Lucky enough to come into this NIB or LNIB 1984 P226 and all original materials. Was looking to buy one for a shooter but happened into this via family. I've had older ones before but never this old with all the roll markings on the left side like that. I'm not the type to just put it in the safe so it's either shoot or sell. (I know it's up to me, etc., just looking to bounce this off some people for some sage advice.) pix at https://drive.google.com/drive...Wl9mU61H?usp=sharing

Toys are made to be played with, cars to be driven, wine to drink, guns to be.......

Fill in the blank and you have my answer and one of my life philosophies to boot, no extra charge.

I would sell it to a collector and buy a used one to shoot. You should have money left over.

rambo

Many options, but, what were you original intentions. I have bought many Safe Queens as investments only. When I needed the money, they were there for me to sell. My other guns are to shoot.

I'm kind of a collector, but a collector of shootable firearms. So I'm with cslinger: I'd shoot that bad boy

Shoot now. Sell later. Win win.

If it's not obviously NIB, you couldn't really hurt it or devalue it much by shooting it some.

Looks like it has a little holster wear on it anyway - so I say shoot it!

Unless someone would pay a serious premium for this one, I wouldn't worry about shooting it.
On the other hand, if it is more likely to sit in your safe, I'd sell and get something more likely to be used a bit more.
Other than being older and unfired, they made quite a few of these so I'm not sure they will appreciate that much in our lifetime.

All good advice, thanks. Enigmatic I like that “collector of shootable firearms” philosophy. And, like many of you said, these are for shooting…

Shoot it. If it has any premium value it is small. This isn't like an unfired Luger or an unfired 100 year-old SAA. It isn't really a collector's item. In 50 years it will just be one of dozens of wonder-nines from the time, and will just be some old gun. This will never become super-valuable.

So shoot it. Enjoy it.

While I have many that I have not shot in my collection, I’m willing to shoot anything I own, so I personally would keep it and not hesitate to shoot it. It might not be a gun I would be using for holster practice but the reality is guns are tools. I purchased a correct grade Garand which the collector who had it before me never shot. He almost looked jealous when I told him it would be shot. Treat it nicely and enjoy it.

The good: Yellow box. White manual. Minty. 9mm Luger barrel instead of 9mm Para barrel.
The bad: You want to shoot it. It begs to be shot. 9mm Luger barrel instead of 7.65mm barrel.
The ugly: That you would have such a pistol and not shoot it.

Some early P226s are going for a good amount. While it is not a first year issue, yours is early enough.
Consider selling it to a collector or trading it toward an X-Five if you can't bring yourself to shoot it.

That's a beautiful 226. I would shoot the hell out of it and not think twice. Like 12131 said, shoot it and sell it later. It will still hold it's value being a West German with all the fixings.

The only gun I have that I won't shoot is my bright stainless 1993 Colt King Cobra. I've tried to get myself to shoot it but just can't.

I already have it and this definitely is not an ad. Just a discussion. And some advice and reminders. Thanks all.

This is why I try to always buy used. Hate getting the first scratch on the car, too. But this one is going to the range soon. She’s waited too long to stretch her legs.

From past experience, do one or the other, not a little of both.

From past experience if you even remotely like it, keep it. There WILL come a day where you will be thinking, I really wish I still had that X, Y or Z. If it was sitting in the safe even unused for long periods of time you will still be able to pull her out when that whim comes along.

So I stand by keep and shoot.

Years ago, I was working at a gun shop. This kid brought a Colt SAA into the gun shop to sell. It was his grandfather’s who recently passed away. The kid said he got it pristine and unfired in the box. He took it out and shot a couple of boxes of shell through it. Said he didn’t care for it.

The moral of the story…just shoot it and enjoy.

It looks to be in great shape. But it doesn't appear to be pristine. I'd have zero regrets in giving it regular workouts. When I bought my KE P228 I was confronted with a similar scenario. When I bought my HK PSP...same sort of thing. I shoot both, no regrets. You should exercise that P226 as well, with no worries whatsoever.

It's a fine piece of practical hardware...it's existence serves no purpose if not to be shot. Take it out, shoot it, and enjoy.