Giving up shooting

[Sim G]

You'll feel a lot better for it
Just remember that terrible feeling of wasting all that money you used to get, spending thousands on expensive rifles, scopes and ammunition and then you still couldn't hit anything!

Roger spend 1000’s? C’mon Jeff, there’s a reason for the “Dodgy” moniker!

[dodgyrog]

Thanks for your kind words - not you Phaedra you old git!

[Alpha1]

Sorry to hear that I know how keen you were on your Shooting. I know were you are coming from most of my stuff has gone the rest of it is for sale. I need to get rid of the re loading stuff etc. Luckily I have other hobbies that dont save me any money but at leat I can sell what I make and I have a new Work Shop behind my house that I can idle the time away in to stop me getting bored.
All the best for the future.

[bradaz11]

that sucks. sorry to hear it

[targetman]

Regrettably I am in the same position, advancing age, arthritis, fading eyesight along with the new security requirements I have come to the conclusion that now, as I approach 80, it is time to quit. Problem is how the hell do I get rid of 25 Sec1 rifles??

[Graham M]

Don't take them to a dealer. Friend of mine has just lost his wife and has decided to give up shooting and sell all his stuff.
Took 6 rifles worth between £600 - £1000 each to a dealer and was offered £500 for the lot.
Why on earth he didn't tell him to get stuffed is beyond me, as he could have taken them to the club and asked for a decent price each, and maybe only sold 2 of them, for more money than he got from that dealer.
I know dealers have to make money, but he could have been a little more subtle when offering a pittance for some nice rifles.

[Mattnall]

Sorry to hear all the stories of folk giving up, but if circumstances dictate, I fully understand. It'll come to us all at some point.

With regard to getting rid of firearms, DO NOT HAND TO THE POLICE - this is a last resort. They are not set up to store firearms and would rather not have them generally, you will not get anything for them and there is always the risk they get put in a statistic list somewhere that could be used against us by others.

Looking at giving up and getting some money for firearms is a tricky situation.

If you can sell privately or donate (or sell) to a club or their members, that would be a good. This is often dependent upon slots available and is often easier with 22RFs and clubs using the MR rules, certainly until they change.
Failing that, the RFD is the last option. Bear in mind that the second hand firearm market is almost non-existent. You won't get much and even if selling on a commission basis it could take months or even years to sell and the storage is not worth the effort of most RFDs. Seeing what used firearms are priced at on their shelves is what the dealer needs to realise to keep in business - and it could be there for years.
The auction houses are a similar story; you'll likely get less than the RFD offers,the return is very small and many do not even take certain firearms, especially single barrel or Spanish sbs shotguns at all. The joy here is that once accepted they'll be sold even if at a loss, or perhaps destroyed if they stay too long.

[Dellboy]

Don't take them to a dealer. Friend of mine has just lost his wife and has decided to give up shooting and sell all his stuff.
Took 6 rifles worth between £600 - £1000 each to a dealer and was offered £500 for the lot.
Why on earth he didn't tell him to get stuffed is beyond me, as he could have taken them to the club and asked for a decent price each, and maybe only sold 2 of them, for more money than he got from that dealer.
I know dealers have to make money, but he could have been a little more subtle when offering a pittance for some nice rifles.

The trouble is sales of guns has dropped by 30% at least .
I have had 5 calls in the last4 weeks with guns fron people giving up .
Auction houses are rammed and a high percentage is going abroad .
The values are just not there .
4 working shotguns cut up last week probably the same next week .

[Tallguy]

Don't take them to a dealer. Friend of mine has just lost his wife and has decided to give up shooting and sell all his stuff.
Took 6 rifles worth between £600 - £1000 each to a dealer and was offered £500 for the lot.
Why on earth he didn't tell him to get stuffed is beyond me, as he could have taken them to the club and asked for a decent price each, and maybe only sold 2 of them, for more money than he got from that dealer.
I know dealers have to make money, but he could have been a little more subtle when offering a pittance for some nice rifles.

The trouble is sales of guns has dropped by 30% at least .
I have had 5 calls in the last4 weeks with guns fron people giving up .
Auction houses are rammed and a high percentage is going abroad .
The values are just not there .
4 working shotguns cut up last week probably the same next week .

I know of one RFD who last year was sitting on £1M of new and used stock. They are still in business and long May they continue to do so.

[billgatese30]

I know of one RFD who last year was sitting on £1M of new and used stock. They are still in business and long May they continue to do so.

There's a hell of a lot of RFDs who wouldn't have the cash flow and credit to support that amount of stock, hence why so many are reluctant to take in trades or straight purchases unless its a commission based sale where they don't have any capital tied up in the firearm.