SmythBusters: Upgrading Your Firearm Increases the Value
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
- Join Steve and Caleb from Brownells in this enlightening episode of SmythBusters, where they tackle a vital question for firearm enthusiasts: Does upgrading your AR-15 (or any firearm) increase its value? The duo explores the impact of firearm upgrades on resale value, shedding light on the market dynamics of selling upgraded firearms. They delve into the nuances of personalizing firearms and the practicality of selling components separately. From scopes and grips to buttstocks, learn about how these upgrades can influence your firearm's value and discover the best strategies to maximize your return. This episode is essential viewing for anyone interested in the intricacies of firearm customization and resale.
SmythBusters is back! It's going to get a bit spicy this year!
It's gonna get very spicy if you talk about PSA QC issues 😂
Looking forward to more SmythBusters! Please keep it up!
Avoid low resale prices on your guns by not selling them
and don't overvalue the used goods you have.
@@SoloRenegade I’m gonna tell your wife what you said about her
@@msquared9605 i'm not stupid enough to get married. And I'm not the kind of idiot that thinks I can sell stuff I own for more than it's worth new.
Selling private gun?!
@@skydivingcomrade1648 yeah?
Can you do a detailed video of how Caleb assembles his hair?
I think that is a trade secret.
That would be an ITAR violation.
You could set your watch to that haircut
He is a gangsta. His dark skinned woman does it for him every morning.
It involves a lot of epoxy resin.
Totally agree. Just sold my Sig P365 Spector Comp. Had a Holosun 507 Red dot on it. Couldn’t sell it for what I wanted. Took the Holosun off. Sold both separate and got what I wanted.
Most people don't want other people's upgrades. They certainly wouldn't pay extra for it
Facts
Always put stickers and punisher skulls all over your gear. Value X 7.5 . Every. Time.
Haha!
Hell yeah borther!!!
Make sure they match your red and blue anodized parts.
@@fire_tower yes! Lol.
😂
59 years old and have never sold a gun, I don't care what the value is, I build them as I want them, it hurts just thinking of selling one.
Nobody wants your lever action .30-30 lol
@@Enjoyer.762 Come on now, you know you want my 1894 Winchester .30-30 that was made in 1920. I really do have one and I love it. But I do admit I have a bit of fondness for the old cartridges and having a bit of Fudd in me.
My guns only go to a new home because I covet something more and it becomes trade bait
@genbigmac2872 Nobody wants your double barrel shotgun.
Was in a Cabela's gun library when a dude brought in an AR-15 that he had well over $1000 into it, and he was explaining about the upgrades that he did to it, and the guys at Cabela's basically told him that when they put it out in the case, people aren't going to see those upgrades as a reason to pay more than the non upgraded model next to it. The best part of this guy's story was that his wife told him he had to get rid of some guns if he was going to bring in more guns that he was inheriting from his father. Several people in the area offered to store his guns for him, if they could use them when they wanted to.
He needs to keep his wife in check.
Guy sounds whipped. Needs to stand up for himself
Guns are like Hot Rods (not vintage muscle cars) you rarely get what you have in it, most likely you will break even...maybe.
C is absolutely 💯 right...Personal Preference...
A gun- or anything else you may own- is worth exactly what someone else is willing to pay, and not one cent more, period.
I think it depends on what the upgrades are. If you replace a cheap barrel with a CHF chrome lined premium barrel it will be more desirable. Or if you replace a crappy mil spec trigger with an ALG ACT, It would be hard to find someone who would prefer the one that came with a basic lower parts kit. Also adding a decent free float handguard in place of those plastic things. Those things I mentioned are just solid upgrades and not so much a personalization thing.
As far as the scope, you can post it with the option. Like you can have the whole package for this price or if you want to buy just the rifle or just the scope then it is this other price. Mandating that they buy it with the scope is not a good idea but optioning it out isn't going to hurt anything.
Some people do like to be able to buy something with nice stuff on it and not have to deal with getting those parts themselves. Some people like nice stuff on the rifle but they don't like to tinker. You can cater to both types of buyers if you offer the options like that. In fact OEM manufacturers offer options where you can check the items you want included.
Totally agree. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and even one man's idea of "tactical" or just plain "practical" can differ wildly from another's.
Reminds me of when I tried selling a Century Arms AK to a local gun shop with a Burris 4x scope attached on a TWS Railed Dust Cover. They didn't care; scope had no effect on what they were willing to pay.
