Try not to beat yourself up. I have a few gun regrets. Nothing with a collector value but just a few I wish I kept. Live and learn.

 

My 1970's Colt Combat Commander .45, 1970's 6.5 bbl nickel S&W Model 29 .44 mag, Hawes Western Marshall .44 mag, Win 9422 .22 lr, Colt New Frontier 4 5/8 bbl .22lr/.22 mag., Ruger Standard Model .22 lr, et al.....

 

I always rebuy the ones I think got away and then regret rebuying them...so I lose money twice.

 

I don't recall ever having that problem. I did sell a nice MKIII Hi-Power once, replaced it years later, sold the second one, and finally bought a third a few years ago. Hopefully I'm done doing that...

 

I only sold four that I wished I'd kept: an AMT .380 pocket pistol that was a solid gun, and served the purpose at the time very well, a Mk IV Series 70 in the early 70's that had the collet bushing - had I known what I know now, I wouldn't have sold it, a Smith Model 10 in 5" beautifully blued, and a nickel Smith model 57 with 4" barrel - both Smiths had recessed cylinders and pinned barrels - those were in the mid-80's.

 

Ya can't have everything. Where would you keep it all?

I'm often kinda miffed about how firearms are the first things so-called firearms enthusiasts sell when they need quick cash. And they often sell them for way less then they ass-U-me they're worth. BTDT!

But that's how it is with most 'collectables'. The only thing worse than buyers remorse is sellers remorse! Just try to sell it for the imagined collector value NOW in cash.

 

I'm often kinda miffed about how firearms are the first things so-called firearms enthusiasts sell when they need quick cash.

That's because for a lot of us firearms are the only things of value that we own!

 

Worst mistake I've made is selling an Heirloom Precision Colt WW1, modern manufacture, Ted Yost signature edition 5" 45. Absolutely perfect in every way. So nice that I was freaked out just carrying it. The blueing was flawless. I was always worried about scratching it. I'll never forgive myself for that one.

 

Ouch.

 

My first duty gun was a Colt Government series 70 1911. I carried it for three years. I sold it when I changed agencies with a tremendous pay cut. I know who bought it but he won't sell is back to me, yet.

At the same agency a new sheriff was elected who prohibited semi auto pistols and made us get revolvers. I ended up buying about 20 S & W Model 28 New York State Police trade-ins, one of which I carried for a year and then sold for the same reason. This year I bought a replacement NYSP Model 28 in pristine condition for about seven times what I paid for the first one.

 

Sold a 1908 Winchester '94 Rifle in .32 Special.
Might have left something on the table.
Nice part is that the money was spent on a 1911.

 

I have a few that I’m still kicking myself over …

Hard Crome STI (Dawsons addition) bought another one but it’s not in Hard chrome.

Springfield Socom 16 , probably never get another one .
Colt snub nose revolver, Unfired New in the box , stupid me .
Sig 220 Equinox just to pretty to shoot

 

I regret selling selling every one of them, and there's been quite a few.
c'est la vie

 

i've only really sold one, my KahrCM9. i was, actually still have some trouble with Nerves and Muscles leading to my hands, i had a lot of trouble with the slide, so difficult to operate. so i sold it and bought a S&W 637 to replace it. i bought a really nice Marlin 44Magnum, straight stock, figuring i would resell it to my brother in law who wanted a 44 lever gun to match with his SA 44's. i almost didn't offer it to him to keep it for myself, it was such a nice rifle, and a $50 box off 44mag ammo as a bonus. i went back and forth, wife even said "just keep it". i just don't hunt anymore and figured handguns were a better buy, so i sold it to him, still think about that one. the last one is one i didn't sell, but, when i had my immaculate M1917 Enfield 30-06 Sporterized for deer hunting. it was gifted to me specifically for hunting by a good friend of my Father, in fact, my next younger brother also received one, he left his pure and bought Marlin Lever444. i never bought a replacement rifle and carried that Enfield for years, it is a good rifle but i still feel bad for doing that. on a better note, brother said if i really want it, he would sell me hisM1917, his is a beautiful Winchester made...

 

Weatherby Mark 5 chambered in 240 WBY. I killed my first deer with it. I hunted with that rifle for years. For some reason I convinced myself that I needed a 7 mag. So I sold the Weatherby to raise funds.
I owned the 7 mag for one week. I hated it. So, I went back to the shop to get my Weatherby but it had already sold.

 

I still get a cold chill every time I remember my blued, 8" Python, built in 1969, that I sold at auction in 1994. It was a no reserve auction and went for $350.00. It was not the worst price in the world then, but nothing to brag about. I have missed that gun a million times since that day.

 

People sell firearms after they purchase them? Hmm...I must ponder this phenomenon.

