Strange Question/Discussion - Which handguns retain value well over time?

emilio613

emilio613

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This may sound silly, but I thought I'd ask out of curiosity, since it is something that I have been thinking about today (admittedly, with the potential purchase of a used handgun in the near future).

What would be a used handgun that you'd buy, and if I ever need to sell it, it will not have lost half it's value (aside form depreciation from occasional shooting). Obviously it won't be worth the full value (unless you score a great deal privately for near free), but something like a Toyota - those things seem to be worth a lot, even rusted, dead and missing an engine! LOL

Let's set up a "control" for this question: A used but excellent condition handgun, low round count, and let's say you won't shoot it more than 500 rounds throughout your ownership. Sound fair?

So which brands and models tend to keep value? For example, I love the XD45's and the FN's, but I doubt they hold value (polymer guns seem to slowly fall in price over time, not sure why?). It seems that COLT seems to be king for value retention, maybe some of the custom 1911 makers too. HK seems to hold up well as well.

Any others?

Just a discussion I thought would be interesting.

**Note: Feel free to throw some input re: restricted rifles, or even non, but for the sake of the Pistol Forum, let's keep the main focus on wrist breakers ;) haha
 
I would think it depends on make and model. a normal Ruger MK2 will only ever be worth a few hundred bucks, less and less condition depending. Something like a colt Python will end up being worth more because there's only so many around and every year they could be less of them.
 
.223Rem said:
I would think it depends on make and model. a normal Ruger MK2 will only ever be worth a few hundred bucks, less and less condition depending. Something like a colt Python will end up being worth more because there's only so many around and every year they could be less of them.
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Definitely, that's how I saw it.

What I am curious of, is if there are any modern day examples that can fall into that bracket as well. Any modern semi-autos, like HK's etc. It seems the highest valuing ones are always Colt revolvers, and original 1911's from way back when!
 
Probably whatever has low production. For example a Glock has fantastic value, but there's just so many of them that the cost is kept low. Kinda hard to ask $1500 for one when a person could find a used one for $600 easy.
Except perhaps the FDE.

Or certain serial numbers. Collectors generally pay good prices for premium serial numbers.

Other than that, look for discontinued items of respectible quality. For example, this is a rifle but the example works, the Browning BLR(pre 1981) has a magazine different from current models, as such those magazines fetch as much as $130 these days according to the internet.

Alternatively, anything "classic" of high quality that unlikely to be rendered obsolete in the near future. Gen1 glocke don't seem to go for much, because the subsequent generations are much improved and in current production. Maybe in fifty years a glock gen1 will have collector value, but chances are it's not going to sell for much at all.
A high end 1911 for example would be a good investment, because it's a time honored classic that performs quite well but it getting outpaced by modern designs.
 
Stevebot-7 said:
Probably whatever has low production. For example a Glock has fantastic value, but there's just so many of them that the cost is kept low. Kinda hard to ask $1500 for one when a person could find a used one for $600 easy.
Except perhaps the FDE.

Or certain serial numbers. Collectors generally pay good prices for premium serial numbers.

Other than that, look for discontinued items of respectible quality. For example, this is a rifle but the example works, the Browning BLR(pre 1981) has a magazine different from current models, as such those magazines fetch as much as $130 these days according to the internet.

Alternatively, anything "classic" of high quality that unlikely to be rendered obsolete in the near future. Gen1 glocke don't seem to go for much, because the subsequent generations are much improved and in current production. Maybe in fifty years a glock gen1 will have collector value, but chances are it's not going to sell for much at all.
A high end 1911 for example would be a good investment, because it's a time honored classic that performs quite well but it getting outpaced by modern designs.
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You've confirmed my suspicions! haha Ye, Gen 1 glocks are only good for collectors, and I've even heard of frame crack issues with them (so not that safe/reliable maybe?). The quality 1911s always command a good price :)

As you said, rifles and even Rest. black rifles etc, if they are something a little less common/unique (and in a good way, not unique because no one wanted it! lol), then that brings value up.
 
swervinmervin said:
Ask what people were paying for Browning HP's 10-15 years ago, compare to now. It seems to me firearms don't depreciate as fast as say, RRSP's for example...
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That's pretty much what I am asking about. As an investment, instead of playing stock markets, or gold (which plummeted a bit recently etc), it seems certain items like firearms or ammo, tend to hold solid value (and serve other useful and fun purposes lol)
 
On a shorter time span and without including taxes and shipping paid at original purchase, most handgun retains their value relatively well, especially if you take good care of them. Just common sense IMHO, rarity, quality, condition, round count and "hype" (demand vs offer) are all factors to be considered if you care about resale value. Personally, this has never been a consideration of mine: I invest on my fun.

