AR Sponsor
Posted: 11/14/2007 7:55:02 PM EDT
| Does the value of our rifles go down if camo is professionally applied? |
| I would imagine that it would have to go down. Anything you do to a rifle, or anything else for that matter, that makes it no longer in original condition will dregrade the value. I know that when I am looking for anything I won't even consider it if it has been painted. The only situation where I can imagine "altering" the rifle will not negatively effect the value of the rifle is something like adding a scope or some other accessory...unless its painted by someone famous...or painted with real gold! |
| The value will decrease because there are less people that desire a camo rifle than those that desire a stock rifle. Basic supply and demand. You will have to lower your price to get somebody to settle for the camo just because it will save them some dough. :D Professional or not, paint is not anodizing and is less durable and prone to chipping :D |
| Good points to consider. I did see a REALLY nice subdued 'tiger' job...it was NICE!!! But like you said, it is prone to chipping. AND I don't have any "SAFE QUEENS", so it would be a shame to ruin the work. Plus I have a few more pennies in this build than I budgeted. Thanks again for lightly slapping me around and giving me the wake up call. |
 Firearms are tools - very few could qualify as 'investments' and those that do are terribly expensive to start with. Firearms are great, they can be fun, provide food and security; but they are poor investments. Put some money in a mutual fund if you want to invest. |
True that they are tools, but we all want them to retain some resale value. It reminds me of those things we all drive around in….oh Cars….that’s what they are called. We use so many tools these days i foget them sometimes. 
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To some they may be...just because something is not an investment doesnt mean you should destroy its value. Why dont you go paint your car camo, what does it matter. A car is not an investment, its transportation. Who cares if nobody wants it now. ....not trying to be a jackass, but what you said made 0 sense. |
Exactly a car is not an investment. BTW I don't drive a 'car' I drive a Jeep and I like that idea of painting it camo! I have no plans on selling it - it will be driven till it falls apart.
Because your analogy isn't perfect. Many people lease cars with the knowlede they will turn the vehicle in after a few years and get a new one. Same with most people that buy their vehicles. Vehicles tend to wear out much faster than rifles, and vehicles cost a whole lot more. If you wear out a rifle's barrel it's a couple hundred bucks and the thing is shooting like new. How much does it take to restore a car so it drives like new after the engine is shot? (bonus points if you rmember the suspension will need a make over as well...). Who buys a rifle with the plan on selling after a few years to get a new rifle? I can't think of anyone - you would be the first that I know of if that is your plan. |
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You were already given your answer but look at all the painted parts that get listed and seem to never sell. For me, would paint my guns in such a time and place as I needed to have them camoflaged but until then I keep them black. If you paint it, you just cut your list of potenyial buyers down a great deal and shitty spray can finishes on a part (say scope, stock, barrel, upper, etc) will be very difficult to match up later. so, only paint what you NEVER plan to sell with the knowledge that if you do paint it you just made it worth MUCH less then if you left it alone. |
| Forest, I agree, I don't use my firearms as an investment, BUT, there are many that do. I don't have the spare change sitting around to buy a mint Tommy, nor do I want to have to sign away my first born and his first born to get a class 3. I asked the question because I do have a few coins tied up in my first build..however, she's NOT a safe queen. So, the slippery slope sylligism, doesn't work in your analogy or the other one...No, I won't paint my car camo, and I've decided not to paint my rifle, pistol and shotgun either. For the simple fact that 'IF' I did decide to sell any of them, I would want top dollar. I put top shelf ammo though them, I clean them to exceed the U.S. Marine 'inspection' standards EVERYTIME I shoot them. And in my opinion they will command top dollar. |
+1 I never made ALOT of money on selling weapons! |
