I have sold a few.

As I get older, I think more and more about thinning the herd. My wife and children have zero interest in them and there are several that have not been shot in years.

How many do I really need?

I've sold or traded a few but with one lone exception they were guns I couldn't shoot well. A couple Glocks, an XDS... The S&W 586 is the one I regret. Never had to sell for groceries but I dealt a .308 bolt action to scrounge up down payment money for a Harley.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Most of us who started our collections when we were young didn't have any choice but to sell or trade at times if we wanted something new.

Indeed. Many of my sales where to acquire duplicate examples in ever increasing, if not incrementally better condition. I call it the collector's curse.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
If they are unreliable I ditch them. So far only a jamomatic CZ RAMI and a worthless external extractor Kimber TLE have left the herd.

I guess I've been lucky. Never had one that's unreliable.

Sadly, I'm considering selling my long-range Savage bolt .308 gun to pay for my eye surgery- to go laser instead of the knife. I have great insurance, but the laser is $1900 upcharge past what they will pay. My eyesight is worth more than a gun!!

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Never had problems of letting any of mine go.

Yes, but I admire you for your many generous karmas!

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Most of us who started our collections when we were young didn't have any choice but to sell or trade at times if we wanted something new.

My first purchase was a P226 with 40/357 slide and barrels, and a 9mm slide with conversion barrel kit. Bought private sale at a gun show while I was in the military (19yo).
Once I got married, and could no longer keep it at the unit armory, I sold it as my wife was adamantly against guns at the time.

I have regretted that choice ever since. My wife has come around on guns and now carries herself, but I still fear that feeling of regret if I let another one go.

quote:

Originally posted by P-220:
I have sold a few.

As I get older, I think more and more about thinning the herd. My wife and children have zero interest in them and there are several that have not been shot in years.

How many do I really need?

This is where I am at in life.

I have sold a couple of guns in the Obama years. But now, I have little interest in maintaining my collection, a lot of them I never shoot anymore. My son, who loves shooting and guns, is not interested in having a lot of guns; just a handful of handguns, a handful of rifles, and a couple of shotguns. And I am leaning that way in my advancing years, having sold a few Glocks in recent months. I don't need a bunch of Glocks, a bunch of Sigs, a bunch of Rugers, etc.

Like my son, I desire a smaller quiver.

Have everyone I have ever purchased.

No. They're just tools I use as I see fit. I've bought and sold many. In times of need they enabled me to survive financially. There were some amazing ones I wish I had kept but none I regret selling.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Most of us who started our collections when we were young didn't have any choice but to sell or trade at times if we wanted something new.

I passed on a pair 35 years ago. A Python and Diamondback. I still kick myself in the ass for that.
Killer deal. Should have borrowed money from my dad.

Sold a P38 when I as between jobs.

I've sold exactly two. An HK91 that someone wanted so bad the price was beyond any reasonable expectation of replacement value (still to this day above what I could buy another, but I hated it anyway) and a Ruger Mini14 that simply could not hit the side of a mountain.
Otherwise they all sit waiting till I'm dead.

Gosh, I've been collecting guns since my 20's. Yeah, I've sold or traded a few over the years, as Para said, sometimes you have to, but by and large my collection is somewhat in tact.

I shoot most all of them. There are a few exceptions. I have a couple Pre-Model Smiths and I can't believe what those revolvers are going for now so I think I will sit on them for a while.

I still have every single firearm I've ever purchased, even the Winchester 190 I purchased at Gold Circle back around 1974.

quote:

Originally posted by Scooter123:
I still have every single firearm I've ever purchased, even the Winchester 190 I purchased at Gold Circle back around 1974.

I remember Gold Circle! Good Lord, I'm getting old!

I don’t now that I can afford not to. But sold my Marlin lever action 30-30, and a Winchester Ranger 120 shotgun back when I was young and needed the money to help out my mom around the house. Those were the only ones I ever sold. Wouldn’t hurt to pare down my collection, but just can’t bring myself to do it if I don’t have to.

quote:

Originally posted by sig226fan:
I don’t now that I can afford not to. But sold my Marlin lever action 30-30, and a Winchester Ranger 120 shotgun back when I was young and needed the money to help out my mom around the house. Those were the only ones I ever sold. Wouldn’t hurt to pare down my collection, but just can’t bring myself to do it if I don’t have to.

Good for you! I hope you have sons or grandsons to pass them down to.
That's my plan. And the thirty five rounds of ammo!

thousands

I’ve sold and traded quite a few. I’ll probably keep my 228 forever as it was someone else’s awesome deed that got me that gun.

My wife got me a Kimber Micro 9 for my birthday a few years back. I don’t like it and would happily part ways with it, but it would probably hurt her feelings. So I’m stuck with it.

All the rest are just guns. I don’t really give two shits about them.