Tweet
So about six weeks ago or so I was talking to a troop at work about guns (something we tend to talk a lot about since I work with a bunch of gun nuts) and he informs me he sold his AR recently. It was one of the Smith and Wesson M&P sport types that went for about $650-700 or so before things got all crazy. Anyway, only rifle he has (and supposedly a prepper) and informs me "because I made $250 on the deal! Even gave me $15 a piece for the P-Mags!"
Okay junior, that's great, now what do you have to replace it?
<crickets> <crickets>
So no big deal I think, he probably wanted to upgrade as it is. Maybe not the perfect time post election, but parts and complete rifles were relatively available and still at decent prices. Then we have Sandy Hook and the entire firearms world turns upside down. His AR would have fetched about double what he paid and the magazines at least double. But since I'm not too fond of scalping and profiteering, I couldn't abide it. But folks do and it's something I accept. Anyway, fast forward to about a week ago and troop is deploying downrange. He has no rifle now, no magazines, no ammo and sheepishly asks me if I can "keep an eye out for an AR and he'll pay me for it when he gets back."
Sure Scooter, I'll get right on that. First I ain't paying what folks are asking for right now. Second, kind of one of those things...you probably shouldn't have, but who am I to tell someone what they can or can't do. Had another troop say "I listed my AR for $6000 and got a hit!" Sure, he had all sorts of nifty bling and cool ninja stuff onboard...but most folks don't have that kind of money to be dropping. And really, price of parts might bring it close to $6000 right now, but a month from now if there's no ban? Maybe $3500 or so. Anyway, ask him the same thing "and what would you be using if the SHTF?" since he is supposedly a prepper as well.
"Well, when I get out and get into a police department, they'll issue me one."
Nice, but what about right now? Concedes the point and I convince him to hold onto it for the moment. At least I think I did. But I'm probably expecting a very sheepish question of "know where I can find an AR right now?" sometime later. It's what Matt likes to call "play pretend survivalists." You had the tools you decided to sell because someone flashed a wad of cash at you. Some people call it greed, I call it stupidity.
Anyway, getting into the point of this thread. Sometimes you look at your items, look at the market price folks are paying and wonder "why not?" Okay, not a bad idea so to speak. But only if you have extra. Now this not only goes for firearms, but for your preps overall. 1Admin mentioned now is the time to sell if you have the capability to do so. If you have a box full of spare mags you haven't used in ages, maybe now would be a good opportunity to flip them for some cash. If you have an extra AR or AK, you will come out ahead on the deal.
But one of those things, don't short yourself just because you have dollar signs flashing in front of your eyes. Sure, $6K is a lot of money for someone in the military that probably will get a department issued AR later. But if you are serious about the preparedness lifestyle, maybe two is one and all that. Maybe your department gives you an AR later, but with budget cuts you end up getting the ax. Now you are without a rifle and a ban went into effect. And even though you had one, they just aren't available now. During an emergency situation, gas prices tend to soar. Think hurricanes and whatnot. Just because you have 25 gallons saved up and gas is going for $10 a gallon doesn't mean you should sell 10 gallons. Maybe the power outages last a lot longer than planned and you are now without a generator to run your essential equipment.
Before selling, look at your overall situation and cost of replacement. How much can you afford to give up before it hurts you. And more importantly, how much will it set you back in replacement. Take Troop #1 for example. There is no way right now he can afford to replace that AR he sold. Not with Olympic Arms and Del-Ton parts kit rifles going for $1500 minimum. So cost of replacement is key. If you sell half your magazine stash, will you still have enough to last you in case there is a ban? Or during an emergency, will you have enough gas to run what you need run until the power comes back on? Just two items I know, and there are plenty more.
Overall, now is the time to maybe look at moving some of the stuff you have. Or during an emergency situation, reducing some of your items if you have a metric butt ton of said items. Not end of the world PAW type thing, but natural disaster and whatnot. But only if:
The cost of replacing said item isn't going to be more than what you are getting.
You don't short yourself overall. I've sold some stuff in the past month, moved some things around, but certainly not set myself short. I know when enough might be too much and know better than to short myself overall.
Said item will be available post-situation. (generators are a prime example since Hurricane Sandy. Even now, it's hard to find a generator)
You aren't blinded by dollar signs. Folks have more money than sense sometimes and right now seems to be the case in the firearms world. They can and will pay whatever you ask (well, within reason) and go away smiling. Be careful that you don't sell something you might regret later on because you can't replace it or the cost of which is more than you got paid.
