Reducing Inventory.
 

Just wondering who else is reducing their firearms inventory as they get older. A few years ago, I owned over forty firearms, but when I looked at what I owned, I realized just how seldom I fired some of them. I sold a few the first year, and Prophet River sold twenty for me last year, and they just sold five more for me in the last few weeks. I kept the firearms that I use on a regular basis, and the rest are gone. I did upgrade some of the firearms that I do use regularly, so a good part of the proceeds were reinvested, but I am down to about a third of the number that I used to own. Selling off so many firearms left me with a lot of reloading dies and components that I don't need, but my friends have been taking most of that off of my hands. I honestly don't miss what I have sold, and I do enjoy using higher quality firearms, so overall, it has been a positive experience. Then again , I have friends that just can't seem to let go of their collections. Even though they never use certain firearms, they won't sell them, just in case they may want to use them some day.:)

Been reducing my inventory for years , down to a fraction from what it used to be for sure .
Cat

Wife doesn't notice new guns, but will notice a new/bigger safe, so.....keeping to an even dozen is my limit. When a new one comes, an old one goes

At some point downsizing will happen but not likely by selling . I have 5 boys so most likely they will just get passed down and kept in the family. All of my current rifles are still interesting to me and are used often.

My son has all his own rifles and will sell the majority of what I have except for the family heirlooms when I head to the Grand Lodge .
Most of the rifles and shotguns I have that I woukd sell are not types that are desirable to everyday hunters and plinkers so unless someone contacts me looking fir something specific I have pretty much given up trying to sell anything more .:)
Cat

I've given up selling online simply due to the packing and Post Office visits.

This year will be the deciding point in whether I sell off at least half of the approx 22 long guns I have. I use them less and less every year. I have about 4 which have been here for months and I've never fired, like a Christensen Arms in 7 Mag and a Kimber Montana in 7-08, a Ruger 77 in 22 Mag and a Sako L579 in 243.

If I do sell any more it will be local pickup only.
Ultimately, everything is for sale for the "right" price and good arrangements:)

In the factory category I’m down to the ones that shoot well and or have nice wood that I have been holding on to, but they need to go soon. Sold the last of my builds on factory actions last summer. (Oh, forgot I bought a factory action build from a buddy a few weeks ago because it had nice wood...so it can stay for a while).
I guess it can’t really be called downsizing, but I am not increasing the number of barrels I have...instead, am having some turned down to make them different than they were before.

How do you guys pick what to sell?
Every once in a while I have a look in the safe and say " self what have you got that for?" I've got a few in the safe that I should sell but I always come up with a reason not to.

Yeah not happening
 

I have a lot of rifles that probably haven't been fired in 5-8 years. guess I keep making up excuses why I am not selling them as havent been doing much big game hunting or even small game since 2013. When I was at WSS I upgraded all the VX2 model scopes to VX3 so for now the scopes are probably worth more than the rifles. Shotguns are another matter as I have sold several to upgrade to particular models over the years. Still have the farm shotguns the boys often use for hunting or clay shooting on the farm but the stuff I shoot regularly are special discontinued models I have waited many years to find and upgrade to.

I’m to the point now where I find I can walk into any gun store ( except Prophet River) and find all the factory rifles boring. I sold my win 1885 6.5x55 not to long ago as I just thought it was such a pretty little gun and was always afraid of scratching it if I took it hunting. I really like my 1895 CB 45/70 but find I rarely use it. I have a Tikka 243 that’s surplus to my needs now that I have a 257 wby. If I’m going hunting I usually pack a 6.5x55 or 300wm.

It it hasn't been fired in a year, usually a reason. Something newer and better has come along.

Now if we could only do this with wives.....:)

Inventory reduction !!
 

Yes us gun nuts love all those we have gotten over the years, and the reality is how much are they worth now and do you shoot them often enough to keep?? I used to shoot a ton of ammo (handloads) a year, but have settled to about 6 that are my go to rifles. !! Never stop looking though, its 1/2 the fun of finding that particular special gem you could/should have.. !! Iam sure this is not new news to a gun crank??? JMO.. !! Always looking ..KCOUTfit !!

I sold 9 handguns last year some hadn't been fired for 30 years somehow I always came up a reason not to sell them. I have a new rule not fired for 3 years its gone.

I pared things down somewhat, by selling any 'doubles' I had, and keeping just the nicest sample. So when I realized I had 4 S&W Model 19s, I sold all but one...sold a couple Model 28s, and so forth, till I had just one of each for the collection. I even sold a couple Pythons and an Anaconda, but the seller remorse was just too much, so I have multiples of them still. Phew. Close call.....:sHa_sarcasticlol:

Some day I suppose I will start thinning it down for real, but I'm hoping I can connect with a young collector who can really appreciate them as I have. That is how quite a few came in to my collection, from a couple of older gentleman who shared a passion for them, but felt good about passing them on to me now.

Funny how you downsize and then somehow the numbers increase again...odd!

Sold a few today at the swap meet at the range, and a scope as well.
Maybe I should look again at getting something I won't use for a while!:sHa_sarcasticlol:
Cat

I dropped an AYA number 2 in 28 gauge off at Prophet River to go on consignment today, and I am bringing home a 28 gauge Grulla Consort to replace it. So a break even day, which is good for visiting Prophet River..:)

Well that was "downsizing road trip" that took a left turn at Albuquerque!:sHa_sarcasticlol:
Cat

Started helping my father downsize his collection in 2012. He had well over 100 pieces. I have 2 brothers. One lives in the USA and one doesn't care too much about them. He had several collections within his collection. Most of these went to other collectors. My father appreciated that fact. Took him years to put some of the collections together and some are reminders of his long passed friends. If any of my kids will have any interest, then my collection will be passed on to them. If not, I'll find collectors to pass them to.

having grand kids seem to make downsizing easy. Because they are not old enough for a PAL they realy still belong to me , so it doesn't hurt so much. It king of gives me time to get used to the idea .:sHa_shakeshout:

Quality over quantity, it's how I roll...

I had a lot of credit built up from my previous consignments, because I was planning to order a new Blaser sporting clays shotgun. Then yesterday I found a great deal on a like new Blaser the same model that I wanted, for half the price of a new one, so I had to use up some of the store credits.:)

The Grulla fits me even better than the AYA, and the wood is very nice.

Quality is the right way to go. I love a finely made firearm.

Down sizing most of my big game rifles and going more the varmint/target route...Don't have to track em, mount em, clean em.... and my bad back and knees love me for it :thinking-006:

Stay away from the "plastic" crap and they're a great investment.

Takedown Savage 99's bought at 150 in the 70's
Octagon bbl 30-30 for $ 25.
Gamemasters as lo as 55, every 788 Rem under 200 etc etc

Lets see an enjoyable investment match that.

Don't act too rashly,
unless our Ottawa idiot is making you nervous.

Sold a 1955 Superposed, a Dumoulin hammer double and two Stevens Favorites as well as a 1-4X Leupold.
People got some good guns and I got some cash- but then I just spied a nice single shot in the Buy and sell!:budo:
Cat

No fair, without pics!!! :(

https://scontent.fyxd2-1.fna.fbcdn.n...db&oe=5B4C1AC9

https://scontent.fyxd2-1.fna.fbcdn.n...0c&oe=5B41550E

https://scontent.fyxd2-1.fna.fbcdn.n...da&oe=5B4DAB3F

Wow, I'm in there quite a bit, did not see that one!!
That's crazy nice wood.

It was on consignment. Used, but pretty much as new, but at 2/3 of new cost. I bought a 16 gauge Grulla from consignment last year, that was owned by the same person as this one, but that one was an even better deal.