Are you a collector or a shooter?

Sniper66 · Jan 20, 2018

Of course the first answer is, does it matter? And of course the answer is, NO. But, I started pondering this issue this morning as I looked over an auction sale bill. I tend to gravitate to the guns I know and the guns I hope to own and shoot some day. Have always told people who see my guns that I'm a shooter, not a collector. Two of my best friends and other people I know are life-long collectors. They own 100s of guns. One friend "Jim" has organized his collection in a jaw-dropping museum quality display. Another friend "Joe" hides his in his basement and never invites anyone to see them, even good friends. Joe owns several of each model, like 6 Browning Highpowers, several Ruger Single Sixes, etc. Jim has whole collections of, say, derringers with each one being unique with very few duplicates. My gun madness lends itself to 2 or 3 of the same caliber, like three 17HMRs, two .243s. A "collection" for sure, but I do sell guns to finance other gun purchases or if I don't shoot it anymore. When I'm looking to buy another gun, it's always for a purpose. Jim's wife asked him how much one of his guns was worth and why didn't he sell it. His answer, " I bought it to have not to sell."
In asking this question, I realize it is a pointless distinction, but just enjoy reading the response of others should you care to respond. Something to do on a cloudy cold day.

tubeshooter · Jan 20, 2018

I'm a shooter who doesn't get to shoot very much.

GBExpat · Jan 20, 2018

Accumulator ... who shoots everything that he accumulates.

glc24 · Jan 20, 2018

I can't afford to be both. I'm a shooter, which in my humble opinion is far more enjoyable.

Shanghai McCoy · Jan 20, 2018

GBExpat said:
Accumulator ... who shoots everything that he accumulates.

Yep, bout sums it up for me too. :thumbup:

Just don't shoot some as often as I should...

Chuck R. · Jan 20, 2018

My back yard:

385m:

547m:

760y:

"Bunker":

So, I'm thinking that even though I've got a decent number of guns, I fall in the shooter category.

Chuck

Rembrandt · Jan 20, 2018

Started out as a hunter.....went to competitive shooter....kids came along and concentrated on their shooting needs....got back into more hunting.....began collecting "nice stuff".........now I have a collection that rarely gets shot.

Hokkmike · Jan 20, 2018

Sniper66 said:
Of course the first answer is, does it matter? And of course the answer is, NO. But, I started pondering this issue this morning as I looked over an auction sale bill. I tend to gravitate to the guns I know and the guns I hope to own and shoot some day. Have always told people who see my guns that I'm a shooter, not a collector. Two of my best friends and other people I know are life-long collectors. They own 100s of guns. One friend "Jim" has organized his collection in a jaw-dropping museum quality display. Another friend "Joe" hides his in his basement and never invites anyone to see them, even good friends. Joe owns several of each model, like 6 Browning Highpowers, several Ruger Single Sixes, etc. Jim has whole collections of, say, derringers with each one being unique with very few duplicates. My gun madness lends itself to 2 or 3 of the same caliber, like three 17HMRs, two .243s. A "collection" for sure, but I do sell guns to finance other gun purchases or if I don't shoot it anymore. When I'm looking to buy another gun, it's always for a purpose. Jim's wife asked him how much one of his guns was worth and why didn't he sell it. His answer, " I bought it to have not to sell."
In asking this question, I realize it is a pointless distinction, but just enjoy reading the response of others should you care to respond. Something to do on a cloudy cold day.

95% shooter; 5% collector. Mostly dictated by budget constraints.

bikemutt · Jan 20, 2018

I'm both. I have an unfired S&W 27-2 5" with box, papers etc, I just can't bring myself to shoot it. On the other hand I have guns I shoot the heck out of. This only seems to apply to handguns for me, I have no collector long guns.

Blue Thunder · Jan 20, 2018

I'm a Shooter. I also accumulate ammo....

