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Resale?

I occasionally hear of a Barnes rifle changing hands. To date, I've still never heard of one selling for less than the original owner paid. Ask yourself how that stacks up with your cars, boats, motorcycles, or any other medium ticket item. I occasionally get asked about this. Obviously, I can't "guarantee" such a thing. I've just observed the fact.

It's up to the owners to show their rifles, become familiar with their rifles, document their pressure fills / slug results, compete with their rifles. Send in targets and share their enjoyment of the rifles on the site here. In this way, people become familiar with you, your rifle, and you develop a community of folks who know you. If you take the thing and squirrel it away in a safe - never shoot it - never show it - forget the fill pressure - shoot oddball cheap slugs - how's anybody supposed to know what it is or it's potential when you want to sell it?

You recall, from about 1975 onward for 23 years, I worked full time as a custom bladesmith. I completed and serial numbered approx. 1,300 individual collectable knives in that time. Most were forged Damascus steel ornamental folding knives. They are, quite literally, all over the world. To this day, I get phone calls and e-mails from folks who have no clue what they own. Very few were bothered to document what they bought, how much they paid, what the handle material was, etc. Many now hope I'll have an instant documentation of what today's market value is (along with a list of immediate buyers).

Sadly, some older collectors have passed on now. Their families have no clue if a particular knife is worth $500 or $5,000. That's part of collecting. It's the duty of the buyer to also be a Curator. I'm up to my ears building and handling customer support. If you document your purchases and publicly enjoy them afterwards, you'll go a very long way towards being able to instantly turn over your purchases if you ever wish to do so. Yes, I can search back through several thousand e-mails, drawers full of folders, drawings, and shop manuals to find the information. But, I'd really rather folks simply write it down themselves and do the documentation. You also cannot collect in a bubble, and expect to know people to market your goods to when you later want to do so.

Alot of folks seem to think that buyers want to hear that something has never been shot. Not so ... that just means that we have no clue how to use it, it has no personality from ever being in public, and every potential buyer on the planet will call "me" to find out everything and ask assurances that something I've not seen in six years is still perfect.

I maintain my reputation and the quality of my product. The aftermarket, is the realm of the collector. To be a successful collector requires more than writing the check. It requires documentation and promotion on the part of the collector themselves. Fortunately; the Barnes aftermarket has been so strong that, even some of the most horrible resale techniques I've ever witnessed, still netted a profit for the owner. That pleases me quite alot. Do your homework and you'll do much better. The homework is pretty simple and enjoyable - just use your Barnes and show it around.