Always buy the most expensive gun you can afford

[Tim K]

What Hoser said.

My 1911 path went like this:

No name 1911 (don't remember), bought new, sold at a loss
Kimber Pro Carry, bought new, sold at a loss
Kimber Warrior, bought new, sold at a loss
Colt Guvmint Model, bought used, broke even
Wilson Combat Pro, bought new built to my specs. I'll likely keep this gun forever because it's perfect for my needs and wants.

I don't remember the buy and sell prices of those items, but if you figure I lost $200-$300 one each of the new guns, I pissed away quite a lot of coin working my way up to what I really wanted.

I think the whole situation changes if you buy used guns. If you're not an idiot, you can usually get what you paid back out of a used gun when you sell it.

[Irving]

You guys aren't considering the value of the time you owned the gun.

If you buy a Kimber for $1,200, shoot 1,000 rounds through it a year for 3 years, you've put nearly $800 in ammo through the gun. If you sell the gun after 3 years, you're only selling at a loss of $400.

Now, nearly every good in nearly every market loses value over time, that is to be expected. You basically rented that Kimber for 3 years for $400. Did you really lose money on it? I'd say you didn't.

[Irving]

I once had a friend tell me that you'll never, ever say to yourself, "Oh man, I wish I had bought that cheaper gun."

I'd say so far that has held true.

The other thing to consider is that unless it is going to be a safe gun, you're going to spend much more money on the ammo you put through it over the years and that cost won't even register to you.

[Marlin]

I have a couple of cheap ones that seem to work just fine.. Who knows, someday they may even increase in value..


The fact they helped win WWII doesn't hurt either..

[sniper7]

My cheapest guns are either 10/22s...one that has probably close to 15000 rounds through it, or a mosin nagant or a German K98.

Cheap guns are necessarily bad as long as they are quality. I KNOW when I pull out the ruger P90 it will shoot every time. it is built like a tank, heavy as one as well and probably about 1/2 to 1/3 the price of my nice 1911 springfield.

[Not_A_Llama]

Disagree strongly.

You shouldn't be purchasing a firearm you intend to use on the basis of resale value.

Actually, in my experience, high end custom guns tend to depreciate heavier. Especially when viewed proportionally with your purchase price, high end stuff undergoes *brutal* resale value reduction. The market at that level isn't as liquid, and your "customizations" are not likely to align well with another person's. Especially at that pricepoint, people will pay a little more to just get it made new and truly be custom. If you do manage to find someone, it will, as you noted, take much much longer to sell. Painfully long. Keep an eye on our very own sale boards - expensive shit just doesn't sell, and when it does, it's only after 30-50% reductions. It's painful to see.

A commodity gun like a Glock or an XD or an M&P will lose some value, but there is a definite floor. The market is also far more liquid, and you'll get done much faster. The powerplay there is to buy used and (if you need to) sell used. The difference in price between a mildy used Glock and a fairly severely used Glock is not great. They preserve value very well.

Moreover, it's a bad idea to have any sort of attachment to a tool; the far majority of people cannot bring themselves to use and abuse an expensive firearm as the tool it is. There's at least one school (Thunder Ranch?) that has students throw and kick their guns on the ground at the very start of the course. Some people refuse, understandably. When you're worried about beauty and resale value instead of using your gun, your priorities in a weapon have been inverted.

Sidenote on financial planning and custom guns: If you should need to barter or sell your gun in a time of difficulty, it's easier to detach yourself from something like a Glock or an XD than it is your finest mother-of-pearl, gold-engraved custom 1911. I've seen people one paycheck (or one gun's proceeds) away from having a financial buffer that could drastically improve their lives. Many simply won't part with a sentimental firearm. Then, because they don't have that buffer, they end up in a financial spiral that forces them to sell the gun, and everything else they have. It's a scenario that's actually alarmingly common, especially among people professing to own only the "best". Usually blue collar types are the most prone to this trap - I think it's the "papa said buy once cry once" mentality. I've bought some very nice guns at very steep (75%+) discount from these types.

The smart man always examines value over price.

PS: My observation on 1911s - they belong in year 1911. Don't drag them to this century with all that shit on them. If they're stock, they shoot reliably and are terrific fighting guns. Custom 1911s never improve function, but do increase weight, cost, and gaudiness.

[Wulf202]

Well i've literally drug my glock through the dirt and it still worked. I doubt any 1911 could do the same, no matter how much money you throw at it.

This isn't real estate investment for me, it's security. I've never contemplated resale when buying a carry gun. If a reliable gun costs more then its money well spent, but if your multi thousand dollar pistol cant handle minor abuse then it isn't reliable.

You're family members advice seems like the equivalent of saying a jaguar is what you should buy, however a honda will get you to and from just fine.

Guns are tools and if you need protection, you need reliability. If your competing you'd do better with a nicely running race gun. If your broke and need protection then you get the best thing you can afford. Pick the tool for the job.

[SA Friday]

Well i've literally drug my glock through the dirt and it still worked. I doubt any 1911 could do the same, no matter how much money you throw at it.

This isn't real estate investment for me, it's security. I've never contemplated resale when buying a carry gun. If a reliable gun costs more then its money well spent, but if your multi thousand dollar pistol cant handle minor abuse then it isn't reliable.

You're family members advice seems like the equivalent of saying a jaguar is what you should buy, however a honda will get you to and from just fine.

Guns are tools and if you need protection, you need reliability. If your competing you'd do better with a nicely running race gun. If your broke and need protection then you get the best thing you can afford. Pick the tool for the job.

Completely agree that picking the tool for the job is important and the amount the buyer can afford is a huge limiting factor, especially if you are purchasing your one and only pistol to carry. The needs are different at that point.

I would disagree about the 1911/Glock comparison though. I have hundreds of thousands of rounds through both designs, and seen both designs puke for various reasons. I would put them both very high in the reliability chart, but not one over the other. Shootability is another story though.

[Irving]

I don't think the 1911 could have survived at least two wars if it couldn't handle a little dirt.

[Troublco]

I don't think the 1911 could have survived at least two wars if it couldn't handle a little dirt.

robotacpony boy has a point!

If the 1911 wasn't an awesome design we wouldn't have more manufacturers than at any time in its near-100 year history making the design today!

But the Glock is an excellent design as well; I have more than one of each.