Thread: Shoot or Not to Shoot

A 25 year old unfired gun? At this point, I'd keep it unfired

If its a keeper I'd use it for what it was meant for,shooting.
I f you're keeping it as an investment only, put it in the safe

Bring that puppy to the swamp and I'll make it hunt for you. That's why they got triggers. Shoot the dang thing.

Its a gun, it was meant to be shot.

I would shoot it.

It would be an insult not to shoot it.

U guys are crazy - Some people here do have safe queens. IF it has been unfired for 25 years, I'd keep it as is.

No your the crazy one. What are you going to do die, and leave it to your kids who are just going to shoot it anyway. Or maybe they will sell it to buy something like new furniture. Give me a break. You bought it to enjoy it, and how can you enjoy it if you never shoot it. You want to look at something buy a picture. 10-4.

He didn't buy it - he inherited it.

So while I may be crazy, I can read

I can read too, and so it's a family airloom. Never sell it, but shooting it is not going to hurt it any. I got one gun here that is over 100yrs old. It was my grandfathers and I still shoot it ever once in a while. I am not going to shoot the barrel out of it, but I will enjoy it.

I'd shoot it. Theres a hell of a big difference between using and abusing a gun. It was made to be shot, its not going to hurt it.

I have a friend who collects Winchester and Sharps rifles, many of which are worth $25,000+ he shoots 'em all on a regular basis.

I would shoot it!

Thanks for your input, I'm going to shoot it, because that's how I enjoy guns. I just didn't want to do something I would regret later.

My brother-in-law used to own a collecter's Colt. It was stolen in a house burglary.

His biggest regret was that he never shot the gun.

He made sure he shot the replacement.

WM

Have you considered the value of it unfired? Maybe you want a special gun. Use it for trade-in value or sell outright. Once it's fired......the value drops.

Originally Posted by SigZagger

Have you considered the value of it unfired? Maybe you want a special gun. Use it for trade-in value or sell outright. Once it's fired......the value drops.

This is what my brother-in-law believed ... until the gun was stolen.

If it's going to be strictly an investment for your future, check out its value and find a safe place to lock it up, and try to forget you own it, until you need the money.

If sentiment or joy of ownership is more important, then shoot it gently.

The question is, which is of the most value to you.

WM

I have been close to the retail gun business for over 25 years and I have not seen the difference between positively unshot and like new guns as far as price goes. I would say that there is very little to be lost by firing and keeping the gun in very good condition. You will not wear it out shooting it. Blue guns should be kept out of holsters but a stainless gun does not need to be pampered as much.

I agree with jimg11. Shoot it and enjoy.

I don't see a long line of collectors looking for any 629's Also wasn't it shot a factory(test fired) If so its be shot .Shoot the baby and enjoy. It ain't going to hurt it

fire it

It will get better with use. If you want a nice family heirloom to pass on then you need to shoot it. You just owe it to the next generation to give a nice broken-in, smooth-as-glass N-frame .44.

If you don't, then sell it for something you want to fire. The 29's and 629's are not meant to be safe queens. They're shooters. And they do that really, really well. My Smiths are older than your 629 and I shoot them plenty.

then i'd get a mould or two and cast some bullets and reload the cases for the time i went shooting to remember where she came from... my wife inherited her father's gun he used when he was a town cop here.. it's the cutest little colt .38 snubbie det spl..... i reload for it and my s&w model 27 (i like shooting a little stouter loads in it tho)... shooter an be happy!!



LIFE IS SHORT..........

Tough spot! I do not even want to go there! My son will enheret my 629 classic deluxe. sooner than I might want him to but then again who knows? he's a golfer and hasn't shown much interest in handguns. To me that gun is the max effort of S&W! Of course I want him to keep it, but it's just as important to me that he shoots it! 8x18 inch plates at 50 yards is a walk in the park for that gun and he needs to find that out for himself. ( young eyes should take that to 75 yards easy) If not then sell it and buy more clubs! Now this is a gun that has been shot and was bought for that reason,as for your dad's gun, that will be your call.