Anyone else selling your other guns to get C3's?

[coltm4a3]

Well, I've been bit by the C3 bug, and there's one thing I am doing that I never told myself I would do- Sell part of my semi-auto gun collection, but in turn use the money to buy Class 3's! As my handle suggests I have been into AR-15s extensively for a long time now, and the pre-bans have pretty much stayed at the same price for the last 4 years or so, if not longer, while the C3 market has skyrocketed! I've found myself looking at guns in my collection that I told myself I'd never sell and selling them anyways, for several reasons :

1) C-3's are a lot of fun, I find myself wanting to take them to the range more than my semi's. I have AR's that haven't been shot in 5 years sitting in my gun safe, if they were C3's I don't think they'd be safe queens....

2) Investment potential - say what you want about C3's not being an investment, but prove historically to me that they are not! As with any investment, there is a risk, but it's like investing in old corvette's that keep going up in value, you can't believe you can drive something that awesome and make money doing it! Just hope you don't crash 'em lol

3) You get both a semi and FA out of one gun. Want Single shot target shooting? No prob. Want full auto for some fun? No prob. I could take an M-16 with a 20" full floated match barrel to a match and keep it on S/A and it wouldn't make a difference compared to the other match guns (ok, the trigger wouldn't be match grade, but oh well)

So what are you guys doing? Am I crazy for doing this?

 

[Deanh]

No, all my semis got dusty after I started with machineguns. Now everything that was a preban military style rifle has been sold out of the safe.

 

[tony k]

Join the club: That strategy is crazy like a fox. I ended up selling every single semi preban I own -- they were gathering dust while MG prices were climbing right out of my price range. Sold most of my hunting rifles, too, except for the two I actually hunt with.

BTW, you CAN put a match trigger on an M16: I've got a JP Enterprises single-stage match trigger on mine, and love it. Breaks like the proverbial glass rod, zero overtravel, about 3/32" total travel. I normally use 3.5-pound springs but I've got a set of 4.5-pounders that make it DCM legal. And if ya want two-stage, there's always Knight's pricey trigger system....

Keep your handguns, though. Now that I've suppressed all my MGs and .22 rifles, I'm working my way through the safe, adding a can for every semiauto handgun.

It never ends......

 

[pgreen]

Do you ever regret selling any of your guns? I always do later even if at the time it felt ok. Ive sold guns I never shot and somehow felt like a little part of me left. But to have go fast stuff coming to me sure helps out. Im hoping the sound of my mini going off will drown out the little voices (of my long lost guns) in my head.:heavy

 

[Gun Shot]

Currently I've got $4,000 wrapped up in semi's, and $4,000 wrapped up in my Uzi. I think what it all boils down to right now is that I am at a happy place with my current inventory and selection, but if I were to fall on hard financial times, I would be selling my semi's to come up with cash before even thinking about getting rid of my real investment (Uzi).

I do not sell my semi's to fund class III purchases.

One thing I've always told myself is that I will never get rid of the firearms that I buy. To this day, that has been true - I have yet to sell even 1. This is because I do not impulse buy. I make sure I do hardcore research on what it is I want to buy, before I buy it, which gives me the peace of mind I need. This research is meticulous, grinding, and I always way the pros and cons at that time. I've triple checked before purchasing to make sure that it is right for me, and with the intention of being with me till the day I kick the bucket.

This could very well change at any time depending on circumstance, but for now that is my stance, and has been for quite a while.

 

[tony k]

Do you ever regret selling any of your guns? I always do later even if at the time it felt ok. Ive sold guns I never shot and somehow felt like a little part of me left. But to have go fast stuff coming to me sure helps out. Im hoping the sound of my mini going off will drown out the little voices (of my long lost guns) in my head.:heavy

There are a few guns I regret having sold. Most of those I have since replaced, often spending hundreds of dollars more than I sold 'em for.

But that's the thing about Title I firearms: Most are replaceable, even if it takes a lot of searching. MGs, due to rarity and rising prices, often are not.

There are many, many MGs that I regret NOT buying when I had the opportunity and the room on my credit cards -- a Maremont M60 for $3,500, Thompson 1928s for $4k, etc. I figured, how expensive can they get? I'll save up and get 'em soon.....

Today, the only way I will ever own an M60 or a Thompson is if I win the lottery.

So for me, it was a choice of trading off something that today would be difficult to replace -- and in turn getting something that I will never again be able to afford.

 

[Brian Ski]

I have been collecting for quite a few years and only sold one thing. It actually was a 22 rifle I traded for a power saw. It was a hell of a good deal, but I still kind of think about it.
The one thing I see is if I sell almost all my semi stuff, it probably couldn't buy much in the C3 world. So I broke down and bought another safe.

 

[Dan0341]

I had always told myself I'd never sell any of my firearms, but when I moved to an NFA friendly state that idea changed quickly. In the past two years I've sold eight military style rifles to buy machineguns and suppressors. I still have several semiauto rifles left that I doubt I'll be selling any time soon. I don't miss the eight that I've sold, especially when I know the funds went to buying my full auto toys. Some of the rifles I had sold hadn't been shot in over four years. Do what your gut tells ya.

Dan

 

[Prometheus]

Do you ever regret selling any of your guns? I always do later even if at the time it felt ok. Ive sold guns I never shot and somehow felt like a little part of me left. But to have go fast stuff coming to me sure helps out. Im hoping the sound of my mini going off will drown out the little voices (of my long lost guns) in my head.:heavy

Even thought I own 2 ak-47's currently, I regret selling my MAK-90 (even though it had a butthole stock, it was my first AK) I wish I never did, the same for my HK USP 40 (even though I have 2 USP 45's it was my first USP) as went for my beretta 92 FS too.

