Thursday, November 05, 2009

Moneypits and you.

Having commissioned more than a couple custom guns over the years, one of which was a rifle, I have one piece of advice to offer: Never think that the acquisition of this fine firearm of your dreams is some kind of "good investment". You will most likely spend far more on having the firearm built than you could ever possibly hope to get out of your dream gun, unless you just so happen to find another person whose ideal rifle is a left-handed Remington action in .264 Winchester Magnum with a heavy barrel and a synthetic stock with a 15" length-of-pull.

9 comments:

  1. Custom rifles are just that. a money pit for the rich. everyone of my guns have been customized in one way shape or form and you are never satisfied with what you got. you always want more!!!

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  2. Oh I don't know Tam. I'm sure I'd never recoup the expense of customizing the sole pistol (a 1911, natch) I've had work done on, but I don't think of it as a poor investment.

    Shooting that pistol convinced my just-getting-his feet-wet-as-a-shooter father that he needs his own 1911. I've enjoyed the hell out of it for eight years now and someday it'll be a prized possession of my oldest daughter. Hopefully it'll be something of an heirloom.

    It's a great investment...just not a financial one.

    W.V. detrin: for when your headache is so bad, you just want to blow it up?

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  4. I had originally left an overlong comment, but you inspired me into writing a post:

    "Special" Expectations

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  5. Custom firearms are a gunny's version of a boat... A hole in the water you throw money into.

    That isn't to say a custom firearm is a bad idea. I'd rather shoot with something that feels exactly right to me than something off the shelf with a rough trigger, or heavy slide, or or or... It's just not something you should expect to get your money back out of.

    I see it all the time with people building custom street rods. "Put 24,000 into it. Selling for 16,000." But while the person owned it, it was worth every cent they spent.

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  6. I'm guilty of commissioning a custom gun, and it was so not for the investment value. It didn't really cost all that much more than a stock gun from the same manufacturer, and I got all the features I wanted.

    WV: "cathumpr" I kid you not.

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  7. There are some things you can invest in with a reasonable chance of at least getting your money back. Custom cars and custom guns are probably not high on that list though :)

    Hecate - Whats so bad? I got CA THUMPR out of that. Sounds like a pretty good name for a wrestler or something :P

    Jim

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  8. First thought for me was that it looked like a sort of explosive sound. But reflectoscope... when you put it in allcaps like that and put a space in it... well... move the space once to the right...

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  9. I never thought I would get my money back. That is also why I buy used guns almost exclusively. Already depreciated. The money I saved can go into custom high end pistols and rifles. :-)

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