I have not bought any guns for the purpose of “flipping” them.

However, after 40+ years of shooting, things have changed a bit.
I was a diehard 1911 guy. Grew up shooting with the boys in So. Cal. Pistol league; Irv Stone, Terry Tussey, Chapman, “The Colonel”, to name a few.
I whored myself for all things 1911, truth be told.
Then I bought my first Sig, a P220.

As time went on, I bought more Sig’s, Glock, and others looking for the perfect “fit”.
Now that arthritis is setting in and eye’s changing, The Sig SAO’s are where I am at.
I did just try a couple HK 45’s, (USP & HK45) because you can go cocked and locked SAO.

So, I have bought and sold my share in search of nirvana.
But never with the intent to flip.
As I age now, time to lean out the safe.
I have way too much shit, a man does not this much to live.
Don’t want to be known as “flipper”

Holsters, now are a completely different bag...

While I don't consider myself a flipper, I have no problem selling them when I've decided I no longer like them or they just don't match my taste anymore. I've never bought a gun with the intention of selling it. I've made a few dollars on the ones I've sold but have probably lost way more than I've ever made.

I actually just counted and see that I've either sold or given away 24 guns in the 25 years I've been collecting and shooting. There were quite a few I regretted selling, and all of those were re-acquired within the last few years (not the actual gun but the same model.)

The thread title had me thinking in a different direction.

Nope never had the heart to sell or trade anything out of my collection. Even kept the cheapo ones that I bought when I didn't know any better, you know, the pot metal guns made by Raven, RG etc, etc!

I think I used the wrong term. I meant flipper like not keeping guns for long. Not as in trying to make money. My apologies.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
"Gun flipping" is illegal for non-FFL holders.

This is the part of the conversation where someone pipes up to point out something that everyone here already knows- which is that individuals in most states are allowed to engage in the occassional sale of a firearm to another resident of their state.

If you- as a non-FFL holder- buy firearms with the express intent to re-sell them, you are breaking the law, and if you do this frequently, you are jeopardizing your freedom and your right to possess firearms.

I buy, sell and trade regularly. I have some guns that I won't part with but the majority have no sentimental value, and I'll trade or sell them when I feel it's time for them to go. I don't collect, and I don't have unlimited space for additional safes in the house. Any guns I have get shot regularly or they're likely to get sold/traded and replaced.

I was a real horse trader when I first got into guns, mostly because I listened to dumb memes from dumb people (The SW9VE is the SAME THING as a Glock! Oh that 9mm is too weak, you NEED a 40!). I went through about 10 pistols in 3 years until I finally stuck with a G19 for a few years. I've moved on to a VP9 for my 9mm needs and a HK45C for my hand cannon, and am very happy with both.

Also did it with rifles because I needed to be a hipster. Eventually settled on an AR15 and was pissed that I didn't just do it in the first place. But at least now I know.

I only really regret letting go of one gun, a P239 Tactical that I bought from somebody on this board. It was the first gun that I really shot accurately, and I traded it for a... wait for it... XDm 9mm because I NEEDED to have 20rd magazines. Really dumb and I still kick myself for it.

Yeah, in the past I was very very very bad about this. Buy new. Try it out. Don't like it. Sell it. Take a bath on the loss.

One way I've learned to correct this behavior is to post here, and other places, looking for someone who has whatever I wish to shoot to try it out first before buying. I also tend to gravitate towards guns that I can either break even or make a bit on it if I decide to sell. I picked up a 2" model 66 SW .357 with the transfer bar, but without the internal lock. If I ever sell his one should at least break even.

The last two guns I sold were two SW SD-9VEs. For "crunch-n-tickers" they were fine on paper. I wanted two inexpensive but decent quality low maint firearms for the house. I did all the research and the SD-9VE fit the bill. Then I took them to the range... Well, that was another story. Fit my hand nice, but shooting the guns was like using a hand exerciser. Ugh. I've never really liked striker fired trigger pulls but these were horrendous (from my point of view anyway). I had them in the house for a while. Decided to sell them (they are cheap to begin with) and I found out my dealer was taking the bore locks out of all the pistol boxes (a requirement in my state). So to sell had to have them. Grrr. So more money spent on those. I took them to a different shop to consign them. I don't buy new pistols from the other shop any longer. Their prices are too high anyway.

