why so many guns for sale haven't been shot?

[Bikenut]

Unfired guns? I'm afraid to look in the back of the safe because I'm sure I'll find a gun or 3 that I forgot I had much less fired them.

[Ol` Joe]

Some of those guns were won at raffles or events and not what the owner wants or is something they have little interest in. Then too there are the people that buy a gun for home protection, stick it in the bottle of their underwire drawer and forget it’s there for the next 15/20 years.

[Sledhead]

I know a guy that won two .270's in two raffles the same year.
Traded one for a .357 pistol and stuffed the other one in the safe. Never to be seen again, unfired.

[.38special]

I can't be the only one that can't get a gun and not try it out within hours of buying it? Can i? My wife thinks I have a problem.... but I thought everyone did it?

[TheWabbit]

I have 2 rifles and a pistol I have never fired, Life just gets in the way, I have been to indoor ranges only 4 times in the last 2 years and was shooting my EDC. I have an hour drive to where I like to shoot rifles and just haven't been able to make it.

[Tom M]

Right now, I've got an NIB S&W 41 that hasn't seen the light of day since I bought it a few years ago. Also have a used Colt Trooper .357 that I've had for a few years, and never shot. Both are for sale.

Earlier in the year, I sold several guns that were unfired, as I decided to get out of the shooting sports.

It's not all that unusual for guys who have a lot of guns.

[gman]

I have too many hobby's that I can use the funds for than to have a bunch of guns in my safe un-shot. I for one will shoot every gun I own (for me), but this last winter I started collecting .22's (rifles and pistols) to give to my six grandkids. Some I had already and have been shot, some I purchased in the winter new and let the grandkids pick the ones they would like when grandpa goes horizontal. The guns that are new will sit un-shot until the grandchild that has their name on it can actually come over and sight it in. I thought it might have more sentimental value to them if they can say they were the first to put rounds down range with it, but who knows, they may end up for sale on a gun forum someday after I'm gone.

[MC Sniper]

It’s like Craigslist and cars. All I ever see I the description of the car is “Highway” miles. Like EVERY car with high miles is a Highway miles vehicle. I’ve never seen someone post a car and say they’ve driven the snot out of it on Detroit city streets. Heel, even the bros in the D. Tell you it’s all highway miles.
My Honda will be up for sale soon with all its 200,000 miles of mostly city driving. But I guess if I say it’s highway miles it will command top dollar or sell quicker?

[HKmanlp1]

An HK P7M8 unfired, sure. An old school Colt python unfired, sure. A Wilson Combat Supergrade 1911 unfired, sure. What gets me is the never ending barrage of folks in the classifieds that are like "look at my Gen 4 unfired Glock 19". Or "my generic Sig 365 with 15 mags, optic, 3 holsters, and it's also unfired". But my favorite is when its unfired and a .40 S&W, and they still think it deserves astronomical prices.

Okay rant over.

[mittenman]

Exactly my situation! On top of all you said, I absolutely HATE cleaning my guns. As a lazy ass, that factors in big on my end. The riots/covid made no difference to me, but the high ammo cost/availability was a factor in my shooting less. I'm going to check and see how many of my 40-ish guns I have actually shot. Just did...I have only shot 29 of of my 42 guns. Most are not new, but were new to me. I should thin the herd a bit...

Regards,
Costanza

Same here. I easily own twices as many as I’ve shot. When you get into collecting which most of are when you get to the point of several dozen to a few hundred guns, rather it’s S&W revolvers, 1911 pattern pistols, AK’s, Winchester’s or even deer rifles. At some point you own enough and have shot enough that it’s about collecting. I don’t need to shoot each one of them. How many bolt action .30-06 deer rifles, Winchester pre 64 model 94 or M70’s, AK’s, S&W revolvers or whatever the case may be does someone need to shoot to understand the recoil impulse ect. You tend to settle on a few shooters and the rest mostly as collection fillers.