I Traded Away These 20 Firearms and Never Once Regretted It

Photo credit: RyeOnHam/Youtube

There’s a certain stage every gun owner hits where the safe starts looking like a junk drawer. Not junk, exactly. Just a pile of “good deals,” impulse buys, oddball calibers, and stuff you swore you needed because a buddy had one or the internet said it was the next big thing.

I’ve traded off plenty over the years. Some of those trades still sting. But these 20? I handed them across the counter, signed the paperwork, and drove home lighter without missing them once. If you own any of them and love them, I get it. This is just what shook out after a lot of range trips, a few wet hunting seasons, and enough busted knuckles from cleaning to form an opinion.

1. Remington 710

I bought one because it was cheap and it said “Remington” on the side. On the rack, it felt like a perfectly normal deer rifle. In the field and on the bench, it felt like a rifle built to a price point and nothing else.

The bolt never got smoother with use, the whole gun felt hollow, and the accuracy was “fine” right up until “fine” wasn’t good enough. I moved it along and put the money toward a rifle I didn’t have to talk myself into.

2. Mossberg ATR 100

This was another bargain-bin deer rifle that was supposed to be a simple tool. The problem is the “simple tool” category is crowded with rifles that feed smoother, balance better, and don’t make you dread cycling the action with gloves on.

Mine was reliable enough, but it was never pleasant. When you’re climbing into a stand in the dark, you notice little things—sharp edges, stiff bolt lift, and a stock that just doesn’t sit right. Trading it off felt like cleaning out a closet.

3. Winchester Super X Pump (older, rough one)

Here’s one that surprises people because the SXP can be a decent shotgun. Mine wasn’t. It was one of those examples that never quite felt broken, but never felt right either.

The action had a gritty “zip” to it that didn’t inspire confidence, and it seemed picky with cheap shells. For a hunting pump, I want boring reliability. I don’t want to wonder if it’ll short-stroke when I’m half-twisted in cattails.

4. Taurus Judge

Yes, it’s fun. Yes, it gets attention at the range. And yes, it’s one of the quickest ways to learn the difference between “cool idea” and “useful tool.”

It was bulky for what it did, awkward to carry, and the novelty wore off fast. If I want a revolver, I want a revolver. If I want a shotgun, I want a shotgun. This sat in the middle and didn’t really win either job.

5. Smith & Wesson SD9VE

I get why this one sells. It’s affordable, it generally runs, and it points fine. But the trigger on mine felt like dragging a cinder block through sand, and that matters when you’re trying to shoot well under a little pressure.

Could you train through it? Sure. I’d rather just start with a pistol that doesn’t fight me. When I traded it, I didn’t feel like I lost anything.

6. Ruger LC9 (original, not the improved version)

This was a classic “it carries great, it shoots like a chore” gun. Thin, light, easy to hide. Then you get to the range and remember why small, light pistols can be miserable.

The trigger reset felt like it took a calendar to find, and the recoil in that little frame wasn’t fun. For a carry gun, I want something I actually practice with. This one made me practice less.

7. Springfield XD-S .45

I tried to convince myself the .45 in a skinny little pistol was the perfect answer. It wasn’t. It was snappy, loud, and not pleasant for long sessions, which means most owners don’t shoot it as much as they should.

Accuracy was okay, reliability was fine, but it never felt like a gun I grabbed with confidence. I traded it for a 9mm that I could run hard without hating life.

8. Kel-Tec PF-9

There’s “budget carry pistol,” and then there’s “I hope it works.” Mine ran, but it felt like it was made from spare parts and optimism. The recoil was sharp and the grip was not friendly.

I’m not knocking anyone who carried one when that’s what they could get. I’ve been there. But once I could step up, there was no reason to keep it around.

9. Hi-Point C9

This one always starts arguments. Here’s my take: for a gun that lives in a drawer and gets shot once a year, maybe it fills a niche. For me, it was too big, too clunky, and too unpleasant to run to earn a place.

It did what it’s known for—went bang. But it wasn’t something I wanted to train with, carry, or hand to a new shooter. I swapped it without a second thought.

10. Ruger LCP (first generation)

I carried an LCP more than I enjoyed it. That’s the best way I can put it. It disappears in a pocket, and that’s real value. But the sights are barely sights and the trigger is a long pull that encourages bad habits.

