Unfired Customized Guns - I don't get it!

[ElDub1950]

You see it almost daily here.

1. Buy run-of-the-mill gun you're not sure you want.
2. Don't shoot it
3. Have $200-$400 of custom work done to it
4. Don't shoot it
5. Add another $200 of mags & accessories
6. Shoot 50 rounds (maybe)
7. List it for sale (not a price discussion)

I don't get it. What's the thought process? I'm sure sometimes they mod it into uselessness. Maybe they think they boosting the value?

I dunno. Seems goofy to me.

It would make sense if someone bought one, tried it, found some things they didn't care for and had some work done or did it themselves but couldn't end up with something they liked a lot, so sold it to try something else. But that's obviously not what happens.

[Lucky Scott]

Everybody is different. I have friends with lots of guns that never shoot. Used to drive me crazy. Now, I got used to it. They will stop by and talk to me about guns, buy more guns, even show interest when I tell them I go to the range all the time, but never go.
I used to invite them all the time, but they just are not interested in shooting. That is just how it is.
I am also into drag racing. I know guys that love to work on cars, but never take them out and race them or drive them. They spend tons of money on their cars, but they never leave the garage.

[hermosabeach]

I watched a video and the expert claimed that the average gun is fired 7 times by the owner.

Many of the folks who buy a self defense gun never train with it, never take a class and never target shoot.

How many cal gunners have 10+ guns and shoot once or twice a year??

Lots of guys who are 40-60 buy toys for fun, soup up the toys and sell the toys.
4 year old Harley's with 1,800 miles
Once used parabolic skis traded in on a new model when the old ones are unused.


It happens

[toby]

Saves you $$$

[v.kevin]

I seen a custom built AR for sale locally. Cerakote, all kinds of spiffy parts and it looked beautiful. Never Fired*

I was like, WTF!

Don't you want to test it out, at least?

[CK_32]

Hey I love it.


Usually saves me $$ in the long run.

About 12 of my 18 guns are used from members here

[BarrettM99]

I'm all for it. Love those guys. Saves me a bunch of cash for ammo.

[Loubot10]

I'm always surprised at the number of people who consider 1K rounds as a "played out" weapon when it's designed to last tens of thousands of rounds.

I think that's part of it.

[JustaBlokeAnywhere]

It's a hobby. I've been guilty of buying something because some aspect of it interested me (example...ex-sniper Mosin, bought, it, cleaned it, fondled it, studied it, put it safe for years then sold it). Why didn't I shoot it, cause I have tons of other toys I enjoy shooting. And the Mosin was of no interest to me anymore.

[trackcage]

If you have to ask, you don't get it. I don't either, but you can't tell people how to spend their money or how often they need to use their things.

What rubs me the wrong way is then asking for a premium for their mods. I refuse to pay for mods I didn't want, and if I did want those mods, I would usually prefer to do it myself (depending on the mechanical ability required, my faith in their mechanical ability, etc.). But this isn't a price discussion so I digress...

[Devilmonkey89]

Safe queen? Never heard of her. The guns i own i shoot. No sense in spending money then not enjoying it.

[PyroFox79]

Wait you guys actually shoot your guns? I thought they were just for taking pictures of and pretending to be rambo

[Batman]

A couple of things come to mind.

You saw a gun either at a shop, online, in this forum (yeah.... you know what I'm talking about), etc. and you just HAD to have it! So you get it, and after waiting the 10-Day-Trail-of-Anticipation, it's now in your hot little hands! So after fondling and whispering sweet nothings in its ears, you then start to customize it, because Lord KNOWS you can't just leave it stock! So after you get it all Bubba'd out (or Operatored or whatever the heck else you want to call it), you finally get a chance to get it out to the range. And you load it up and with giddy excitement, you pull the trigger.........




And then you're over it. The magic from those few weeks to months (or in some cases years) has gone away like a little kid's balloon at the county fair. And while you probably don't hate the gun, the bloom is definitely off the rose as far as you're concerned. Maybe the sights sucked. Maybe it wasn't accurate. Or it hurt to shoot it. Who knows? It could be any, all, or some other reason. So off to the safe it goes. And then a few days, weeks, months, or years go by, and you post it up with the obligatory "only 200 rounds fired" statement and try to get some of your money back. And in some cases all your money and enough to cover those 200 gold-plated rounds you fired off.

JMHO....

[CinnamonBear723]

Unfortunately some of, if not most of, the people here think 50 rounds is a lot. Heck, some people think a few thousand rounds is a lot. And they think adding a lot of nonsense, cool looking, features to a gun makes is way better, not to mention tacticool. I can shoot just as well with fixed standard sights, as i can with trijicon night sights and such. Its all a bunch of nonsense. Just like the people selling Glock 43's for $1500 when Glock itself sells them for under $400. Like the old saying goes, "There's a sucker born every minute."

[Merc1138]

Meh, whatever.

There are people on calguns who shoot maybe once or twice a year(if that).
There are people on calguns who think someone having 1000 rounds of 9mm on hand is "excessive".
There are people on calguns who think having more than 1 pistol or shotgun is ridiculous.
There are people on calguns who post how they're "bored" with their guns for whatever reason.

If people enthusiastic enough about guns post like that on a message board about guns, of course the general public that owns guns is going to skew way into the "barely break it in" territory. Personally I don't care. The thing is, it happens a LOT in plenty of hobbies.

Back when I played paintball, there was no way in hell I was going to blow $1000 on a high end marker. But I'd definitely take someone's barely used marker for a fraction of the cost. My compound bow I bought used, just the bow itself(no sights, rest, stabilizers) retailed for something ridiculous like $1500, paid $300 and got the stabs with it almost brand new(hell, there was barely wear on the cam from setting it on the ground). Their loss, my gain. As far as the people I know that own guns and never shoot, I simply don't bother inviting them along to the range. They never want to go, or they'll flake, so it's not worth any effort on my part to care. It's their money and if they want to leave something to collect dust and maybe sell later for less, maybe I'll give a crap if I'm interested in the asking price. I have my guns, other people have theirs. I know I've shot more in a day at the range than some people have in 5 years. It doesn't make a difference to anyone.

What's funny though, is the people buying a beat to **** mosin at big 5, buying a $200 stock, a $100 trigger, $100 scope mount, a $50 barska scope, and then get surprised when they've never shot a firearm in their life before and can barely keep it on the paper at 50 yards shooting surplus ammo. But beyond getting a chuckle out of it, I don't care.