Century Arms lol. AK lol. Dog 💩
@@Enjoyer.762 Hush yo mouth...
BTW, I was able to sell it to someone.... without the scope.😉😉
I couldn't give away a century arms ak on armlist..finally... sold it..took a beating.
Glad you have made this video.I have a Firearms Business ,been in business for 20yrs.Have been involved in firearms for 50yrs.With that said.I have customers that want to sell their firearms with all kinds of upgrades and expect an increase in value, if you have a $500.00 firearm and you put $400.00 in upgrades, at the end of the day you still have a $500.00 firearm. You buy an automobile put in a sound system, custom wheels take it back to the dealer to sell it do you get more for that automobile ? Of course not Book value is Book value period.
Generally the case for contemporary firearms, but often not for vintage firearms. It depends. Military/milsurp collectors want original/military configurations, not sporterized rifles. But military configuration might require customization and aftermarket parts (Benelli M4, H&K G36, etc.) Where you'll really see value in customization is in vintage guns with desirable period upgrades. A scoped Mauser C96 carbine, a Fitz Special revolver, an ASP pistol, a Detonics compact 1911. Or maybe something customized by someone famous, like Elmer Keith's revolvers. Or perhaps just made by a famous gunsmith or custom shop that no longer exists, representing talent and equipment no longer for sale. Or maybe just a gun upgraded with period aftermarket parts that are long out of production but genuinely improved the gun and make it the best shooting example of an old discontinued gun.
It could even be cosmetic modifications of entirely subjective value that improve the value of a gun. Generic, vulgar engraving won't do much, but exceptional engraving or finishing it can make a gun a work of art. Or maybe it's high-end bluing or color case hardening. With the right gun, and maybe with the right rarity and demand, it could be a good value.
I generally would recommend against modifying a modern gun purely to increase it's value, unless you're a gunsmith and you know what you're doing (because it's their job to modify guns). This video is right that people have different preferences for personalization, and we can't predict what modifications will stand the test of time and be sought after in half a century.
That said, a proper trigger job ought to always increase the value of a gun at least a bit, if you're selling to an avid shooter. But do these modifications for your own enjoyment. Don't ever expect to recoup the cost on resale. It's not an investment. It's modifying the gun to work better for you. The next buyer probably won't appreciate the mods as much as you do, and won't be willing to pay as much as you did.
But I love seeing tricked-out guns from a hundred years ago that were modified by avid shooters into the best possible weapons technically possible at the time. I'd pay extra. Vintage scopes may be less functional, but they're neat and very appealing to collectors. There's nothing like an old sniper's rifle with a scope that's a few feet long with a spider silk crosshair. And while you could get just any old Sharps rifle, wouldn't you prefer to have one slicked up by a competive shooter or professional user way back one, Matthew Quigley style?
The older a gun is, the more special upgrades are. Although time will tell if this rule remains true, as on the age of ARs customization has become very common. But if you've got the right old gun, it might be worth more if it was customized. It's no longer a typical example, but it becomes an interesting historical piece in it's own right.
The only reason I have to upgrade a weapon is to increase its utility, as I never intend to sell any. As an aside, I think ATI stocks and grips are the bomb.
The extremely tiny exception are those very specific "clone" builds meant to replicate upgrades of a very specific firearm, usually one of high historical/cultural value and especially if it's one that has approval from someone directly related to the history.
You mean a very niche community of larperators who care about that stuff.
@@Enjoyer.762 Nah, just people like Brandon Herrera, Ian McCollum, iraqveteran8888, Henry Chan, GarandThumb, Colion Noir, hickok45, etc....
@eddietat95 Ok, so paid GunTubers and not average gun owners. Got it lol.
@@Enjoyer.762 You don't have to be a GunTuber to be rich. You just need to get a decent job and make sensible life decisions. Just so happens some of these well-to-do people like specific guns.
@eddietat95 Most people buy a factory AR15. Some purchase high-end quality like KAC, LMT, and DD. Others purchase budget-tier trash. You seem slow and are missing the point. Average gun owners don't care about clones like you do.
I don't buy firearms to sell them.
Same goes in the automotive world.
That body lift and bigger tires actually decreases your Jeep’s resale value.
All the guns I’ve seen for sale lately with accessories are heavily marked up
Thats like saying the aftermarket part on my truck makes it more valuable. Only to the discerning buyer will you profit from.
