I wouldn't buy any guns that I hesitate to shoot, if I don't feel comfortable shooting it, that means I can't afford it.

Buying any gun expensive, mid-priced or cheap isn't worth what I paid (at least to me) If I cant win with it when I do my part...many folks I've shot with over the years gauge a guns value by how long I shoot it...if its up for sale in a month or less they run like he!!

I don't buy guns for an investment. I buy them because I like them and I like to shoot them.

Brian nailed it. A dollar would buy three pounds of ground beef or five loaves of sliced bread when I went out on my own in 1965. Now bread is $2.50 a loaf, and a pound of lean ground beef is $4.00. My unfiltered Pall Malls that cost $.26 then are now $6 here in Iowa, although I gave those up in '90. My point is representing values with today's dollar can be VERY misleading.

Guns do appreciate in value, but it's a long term proposition not a short term one. Generally speaking, guns you bought more than 30 years ago are worth more today used, than they cost new. In many cases, a lot more.

I bought a dozen Winchester 1897 pump shotguns used, about 40 years ago. I paid in the neighborhood of $65 a piece for them. I sold them in the late 90's at $450 each. So guns can be a good investment.

If you want to cover your costs on a high end trap shotgun, buy two of them. Use one of them and leave the other in the box and store it in a dry safe place. 25 -30 years from now you can sell the NIB shotgun at a price that will cover what you paid for both of them combined originally.

If you are wanting a return on your money in the short term, then look to some other investment area, as guns take a while to mature as an investment.

a friend and I went to the winchester factory years ago and he had a custom M21 made in 20 gauge. cost him $5,000.... he kept it in the box for about 5 years and sold it for $10,000

When you factor in inflation, you won't make money on a gun of any kind,unless you steal it. Gold & silver over the last 30 years are far better investments.

I just can't seem to let go of them. The exception being a few pistols I bough when I thought I liked pistols better than shotguns. Silly me!

Some guns can be investment if you know what you are looking at and know the value (meaning what someone will pay!) I think few new guns are good investments because the market is flooded with high quality guns. Buying a new kgun for retail is not an investment. Buying a nice used one for a good price is the way to go. My motto is that in buying a used gun, it has to be worth what I paid for it incase I don't like it. If I can make a few bucks down the road even better. I've never lost any money on good quality used brownings.

Guns are like stock investments. If you really want to own a stock because everybody owns it and says "buy it," you may not be able to sell it at a profit. The same with guns. If, however, someone is selling guns because of a financial calamity or illness or death, you may find some values that you can profit from. It sounds terrible to say that, but guns are like stocks or any other collectable item. A "fire sale" can produce some values. You have to keep looking every day. You will find values.

I agree, dumbest investments I ever made were all those Beretta 303 trapguns I have put away as NIB. I paid $300.00 each back in the day in 1991. I doubt if they are worth a dime more considering all the hassle.

I like the way some people think that guns bought 20 or 30 years ago are worth more than they were new. That makes as much sense as saying that you broke even by lending somebody $1000 thirty years ago and they paid you back that $1000 yesterday. You didn't break even chump, you lost money because that $1000 you got isn't worth but a tiny fraction of what that amount was worth long ago.

Let's say a person bought a shotgun 30 years ago for $2,500, a princely sum in those days. Now it's worth $4,000 let's say- golly gee I could make a profit on this gun of $1,500. Not so fast kimosabe, due to inflation that $2,500 in 1982 is now worth $6,000. Now the picture changes, i.e. you would actually lose $3,500 in 2012 dollars by selling the gun. But wait, it gets worse- the IRS would want their cut out of that nonexistant $1,500 profit. What a deal, lose money and pay the government money for the honor of doing that. That's how it works in the land of the free and the home of the brave kemosabe.

Brian has it right- buy guns because you enjoy them, not to make an imaginary profit.

And John Galt has it right and spells it out clearly.

John,

Do you know why the "Lone Ranger" and 'Tonto" split up? The Lone Ranger found out what "Kemosabe" meant!!!

If your buying...buy used....let somebody else pay full retail and pay the taxes!!!!

John,

Do you know why the "Lone Ranger" and 'Tonto" split up? The Lone Ranger found out what "Kemosabe" meant!!!

If your buying...buy used....let somebody else pay full retail and pay the taxes!!!!

I have a couple of guns that the price was so right I can make money on them and could have the day I bought them.

Other then that I buy guns Based on price, price price price. If the price is right I will buy it, if the price is not what I term right I look.

Al

OK, I'll bite. What does "Kemosabe" mean?????

So you guys buying new guns and making money on them want to buy a bridge? :)

Ambassadors for sale! Lol