For close-range work, it’s fine. For hitting what you aim at in a hurry, it’s not my favorite. Once better micro-9s became common, the old LCP stopped making sense for me.

11. Glock 42

I know people who adore the Glock 42, and I don’t blame them. Mine was reliable and easy to shoot for a .380. The problem was simple: it wasn’t enough smaller than a good micro-9 to justify the caliber drop.

Ammo availability and cost mattered too. When I’m stocking deep for practice, I want common calibers. The 42 wasn’t bad. It was just redundant.

12. AR-15 in .450 Bushmaster

This was my “big woods, straight-wall, hammer time” phase. It hits hard, no doubt. It also brings recoil, cost per round, and a trajectory that makes you honest about your ranges.

For the type of hunting I do, it was more specialty than solution. It spent most of the year in the safe while I grabbed a regular deer rifle. Specialty guns are the easiest to trade when you’re thinning a herd.

13. AR-15 in .224 Valkyrie

Online, it sounded like magic: flat, fast, and made for distance. In real life, I watched friends chase loads, chase barrels, and chase the kind of accuracy you shouldn’t have to beg for.

Maybe the newest barrels and the right ammo make it shine. I’m sure they can. I didn’t want another “project” caliber that depends on perfect conditions and perfect supply. I moved back to boring stuff that works.

14. Ruger Mini-14 (older, wandering-zero era)

There’s something about a Mini-14 that feels right in the hands. It points quick and carries easy. I wanted to love it. But mine was one of those older rifles that would heat up and start walking groups like it was bored.

For a ranch rifle or a truck gun, acceptable accuracy is still accuracy. I couldn’t trust it when the barrel got warm. If I’m burning a couple mags on coyotes or targets, the point of impact shouldn’t take a hike.

15. AK-pattern rifle (cheap import, rough build)

I’ve shot AKs that run like sewing machines and feel solid. Mine was not that. The sights were canted, the trigger was crunchy, and it felt like it had been assembled with a boot.

It did go bang, but it wasn’t pleasant, and magazines fit like a puzzle. If you’re going to own an AK, get a decent one. A bad one is just noise and frustration.

16. Savage Axis (early model)

These rifles get recommended constantly because they’re affordable and often accurate. Mine was accurate enough, but everything else felt like compromise stacked on compromise. The stock was flimsy, and the overall feel was just… cheap.

When you’re hiking ridges or sitting in the rain, “cheap” becomes “annoying” fast. I replaced it with a rifle that felt like it could take a season’s abuse without feeling disposable.

17. Marlin Model 60 (well-worn, finicky one)

This is another one that will make some readers mad because the Model 60 can be a great .22. Mine was a lemon by age and hard use. It jammed when it got dirty, and it got dirty fast.

A rimfire should be the gun you grab for quick practice, rabbits, or teaching kids. When it turns into a constant clearing drill, it stops being fun. I traded it and didn’t miss the hassle.

18. Ruger 10/22 (tacticool build that never settled down)

Before anyone jumps me: I still like 10/22s. I just didn’t like my particular one because I turned it into a science project. Heavy barrel, aftermarket stock, weird optic setup, and a pile of parts that never quite played nice together.

It shot fine on good days and acted up on bad days. Ask me how I know: the “custom” rimfire can become the most temperamental gun you own. I went back to a simpler .22 and stopped fiddling.

19. Stoeger P3500

It patterned fine and it took abuse, but it was never smooth. The pump stroke felt long and clunky, and the whole gun handled like a fence post. In cold weather with gloves, it was even less graceful.

I’m not saying they’re all bad. Mine just didn’t earn its spot when other pumps run cleaner and point better. When you’re wing-shooting, handling matters as much as the brand name.

20. Turkish semi-auto 12 gauge (budget, “almost reliable”)

I fell for the low price and the promise of a do-it-all semi-auto. It cycled heavy loads okay, then choked on lighter stuff, then got picky again when it was dusty. That kind of inconsistency will ruin a hunt.

There’s nothing wrong with owning a budget gun, but a semi-auto shotgun has one job: cycle. If it won’t do that across the shells you actually use, it’s a range toy at best. I traded it and went back to a proven platform.

Here’s the thing: I’m not anti-cheap gun, anti-old gun, or anti-weird gun. I’m anti-owning stuff that takes up space and steals attention from the firearms that actually help you hunt, train, and protect your home. A lean safe with guns you trust beats a crowded safe full of “maybe.”