375supermag · Jan 20, 2018

I accumulate firearms and then shoot them, some of which are collectable.
All of my firearms we're bought with a specific use in mind, whether it be defense, hunting, target shooting or just as range toys.
Some are pretty average examples of generic firearms but a few are quite valuable.
All get shot regularly.

saiga308 · Jan 20, 2018

i have 5 9mms pistols s&w 459 my old carry in the casnios in vegas a canick :thumbup:

Norinco 213 feg hi power clone
a 40 cal Taurus and 45 eaa a ak 47 sks and 308 saiga 22 pistal and rifle most get shot all year long

Bigmike79 · Jan 20, 2018

George Dickel · Jan 20, 2018

All my firearms are shooters, none fall into the collectable category.

saiga308 · Jan 20, 2018

George Dickel said:
All my firearms are shooters, none fall into the collectable category.

i like clones this one photo on line not mine but same feg pr9 350$ at pawn shop pickup is fun to shoot i got it because its looks like my 459 smith but with a 5 inch barrel i put nice hi power rubber grips on replacing the wood lame ones

Neo-Luddite · Jan 20, 2018

I claim to collect, but I really just accumulate. I claim to target shoot, but I really just plink (except when requalling at work). I am a ballistic fraud.

DeadFlies · Jan 20, 2018

A little from column A, a little from column B. But mostly I’m a hunter. We can still hunt with guns, right?

Sergei Mosin · Jan 20, 2018

I have accumulated a collection, or possibly collected an accumulation, some shooter-grade and some collector-grade, some of which I have fired and some of which I will never fire, but none of which get fired very often these days on account of all the small children I have!

Armored farmer · Jan 20, 2018

I started hunting at a young age, then migrated into comptition. I competed for 30yrs and enjoyed moderate success. Then the kids came along, money got tighter, the farm got bigger, I got busier. My shooting suffered, as well as my scores. I all but quit the clay target games, and now very much enjoy the peaceful hunts just a short jeep ride from my back door.

JO JO · Jan 20, 2018

both with a reloading ocd issue ,

Mn Fats · Jan 20, 2018

Shooter. I have guns that are considered desirable collectors, but I still shoot them. If I didn't shoot em, I wouldnt own em.

Klint Beastwood · Jan 20, 2018

I’m a warrior to my core. Guns are merely tools of the trade.

Armored farmer · Jan 20, 2018

..,.and it' it's not just the guns:
Reloaders
Ammo
Components
Targets
Bows
crossbows
Decoys
Deer Stands
Knives
Clothes
Coats
Atvs
Taxidermy
Deep freezers
Blinds
Calls
Books
Magazines
Hunting trips
License and permits
...sometimes I wonder what would have happened if my folks had given me a guitar instead of a BB gun? (I probably would have pretended it was a gun)

LocoGringo · Jan 20, 2018

I'm a shooter.

I dabbled with collecting for a very short time with an (presumably) unfired 1969 4" Colt Python. I waited until I could change the grips to something nice. The original owner had changed the grips to something hideous and uncomfortable, so I guess that is why he never shot it. Anyway, after I changed the grips, my dad, my brother and I all went and shot a cylinder of .357 magnum and a cylinder of .38 spl. So, as far as I know (and a couple of knowledgeable people), that gun has had 37 rounds put through it. It took a couple of years to get those grips changed. After I shot it, I got so nervous just owning it and worrying about it rusting or something else bad happening, I sold it, made a small profit and funded a pistol that I shoot the snot out of.

NIGHTLORD40K · Jan 20, 2018

I collect shooters- so no unobtanium calibers.
I love Mausers, but the damn ammo is getting too hard to come by, so I hunted down a .308 FR8. .303 Brit drying is drying up, so I snagged a .410 Enfield musket, etc.
I do reload my .30 calibers (.308, '06, and 30-40), but mostly because I like running gentle half- charge loads in my old Springfields.
There are a few pieces that I haven't shot just because I haven't had time to lug them to the range or another gun gets the nod that day.
Im pretty sure there's a pristine Eddystone M1917 buried at the back of the armory, but I'll be damned if I can reach it.....

Are you a collector or a shooter?

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