Moral of the story, why sell something worth a few hundred bucks that your unsure about selling in the first place? How many 3 or 4 hundred dollar weapons will it take to buy 1 C3. Even a 1k$ AR is a drop in the bucket for most C3's... Save the extra money up before you buy or find someone who takes credit card. Don't sell guns you love or really like. You'll kick yourself later.

I've only sold 1 gun I'm glad I got rid of. A bushmaster M-17s, it was a POS!

 

[Rod in Pa.]

I sold my postban AR-15 to help buy my F/A Vector Uzi and never looked back.

 

[tampstick]

Yup....Those semi's turn into turds after you get your first machinegun. Pistols are still interesting.

 

[tony k]

At the risk of waxing philosophical (i.e, doing my old-fart impression) here ...

I have a lot of firearms I'll never sell due to their personal connections -- "first" guns; gifts or inheritances from family members; mementos from special hunts or shoots; custom guns I sweated bullets over while building.

But my need to "complete" an ever-expanding collection of virgin safe queens dimmed when I hit my fourth decade. I lost interest in show-and-tell with friends, hunting also lost its luster, and now I concentrate on firearms I can and do shoot regularly. That means MGs, suppressed rifles and handguns pretty exclusively. It also leaves me with lots of safe space, fewer tinkering projects and cleaning chores, and enough bucks to indulge my NFA habit. Some were difficult to sell ... but I was surprised when "saying goodbye" actually left me feeling free of the responsibility of taking care of them.

Reminds me of a line from the old S&G song, "Kodachrome":

"If you took all the girls I knew when I was single
"Brought 'em all together for one night
"I know they'd never match my sweet imagination
"Everything looks better in black and white."

So I fondly remember a LOT of guns I once owned, and I like to imagine them bringing joy to their present owners .... but I sure wouldn't want to relive what they put me through.

Feel free to flame away.....

 

[chrisp929]

sell me your prebans .. let me know what you have .. im always buyin at the right price ...

 

[LVHospiceRN]

Reminds me of a line from the old S&G song, "Kodachrome":

"If you took all the girls I knew when I was single
"Brought 'em all together for one night
"I know they'd never match my sweet imagination
"Everything looks better in black and white."

Or another part of that song;

"When i think back to all the CRAP i learned in High School, its a wonder i can think at all."

stick college in there with High School and i fit right at home. I took have quite a few "safe queens" and a handfull of guns that get shot quite a bit. They too seem to be handguns, sniper rifle, and a very special Luger. Hey, the Vector is patiently waiting on paperwork.

 

[MadDog]

Nope!

I'm still collecting semi-autos, pump shotguns, and handguns. I can't bring myself to sell the dusty seldom shot semiauto guns that I have. When I go to gun shows and run across a 'deal' there is a place in the safe to 'let it collect dust.' Hell I have two mini 14's that I don't shoot as well as two CAR-15's that I have not shot since I bought the M16. I have thought of selling them all and buy ONE more MG but then what is collecting guns all about?

I'll keep ALL MY GUNS (and buy more) until I need the money more than the collection...MadDog

 

[Renegade]

Once you got FA, there is no going back. I sold all my semis, mostly preban and at good prices, to fund C3. I have no use for semis (imitations!) now.

 

[treedawg]

I guess I must not be a true gun lover. You can come to my house and I'll open the safe and price all of them NFA included except a couple that have sentimental value. I'm not a dealer, but do enjoy buying and selling when the chance presents itself. I currently have 1 SMG in my safe that's currently pending to a new owner.


TD

 

[tommygun2000]

RE: Selling guns to fund CIII

I have not yet come to the financial point where that has been necessary. I have used the credit card company's money to fund my machineguns at 0% interest. My MGs have continued to rise in price and have by far been the best thing I have ever spent a federal reserve note on.

I keep all my semi and bolt guns, as it will never be cheaper to replace them in the future. If I want more guns, I work more to make the money to afford them.

 

[Quarterbore]

The one sale I regret most was selling my own M-16 about 2-years ago. I bought it for about $4000 about 4-years ago and sold it 2-yrs ago for $5000. Now the same gun will cost me about $9000... Now, I am trying to get what I can that is still affordable including a pair of SWD M11/9s and a full sized vector.

As for my title 1 weapons, I had to sell off most of my most prized toys including a pair of my pre-ban AR-15s, more AR-15 uppers and bolt-on extras then I can list, plus other items that makes me just a little sad when I open my half empty safe. Too be honest most of the things I have sold were not for NFA items but for the other item that I am betting will climb in value!

I have been buying parts kits including an Imbel FAL, Sten MK IIIs, Browning 1919a4s, Bren LMG, UZI, AKs, etc. With these kits I have been buying the magazines that are still available as imports as they are so cheap. I have more AK, Sten, Bren, M3A1, FAL, and 1919a4 links & belts then I could count but not a gun that will use any of them at this time (well I do have an AK now but I didn't when I stocked up on the mags). I have also been buying up the necessary parts to complete these kits including receivers, sideplates, and spare parts.

So, what am I saying? I am trying to hint to a few of my on-line friends that I think the parts kits guns and the cheap import gun magazines are going to be the next items to go through a major price increase. Even if the crime bill doesn't get replaced before November, supply and demand will start to take place as the kits are drying up and sooner or later there will be a new law that affect these imports. I don't have much faith that the days of the $2 sten mag or $5 NIW AK mag will last long as I remember the day when M-16 mags were that cheap. Personally, I am trying to put away the affordable items as many of the MGs have just climbed out of my means.

Perhaps in 5-years I will be happy or beating myself over the head with the barrel off my semi-auto 1919a4 that I am still working to build!