Depends on the upgrade. If whatever you upgrade adds functionality, there is an argument for increasing the value.
Never bought a complete AR rifle. Always built my own as I wanted from the beginning.
Does upgrading your [fill in the blank] increase the value? Whether it's your firearm, house, car, or motorcycle (especially your motorcycle), usually the answer is no. Personalizing anything typically makes it less desirable to most other people.
It probably depends on whether the upgrade adds function to the item or not. Homes with central AC/Heat always sell for more than those without, for instance. On the other hand, if you go to sell something with a bunch of parts damaged or non-functional, you will get less money than you would if it all was in order.
Upgrading a home with kitchen and bathrooms will increase the value.
So true just like everything else. Motorcycles, cars, trucks. When you trade in a vehicle with all kinds of extras that you like, the dealership will strip it and put it back to stock to sell it. Take off all your goodies and sell them separately.
Depends on the upgrade, truthfully. If you're talking a cosmetic upgrade, then most likely not, because that is a personalization. Now if the upgrade adds functionality to the system, there is definitely an argument for the value increasing. Whether or not a buyer wants your setup, a decked out system will always carry greater monetary value than a bone stock one. Though the value amount is always up for debate.
It just REALLY, REALLY depends. Let's say you sent the gun back to the manufacturer for repair or maintenance work, and you had them fit a integral supressed barrel they offer, of you had a second barrel fitted in a different caliber that could be swapped by you, as some guns require the barrel to be match to a particular recievee. That could increase value. Also if you took like a Colt SP-1, and turned it into a correct clone of a rifle. That could also.
_"I know what I got - don't try to change my mind."_
This seems to be the mentality across the board these days. Everyone seems to think their belongings are more valuable than reality dictates.
If bolting-on a bunch of accessories somehow _increases_ the value of the product. Then the women here in Scottsdale, AZ must be worth a fortune!
Stay classy my friends.
What blows my mind is that it used to be (before the plandemic supply and demand issues) anything that left the store was instantly worth half or so of retail. Now anything listed for sale second hand gets listed for $20 less than retail and the seller acts like they're doing you a favor.
Don't even get me going on how used cars are being priced. Jaaaaaysus.
@@joshuagibson2520it’s gotten bad enough that the things I see for sale secondhand cost less than the store but more than the discount retailer like palmetto or grabagun. Why would I pay more for used when my out the door cost for new is less online, even after an ffl fee?
Yep! Almost everyone I know tries to get close to new price on used items. It's actually retarded
BertShackleford LOL Good one love it, that's case everywhere with women. 😂🤣😅😂🤣😅
The simple answer is yes. The complicated answer is one person wants the gun, one wants the optic, the other wants the light. Not everyone wants your setup.
They're right. Upgrading your firearm is specific to that persons wants/needs and becomes a personalized gun. When you sell the "upgraded gun" you rarely recoupe even a small percentage of the cost invested in the upgrades.
Thank you for this. I have been having to consistently say this at work. I inform the customer that is attempting to sell the rifle with the scope that most customers will remove that scope and put one of their brand favorites on it. I lost a lot of buys because of this.
Thanks
Another Great Video 💯💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
One exception is clone builds. Having clone-correct accessories will add value (or at least not lose value), because the buyer is looking for the same thing the seller was looking for.
A few commenters seem confused by the meaning "increase in value". If you get out less than you put in, the value was not increased. If you add $300 in accessories to a $700 weapon, $1000 (not $700 ) is your baseline to show an "increase in value". If your EOTech got you $50 more for your gun, how could you consider that a win?
Good point... I am not a Eotech fan... but I do like your stock..
Solid content!!👍🏿
Nice, missing these video. Thanks for doing these again. But what about upgrading internal parts?
Proper upgrades increase value
Unpopular opinion; Don't collect firearms you don't intend to shoot or use. This way, YOU get to shoot it, wear it out, repair it, upgrade it, and you don't have to worry about having so many different ammo types, it's easier to store and secure what you have, and the best part is - You become extremely familiar with your firearm. If you do all that, it no longer matters how much your collection is valued at, and you aren't worried about selling anything.
If you plan on a rifle and have stuff on it id put it on the side of the post and mention these are addons you can put with the rifle for whatever price youre selling . Or sell it to a family member or good friend ,or do a trade for a similar build or better build and add cash . id say keep it and sell off the attachments that you would upgrade or don't need. One thing I hate seeing is people thinking their ar is worth big bucks when it's a psa(nothing wrong with that) build with a nice red dot or scope or the other way around a nice gun with amazon reddots.