I am one of those guys that just buys another safe. The only firearm I have let go was a single shot bolt action .22 (Marlin?) I bought years ago from a co-worker who needed money for gas ($30). I gave it to my little brother. Otherwise, I have kept the lot. Wife is getting tired of the storage requirements though. BTW - I only buy stuff I shoot/hunt with, no collector guns, so my firearms aren't crazy expensive like DSK's.

 

SW snubbie nickel plated M19. I hemmed and hawed about it, came back the next day and it was sold. Sure, I got me a 4” nickel plated M19 but it’s not the same. Sure, I got me a snubbie M66, but it’s still not the same.

 

I’ve sold a few dozen guns as my interests / obsessions have shifted over time, but I’m fortunate to be able to say that I’ve always kept everything that I had any desire for and have no regrets whatsoever about any of the ones I’ve sold so far. I’m never in a rush to sell, so that helps. By the time I send one down the road, that lovin’ feelin’ has been gone for a while.

My regrets come from a few instances where I didn’t want to significantly overpay for a particularly rare item I wanted, only to see the excessive asking price become a screaming bargain five years later.

 

My regrets come from a few instances where I didn’t want to significantly overpay for a particularly rare item I wanted, only to see the excessive asking price become a screaming bargain five years later.

You mean, like the near-mint blued 6" Colt Python I passed on because I felt $1600 was a bit too much? I saw it at a LGS right around the time that the first season of The Walking Dead aired. A year or two later and double that price was still considered a bargain.

 

not a firearm but .... 1966 Chevelle Super Sport w 396/275hp, muncie m21, factory 4.11's .... black on black ...

 

Lord, DON'T get me started on cars............... Amen.

 

Those were some good ones.

My Grandpa softly said, "Never sell a gun".

I have sold a few, vs his wishes. A few I regret, and a few I don't. I never sold one that didn't work. I wouldn't do that.

And I have a couple don't work

 

Ruger No 1 .375 H&H sold to pay registration & insurance on the family car.
Para Elite .45 traded for a Glock MOS in a moment of madness when I decided I needed a red dot . I subsequently traded the Glock for a Colt " 100 years of Service" 1911.
Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 traded for a S&W 629/1 8 3/8 ins. I should have found the funds to keep both.
93 Spanish Mauser Carbine.
There are a lot of guns I wish I had bought as well.
Pete

 

The one that still keeps me up at night was an Anshutz 1418D (Full Mannlicher stock, double set triggers, Bock mounts and a 7/8" Lyman Alaskan scope.) I had paid $500 for this rifle in 1990 and FOOLISHLY traded it for a new Kimber 82 Varmint that I never was happy with. I would pay a good bit to have that rifle back today.

 

The two I've sold that I think about the most were a 1966 Smith & Wesson Model 57 4" and a NIB 1981 Colt Python Hunter, scoped, with the Halliburton case bought for $600 (a ton of money back then) from an ex-agency spook who lived in Santa Barbara. I almost get catatonic when I think about the Colt and what it's worth now.

 

back in 09 I could have picked up a full auto Colt M16 at the Tampa gunshow for $25g. The price has doubled since then.

 

Too many to count, but some of the most painful ones...

4 Colt Pythons: 2x6", 4" & 2 1/2".
HK P7 M8
3 BHPs, including the satin nickel one with Pacmayer grips and gold trigger
S&W M66, pinned and recessed
Colt Diamondback .38 2 1/2"
Browning Citori 12 ga
Browning BLR in .358 Winchester
Colt Detective Special with satin hard chrome finish

 

I haven't sold off any of my purchases, so no regrets there. However, I do have regrets over some I've seen at gun shows I probably should have jumped on.

Many years ago, I was at a gun show with my Father and found a Colt Delta Elite 10MM 1911. I had read a lot about 10MM in 1990 and liked the 1911 platform, but passed because I wasn't 21, although my Father was willing get it in his name and later transfer it to me...forking out a good sum of money was kind of a lot for a youngster at the time.

Then about 10 - 12 years ago, I had an interest in M1 Garand rifles. Again, I was at a gun show with my Father and found one in really nice shape, the throat erosion was very low if any. I came close to buying it but didn't because I was trying to decide between an M1 or AR-10.

 

As far as not buying one I should have, many members will remember the ASP. It was a highly customized S&W M39. Devel had a similar model. Found one at a gun show many years so and passed it up. Almost impossible to find now.

 

As far as not buying one I should have, many members will remember the ASP. It was a highly customized S&W M39. Devel had a similar model. Found one at a gun show many years so and passed it up. Almost impossible to find now.

View attachment 651072

Those are so cool. Pretty much unobtainium, like you say.

But they can be had if you look long and hard enough and pony up:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/940418948