Still worthwhile getting into C&R collecting?

[DennisCA]

A person that works with me, knows I have been collecting C&R firearms for awhile now and he is thinking about starting collecting too.

What do y'all think - still worthwhile getting into?

It is def not as inexpensive (aka cheap) as it used to be!

[huntingsocal]

Nope, no more deals to be had out there but if he does happen to hear of anything be sure to tell him to call you to check it out

[j-shot]

Why not get into it right?

[2meterB]

Never as cheap as it was
Always cheaper than it will be

[Armistice]

Deals can still be had. I honestly wouldn't bother with an 03 and CoE. Save the money... unless he wants to go hog wild, then it might be a good idea

[Discogodfather]

The metric is really about two things, actual value collecting and collecting for the love of the object, history, etc. Most successful collectors have both angles, meaning they love the history and tradition and also pay attention to the market, careful not to make mistakes or bad moves.

If all you care about is getting more money / using it as an investment, then there are much better things to invest in. If you read, research, show your guns, and discuss them with others then that process will guide you to value, because that's what makes any of it worth anything.

In other words, I believe if you love it for what it is and deeply invest, it will pay off in the long term as a decent investment. Most of the investment is time reading and discussing with others, and the more you do this the less money you will spend.

[Flyin Brian]

The main difference I see now compared to when I started is that mistakes are more expensive!! If you bought something that turned out to be refinished or had some part broken, it used to be you could get your money out of it if you bought it at the right price... lately it seems at the higher prices that you better know what the hell you are doing or you are going to get burned.

I refer to the price paid for my C&R mistakes as my "tuition". I've definitely made unintentional investments into my collecting education a few times :/

[SVT-40]

Half the fun is hunting for new rifles.....

[empirearms]

Quality, not quantity, is the answer.

[Freedom_shooter]

As others have stated: collecting to invest and turn a profit isn't very profitable. Unless of course you plan on holding onto these rifles for 10+ years perhaps.

If you know that you are going to collect in the future then sooner the better. Also new legislation could make it near impossible or very very expensive in the not so distant future.

[littlejake]

The present ambiguity in CA law makes it not worth the risk.
The FFL-3 will permit purchase while out-of-state; then self report.
Shipping from OOS to one's FFL-3 premises, with a COE, seems unclear as to legality. Same with in-state. Only face-to-face with the receiving party have both the FFL-3 and COE (and of course both CA residents); then filing the in-state acquisition form. Same transfer involving shipping is unclear.

Until CA is broken up into smaller "free" states, collecting is for those with deep pockets who can afford to fight the state with the finest firearm's legal minds.

We connect SF to SAC to LA with a narrow strip of land and call that CA; the rest becomes the free state of Jefferson.

[eagle eye]

Collecting yes
Licencing not

[hollowpoint67]

There are still deals to be had, you just need to know the market rate and the item. Buy all you can afford IMO, price is only going up and we all know the stories of "back in my day a mosin / russian capture k98 was $80" etc.

[rdfact]

An FFL03 and COE will allow you to avoid paying fees to an FFL01. So do the math - if the cost of acquiring and renewing those licenses are less than the FFL01 fees you would pay for the guns you want to purchase then it makes sense. It's also nice to skip the 10 day waits.

[not-fishing]

An FFL03 and COE will allow you to avoid paying fees to an FFL01. So do the math - if the cost of acquiring and renewing those licenses are less than the FFL01 fees you would pay for the guns you want to purchase then it makes sense. It's also nice to skip the 10 day waits.

Ah no they've changed the laws so that a gun shipped in from out of state must go through a FFL01 for transfer with a DOJ transfer # which means the fees still apply.