If you don't want to cry too much at selling time, buy a used gun that YOU like (no taxes), send 200 or 500 more rounds down the pipe, then re-sell it for whatever its worth. If you sell for 50 or 100 bucks less, admit that the fun you had during ownership duration was certainly worth more than that. Don't you think so?

Cheers,
 
A Smith & Wesson revolver. We're not talking about an investment gun, just one that won't depreciate.

If you're buying just about any good brand already lightly used, keeping the round count low, keeping it clean and functional, keeping it stock, and keeping whatever packaging and accessories came with it, you're pretty well guaranteed to be able to sell it to the next guy without a loss.

Buy it at retail and it's a different story.
 
Last two replies, very true:

UR2X3M4ME: Common sense indeed. Losing 50 bucks is perfectly acceptable for a gun you've enjoyed, and probably cost closer to 1K anyway. For the sake of argument, it retained value, as that's what we're discussing :)

red_bailey: Retail is like that for anything. Once you've bought new, you pretty much keep that one until the end (unless you don't care about a loss).
 
Guns that will retain their value, assuming the condition is good, they are either a.) unmodified b.) can be changed back c.) modded by a famous 'smith:

Glock: Especially the Glock 17. Will always be worth something and will always sell fast.
Colt: Very sought after in Canada. I have a Colt Government Series 70 that I would never sell unless times got tough, but I get offers on it all the time.
H&K: Unmolested, low round count, always worth something.
 
Stevebot-7 said:
Maybe in fifty years a glock gen1 will have collector value, but chances are it's not going to sell for much at all.
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There is good reason to doubt that a glock would be safe to shoot in 50 years. Polymers decay over time and become brittle. This is the planned obsolescence factor that is built into all polymer guns. They aren't heirlooms that you will be passing down to future generations. They are a tool that is designed to eventually require replacement.
 
Clotho said:
There is good reason to doubt that a glock would be safe to shoot in 50 years. Polymers decay over time and become brittle. This is the planned obsolescence factor that is built into all polymer guns. They aren't heirlooms that you will be passing down to future generations. They are a tool that is designed to eventually require replacement.
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Hhaha, if it weren't for my "business schooling" (uni), I would have been like "huh?". Thankfully, I get it. It's much like electronics (computers especially) that are planned to be tossed eventually in favour of newer models, to keep the market going. If things were made to last (imagine that? haha) companies would go out of business!

I am liking HK's, but metal framed models. No polymers for me. Maybe I should be hunting down a nice Colt of some sort... Well time will tell, this is more of a discussion on the topic :)
 
In the end with the libtards and commie ndp getting erections with the thought of confiscating and phrohibiting our handguns when they acheive a majority government, our handguns have very little long term value. Do not buy for long term value now. Buy them for fun and shoot the #### out of them while you can.
 
Ebola said:
In the end with the libtards and commie ndp getting erections with the thought of confiscating and phrohibiting our handguns when they acheive a majority government, our handguns have very little long term value. Do not buy for long term value now. Buy them for fun and shoot the #### out of them while you can.
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You know... I never thought of that. Honest. I forgot that the Conservatives won't have majority forever, and the handgun/restr. registry is still very active...so they can come after/take them away at any point [handguns].

You're right. I should enjoy something I have wanted for a while, now!
 
I would say colt python keep its value forever in excellent condition and sold fast. believe or not, a tuned Norinco also hold its value better than many other guns.

Trigun
 
You really cannot predict how well a new gun will do over time. Time has a way of sorting out the value. Having said that there are a few I would buy, the new production German sigs, including the legend, the hk mark 23, the cz kadet, they quit making them, if you are going to be using it anyhow you could buy any of the above used and stand a better chance of not losing anything at all.
 
Any of these are what I would consider "blue chip" purchases that can be expected to at least hold their value relative to inflation and OK to shoot at least occasionally unless in absolutely as-new condition.
-Old S&W revolvers. I am sure that I could probably sell most of mine for more than I paid for them if I wanted/needed to.
-S&W Model 41s. Same as above.
-Other high-grade .22 autos: Colt Wodsman, High Standard, Belgian Brownings, etc.
-Colt 1911s
-Colt SAAs
-Walther P38s built during WWII
-WWII Hi Powers; either Inglis or FN with German markings
 
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