Shoot It or Keep it Mint?

AR/M4 AR General Discussion
1

Right after the election debacle here in New Mexico, with a governor-elect being very much anti-AR and standard cap mags, I decided to purchase another Colt M4 “just because I can.”

Normally, I can’t stand not shooting a firearm I own at least once to make sure it doesn’t have a major issue right off the bat and to get it sighted in at least with irons.

In this case, though, I’m thinking about keeping it new and unfired to help it hold its value.

Note that I own enough Colts that I don’t NEED to shoot this one to have an HD weapon or even a range toy. It was just an “I’m gonna buy another one just because” purchase.

What would you do? Shoot it or keep it NIB?

2

If it doesn’t have a role currently, just keep it mint I would say. If things get really bad you can always move it for a profit.

3

I would keep it NIB. Like you said, you have plenty of other firearms to shoot so bang on those and keep this one tucked away.

4

Run a few full clips through it.

5

Fellow NM here. Sounds like you bought it as an investment and, since you have other AR’s, it wouldn’t hurt to keep it NIB as long as you can.

Who knows what craziness will hit our state. There may even be a no grandfather clause that would deny us to resell “assault” weapons or high capacity magazines to residents. You could possibly sell it out of state but there is potential that it wouldn’t be worth more than you paid for it if the ban isn’t a national one.

6

I should add that I did complete inspection on it to make sure all the staking was done, the BCG is “C” and “MPC” marked.

For a collector the only “iffy” thing is that the serial number starts with “CR” instead of “LE” but that wouldn’t (and didn’t) stop me from wanting it. I suspect the serial number fetish represents a tiny universe of Colt buyers.

7

If I had to sell it out of state I can just put it on consignment at a gun shop in El Paso, Texas (or at least I could a few years ago).

Although it has been almost impossible to get gun laws passed in NM historically, people are saying this time might be different since our state is turning dark blue. The legislature is hamstrung by time limits on their sessions, so they usually spend all their time on budget items. But you never know.

I’m thinking down the road ten years or so. If the mass-shootings eventually turn the national political atmosphere toward restricting or outlawing these firearms, then just because it’s a new, unfired Colt M4 might make it worthwhile to hold onto until I turn retirement age and then try to sell it.

I’m told by several sources that the younger generation may not be picking up the enthusiasm for the gun culture and in a few years we may have a LOT more to worry about. That could also be a bunch of hooey.

Another consideration: Not that my M4 will become a sought-after collectible, but you never know. Twenty-five years ago I owned a Colt “Match Target”. I recently saw a NIB example that actually sold on one of the auction sites for several times what I paid for mine. That kind of made me want to buy another “just cuz.”

8

Test fire it. It won’t alter the value as it is test fired at the factory anyway.

9

Give it so much clips!!

10

Why did you buy this new Colt? To have another to shoot, or to sell for a profit? If the former, go shoot it and don’t look back. If the latter, leave it in the box and put it away. There’s no guarantee you’ll make much (If any) money on the deal, but the rifle and the packaging will be worth more kept as pristine as possible.

You can always buy another so you’ve got one to keep and one to shoot.

11

Plot twist:

No Colt comes out of the factory unfired.

Having an unfired Colt is an impossibility.

12

True. So in a way I don’t need to test fire it. How many rounds would you say it’s tested with at the factory (anybody)?

13

Based on this and what you said in your first post, I’d vote NIB.

You mentioned ‘serial number fetish’ so I’ll add that even if you do shoot it, you may want to keep that ‘C’ marked BCG in pristine condition. (a little tongue-in-cheek, but not much).

Seriously, there are several ways to look at ‘I’m thinking about keeping it new and unfired to help it hold its value:’

If your thoughts on hold it’s value are to sell at a profit in the event of another panic, that is probably prudent, as long as you can afford to have the cash tied up in ‘inventory’ sitting around.

Of course if there is no panic, it is more than likely that the rifle won’t appreciate in value enough to be worthwhile as a long term investment in your lifetime.

JMO

14

There is a case where it might appreciate. Colt has a checkered history of doing things like changing model designations (Match Target for example) and adding funny modifications ostensibly to prevent the addition of full auto parts, etc.

I could see a scenario where different management at Colt decides to rename the M4 the “Civilian Carbine” or some other politically neutral designation to placate the gun grabbers.

If the mass shootings continue (which they will) I could see the political climate make the manufacturers jump through all kinds of hoops.

In that event a “pre-freakout” Colt M4 would appreciate in value.

