Am I crazy for even considering selling this rifle?

[BeerGuy]

I'm thinking about buying a Sig Sauer 556 DMR.

The only way I can justify the purchase would be to sell my Remington 700 LTR (.223) with a Bushnell Elite 4200 Tactical 6-24 x 50 optic mounted on it.

The issue at hand is that the LTR is RIDICULOUSLY accurate. I knew I got lucky within 6 shots, after I lapped the rings and mounted the Bushnell on it. At 100 yards, with factory American Eagle, I can drop three shots in a space the size of a quarter, and I'm no expert.

Here's a terrible cell phone picture of the rifle:

I took two co-workers to the range one day last year. Neither had ever fired a rifle before. One had never shot a gun of any kind before. After a few "warm up" shots with the LTR we decided to have a contest. We each took one shot at the same target, at 100 yards, and the furthest from the center had to buy lunch for the other two. I put a small yellow adhesive dot in the center of a silhouette target to help them concentrate on a small spot.

Needless to say, those two guys were hooked on target shooting immediately! I had to explain to them that THAT doesn't happen all that often.

(For the record....mine was the one inside the yellow dot. )

 

[Brian5582]

well if you go to sell it let me know LOL... personally I wouldnt

I suppose it depends on what type of shooting you prefer

 

[Andy in NH]

What do you mean by "justify" the purchase?

Can you afford it otherwise?

At times like this, I find myself what remembering what Jeff Cooper once wrote:

We never regret the guns we buy, only the ones we sell.

 

[BeerGuy]

What do you mean by "justify" the purchase?

Can you afford it otherwise?

At times like this, I find myself what remembering what Jeff Cooper once wrote:

I could afford it, but I choose not to buy things anymore without selling something else first. I look at my toys as a fixed, discretionary outlay of money. It's a zero sum proposition for me, at least with guns.

 

[BrianWilson]

I would expect any decent gas gun to be able to shoot that well for the type of shooting you are doing.

 

[FreeWillie]

I've never purchased a rifle that I've wanted to sell later.

 

[richc]

So you want to sell a reliable, well built tack driver for an unknown quantity. Hmmmm...

Do you have another bolt action that shoots this well? Do you already have an AR?

I dunno... I always seem to kick myself for selling something that has treated me well. I never seem satisfied with the replacement.

 

[GunGrey]

Heres a a deal you can just give me the rifle for no charge,i'll give it a good home. and then you can be on your way to get the Sig its a win win



Seriously keep the rifle and buy the new Sig

 

[gerrycaruso]

I have a bolt action in .223 and an M16 so this is a tough question. I don't expect my M16 to be as accurate as the bolt gun and it's not but I use them for different types of shooting.Someone else asked the right question. What kind of shooting do you want to do? As always, try to shoot someone else's before you decide.

 

[drumenigma]

Am I crazy for even considering selling this rifle?

Yes

 

[seanc]

i have a 223 ltr as well. I'd pretty much only sell it to trade up to a better 223 bolt.. maybe a pss??

 

[Kalahari]

Save for the 716 DMR

 

[Lamina]

Maybe it's just me, but that doesn't strike me as rediculously accurate.

I shoot those types of groups with my AR, and it only has an ER shaw barrel on it.

 

[bhmax16]

Maybe it's just me, but that doesn't strike me as rediculously accurate.

I shoot those types of groups with my AR, and it only has an ER shaw barrel on it.

You have one sick AR then...most ARs IMO don't group much better than 1.5in to 2in at 100 yards...so a bit bigger than that quarter.

The Sig is a great gun...I own a 556. Some have had quality control issues but they're amazing if you get a good one. So far mine is a keeper

You're comparing two totally different guns. Do you want a crazy reliable combat rifle or do you want a tackdriver? My vote is to keep it and buy the Sig as well

 

[Lamina]

Perhaps I do have a crazy good AR. I rebuilt a DPMS AR from the ground up using mid to high mid range parts... Dunno.

Anyways, my Marlin XL7 is sub MOA even running cheap stuff through it. The knockoff accutrigger helps a ton, for sure. The fact that it's .270 win also helps, but we're still talking about a $300 rifle, new. The whole package set me back less than $500.

Again, I'm not bashing the accuracy of the OP's rifle in any means, just don't think it's extraordinary in any way either.

But, for the record, keep the remmy and buy the savage. Don't ever sell guns unless you have to.

 

[bhmax16]

Perhaps I do have a crazy good AR. I rebuilt a DPMS AR from the ground up using mid to high mid range parts... Dunno.

Anyways, my Marlin XL7 is sub MOA even running cheap stuff through it. The knockoff accutrigger helps a ton, for sure. The fact that it's .270 win also helps, but we're still talking about a $300 rifle, new. The whole package set me back less than $500.

Again, I'm not bashing the accuracy of the OP's rifle in any means, just don't think it's extraordinary in any way either.

But, for the record, keep the remmy and buy the savage. Don't ever sell guns unless you have to.

You just referred to the OP's potential firearm as a Savage...he's looking at a Sig! Just thought I'd point that out...Savage makes a great accurate gun for the money...but that is rather insulting to call a Sig a Savage (I'm just busting your ass, I know it was just a typo on your part)

 

[Lamina]

Yeah, mental oversight... Had savage on my mind after talking about the "knockoff accutrigger".

Plus, I just bought a savage Mark II... Awesome .22 repeater.

 

[BeerGuy]

Here's the version of the 556 that I'm thinking about.

 

[jkdyoyo]

Here's the version of the 556 that I'm thinking about.

I know the feeling. I have similar feelings about culling my herd for the greater good of a high end Sig. This is definitely a tough choice and I can completely relate.

Before you go and sell Remington, I'd find out if 556 in the configuration you want it is MA compliant. If it is, I don't think you'll have a hard time selling her on the forum.

