Selling your first gun

[KS63]

Contemplating doing just that to finance another purchase. I haven't shot the thing in a few years and it mostly sits in the safe and I handle it every now and again and I remember when and where I bought it. Highly sentimental to me, but definitely not a collectors piece. How was your experience selling your first gun?

[Calculated]

I was in a similar situation recently, and ended up selling. I was sad to see it go, but knew that I didn't need it more than I needed the money. I haven't cried myself to sleep yet, but I do wish I would've gone out with it one last time. I have other guns that fill the role so I wasn't losing any "effectiveness" of my collection, so that made it easier.

[thvigil11]

If it has any sentimental value, then you will regret it. Maybe not right away, but at some point in the future. I've sold many guns over the years, the majority were no problem to let go. But there was that one with great sentimental value that I thought at the time "I need the money, I don't shoot it and it shouldn't be an issue" It took two years, but eventually, I grew to regret it. Eventually I bought another one, but it is still not the same thing. If you really need the money, sell one of the ones that you shoot the least, but has no other meaning for you.

At least that's the way I see it.

Or sell it, I'll give you three fiddy for it.

[driver]

My first gun was a Savage 24.
.22lr over 20 ga. It's an old family rifle that I got for Christmas when I was 16. I will never sell it.
The first gun I bought myself was a 6" S&W 19. I traded it for a 1978 XL250. No regrets at all. I had way more fun on that bike than I could have ever had with the 19.
If your's has sentimental value I'd suggest keeping it.

[HoneyBadger]

DON'T DO IT! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! You'll always be able to save up a little to buy a new one, but you'll never be able to get your old one back.


My first gun was a Win 94 in .30-30 on my 18th B-day. I haven't shot it in about 2 years, but it's still my favorite gun. Fun to shoot. accurate. badass. If I really needed money, I would sell everything else before selling this one.

[Great-Kazoo]

it was easy. i set a price and the buyer agreed to it. Cash & carry

[HoneyBadger]

it was easy. i set a price and the buyer agreed to it. Cash & carry
It wasn't personal, Sonny. Strictly business.
61992

[Aloha_Shooter]

Sell a piece that has more monetary value than sentimental value. I have both my first pistol and first long guns I ever bought as well as my grandfather's old .32 S&W Iver Johnson. None of them are worth much as used firearms and I hardly ever shoot the first two anymore (and have no need to shoot a 110-year-old pistol) but the first two represent a personal history while the latter one is a family history item. There's just no point in selling any of the three as none of them would bring much.

[izzy]

I used to miss my first until I bought and sold dozens of others since.

[Doc45]

First was a S&W model 13 4", it was a tool nothing more. Sold it to buy a 4" 66-1, still have that one though it was nothing more than a tool also it has special meaning to me, doesn't get shot anymore-it's retired lol.

For me if it wasn't a gift then I'd sell a gun I didn't have a special attachment to.

[SouthPaw]

My first gun purchase really had no value to me. Taurus PT 24/7 Pro that I used to take my CCW with the Kazoo many many moons ago. I wanted a 45 and at the time, that was the only thing I could afford.

I sold it to a friend who still has it to this day. I told him I would buy it back from him whenever he wanted to sell it. The guns I consider my first, are the ones my dad gave me and I will never get rid of those. Those have a lot of sentimental value to me and will never leave my possession.

[Robb]

Still regret selling my first, a Remington Rand WWII 1911. Wish I still had it. All the others were no big deal, sold them to buy something better or something I'd use more.
If you've moved from it being a tool and are now attached to it somehow, think hard before letting it go.

[newracer]

Sold my first (Remington 870) and then traded to get it back, still have it.

[NoahSki]

First one I sold was a Sig P250 in 40S&W with black nitride coating and tritium sights. Had a horribly long trigger pull that was very heavy. I just couldn't get use to it. So I listed the Holster for sale on Craigslist (crossbreed super tuck deluxe horsehide) and it came with a free gun. GA personal sales laws are very open but I wrote up a bill of sale with all information to cover my ass in case he went out and did something stupid with it.

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[Big E3]

I learned to shotgun on a Savage 24, 22lr x .410, and it was lost when my grandfather died (uncle has it I believe). I spent a lot of money to buy one just like it, but not the same. My dad received a Remington 341 from his dad when he came home from WWII, it's locked in my safe and is priceless to me. The first gun that was mine was a cheap pump shotgun as a gift when I turned 16. I have a pump shotgun just like it, not the same. I sold that pump for a Belgium Browning Auto 5, I would give 2 of those Brownings to have that cheap pump back. The first handgun I bought was a Python in 1978, I sold it in 2012. The only regret is if I waited longer it would be worth double.

Bottom line gifts and family heirlooms are priceless to me. Anything I bought myself not so much. Never sell a gun, if you can find a way to get more money.

Buy the way with the money I got for the Python I bought seven S&W revolvers, that helped ease the pain.

[XXFattyHunterXX]

I always regret selling a gun, no matter when I bought it, guess I just wish I can have them all.

[.455_Hunter]

For awhile, I got into the habit of buying firearms that were "good deals", but not something that I really wanted or needed. I recently decided to sell many of those guns and put the money towards what I actually want. However, sentimental weapons like family guns, or early purchases I made in high school and college, are NOT available for disposal.

[Limited GM]

Try, first, to sell it to someone who would consider selling it back; family member ,etc

[Gman]

How was your experience selling your first gun?
I'll let you know...if I ever sell it. It's a 4" S&W 686 that I bought in the '80s as a sidearm for work. I have a lot of other guns I'd part with before that one.

First gun I had in my personal inventory was a Remington 514 that my dad had bought from Sears for his dad to use shooting gophers. My dad gave it to me after my grandfather passed away and I used the daylights out of it learning to improve my marksmanship skills. The rifle was fairly crude, but it was a tack driver. I still wish I had the rifle, but it was stolen from my house in TX, along with a beautiful Winchester 1200 pump shotgun that I used learning how to shoot trap.

[beast556]

The guns I first purshased are long gone, Hungarian sa85 & a sig p220. I wish I had a sa85 now but not the one I had, its barrel got burned out with 60$ cases of 762x39 by me and my buddies back in the day. The guns my father gave me when I was young will be passed on to my children. If it a family heirloom keep it, find money another way.

[blacklabel]

I sold my first long gun (53 Russian Tula SKS) without a second thought. Selling my first handgun (SA Loaded Champ) was much more difficult. I wish I would have held on to it so that I could pass it down to my boy eventually. I guess it's a good excuse to buy a high quality 1911 at some point.

[Circuits]

It's a tool.

I still have my first gun, but not by choice - it's a cheap 22 and no one wanted to pay me anything for it when I tried to sell it.

Still have my first pistol, though, and have never tried to sell it (Ruger P85).

[wctriumph]

I have not sold my first guns, never will.

[lex137]

Sold my first few guns I ever bought, no big deal don't miss them what so ever. Glad I no longer have any 40 s&w or anymore xds. There are some that I wouldn't sell, but make sure you won't regret it!

[ray1970]

I learned years ago not to get attached to material possessions. The memories associated with some of those items should be cherished but the items themselves are just things.

For me, selling a firearm isn't any different than selling a car, a motorcycle, a boat, or anything else.


I've sold a few guns and later thought I missed them so bought an identical one. Usually end up realizing it wasn't the actual item I was missing but more some of the memories and experiences associated with them.

Family heirlooms and gifts from loved ones are a different story. Those I tend to keep. But if it's just something I bought for myself I have no issues with selling it.