Have you ever thought about selling.....

With 3 exceptions that to day I deeply regret: a mint k98 Obendorf 1938 all serial matching, sold for 6 fold of what I paid, a B78 octagonal barrel 30-06 that I exchanged for a mannlicher schoenauer 9.3x62 that eventually end up sold all the rifles/shotguns that enter the house are still here and no intentions to dispose any of them.
 
Ive considered it as an intellectual exercise, but it'd end up costing me twice as much to build a similar collection, plus some are so rare I'd likely not find another.... So nah, I'd never do it!
 
My comments below are influenced by what I collect namely;
-Original U.S. Civil War arms and militaria.
- Original WWII German and U.S arms and militaria.
-Some WWII British and Russian arms.

I think it all depends on how your collecting interests have changed over the years.
When you look at your collection and ask yourself...if I had to purchase this piece again...would I do it?

I personally would not sell a difficult to find piece just for the "magic" of the hunt unless you are no longer attached to it.

The cost of this stuff keeps going up....if they are decent guns?

The difficulty is that many nice pieces get stuck in collections and you have to wait for someone to die before replacement items become available.

I think it makes sense to look at your collection and objectively start to thin out the guns that you no longer have a 'heart beat for'.

Those pieces may be ready to go on the block...not the pieces that you treasure.

Just my opinion.

David

P.S.

Upgrading a piece in your collection is a different story....I have done it twice.
My plan is to sell everything well before I 'kick off'....I don't want to leave that task to my family.
 
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I'm just not convinced I could find my rarest milsurps again if I started over. I've bought several rare guns from friends and I feel many are irreplaceable in terms of condition and rarity, I couldn't bring myself to sell.

That being said, I have sold some nice milsurps that were not part of my somewhat limited interests.

-Steve
 
Over the years you pick away at trying to fill in your collections.One example here, one example there.It can be mind numbing some times how many variations of one particular rifle there can be.I have been at it for forty years and I have a couple that I have never seen a better example of,and there are hundreds of examples that I have never seen. Would I trade or sell away my prized examples?Not a chance.Would I trade or sell a item to upgrade?Maybe, it would have to depend on if I had any sentimental attachment to it and I would probably have it's replacement in hand before I let it go.Lets face it I have been at this for forty years and another fifty still wouldn't complete it.I just hope my grand-kids appreciate my little collection and don't just pack it all off to the auction some day.
 
As time goes on, I realize moreso every day that this is just a hobby, and my real passion is my family. I see myself parting with most everything in the not too distant future. Leave something for each kid, but beyond this, I've had my fun collecting :)
And it's been great!
 
Sell my milsurps? I doubt it very much. I don't necessarily "hunt" for anything, but I do buy when I stumble on one that tickles my fancy.

"Collecting" firearms is a loaded term (pun intended). It can mean being a real snob and only lowering yourself to talk to the rabble when necessary in order to purchase another item for the collection, or, it can mean just simply buying firearms that you like, and pretty much anything in between.

I have been very lucky in my 50+ years of buying firearms. I ended up with some dillies. They will likely go to my favorite people, probably as gifts. Thankfully, other people see fit to sell, therefore dumba$$'s like me can buy!:)
 
I started collecting in the 1960's, when there was lots of surplus guns available along with the accessories. I have boxes of P38/Luger holsters which were selling for $10/20.00 or less. Now you never see any. The best post war P38 holsters came from Berlin Police, they look like a big PP holster. How many people have the "hangers" for their P38 holsters?? The rings on top off your holsters snap on the hanger and the sling goes over you shoulder. Everyone bought the guns/holsters and magazines, but never included the hanger. The PP and PPK holsters are the same. P4's(short barrel P38) were not made in great numbers for the Berlin Police and others as they were the last ones before the HK's came out. They are a re-designed P38.
 
The Walther P4 is a very nice piece, basically a re-jigged P38 with a tad shorter barrel, a different safety/de-cocking mechanism, and no risk of parts that get lost when the spring cover comes off the slide. It even has the steel cross pin in the frame.
 
I have given some of my guns to other family members but I have NEVER sold any.

A horror story. Guy I worked with wanted a No4. I found one in excellent condition at a local gun store. Just had a few scratches on the suncorite.finish. I loaned him a spray can of "British black spray paint to touch it up.
He WIREBRUSHED off ALL the original finish and then used the ENTIRE can to repaint it! Then he put a scope on it!!!!
Some folks should NEVER own a gun!
 
I've tried selling a few already, tried convincing myself that a rifle I've restored isn't real or that an SKS just isn't my cup of tea but I just can't part with them, not yet. Maybe I'm still stuck in the acquiring stage? Idk but I am just not into selling any at this point. When a rifle or bayonet, even a piece of webbing or some types of militaria speak to me I guess its just because they need a home, so they are here to stay, and here they will stay, preserved and enjoyed until my time with them is up.
 
I once sold my entire collection just to obtain one rifle.
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