Lori, it's possible older rifles can be worth a LOT if they're no longer made or collectible somehow. I can ask around if you like.
I have been buying ukes as currency, figuring that if my Roth keeps taking hits why add to it? And if the savings go into ukes, at least the value should stay stable. I live in a good climate for keeping them in good shape. They will all lose their retail value but then stabilize at whatever the used value is.
So, in my mind I haven't been spending money on ukes, I'm moving money into ukes, as opposed to stocks or business inventory or whatever. All the ukes I've bought so far have come from selling things on Ebay, then taking that Paypal balance and giving Bounty or MGM a call.