Would you shoot it?

[P35p]

Originally Posted by Shadow9mm

Its a gun, its only reason for creation and existence was to be shot. What value does it have if it cannot do the one thing it was created to do?

The history is irrelevant, it has no bearing on weather or nothing the gun functions

Guns are not art work, or baseball cards. I would not have a dozen or more of the same rifle. If im not shooting them they get sold, hopefully to somone who will.

I have 2 ars and 4 uppers between them, its not a dozen but its a few.

6arc precision build. 20in heavy barrel, 15in free float rail, 6-24x50 scope.

223 defense build, 16in, 1-6x24 lvpo and light, 13in free float.

223 dissipator upper to keep my iron sight skills up

300 blackout upper, 16in with red dot wanted to try the cartridge. Hits steel hard, easier to load for and runs better than 7.62x39 in an ar. Just a fun cartridge.

Every one has a specific job to do, and i shoot them all regularly. I do plan to build a sbr hopefully next year, and that will cover everything i could want in the ar platform. i dont need a safe full of the things.

If I only had two guns I would shoot them all also.

The primary function of most weapons is to act as a deterrent. Just like a nuclear round, you don't have to shoot it for it to be effective.

When we forget history we tend to repeat the same mistakes over and over.

Believe it or not there are probably a million people in the US that do collect guns like baseball cards or any other collectable. You don't that's obvious but that doesn't make those that do wrong. When I say I don't understand the I must shoot it mentality, I'm not talking about a person that only has a couple guns none of which I would consider collectable. One day you just might find that rare gun you consider a holy grail gun and change your mind. We do tend to adapt our thinking as we age.

[Shadow9mm]

Originally Posted by P35p

If I only had two guns I would shoot them all also.

The primary function of most weapons is to act as a deterrent. Just like a nuclear round, you don't have to shoot it for it to be effective.

When we forget history we tend to repeat the same mistakes over and over.

Believe it or not there are probably a million people in the US that do collect guns like baseball cards or any other collectable. You don't that's obvious but that doesn't make those that do wrong. When I say I don't understand the I must shoot it mentality, I'm not talking about a person that only has a couple guns none of which I would consider collectable. One day you just might find that rare gun you consider a holy grail gun and change your mind. We do tend to adapt our thinking as we age.

I do feel its wrong. Its somewhere between greed, hubris, and wastefulness. You have useful tools that you refuse to you and gather up to hoard in a safe collecting dust. That money could be far better spent on guns that will be used, ammo to shoot, training to build skill. Shoot you could donate the money to feed the homeless and do better.

Yes freedom is is amazing, but with it comes responsibility.

Not trying to tell anyone how to live their lives, but thats my perspective on things.

[5whiskey]

I do feel its wrong. Its somewhere between greed, hubris, and wastefulness. You have useful tools that you refuse to you and gather up to hoard in a safe collecting dust. That money could be far better spent on guns that will be used, ammo to shoot, training to build skill. Shoot you could donate the money to feed the homeless and do better.

Yes freedom is is amazing, but with it comes responsibility.

Not trying to tell anyone how to live their lives, but thats my perspective on things.

Hmmm..... any time I see something like this I always immediately revert to one thought...

I bet $100 that the person who said/wrote this has spent money on something that I and some others will believe is silly. Some people think that money spent to go see a movie is better spent elsewhere... heck you could give it to the homeless*. The same could be said of having any type of nice furniture, a TV screen wider than 50", or a car worth more than 7k (after all, there are plenty in that price range that are serviceable for transportation). Go out to a nice restaurant? Technically money wasted. Heck had a steak, even made at home? You could have had rice and beans and donated the difference. Fly first class? Money wasted. Ever bought a bottle of decent single malt scotch? Wasted money. Have a nice riding mower when a push mower will do? Yup, money wasted.

That list could gone on for eternity. As silly as it sounds, it's no less silly to think that a man who really likes displaying an old collectible revolver... mostly because he just likes the old collectible revolver... should have donated whatever he spent on said revolver to the homeless*



*about 80% or so of which will summarily spend that money on meth, heroin, Crack, alcohol, or any combination of said items. Or if they're hungry it's because most money they do get goes to said items.