These days I like to do the math. I calculate trade vs. consignment vs. selling on forum (and paying $35-$50 to ship via an FFL) etc. Whatever nets me the most is the route I'll take.

I found a great deal on a blued Colt 1911 series 70 so I bought it a while back. Just found another great deal on a Para GI Expert 1911 in stainless. So these two, loaded with 10rd mags, are going to become my new house guns.

One thing is for sure, though. Whatever u think u don't like now you'll come back around to it again in the future.

“I think I used the wrong term. I meant flipper like not keeping guns for long. Not as in trying to make money. My apologies.”

I had a customer who bought/sold/traded skeet guns like this. Someone at his gun club talked him into buying a SKB with .410 bore/28/20 gauge tubes and having it fitted. He is finally happy with what he has.

There are some guns I intend on keeping for a while. There are others that I will horse trade with. Mostly trade. If I don’t really like one, or its pretty much a duplicate, I’ll trade it for something I might be interested in.

I have given away a few guns to immediate family. Only sold one so far, a SIG Mosquito. I saw the same gun for sale on VA Gun Trader a few times by different folks. Guess it wasn't a keeper for those guys either.

quote:

Originally posted by Colby Bruce:
“I think I used the wrong term. I meant flipper like not keeping guns for long..."

I kicked around getting a Sig 556 for years but balked because of the rocker type original mags. They made a new version with a push button mag release using AR mags. I ordered one immediately. I opened the box and put my right hand on the grip and discovered the push button mag release was about 1 1/2" past the tip of my trigger finger... Ugh. Gone. Sticking with ARs.

I am not a wealthy man, so as a friend of mine once said" you just rent your guns!" true, I wish I could keep them all.

I cycle thru the brands on a glock kick at the moment, but going to get a 365 when they become more available. only have 2 guns I will never sell my ruger m77 tang bought it when I was 19 and my Winchester superx model 1 I bought when I was 15 I'm 57 now

When I was young I was pretty bad about it, but it taught me a few things. I would buy something I thought I'd like without really shopping, then have to sell it later because it wasn't what it was cracked up to be and I wanted something else.

Along the way I learned what my tastes were and good ways to "test drive" a gun. I also learned that, in the internet age, the only way you're going to make money off of doing this is by investing real time - scouring classifieds ads, yard sales, estate sales, etc. - and enough of it that your hourly rate would probably be half of minimum wage even if you were profitable.

Trying to buy and then sell usually isn't profitable. Sometimes you can trade up if you have something the other guy wants and he has something he's willing to part with.

One exception to this is .mil/LE pricing. A blue label Glock is the only gun I ever made money on. Bought it for my girlfriend, she only shot it the once, we put it in the safe, we broke up, it mocked me every time I opened the safe, I sold it.

"Flipping" blue label guns definitely violates the spirit, if not the actual terms, of the program, so "gun flipping" them repeatedly is a terrible idea, albiet profitable in the short term. I do, however, recommend them to new LE/Mil shooters for precisely that reason - without them knowing what their tastes really are yet, they can buy a gun on most first responder programs and "try it out." If they later decide they like something else better, they can walk into any gun show in America and get their money back.

I've bought a bunch, and only sold a few...and never have I bought a gun intending to sell it. I've just outgrown them or found something I like better.

There are numerous issues involved in selling guns. I have qualms about selling to an unknown be person for fear of accidentally being responsible for the gun getting into the wrong hands. As such, I've only sold to friends or family who I know can legally posses them. As such, I usually take a big hit on the price.

I could sell or trade to a dealer, but once again, I'd take a huge hit on the price. So what ends up happening is my safe fills up with stuff that I'll probably never get rid of, at least not until my son grows up and moves out and I send a few with him. Thankfully, I'm pretty discerning about what I buy, so there aren't too many guns taking up room in the safe that don't get taken out on a regular basis.

Not a flipper, but I will sell or trade items that I no longer want, need, or failed to meet my expectations.

Living in the Socialist People's Republic of Massachusetts I won't part with any firearms, mainly because I won't be able to replace them with all of the bans here.