I am looking at my 1st purchase. I am looking at two different m16a2 commandos on different sites (well known sellers). My questions is am I a fool to purchase either of these two as they are both NIB and I plan on using it, not for collecting value. Should I wait for a used commando to show up? My budget is 28-32k.

Both are safe-semi-burst. Are there commandos that are safe-semi-full marked?
One says it includes:
Also includes Safe-Semi-Full Kit.
What does this mean? This one is priced a few thousand more than the other NIB commando. Thanks

Generally, a safe-semi-full kit just means it has a spare fire control group with standard M16 parts instead of a burst cam/trigger/twin disconnector.

I would feel bad buying a NIB M16 and shooting it.  Why not pick up a used m16 and then outfit it however you like?

I believe to be a true commando lower it must be marked safe/semi/auto, the lowers marked safe/semi/burst are just regular A2 lower that someone slapped a commando upper on.

Personally I wouldn't drop $30k+ on a NIB A2 if I was planning to shoot it a lot. You can pick up a non-colt RR or colt AR15 conversion for under $20k or if you're set in a true m16 marked colt you can get an m16 or m16a1 for under $25k.

There are commandos that are auto marked.  If you want the auto mark rather than the burst, you will have to wait for one to become available, as there are fewer of them than burst-marked ones.

I was in your position a couple of years ago.  I waited for one that was auto marked.  Mine was a fixed stock rifle, used but in nearly new condition.  It may not make any difference as to the function of the gun, but I figured I was paying top dollar for a lifetime purchase, and it was worth the wait to get EXACTLY what I wanted.

If you're going to shoot it, you might bear in mind that with a fixed stock rifle, you can strip it down to the receiver without undoing anything done at the factory.  If you buy a commando with an adjustable stock, if you change the factory 4-position buffer tube, you'll be breaking the factory staking, and that detracts greatly from the "collector" value of the rifle.  Still, your money, your gun...

Yes that’s the problem in red. It is a lifetime purchase but you never know what life holds.

I really what a a2 mark, also a auto mark. What do you think the value drop would be firing the NIB. Not abusing, still in excellent condition? Trying to take that into consideration as I may need to sell it at some point and don’t want to take a huge loss on it if I had too.

Thank you I didn’t think about the factory staking. Think I make need to look at a fixed stock.

FWIW my Oly Arm/Frankford Arsenal is marked M16 and safe/semi/auto. Might be something worth looking into.

As for loss of value, not much assuming you treat it like a safe queen.

remember that MGs are a risky investment, there's always a chance the laws change and your MG becomes worthless with the stroke of a pen.

In the end buy what you want, if your heart is set on an A2 get it. You can't apply rational thinking and common sense when your buying a $30k lower that should cost $100

I respectfully disagree, MGs have an excellent record of return on investment over the last 31 years, and while legislation MIGHT change that, legislation changes could also impact 401k plans, mortgage interest deductions, and other financial investments that would have a much, much larger impact on your wealth (and assuming you are fully funding your retirement plan before buying a MG...which should be the case).  In fact, right now the Administration and Congress are considering these exact types of changes as part of the overall tax reform/rewrite some hope to see passed by the end of the year.  The good news (and the bad news) is MGs are not a significant part of politics for either party, so being ignored for the next 31 years is hands down (in my view) the most likely outcome when it comes to NFA laws impacting MGs.

I regret that I listened for years to old timers in the gun world say "MGs are not an investment" and then I actually talked to some people who knew something about money and investments.  After laughing at me for thinking anything I owned wasn't an investment of some kind, and getting a fundamental understanding of what depreciating vs appreciating assets and the concept of money as a store of future value, I figured out I could have some fun with MGs and never do worse than I did when I "invested" in Ubid.com stock back in the internet bubble days.  There aren't a lot of people who have become rich in the gun world, but the ones I know that have done the best own a collection of MGs.

I know what you mean, there is a lot of bad info out there and it scared me away from buying NFA items for years, I wish I would have done my own research and bought into the MG market years earlier and a much cheaper price.

