' limitations and the reasons I sold it,... I've grown out of it, let someone else enjoy it,... or not as the case may be. I decided right then to never pine for something I've sold or given away - it's a waste of time. That's what you have to remember; it's just a thing, an object. It doesn't mean anything and the good memories it played a part in are not tied to it in any way - those were always with you and won't ever leave. I'd recommend that while you're convincing someone to buy it, you also convince yourself that you need to get rid of it,... that way you won't be tempted to look back. No regrets.

 

[Warrenzvon]

If I were you making good money then why sell it. The way things are going I would keep it and buy more. with my wife she didn't want me to spend $ on guns but it was ok for to buy antiques.. So I bought a safe. I kept buying guns without her knowing and put them in the safe, and never gave her the combo., not that she wanted it anyways. Point is sight unseen, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt..If she did catch on then I would have told her, honey it's an investment when the time is right I will sell them.... The time was never right...lol .. And I still have my collection. I know it's a little sneaky but it never interfered with my marriage and I kept them all. Good luck

 

[bsa1917hunter]

My first thought is, don't sell it!!!! However, if you need the cash for the wedding etc, sell it to a family member so you can buy it back later. I've done this with my dad a couple times. He actually told me to do this and it's saved a lot of grief. This is coming from a guy that sold his first rifle and has regretted it ever since. You'll end up kicking yourself in the azz for a while if you do it.

 

[Kruel J]

Really I have no regrets. The pieces that my dad has given me are not for sale. EVER. And I've had a few offers that were tempting. The others that I have bought myself? Eh. Just tools. That being said, I try not to sell much these days, as I'm growing my collection back to where it once was. Life happens, and I adapt.

 

[Jamie6.5]

I miss my first centerfire rifle because it was so damned accurate, and so forgiving with different brands/types of ammo.
Little did I know that all rifles weren't like that.
Been kicking myself ever since. And that's a long time to be kicking myself, since I was only 18-19 y/o at the time!