By: Kimberly Drake
In the classic 1953 film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn Monroe, serenades a group of well-dressed men with the song, “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.”
While a diamond ring is a nice thing to own, it can’t realistically protect you when you are walking alone at night or be used as a tool to bring food to the table.
What is really a girl’s best friend, or any law-abiding citizen’s friend for that matter, is a gun.
Owning firearms and ammunition offers advantages that go beyond self-protection and sport. Investing in guns can protect your financial future in ways few other tangible goods can. When a crisis occurs, financially or personally, a diamond just isn’t going to cut it, but a cache of rifles, handguns, and shotguns will.
Why are guns a wise investment?
Demand for firearms typically surges in times of crisis
When anti-gun rhetoric spikes, people panic. Threats to our Second Amendment rights send people in droves to gun stores and classified ads looking to bolster their arsenal. In the aftermath of mass shootings especially, citizens feel an urgency to protect themselves and instinctively purchase guns.
They appreciate – even with use
Even when there is no anti-gun activity in the political realm, guns are always in demand by hunters and sportsmen. Their value holds true for the long haul.
Considered by some as, “Currency made of steel,” guns tend to remain valuable no matter how many times they are fired. Well-maintained guns hold their own in the market and often rise in value, much like fine wine.
They are multi-purpose
Guns are tools for both self-defense and survival. According to The U.S. Department of the Interior, in a five-year report completed in 2016 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 11.5 million Americans hunt and spent around $25.6 billion on their pursuits. This study proves guns are a steadfast commodity as long as there are hunters who take to the woods and fields.
Ammunition supplies ebb and flow. Ammo shortages, like the recent .22 cartridge debacle, get gun owners thinking about stockpiling rounds for every caliber gun they own. Firearms are useless without it, and having a back-stock stashed away is a significant investment.
How to diversify and protect your well-armed portfolio:
Purchase a wide variety of guns and ammo
Stocking up on guns for different purposes will diversify your investment. Most experts say purchasing different gauge shotguns, small and large caliber rifles, and an assortment of handguns, as well as the appropriate ammunition for each, will cover the possible changes in demand.
Store wisely
Ensure your investments are stored properly to avoid damage that could affect their long-term value. Having a space that can be secured is essential, and it’s best to err on the side of caution and avoid telling every Tom, Dick, and Harry about your collection. You obviously don’t want to become the target of thieves.
Carry firearm insurance
Make sure your homeowner’s policy has an updated list of all the weapons you own and store on the property. In case of disaster, you will want your investment covered.
Invest in firearms stocks
Many mutual funds invest in firearm stocks, and you may already have skin in the game if you are invested with the following companies: Vanguard, Fidelity, Blackrock/iShares, Dimensional Fund Advisors, The Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association, Invesco/PowerShares, First Eagle, Franklin Templeton, Delaware Funds by Macquarie, and State Street Global Advisors. These investments have anywhere from two to forty-three percent of their funds exposed to gun stocks.
No matter what the economic conditions or political environment, owning guns for investment purposes is a smart way to guarantee the future of your personal and financial security.
As for that diamond ring, sure, they are pretty, but this girl’s “rules of engagement” include a little something from the gun store.
Kimberly Drake is a freelance columnist from Minocqua, Wisconsin. Contact her at [email protected].