I'll probably keep an eye out for said troop and his AR situation. Not going to spend a lot of time doing it for someone who should have known better, but I'll poke around from time to time. But his situation got me to thinking about it overall and figured I'd post something about not cutting yourself short when you really should know better.
Okay junior, that's great, now what do you have to replace it?
<crickets> <crickets>
So no big deal I think, he probably wanted to upgrade as it is. Maybe not the perfect time post election, but parts and complete rifles were relatively available and still at decent prices. Then we have Sandy Hook and the entire firearms world turns upside down. His AR would have fetched about double what he paid and the magazines at least double. But since I'm not too fond of scalping and profiteering, I couldn't abide it. But folks do and it's something I accept. Anyway, fast forward to about a week ago and troop is deploying downrange. He has no rifle now, no magazines, no ammo and sheepishly asks me if I can "keep an eye out for an AR and he'll pay me for it when he gets back."
Sure Scooter, I'll get right on that. First I ain't paying what folks are asking for right now. Second, kind of one of those things...you probably shouldn't have, but who am I to tell someone what they can or can't do. Had another troop say "I listed my AR for $6000 and got a hit!" Sure, he had all sorts of nifty bling and cool ninja stuff onboard...but most folks don't have that kind of money to be dropping. And really, price of parts might bring it close to $6000 right now, but a month from now if there's no ban? Maybe $3500 or so. Anyway, ask him the same thing "and what would you be using if the SHTF?" since he is supposedly a prepper as well.
"Well, when I get out and get into a police department, they'll issue me one."
Nice, but what about right now? Concedes the point and I convince him to hold onto it for the moment. At least I think I did. But I'm probably expecting a very sheepish question of "know where I can find an AR right now?" sometime later. It's what Matt likes to call "play pretend survivalists." You had the tools you decided to sell because someone flashed a wad of cash at you. Some people call it greed, I call it stupidity.
Anyway, getting into the point of this thread. Sometimes you look at your items, look at the market price folks are paying and wonder "why not?" Okay, not a bad idea so to speak. But only if you have extra. Now this not only goes for firearms, but for your preps overall. 1Admin mentioned now is the time to sell if you have the capability to do so. If you have a box full of spare mags you haven't used in ages, maybe now would be a good opportunity to flip them for some cash. If you have an extra AR or AK, you will come out ahead on the deal.
But one of those things, don't short yourself just because you have dollar signs flashing in front of your eyes. Sure, $6K is a lot of money for someone in the military that probably will get a department issued AR later. But if you are serious about the preparedness lifestyle, maybe two is one and all that. Maybe your department gives you an AR later, but with budget cuts you end up getting the ax. Now you are without a rifle and a ban went into effect. And even though you had one, they just aren't available now. During an emergency situation, gas prices tend to soar. Think hurricanes and whatnot. Just because you have 25 gallons saved up and gas is going for $10 a gallon doesn't mean you should sell 10 gallons. Maybe the power outages last a lot longer than planned and you are now without a generator to run your essential equipment.
Before selling, look at your overall situation and cost of replacement. How much can you afford to give up before it hurts you. And more importantly, how much will it set you back in replacement. Take Troop #1 for example. There is no way right now he can afford to replace that AR he sold. Not with Olympic Arms and Del-Ton parts kit rifles going for $1500 minimum. So cost of replacement is key. If you sell half your magazine stash, will you still have enough to last you in case there is a ban? Or during an emergency, will you have enough gas to run what you need run until the power comes back on? Just two items I know, and there are plenty more.
Overall, now is the time to maybe look at moving some of the stuff you have. Or during an emergency situation, reducing some of your items if you have a metric butt ton of said items. Not end of the world PAW type thing, but natural disaster and whatnot. But only if:
The cost of replacing said item isn't going to be more than what you are getting.
You don't short yourself overall. I've sold some stuff in the past month, moved some things around, but certainly not set myself short. I know when enough might be too much and know better than to short myself overall.
Said item will be available post-situation. (generators are a prime example since Hurricane Sandy. Even now, it's hard to find a generator)
You aren't blinded by dollar signs. Folks have more money than sense sometimes and right now seems to be the case in the firearms world. They can and will pay whatever you ask (well, within reason) and go away smiling. Be careful that you don't sell something you might regret later on because you can't replace it or the cost of which is more than you got paid.
I'll probably keep an eye out for said troop and his AR situation. Not going to spend a lot of time doing it for someone who should have known better, but I'll poke around from time to time. But his situation got me to thinking about it overall and figured I'd post something about not cutting yourself short when you really should know better.
Comment