How quickly do guns appreciate in value?

[Hokkmike]

Purchased a Walthers PPS .40 some time ago. Their list price is in the $700's but most people I know pick them up in the mid 5's or low 6's.

I wonder how many years must pass before they actually sell for their list price?

Wondering the same about my other guns. I know from the early 70's that even generic Model 94 Winnies have tripled or quadrupled in value, but it took a l-o-n-g time.

[kcr121]

Purchased a Walthers PPS .40 some time ago. Their list price is in the $700's but most people I know pick them up in the mid 5's or low 6's.

I wonder how many years must pass before they actually sell for their list price?

Wondering the same about my other guns. I know from the early 70's that even generic Model 94 Winnies have tripled or quadrupled in value, but it took a l-o-n-g time.

When you account for inflation, mass-produced and readily-available firearms (such as a Walther PPS) will never appreciate in value.

[Phillygunguy]

Guns are much like cars and shoes as soon as you leave the place you bought them they depreciate in value

[NikeBauer21]

When you account for inflation, mass-produced and readily-available firearms (such as a Walther PPS) will never appreciate in value.

This is a generally correct statement. Unless it is a rare, highly collectible, discontinued, or high demand weapon, it will stay the same price, if not depreciate in value.

Guns can be an investment... But many times, that isn't the case.

[renegadephoenix]

This is a generally correct statement. Unless it is a rare, highly collectible, discontinued, or high demand weapon, it will stay the same price, if not depreciate in value.

Guns can be an investment... But many times, that isn't the case.

that is true, last night i was able to handle a few collectible firearms. one was a prototype that only a couple were made. it was a revolver in .44 mag. the only book we can find anything about it in doesn't even list the gun, only the manufacturer. the net lists the gun as a prototype and only in a 7.5" barrel, this had an 8.5" barrel. so i'm pretty sure it will go up for auction.

the other was a S&W Model 53 in .22 Jet, it was a freind of my fathers, and it also had the .22 mag inserts for it.

[1blindref]

Guns are generally not good investments.

If you buy quality guns and buy them "right" and take very good care of them, you will probably be able to sell them for close to what you paid or slightly more. It's much like buying stocks and bonds.

Of course you can try to speculate which guns being made today will be the next "3 inch Colt Python", but it's a crap shoot and it might take a very long time before they become collectible. You'd probably be better off investing in gold and silver.

[max384]

Purchased a Walthers PPS .40 some time ago. Their list price is in the $700's but most people I know pick them up in the mid 5's or low 6's.

I wonder how many years must pass before they actually sell for their list price?

Wondering the same about my other guns. I know from the early 70's that even generic Model 94 Winnies have tripled or quadrupled in value, but it took a l-o-n-g time.

Whether or not something actually appreciated in value is all dependent on inflation. A good way to judge inflation is to look a the consumer price index, which is a system that uses a particular year as a benchmark of say $1 (The actual amount and year escapes me), and then each year the CPI will be a different amount.

So, for example, if 1980 CPI=$2.00 and 1985 CPI=$2.50, the inflation rate for that time period would be 25%. In this hypothetical situation if a gun cost $400 in 1980 and was selling for $450 in 1985, the profit would be $50... but if we consider that the inflation rate for that time period is 25%, in order to break even, the gun would have to be sold for $500. So in reality, if the gun was sold in 1985 for $450, a net loss of $50 dollars would be realized.

In your example of the early 70s model 94 that tripled or quadrupled its value, we'll look at the inflation rate from 1970 to 2010 using an inflation rate calculator based on the consumer price index. The inflation rate for this time frame is 473%, which means that Winchester model 94 that quadrupled in value (price is a more accurate term here) has actually depreciated.

Guns can be a good investment if they are bought at the right price and the right gun is bought. Basically, unless you really know what you're doing, using guns as an investment tool might not be the best idea.... unless you're investing in a SHTF (or whatever doomsday acronym you prefer) survival kit!

To further compound the problems with using guns as investments, we never truly can guarantee that they will not be outlawed, as has already happened in many countries. This could make a quite expensive collection essentially worthless - except on the black market.

[GuyMontag]

Considering I won't sell my guns, I'd have to say they're most valuable when the bad guys try to do bad things to me or when the zombies attack. Yup, I'd call them pretty damn valuable right about then...

[eXceLon]

Guns are much like cars and shoes as soon as you leave the place you bought them they depreciate in value

That's a pretty good analogy. Rare and well-kept guns (and cars) may become classics, but nobody cares about your 1985 Dodge Caravan no matter how good of condition it might be in.

[bob308]

well if you are talking inflation with the sliding rule. i better dump my 03's and krags before i lose more money.


now joking aside when i bought those rifles they were already old and collectabe. you will never get your money out of buying a new gun then thinking 10 years down the road you are going to get a mint for it. comemertives will never bring anything.