[Mainer]

I am not into buying guns for investment purposes, because I simply lack the knowledge to do it successfully.

However, I found a NIB P228 at a local dealer a couple of months ago that has my attention. I was in the shop last week, and he still has it. He is asking $800.

Since the P228 is no longer made, would this be worth picking up?

It has set there for two months, so perhaps that is an indication that the answer is no?

 

[GCBHM]

No, these guns are not in any way investments for monetary gain. For personal interests, sure, but it is doubtful it will every go up in value much, unless it is a limited edition of some kind. I saw one at my LGS recently, in near new condition, for $750. It's a battle gun. Not a collector.

 

[HazeGrayJeep]

The only guns worth buying for investments are either full auto or with a documented providence of being owned and/or used by someone noted in history.

 

[Flash LB]

Most guns go up in value, but not all.

I've got 8 Colt Peacemaker/New Frontier .22LR/.22WMR revolvers NIB in the safe. The buying price in the mid 80's was $95.00 each. Now they're worth around $700.00 each.

Not a bad return, but you can do a lot better than that other places.

 

[bearone2]

not enough information to venture a guess if it's a good buy.

 

[Trave1ingEast]

If it's not very old, very limited and with amazing provenance, odds are your wasting your time.

 

[Luckypup]

Buying guns as an investment is like buying art....you buy it cause you like it. Not many of these purchases will do much better than inflation and it generally takes a long time before they become worthwhile investments. This does not apply to dyed in the wool gun traders who are really on top of their game. The guns that have been good investments for me were bought eons ago. Am sure nothing I have bought in the past 5 years would get my money back easily today.

 

[Sigarms228]

Firearms are not a good investment considering other options available. Buy one because you really like it for investment in fun and pride of ownership, and not for financial investment purposes IMO. As far as that P228 it depends if it is really NIB, German or W. German proofed with triple serial numbers, and comes with original case with matching serial number and test target. Be advised that SIG sold a fair amount of P228s in the last 5 or so years as CPOs that had been refinished.

 

[PittsS1]

Guns as an investment is largely a myth.

That being said, it can be done. It's more often successful in high quality sporting guns, like engraved vintage guns. But certain individual modern guns have appreciated, although it's rarer. Guns as investments have many pitfalls, which equates to risk. Risk of losing money. To me, any modern gun is a depreciating type of utility/sporting tool.

Also, the economy has a lot to do with the value of collectables. In the years of the last recession, collectables of all kinds dropped like a lead balloon. Now, collectables are booming again. If you had the disposable financial resources to have bought collectables 7-8 years ago, you may have been able to make some decent money.

 

[dmspec]

To me guns are an investment in my mental health because of the recreational value they have not unlike spending a ridiculous amount to go on vacation somewhere for a few days. At least with a gun after I spend the money, I have something cool for the rest of my life that I can enjoy time and again and then hand down and make someone else really happy. But as a financial investment, guns are not it. Buy gold or silver when its cheap in good times and then sell it when the economy tanks (which it always does) or just stuff your money in a good mutual fund, you'll do much better.

 

[AaInMo]

You shouldn't buy a gun unless you plan on shooting it. You also shouldn't buy a gun if you don't think you can afford it, or if you are planning to sell something else to afford it. It's just not worth it (for any number of reasons, which I won't go into here).

 

[ScrapRat]

Like investing in cars. Very few production models appreciate in value and anything easy to buy won't increase in value until it is no longer easy to buy - so long as it still has broad appeal. Many classic muscle cars sell at auction today for 100x their original price because in the 60's & early 70's no one knew what they had would eventually be extremely rare. If every '69 Charger R/T or GTO Judge was kept in a heated garage under a cover they'd still be desirable, but wouldn't be worth a couple hundred grand today. A gun I'd really like to own is an HK P7M13 with the factory nickel finish, should have bought one a decade ago for a grand. Now I see prices start over twice that for well used black guns and the nickel finish version, only made for a year, bluebook value is over $4,000.

Mutual funds are a good choice. Least risky ones for those close or past retirement, a mix of somewhat risky & slow steady growth for younger people. Buy guns to shoot while the mutual funds do what they do best.