Guns that hold value?

[Willegene]

I am fairly new to guns but it seems like some hold their value or even gain value while others are just another used gun.
As I start to build my collection I would love to pick some up that will hold their value over the next 10 - 20 years.

What are some key thing I should be looking for?
I know a good well know brand
What about caliber, style.....

Thanks for any help or information you can provide

 

[BogWalker]

It's a toss up when it comes to new production guns. Large rises in value are generally due to the model going out of production (such as with some old S&W) or the company lowering production standards (which is why pre-64 Winchesters are so desireable).

I'd say S&W revolvers, high-end Ruger rifles such as the Ruger No. 1, and Colt handguns perhaps.

This is just my opinion, however, and you should wait for some others before making a purchase.

 

[JollyMon]

I'll go the opposite route, what do liberals hate the most and what will be hardest to obtain if they ever succeed in passing another ban. History tells us after the first AWB, the price of those pre-ban weapons skyrocketed.

 

[indiucky]

Ruger, Smith and Wesson, and Colt all have huge followings and numerous varities of firearms and a constantly changing line up...This makes for natural collectability..(Products/Innovation/Fan base) These three motivators are what drive up prices...Watch for Lipseys/RSR/Ellet Brothers etc...Special runs of these brands (i.e. Lipsey's may place an order with Ruger for 800 special edition variants of a popular weapon, i.e. a GP 100, Blackhawk, etc....) if you want to collect new guns...

As far as older guns, it seems to me that Smith's are the better deal now than Colts (Python LNIB $2500/Smith Model 27 LNIB and Presentation case $1200)....It appears that vintage LNIB Smith's are starting to slowly inch up to the Colt's values making it a good time to buy older Smith's in LNIB condition....

Lord help all of us Smith collectors if some Zombie eats Rick Grimes Colt Python and he replaces it with a Smith and Wesson N Frame....

 

[bluehdflhrs]

Ban or no ban Old Colt Pythons,Anacondas,Cobras 1911 all the snake guns and old S&Ws Mod 34,18,63,66,19,29 27,1st ,2nd and 3rd gen autos are very good investments.Old Rugers are also going up in price.Browning has some very good Gun to add in your collection.You may want to look at out of production Sigs also Made in Germany Sigs.These are the big money makers now.

 

[gregkl]

I am fairly new to guns but it seems like some hold their value or even gain value while others are just another used gun.
As I start to build my collection I would love to pick some up that will hold their value over the next 10 - 20 years.

What are some key thing I should be looking for?
I know a good well know brand
What about caliber, style.....

Thanks for any help or information you can provide

I would bet any quality firearm from a reputable maker would increase in value in that time period. At the very least, you would get your money back out of it, even if you use it.

Of course, this is risk taking just like buying stock. We really don't know what the future holds.

You are correct: good, well known brand. Pass on the High-Points and guns like that. Life is too short.
Caliber: personally I would stay away from wildcat cartridges and ones that are super expensive with components hard to get.
Style: I think for younger people that are going to be in the market 10-20 years from now, they will most likely want a semi-auto when it comes to handguns. AR type rifles will be good. I wouldn't invest in rifles specific to hunting as this generation will probably not be much into hunting. Remember when a Model A was worth a lot of money and a 60's-70's era muscle car was not?

Good quality revolvers will be good for probably the next 10 years or so, then I would expect to see a decline in interest.

And lastly, remember that the Baby Boomer started the decline of "collecting" in general. We just aren't that interested in collections. We want to do stuff and we will buy what we need. To buy just to sit on a shelf, look pretty and take up space is not all that interesting to the younger generations.

This is all my opinion based on following the market on a lot of collectables and seeing how they don't sell like they used to.

I have done the best with guns though I don't have very many and I have not sold a lot like some do on here.

 

[esrice]

Machine guns.

 

[gregkl]

Machine guns.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

 

[Expat]

I'll go the opposite route, what do liberals hate the most and what will be hardest to obtain if they ever succeed in passing another ban. History tells us after the first AWB, the price of those pre-ban weapons skyrocketed.

Yeah, you can jump in short term for a big gain if we get another possible gun ban coming down the pike. But looking long term, if you bought an EBR in the past and held it to now? You can't give an AR away right now and AK's seem to be headed that way. I think they would already be there if it wasn't for the Russian import ban.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Hoping my Colt 1911 Anniversary model will hold value.

Of course, I did get an idiot scratch on it =/

 

[Que]

Anything that is not plastic and quality-made will likely fit what you are looking for. Also, don't overlook suppressors.

 

[STEEL CORE]

In 1993 I traded a Colt LW commander valued then around $350, for a had to have Glock 19, also then valued at around $350.

That Glocks still worth around $350, the Colt quite a bit more.

If fit hits the Shan, both could be priceless.

 

[One Shot One Kill]

Ones you never sell! Can't go down in value if you never sell or trade it off

 

[88E30M50]

I've been trying to move my collection from being a mishmash of whatever caught my attention to something that is either a working gun, recreational gun or an investment gun. My working guns are never expected to gain value, but I don't expect them to lose too much either. These are the carry guns like my Glock or CZ. My recreational guns are those that I have for no other reason than I love to shoot them. This is where I place a couple 1911s and the .22s. I don't expect to make money on these guns and own them because I like them and shoot them. Then there are guns I buy with an eye towards gaining value over the coming years. These are guns that I feel were being sold for less than what they were worth and that should appreciate in the next 20 years. Among these are a Remington Rand 1911, Colt 1943 production 1911, Colt 1903, 1914 Swedish Mauser and an early numbers matching IBM M1 Carbine. Some were better deals than others, but all should gain value in the future.

When looking for something that might gain value, I tend to check local gun shops and occasionally find a gem. For instance, one local shop had a rack full of Mosin Nagants for $119. Among the bunch, I found a 1917 Westinghouse built Mosin. That gun is a lot more rare than the crates full of stock Mosin's and even more so since it's an SA marked rifle that was built by the Americans for Imperial Russia and at some point ended up in Finnish hands. Another one was the 1914 Swedish Mauser on the rack with a couple of other Mausers for $150. As it turns out, 1914 was one of the lowest production years for Swedish Mausers and the rifle is realistically valued at between $500 and $600 when bought. I did not know that when I found it, but I did recognize it as a mint, numbers matching Swede for little money.

There are deals out there that will gain value in the future, but they need to be discovered.

 

[30calmachinegunner]

Machine guns, more precisely quality transferable ones. Colt thompsons are at or near the top but it all really depends on what you have to spend, also keep in mind that anything can change with a stroke of a pen..

 

[Leo]

Machine guns.

In the 1980's I had a friend that wanted me to help fund the purchase of worn out surplus M-16's. He claimed he could line up for $400 each. Of course there would be other costs and tax stamps needed for each. All I could think was "who would pay that much for a beat up old early M-16?". Had I have known the future, I would have sold everything I owned a bought a storage locker full of them.

Really high end guns, built by top gunsmiths who are dead, are a safe bet. For example, any double gun that was made by James Purdy will never loose value.

 

[Fallschirmjaeger]

Pretty much any HK. The 2 most expensive letters in the alphabet.

 

[Jeff]

Pretty much any HK. The 2 most expensive letters in the alphabet.

I agree, minus the polymer stuff.

 

[Expat]

I did notice during the post Newtown panic that Glocks and their mags suddenly became more valuable. It was almost like they became an EBR suddenly.

 

[drop45]

I agree, minus the polymer stuff.

I bought a mk23 2 years ago for 1200. guess I'll have to wait and see.