I’m amazed that some people consider the 1990’s ban style Colts to be collectible now. Wish I’d held onto mine.

15

Just stash it for later. I have done the same thing with a factory FDE anodized Colt 6920 with matching Magpul FDE furniture.

16

How do you know it works if you don’t shoot it?

17

Well, I Googled and for once the Search Fu was successful:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/08/us/colt-factory-gun-debate/index.html

Colt has invested millions of dollars to modernize the facility and keep up with demand. All major components are made inside these walls. Smaller parts come mostly from suppliers within a 50-mile radius.

The plant is divided in two. One side is dedicated to making handguns, the other to military weapons and the AR-15.

Not too far away, gray-haired grandmas and rugged blue-collar men put together AR-15s in an assembly line. Each gun is test-fired at least 40 times in the plant’s indoor gun range.

The article is from 2013 but I have no reason to suspect things changed that drastically in five years.

And here’s why we are in the salad days of Colt AR’s and why anything could happen:

But in 1989, Colt executives decided to stop making them after the AR-15 became the gun of choice among drug gangs. “We sense a great concern on the part of the government toward the possible inappropriate misuse of semi-automatic weapons,” then-Colt spokesman Michael Dunn told The New York Times. “We’re responding to that concern.”

William Bennett, then head of the nation’s drug policy under President George H.W. Bush, called the decision “an active civic responsibility” and said he was “confident that our country is better for it.”

The decision didn’t last, though. A year later, under new leadership, Colt began making AR-15s again.

And another interesting tidbit that seems to suggest it’s better to leave a new one unfired if you want it to retain its value (although they are talking about a collector grade firearm and not a mass-produced one, IMHO the principal still applies):

Inside the factory’s custom shop, George Spring chiseled away. A master engraver who has worked for Colt since 1975, Spring has custom designed guns for people ranging from presidents to Hollywood stars to janitors.

At least one of his guns, with intricate gold inlays, fetched $150,000. Others have gone for $40,000. Near his work station is what he described as the only engraved Colt Gatling gun in the world. He and one of his fellow engravers spent 100 hours on it, carving the Colt onion dome onto the barrel. It’s value: more than $60,000.

Unlike the mass-produced guns on the factory line, his guns should never be fired. “If you do shoot the gun, you’re actually going to take value off of it,” Spring said.

And here is the “quote to end all quotes” as to what constitutes an “assault weapon”:

“Any weapon that you pick up and assault somebody with is an assault weapon. I don’t care if it’s a typewriter or a chair or a table.”

“If the AR-15 was responsible for Sandy Hook, then airplanes are responsible for the World Trade Center. Isn’t that one and the same?” he said. “It’s the people that do it, not the guns.”

Honestly, read the whole article. It’s great. It sort of refutes the negative attitude of that gentleman with the beard who used to work for Colt and has posted YouTube videos complaining about the company.

Here’s another source that says Colt AR’s are test-fired 30 times at the factory:

https://www.wonews.com/t-FeatureReport_ColtM4Comus_120711.aspx

One thing that sets Colt AR rifles from some of the others is that at Colt, every rifle is test fired 30 rounds at factory.

Although the heavy barrel guns come without sights, the sights that are on the other rifles are all tested for function and sighted-in. This means that each and every rifle has been tested to make sure that it works — all of it, right down to the sights.

My take: Thirty rounds seems more likely since that’s the capacity of one magazine. So Colt runs one magazine through each AR.

I know some people (myself included) don’t consider a weapon fully vetted until it’s had several hundred rounds through it, but one can also carry that out to a ridiculous degree. How much is enough? 500 rounds? A thousand? Five thousand? I’ve had parts fail at more than 1,000 rounds but less than 3,000. So at some point you just have to decide for yourself when to call it good.

Bottom line: I lean toward leaving the rifle NIB with a good coat of oil on all parts.

18

I did something similar, put a Colt 6920 Trooper on layaway this fall. I have 2 main ARs that are fully vetted plus a training rifle that takes the majority of the range beatings and steel cased ammo.

I will likely inspect my Colt and put it up for the time being - not because I want to keep it mint, but I really don’t need to shoot it - even though I have some of my favorite accessories inbound from Black Friday sales (BCM furniture, Geissele CH, etc).

19

I don’t look at the AR like a 1911. If it’s made from good parts with the correct gas port, there’s no vetting for me beyond the first few mags.

20

So you bought a Colt to ostensibly flip it and make money. So why bother shooting it if the intent is to sell it? Do you actually need another AR to shoot?