I'm a gun shooter, not a gun collector.
I don't want to own a gun that's not enjoyable to shoot.
That's why I won't pay good money for presentation-grade guns in velvet-lined walnut shadow boxes with engraving and gold inlay. The value on those guns drops like a rock when they're handled much, or fired at all.
I'd like to find one that some prior owner's kids took camping and shooting ant mounds in the cow pasture. I could deal with some rusty fingerprints on the barrel and a scuff on the stock where they tossed it into the toolbox of their truck without any kind of case or wrap to protect it. I'd expect to pay half of what the "like new condition" ones are selling for. And I'd clean it up as best I could and keep on shooting it.
I don't want to own a gun that's not enjoyable to shoot.
That's why I won't pay good money for presentation-grade guns in velvet-lined walnut shadow boxes with engraving and gold inlay. The value on those guns drops like a rock when they're handled much, or fired at all.
I'd like to find one that some prior owner's kids took camping and shooting ant mounds in the cow pasture. I could deal with some rusty fingerprints on the barrel and a scuff on the stock where they tossed it into the toolbox of their truck without any kind of case or wrap to protect it. I'd expect to pay half of what the "like new condition" ones are selling for. And I'd clean it up as best I could and keep on shooting it.