But MG ownership is a collectors hobby just like antique cars or fine art work, and is best classified as an Alternative Investment. Its done by wealthy people who have a passion for that hobby. While there is certainly money to be made and it can be a great way to diversify your portfolio, its important to recognize most collectors markets are highly volatile and increasing prices are completely depended on an increasing demand in the future. Compare this to a Traditional Investment, such as stocks, mutual funds, 401(k), etc...which are invested in corporations that turn a profit and pay a portion of their profits to their share holders called dividends. MGs are risky way for someone of lower financial status to grow their wealth as the value is locked up in the MG itself and the only way to access that value is to sell the entire MG, you cant sell 5% of your MG ever year for 20 years to help cover your retirement expenses like you would with a 401(k). There are also hidden costs of MG ownership that eat away at those returns, such as:

1) the cost to maintain them including replacement parts, new barrels, etc...
2) most work should be done by a professional gunsmith, I paid $700 to have the upper deck on my M16 milled and the lower reanodized, I think shipping was like $100 each way on top of that.
3) the cost of a good safe for storage, while required is highly recommended from both a financial and legal standpoint to prevent theft and access to unauthorized individuals.
4) cost of a trust and tax stamps
5) dealer fees when selling
6) insurance
7) most importantly the cost of ammunition, which can completely off set all gains you may see if you are a high volume shooter

Luckily, as you mentioned MGs are not a hot debated political item YET, but IMO all it would take is another Vegas style shooting with a real transferable MG and the party would be over for all of us. You saw how quickly the NRA and the Republican party threw bump stocks under the bus, they knew it would piss off bump stock owners but they are such a small percentage of gun owners it didn't matter, it was for the greater good of the gun community, well MG owners are an even small percentage.

Not trying to scare anyone away from buying a MG, but OP is new to the MG market and specifically asked about the financial aspects of it. I buy MGs because I love shooting them and its a way to take my interest in firearms to the next level, them going up in value is just an added bonus. I actually have no intention of ever selling them, I plan to pass them on to my children one day, to me the ability to exercise my second amendment rights to the fullest level possible is priceless.

http://machinegunpriceguide.com/

Thanks for the info guys. I am going to look for a used A2 and configure for a commando. I think it will be easier to find the marks I want and not feel bad about shooting a NIB gun. Also save a little coin.

Since I am going the used market any recommendations on someone in the Vegas area that can inspect for me? I don’t want to mess this up.

i paid $35k for a NIB a2 US Property marked and shot it....

depends on how fussy you are...if  you are willing to pay the premium and dont care just to pop the cherry on it and like MINTY guns then yes....is your the type who throws his guns in the back of a pickup truck and lets them slide around or stores them in a damp basement, then id buy used

dont use the FA trigger kit....get a Geissele full auto kit.....watch a few web video's and change it from Burst to Auto...no body wants burst...with the Geissele trigger i can do 3 round bursts all day long

with mine i stripped the whole gun down to the receiver...put it all in storage and made a modern m4 out of it.......ive got 3 uppers now....a classic 14.5" style, 11.5 tricked out for suppressed and a 8.5 300 blackout...

you will make marks on it if you use it...odds are it will come with handling marks also even though advertised as ''new''.....mine most  likely had 100+ rounds through it and was sold as new...no real way to prove it.....

make sure its correct and not a post 86 gun....make sure castings, color and markings are correct for what it is....there are post 86 guns being sold....they can argue all day how its possible, but there are.....make sure

PM me if you want further advice on how i handled it all
its a cool gun to own.....

Thank you, good info

This makes a ton of sense. Thanks Tony!

If it’s worth it to you buy it if you can. Even if it decreases in value, it’s ok. A new sports car looses value driving it off the lot and a lot of people buy them just for pleasure.

Imo machine guns are not investments to most people that own them. To some they are however. To most they are just something non practical that you enjoy. It’s no different than a harley, corvette, or a camper or motorhome. If you want it and buying it won’t hurt you financially go for it. Life is unquestionably short; enjoy as much as you can.  Take good care of it and it will only go up in value unless they get banned. I don’t know why they would ban them though, it’s not like they aren’t scarce enough and priced out of the reach of most people anyways. I don’t think they will ever open the register either. Very few people want it opened. Most gun owners don’t care, and a guy with $20,000 in a $1,000 gun doesn’t want it opened either.

I buy guns to shoot.  I would definitely buy a NIB Colt and shoot it.  Life is too short to have guns you don't shoot.

I bought a NIB Colt M16a1 back in 2000. Slapped a 11.5 upper and collapsible stock on it and no telling how many rounds I've run through it. The lower still looks brand new though as I am careful with handling. In the past few years, it's been more of a safe queen. I'll pull it out to let somebody else shoot it that has never shot a MG more than I shoot it myself these days.

I gave $6,000 for it back in 2000. Judging by current prices, that's a pretty darn good investment. Unless I get in some sort of deep financial trouble, I don't plan on selling it though, so what does it really matter what it's worth? I'll pass my MGs on to my kids and they can do with them what they wish.

Does shooting a NIB gun devalue it, sure, but it's not all that much. You may loose a $1,000 or two but that's not much considering the overall price of the gun, you'll spend way more than that in ammo.