 

[Titan]

I could afford it, but I choose not to buy things anymore without selling something else first. I look at my toys as a fixed, discretionary outlay of money. It's a zero sum proposition for me, at least with guns.

Doesn't that result in you always taking a 'used item' loss on the sale?

I'd keep the 700 if there was any way to do it.

 

[howitzer11]

I believe that to be the DMR model which is according to sig MA compliant. Keep the your current rifle buy the SCM which I think is almost 600.00 cheaper and upgrade over time. I try to balance my toy budget just as you, and you could keep your current rig and buy the scm for the same amount of money. But I want to point out firearms are excluded from my toy budget because they do not fall into that category.

 

[calsdad]

I could afford it, but I choose not to buy things anymore without selling something else first. I look at my toys as a fixed, discretionary outlay of money. It's a zero sum proposition for me, at least with guns.

There's your problem - you need an attitude adjustment.

Not knowing a huge amount about target rifles I couldn't honestly tell whether that rifle you currently have is any better than any other similar configuration. So I don't know if the accuracy you are getting with that one is any better than what you would get if you sold that one and repurchased the same setup again later.

Since you said you see guns as a hobby - and you allocate a fixed amount of money towards them, what I am saying is look at that. Do you save money for retirement? Where do you put the money? Does it just go into the bank? Does it go into 401k's? Do you pay attention to what is going on in the financial world and the economy in general?

Here is one thing to consider: putting money into guns can in some cases be considered an "investment". I am not saying that the Sig or the Remington are necessarily good investments - but what you might want to look at is whether the Remington has kept it's value from when you bought it. And look at whether Sig 556's keep their value over time ( I bet they don't - their prices have been going down as new - so I bet the used ones drop also ) Take the economy and all that other stuff into account - and what you might find is that parking your money in some guns might not be the drain on your finances that you seem to think it is.

I know most of the stuff I have bought just over the last 5-6 years has either kept it's value - or gone up in value, in some cases by a LOT. Factor in the possibility of a destroyed economy and inflation of the dollar - and guns start to look like a halfway decent place to park some money.

 

[BeerGuy]

There's your problem - you need an attitude adjustment.

Not knowing a huge amount about target rifles I couldn't honestly tell whether that rifle you currently have is any better than any other similar configuration. So I don't know if the accuracy you are getting with that one is any better than what you would get if you sold that one and repurchased the same setup again later.

Since you said you see guns as a hobby - and you allocate a fixed amount of money towards them, what I am saying is look at that. Do you save money for retirement? Where do you put the money? Does it just go into the bank? Does it go into 401k's? Do you pay attention to what is going on in the financial world and the economy in general?

Here is one thing to consider: putting money into guns can in some cases be considered an "investment". I am not saying that the Sig or the Remington are necessarily good investments - but what you might want to look at is whether the Remington has kept it's value from when you bought it. And look at whether Sig 556's keep their value over time ( I bet they don't - their prices have been going down as new - so I bet the used ones drop also ) Take the economy and all that other stuff into account - and what you might find is that parking your money in some guns might not be the drain on your finances that you seem to think it is.

I know most of the stuff I have bought just over the last 5-6 years has either kept it's value - or gone up in value, in some cases by a LOT. Factor in the possibility of a destroyed economy and inflation of the dollar - and guns start to look like a halfway decent place to park some money.

Very good points. I always perform an exhaustive search, remaining as patient as possible, and buy a gun at the best possible price. That way I am not effected by any reduction in selling price once I sell it used. I've never sold a gun at a loss. So, to your point, you are corrrect tha firearms, if purchased correctly, can actually be considered a stable investment.

I just have lots of toys.

As for retirement savings, I'm well on my way, and the same holds true for my two boys college educations as well.

 

[WEJ 1163]

BeerGuy, I have a similar opinion of my firearms. I've owned an shot hundreds of firearms over the course of 25 years but have never owned more than 15 or so at a time. If life is all about experiences then I trying to experience as many guns as I can. If money wasn't an issue then maybe things would be different.

 

[fencer]

Very good points. I always perform an exhaustive search, remaining as patient as possible, and buy a gun at the best possible price. That way I am not effected by any reduction in selling price once I sell it used. I've never sold a gun at a loss. So, to your point, you are corrrect tha firearms, if purchased correctly, can actually be considered a stable investment.

I find this type of methodical, rational approach to be very disturbing. While I admire you self discipline and restraint I just could never adhere to this self imposed policy.

When I get the hankering for a gun I will search high and low for the best price, but never sell a gun for the sake of keeping my collections value static. I also figure that I am the current caretaker for the "Families" collection and will some day will the entire collection to my son who will, in turn, pass it down. (I hope)

And yes, your crazy for getting rid of that Rem 700. But if you decide to I'd be interested in it

 

[TomH]

IMO the sig is overrated. I'd keep the 700.

 

[atilla]

move up to a .308 LTR!

seriously though i'd keep the LTR, they are amazing rifles. buy/build a cheap AR if you want a new toy. you won't have to sell anything and it will be a hell of a lot cheaper than that sig.

 

[drgrant]

Do you LIKE the donor gun? I wouldn't get rid of it, IMO. I only dump a gun if I find myself not shooting it for a long period of time. Even then I have to re-evaluate....

-Mike

 

[jkdyoyo]

I will say this. If you have to submit a post asking a group of shooters whether or not its worth it? Its probably not. You'll end up regretting it when you sell it. As much as 700s are always going to be in production. There's a bond that you have with that firearm.

 

[JackDaniels]

There is nothing really that special about that 700 or the way it shoots, that is about average for those rifles, so go ahead and buy what you want. A 1 inch group at 100 yards with a .223 is really nothing to write home about. Those 700s are not hard to replace.