[5whiskey]

But to answer the original question, yes I shoot it. At least on occasion with mild loads. I collect old firearms, and currently I don't have anything that I don't shoot other than an antique English SxS BP shotgun. I've scoped the barrels and honestly I would be comfortable shooting mild loads in it... but alas the cap nipples are rusted solid. One day I'm going to drill them out, tap new threads in the breech plug and put new nipples in, and shoot it. When I get time.

But there are examples of guns I would own and not shoot. A sorta serviceable original SAA that's probably safe to shoot, but also apt to break and require service with much use? I'll probably leave that in a display case. Of course I would have bought it for a smoking deal, as I don't spend much money on something I'm not comfortable shooting.

In the OPs case, it sounds darn near new old stock, so any breakage is quite unlikely. I shoot that revolver. Not a lot. But some.

[P35p]

Originally Posted by Shadow9mm

I do feel its wrong. Its somewhere between greed, hubris, and wastefulness. You have useful tools that you refuse to you and gather up to hoard in a safe collecting dust. That money could be far better spent on guns that will be used, ammo to shoot, training to build skill. Shoot you could donate the money to feed the homeless and do better.

Yes freedom is is amazing, but with it comes responsibility.

Not trying to tell anyone how to live their lives, but thats my perspective on things.

Bwahahahahaha, thanks for the laugh and yes I am a greedy capitalists'.

If you want to feed the junkies and alcoholics sell your two guns, the government extorts thousands upon thousands from me every year to pay for their drugs already.

[Drm50]

I had quite a few NIB S&Ws and one Colt. About 3 yrs ago it finally hit me as to what these guns were good for? Biggest part of these guns were from 50s and 60s what I would call quasi collector items. So I decided to sell them off. Put my price on them and hold firm. I ain’t selling to eat. Got plenty of hi condition shooters to play with.
Was at a show last year and was looking at a S&W in presentation case which was priced at top dollar. The turn line was very visible as was some residue between top of forcing cone and frame. Before I had a chance to say anything guy says that’s scarce unfired in the case. I ask him if he was original owner which he wasn’t. Told him it had been shot
a bit. He then comes up with the “ They all are test fired song & dance “ . They are but I wish they weren’t because it gives dipsticks plausible deniability. There are sometimes a gun that is hard to determine if unfired, others not that hard. The point being that it’s not the wear. It’s the difference in price. Many NIB guns have had more wear and tear from being handled than shot.

[georgehwbush]

i have an old collectors item, it was used by my great grand father, then by my grand father and then by my father... it's kind of warn. but hey, guns were made to be shot not looked at. so now i drag it out and let visitors and friends shoot it so they can tell the story... it's over 125 years old now. but again, guns were made to be shot.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by georgehwbush

i have an old collectors item, it was used by my great grand father, then by my grand father and then by my father... it's kind of warn. but hey, guns were made to be shot not looked at. so now i drag it out and let visitors and friends shoot it so they can tell the story... it's over 125 years old now. but again, guns were made to be shot.

Was it unfired when it came into your possession? If not, it's not really applicable to the original question:

Originally Posted by Super Sneaky Steve

Let's say you had a very old unfired handgun. Would you leave it that way or shoot it?

[georgehwbush]

you say not applicable, that depends on perspective i guess. it obviously isn't apples to cucumbers but i do think the "attitude" is the same. you either "collect" or you "use". the OP asked what "YOU" would do. that's what i would do. either sell or shoot. but that's me. not you.

[Pumpkin]

Some guns have more intrinsic value than monetary value.
Guns passed on for generations can be priceless to the owners.
Unfired guns will almost always a dollar amount that can be meet.
In these ways they are similar.

[rmh3481]

I bought my Dad a Pacific Theater Commemorative .45 pistol somewhere around 30 years ago. My Dad has since passed, and the pistol has come back to me. Should I take it out and shoot it?

[georgehwbush]

that is an entirely different question,
1, "what would you do"
-vs-
2, "should I"

only "i" (the person being asked) can answer the first one.
and only you (the person asking) can answer the second one.

[treg]

If the gun was purchased strictly as an investment and firing would decrease the ROI, then it would not get fired.
But that has never happened, and they all get shot, even the heirlooms.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by treg

If the gun was purchased strictly as an investment and firing would decrease the ROI, then it would not get fired.
But that has never happened, and they all get shot, even the heirlooms.

Never?

I own a few firearms that have not been fired since they left the factory, and they won't be fired during my lifetime. What the next owner does after I die, or some future owner after that, is beyond my control.