Uh what happened to your audio...it sounds like a hand-held transistor radio..
The increase in the selling price may be the barrel but more surely the BCG being an LM&T one of the best there is at the cost of $500, it's no plain Jane BCG.
It does to the right buyer.
I think assesorizibg your firearm is wat different than having your gun say shotgun well beveled, 1911 trigger job, and repinning an ar gas block woth tuned tubes or something. Or cutting and pinning a muzzle break. Adding a red dot. No but these other i think increase value
Solid "joe dirt" reference.
What about core items like a chrome lined barrel and enhanced BCG?
What about adjustable gas pistons on ak’s?
What do I need to build a duplicate of the middle rifle on the wall?
Yep
Well, what if I upgrade something like a benelli M4 from a 5 rnd magazine tube to 7 rnd mag tube, 3 position skeltonized stock, and make it 922(r) compliant. Does that increase price any?
what brand model was that pistol grip????
Diefree company, Kung Fu Grip
I truly don't understand people that constantly sell their firearms..... I can't imagine parting with ANY of my firearms, even the ones I hate....
What was the brand name of that grip again? I couldn't make out what he said.
How did you get that dust cover? It looks like a fcd but without any dimples
I have bought plenty of guns with "upgrades" that were great and some that were horrible ...i wouldnt give extra for replaced parts though
Vehicles are the same way. I'm a certified motorcycle mechanic. People think that their 10 year old, personalized bike is worth a lot. It isn't.
I’ve seen cars and bikes with paint jobs that are so hideous, they actually act as theft deterrents.
Finding someone that can't legally buy a pew increases the value of your pew, not that anyone would ever do that other than bat fe.
It also decreases bank accounts
I wouldn't recommend doing any modifications on the Colt AR-15 models. Especially any early or out of production models as their value is in being in Original Condition. Typically any modifications done on firearms reduces the value on the used gun market. This isn't 100% true in all cases but it is difficult to recoup money spent. The exception being certain competitive target and tactical weapons. A respective buyer would have to find value in the particular modifications that have been done.
So does this mean I should pull night sights off a Glock before I sell it?
That would depend on a few things. Do you have some other use for those sights? Who are you selling it to? And can you get more money by reselling those sights, or by leaving them on the gun? Not to say everyone upgrades those sights, but it seems like the majority do upgrade the stock glock sights, so you might specify asking for a bit more to include the sights.
You're too smart for the room.
😂 touché.
The only thing that AR is missing a 5 min spray paint camo job!!!
Same thing with cars you modify it to your liking and no one else wants that. Even if someone knows and wants what you have they know the market won’t support your price
I've sold a few uppers that were set up fairly well. very simple you are selling it as is for said price. yes or no right now or I'll go find the other 10 million people in the market
Agreed with one exception. If you spent very little on gun, optic and sling, selling as “ready to go” doesn’t hurt you. For example, $400 radical AR, $50 bushnell red dot, $20 sling. You can sell that for $500 as a “ready to go” firearm and someone will buy it. I’ve seen it happen too many times. But. You do anything more than cheap cheap and it doesn’t work. You ain’t selling your DDM4 with a PLX1-6 plus blue force gear sling, plus whatever super cool light for 3G. It just ain’t happening.
Only reprobates buy poverty rods
But uh. This only applies to private sellers. Right.
My area is full of people buying PSA deals and doubling the price. People are insane.
Agree 100%
Depends on who you are selling to. To be fair none of my Stoner Patrern Rifles are for sale. I have 1 for precision, 1 for RECCE, 2 for general purpose, 1 for NV, 1 for CQB, and 1 that's still being built out for a role yet to be determined.
A man of culture i see.
Nice larping kit, meal team 6 lol
@@Enjoyer.762 you sound bitter and poor. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@welderdude1 Nope, larperator lol.
@@Enjoyer.762 ha ha poor. Best fix that kid.
Pimping it out with chrome or gold plated accessories increases velocity and value.
Only exception is if you include a nicer optic like an aimpoint or something and aren't charging a whole lot extra.
"aren't charging a whole lot extra" is the point. If I'm just looking for a used gun, I don't also want to buy a used optic. But I might be interested if that used optic is an absolute steal.