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FMJ, Some people do it for the shear LOVE for the GUN. I wouldn't dream of collecting stamps...but I knowsome people that do it for the love of it. To be honest, I've always wanted to own my own store, or open up a NICE indoor range that could handle anything below .50 caliber rifle, and I would do it out of love for the sport, not to get rich. However, if I KNEW that I could be guaranteed to double my money in 2-3 years..then maybe I would go into it with $ $ on my eyeballs. I do think of my resell value...in my homes, my cars and my guns, that's another reason for me posting this topic... |
Yeah I have a goofy camo rifle, if I get to the point that I'm hocking my post ban Bushy I am in deep poo.  If you want a camo rifle paint it up, life's short, have fun
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There are basically two ways of camoing rifles (professionally). Dip jobs, which look almost like photographs (like the camo Remington/Bushy ARs) and paint (like duracoat). The dip jobs are probably not as strong but they look nicer. I have heard it is like car clearcoat. One problem with a camo-ed rifle is if you want to swap uppers or a stock or forearm it'll look goofy. I might actually shoot my postban bushy, but it has an a-2 stock that I don't like. I don't feel like spending the money having an a-1 painted to match it |
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Well guys I've been owning and shooting rifles since the early 60s and unless you pay a high price to start with and then sell it within 6 months they ALL go up in price. Almost any normal rifle bought at a good, not high price, if you keep it a few years you DO sell it for more than you paid for it. How can that NOT be an investment, a car goes down, stock (who knows it a chance at best) but rifles, if they are NORMAL and not some odd ball sporterized military one, ALL go up in value PERIOD. I GUARANTEE I could rent a table at this weekends gun show and sell my M1A & AR10s and others for way more than I paid for them. But I'm not in the business, THEY ARE MINE! I hope nothing really bad happens to this country in my lifetime but if it does, which INVESTMENT will be worth more, your Stocks or your Rifles & Ammo. |
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Guys We'll take the investment part of the talk to a new thread: Jim's thread on Rifles as Investments |
People actually sell rifles?  I couldn't care less about the resale value of my weapons. I don't buy them to sell them. The only value that matters to me is their functional or enjoyment value. |
Yeah I collected alot of weapons since the early 70`s if I OWNED a GUN SHOP I would never MAKE ANY MONEY I WOULD BUY ALL OF MY STUFF thats the GUN lover in me |
Hey now, I buy those painted parts because it saves me time painting them myself, and people sell 'em cheaper because some people don't want them. There are several different shcools of AR owners... collectors who want them looking LNIB, casual shooters who want them to look a certain way - often new and black - for the "chicks dig it" factor, and shooters for whom the rifle really is just a tool, and a more effective one once it's been sprayed down with krylon. None of these is "right", they're all just different. Like comparing car show hot rodder guys to offroad 4x4 nuts. I keep my A2 stock for sentimental reasons, but the carbine wears krylon. I have no intention of selling it, but if I ever did, it would be because I didn't need it anymore and it would be to some guy who also doesnt care about the paint either. It is not an investment, and I'll use it till one of us dies. |
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i think it depends more on the actual firearms than the paint in many circumstances. if you paint just the stock on a bolt rifle, people don't get too worked up. if you paint the whole thing they do. same is true for ARs or more so... for those people who buy it as is and run it, it isn't a big deal. keeping in mind the AR is probably the most accessorized rifle yet, it is common for people to swap out parts, or customize it to themselves. thus the mismatch of parts appearance and color. therefore, fewer camo jobs sell appropriately. color doesn't dictate ballistic performance, but a minority of us buy based on performance alone and give no care to appearance. that is just the way it is. i had an original leupold mark 4 fixed 16x with the premier intensifier and upgraded generation II mil dot reticle scope that was camo'd (very professional job i might add) that was probably worth $1800. i couldn't get $700 for it as it was... i mounted it on an AR10, painted the whole rig in desert camo and bumped the price of the previously sightless AR10 $1500 for having the scope already mounted and zero'd. it sold in 13 minutes for asking price. hell of a note... as a rule, camo parts don't sell as easily as non-camo/painted parts/rifles. it isn't that they are worth less, just that you have greatly narrowed those people willing/wanting to buy it. |
even most mutual funds are poor performers. |
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