Fazakerley

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

You can shoot almost a million of them HoH. Take it from me, shooting one is much the same as shooting another. So why open the one that you've got when you KNOW that it'll shoot just like any of the others million? Just my 2c's worth!

I will have to concede you to be correct on substance.The same market forces apply to the value of most collectables. New in wrapper= high value. Knowing my own curious nature I would probably pass one up for fear I would unwrap and regret. Given the choice I might opt for one of the demo rifles in the other current post. It would be unwrapped and disected already.

[JBS]

Sam, you’re going to get chewed on a bit for the unwrap. I did the same thing a few years ago and love shooting the rifle. It is the Blond in my photo gallery. Enjoy your prize.

By the way there is a sickening joke that is not so much a joke that goes along with keeping things wrapped. It goes like this.

The Government Agent said to Mr. Smith. Sir I just wanted to thank you so very much for leaving your rifles in their original wrapping. We did not get a bit of grease on our suits when we dropped them into the grinder.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

The Government Agent said to Mr. Smith. Sir I just wanted to thank you so very much for leaving your rifles in their original wrapping. We did not get a bit of grease on our suits when we dropped them into the grinder.

Ouch! That comment provided a painful mental picture. Perhaps buy two and unwrap one to protect the other?

[newcastle]

Ditto here. I did unwrap one I had in teh wrappert a few years ago but a) not until I had another in the wrapper to keep and b) only because my old man was coming over from the UK and i wanted to offer him the chance to be the first to shoot a brand new Enfield.

[mtbikerwvu]

Next time I buy a TV, I think I will just leave it in the box. That rifle is yours and it rocks! Your money bought it and it was designed to shoot not occupy the inside of a box. I applaud you for opening it and as long as you keep the box/wrap you still have something that I will never have and that is a new No.4 with the box it came in. That earns a couple hundred extra bucks if I was buying it in the future.

[45B40-95B40]

Sam,

You are the proud and fortunate owner of a SUPERB rifle – that rifle is yours, and you should do with your rifle exactly as you wish. As the late actor and singer “Rick” (Eric Hilliard) Nelson sang,

But it’s all right now,
I learned my lesson well.
Ya see ya can’t please everyone,
So ya got to please yourself.

[Song: Garden Party]
[Record Label: Decca 32980]
[Date Released: July 29, 1972]
[Performed By: Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band]
[Words & Music By: Rick Nelson]

I believe that everyone on this forum would agree with this advice: Take care of your rifle, and keep your rifle in 100% ORIGINAL CONDITION!

Personally, I own literally more than five hundred [500] hand tools, and at least ninety [90] percent of those hand tools are still NEW and UNUSED and in 100% ORIGINAL CONDITION – just as they were when I originally purchased them, and just as they will be when they eventually become the property of my two [2] adult children. Of course, I have hand tools that I’ve taken care of and used for more than forty [40] years and will continue to take care of and use for as long as I live. Personally, I don’t need to use every hand tool that I own, and I don’t want to use every hand tool that I own.

Personally, I presently own the following firearms: four [4] semiautomatic pistols, one [1] lever action rifle, and four [4] LEE-ENFIELD No. 4 MK 2 rifles. Personally, I only shoot one [1] of the semi-automatic pistols, and I only shoot one [1] of the LEE-ENFIELD No. 4 MK 2 rifles. The other three [3] semiautomatic pistols, the one [1] lever action rifle, and the other three [3] LEE-ENFIELD No. 4 MK 2 rifles are still NEW and UNUSED and in 100% ORIGINAL CONDITION – just as they were when I originally purchased them, and just as they will be when they eventually become the property of my two [2] adult children.

Over the past more than forty-five [45] years, I’ve personally bought and sold quite a few firearms. Some of those firearms I shot, but many of those firearms I never shot.

Generally speaking, most firearms that are NEW and UNUSED and in 100% ORIGINAL CONDITION will appreciate considerably in value over time. See the following:

FIVE (5) QUESTIONS: M1 Rifle / M1 Rifle Items / M14 Rifle Items

Read my “POST #26” of 07-04-2009 [the last post on the above page] to see how much I sold my SPRINGFIELD ARMORY NATIONAL MATCH M1 RIFLE [SN 5796843] for. I purchased that rifle from the Director Of Civilian Marksmanship in NEW and UNUSED [of course, that rifle was proof fired and function fired at the Springfield Armory before I purchased it] and 100% ORIGINAL CONDITION in September of 1971 – while I was a Military Policeman in The United States Army and serving in The Federal Republic Of Germany (“West Germany”) – for a total expenditure of $155.70.

Take care,

RALPH VAN BUREN (45B40-95B40)

[5thBatt]

You're just saving it for someone else to unwrap & get the pleasure of shooting a brand new Lee Enfield, i can't understand how anyone can own something & never get to see it, everyone to their own i suppose.

[m1a1mstrgn]

I'm with the "shoot it" crowd.

That rifle is too nice to leave unwrapped and unloved.

[Peter Laidler]

Your still boxed TV and new hand tools are never going to appreciate in value, believe me.............. never in a thousand years. Can anyone out there say the same about a new in wrap No4. So on that basis, if you really are desperate to look at a TV or use your hand tools, then feel free. But if it was a new in the box unused 1940 TV, things might be different. See the point I'm making?

I have to agree that it'll pay you to look after it once you've opened the wrapping, shoot it and clean it but it'll NEVER be worth more than a new one

[jmoore]

I've bought wrapped and kept them that way, but other folk have kindly provided me with "new" out of wrapper rifles at quite the discount. So "both" IS an option!