Like putting rims on your 89 civic. It is still a civic. You might love that pos but nobody else will lol.
What job: all that fun and money too!
I want everthing on it you. An put.that way i can swich parts between other guns.or i might just like it the way i het it and still might want to put more on it.
I've had that stock for years with an unruly beard. I think it snagged once maybe twice.
Wow 😳
Better yet don’t sell them just buy them 😂
Guns, especially mass produced ARs are just like RVs, nothing depreciates faster....
I think C&R firearms might be a bit different. For example, a heavily bubbafied Russian SKS might not be worth as much as the original stock Russian SKS. Any regular firearms, in general, the aftermarket parts won't affect the value much, if at all.
My WASR10 was about 700 bucks when I got it, but it's been decked out with about $1K worth of aftermarket parts. Would anyone buy it for $1700? Unlikely. It's also been spray painted in camo pattern as well. I'm just going to keep it with me permanently anyway and pass it down through my future generations.
Just buying your gun, increases value. Nothing is getting cheaper, not even just firearms, everything. Buy now!
I've had gear increase 100 dollars on a 600 dollar gun, 16% increase in cost. I've seen another gun go from 750 to 1000 dollars, 33% increase in less than 1 year...
750 to 1000 would be 25%
@@msquared9605 Its 33%, 800 to 1000 would be 25%
@@msquared9605You're thinking of the starting value of 1000 and 25% would be 250 +\-. But when 750 is the starter and to get it to 1000 is not 25%, it's 33% of the 750 to make it to 1000.
@@762x69 you right, sorry I was never that good at geography
@@msquared9605 all good
For the unlikely scenario of a government mandated "buy back" all my rifles are worth over 1,000,000 each with all my upgrades.
Why would you even think about selling a customized rifle to begin with!
So, the answer is a YES.
The nuance to that though is. You will have an easier time selling the "upgrades", separately.
One man's upgrade is another man's "Bubba, no!" "upgrade".
What about better barrels, triggers?
You could definitely make an argument for those items, but that's something you should go over on an individual basis.
"Oh, you want this aftermarket trigger? You give me this much more, I'll leave it in. Otherwise, Mil-spec it is."
Personally, I think that's how you should sell any accessory with a weapon. Negotiate for all the parts, if possible.
Don't expect someone wanting to pay extra for that when they're just looking for an AR-15. Unless you find someone who really values that barrel and that trigger and they really want it - most people looking for a used gun are just looking for a good price, not for a gun which is more expensive than a new one with upgrade parts they never heard of and don't care about.
When you put a $350 relex side on it. I does increase the value.
When Steve arrives at the Pearly Gates, his admission is assured. After all, he has endured Caleb’s narrations - for many years - with patience and respectfulness.
No. And leave your cars stock too and quit chopping on them.
Hi Steve and Caleb. Do you guys have a video on which grain weight ammo is best for which AR15 barrel length and which twist rate? If you do, please point me to it. If not, could you guys do one?
So, you're sayin' that my pre 1964 custom engraved, gold leaf Red Rider ain't worth 💩
I have a good friend i have traded with a lot and we both understand the value of accessories so we don't beat each other down like a lotbof people will.. just depends if you're dealing with a pirate or not..lol
Unless you really don't like it, try not to sell a gun at all. We should all try to buy new guns whenever we can to up this year number that the population owns. If you do sell it, sell it to someone who doesn't have one, like a first time buyer.
why would you sell your guns????
What about paint jobs?
In other words, we are a bunch of spoiled peaches!!😁
Just like a car!
Why would I care about increasing the value of something I'll never want to sell? ;^)
The back of your grip is too short, and the stock is too fat. Someone would have to really like drop magnifiers and no irons
I think this is exactly the point, because for me they are perfect.
@@CalebSavantwhat was/is the grip on that rifle? I couldn't hear it clearly.
@@Ash_95 Die Free Co. Kung-Fu Grip
@@CalebSavant thank you sir! I too prefer a straight angled grip so I'll have to check that out.
A Geissele trigger is the only upgrade I can think of that won’t hurt your resale. Might even help it. Might…
My biggest fear is when I die and my wife sells my guns for what I told her I paid for them.
Who the hell sells their firearms? Firearms are tools, if you bought the wrong tool just go buy the right tool and put the other one in the tool box for another day. Never gave a crap about re-sale value!