If I had wanted a gun to shoot, I would have purchased a LNIB or "Excellent" used firearm. I chose to purchase new, unfired. To then go out and fire it when I have other guns that have been fired would be silly.

[Viper225]

I have a neighbor lady who inherited her dads first year production 4", 22LR Combat Masterpiece. Pre Model 17. Unfired in the Blue Box.
She asked me about shooting it. I told her to leave it unfired.
She has a Model 10 that I located for her years ago. She does not need to fire the old 22LR Revolver.

Bob R

[44 AMP]

I went back through the thread, and found the opinions interesting, but I must comment on this,

The primary function of most weapons is to act as a deterrent.

It's just a matter of English. The primary function of a firearm is to strike the chosen target with a bullet. The primary function of an edged weapon is to cut.

The primary use of a weapon might be as a deterrent, that would be up to the user's situation.

An old handgun in unfired condition is a pretty rare item. Its value is primarily due to its rarity. Its your property, you get to choose, but once you fire it, there's no going back.

I've only had one gun that was "old" and unfired. Some years back, I decided I was done with the .357, sold my model 19 but hadn't gotten around to getting rid of my dies or brass & bullets yet.

Then I ran across an unfired 6" model 28 "as new in the box" and the 28 was the gun my Dad had, and I bought it with the intent to keep it pristine in his memory. And I did. I lasted about 6 months.

[SIGSHR]

Depends on the make and model, doubt there's much market for an NIB Forehand and Wadsworth, H&R, Iver Johnson, etc. As a "collector"-i.e. accumulator there are shooting guns and there are "having" guns. Fired my Ortgies .25, Mauser M1914, Cz-27 when I got them-40 years ago, haven't fired them since but I take them out every now and then, look them over. Have yet to fire my M1898 Krag-bought in 1972-or my Ross Mark IIIB-bought
1985. People collect old radios but you can't tune in 1935.

[Rewtex]

I would shoot the heck out of it. I’ve never owned a gun I didn’t fire and don’t plan on starting now. Of course I’ve never been the best at making money from investments either…

[Sarge]

NoDak and Hawg- we are brothers in philosophy.

Best keep them museum artifacts away from this old cowboy.

I inhabit another forum where people discuss 'Collectible Glocks' and do it with a straight face. Somebody else will have to defile those. I do have standards, such as they are

[The Happy kaboomer]

I once bought and unfired S&W mdl 27 3 1/2 in bbl. in it's presentation case......I shot it the same day..........Still shooting it.......I don't warehouse unshootable guins.

[Crankylove]

I don’t own safe queens.

Everything I own gets shot. Some a lot, some a little, but they all go bang and get dirty.

[Drm50]

I won’t fire a NIB that has classic status. Most who make a big deal out of shooting everything they have are dipsticks. Their reasoning defies common sense. The issue is strictly one of value. Maybe they are independently wealthy. Further most of these guys are talking about a few guns they own. I can see tracking down a certain model NIB that you want as a shooter. However when I do this I look for high condition used model. It cost less *. I get this kind of BS from guys all the time. I’ve owned literally thousands of firearms. Have NIB models that I didn’t go out of my way to buy, except if they were a steal. They have no permanent home and are the first ones to go on deals. Basically you could call them investments. Unlike others I don’t invest in motorcycles, ski boats and other expensive toys that are destined for junk yard when owner gets up off the couch and lays down the controller for his latest computer game, and hauls their remains out of his yard.

[5whiskey]

I gave advice that runs counter to how I actually feel after rereading the OPs question. A classic NIB gun probably does not get fired by me. First off, generally we aren't talking about 100 year old guns with NIB (though my response would be the same with them, but it's moot as I would never spend that kind of money on something I wouldn't shoot). Second, that I would consider more of an investment than a toy.

All guns in my collection that are used/previously fired? I shoot them. Including the 100+ year old ones. At least on occasion.

[flyer898]

I have two lightweight S&W .38 Special revolvers that I might decide not to shoot; one is a K-frame, and the other is J-frame. The reason I am reluctant to shoot them is they are among the few remaining with aluminum cylinders. However, I suspect it would be safe enough with wadcutter loads.

[Unique]

All guns were made to be used. I wouldn’t own a gun I could not use. Put any gun in my hands, I could care less who owned it, how old it is or how expensive it is - it’s fixing to get used