“Minimalist” Principles for Guns and Ammo

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Buzznrose

Buzznrose

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I’ve kicked this around for a while. Wife and I are downsizing and eliminating clutter in our lives and it feels good honestly. We are far from extreme, but getting rid of a lot of extra junk makes it easier to kind stuff I actually need/use.

I’ve been trying to do this with firearms. I have been hanging on to a Win 70 7MM Mag for no real reason…hadn’t shot it in 6-8 years…it was fun to shoot 20 years ago but not so much these days. Sold it and all ammo. No regrets (yet)….

My conundrum is with revolvers and lever guns. I recently began buying a few just to have for fun. And while I’m gonna keep them, I have to adjust my thinking that I don’t need as much .38 ammo as I like to keep in 9MM. Same with the 30-30 or other calibers that are infrequent shooters (once or twice a year max).

So I’m weeding out the stuff slowly but surely…and while I’ll always have more guns that I don’t shoot, I’m gonna get rid of the excess that just doesn’t have any future with me.

Anyone else taking these steps? When I catch myself thinking I may need something I haven’t used in years, I feel like a crazy hoarder person like you see on TV…LOL!
 
I decided to consolidate my firearms "collection" after the Obama Ammo Panic. I kept everything I bought in private sales and sold everything else I had that wasn't a 9mm Glock.

Then I started stocking up on 9mm range and SD ammunition, Glock magazines and ancillary supplies.

I makes my life much simpler and we came into the current ammo panic / insane inflation well situated. I'm currently shooting 9mm that I paid $11.95 a box for.
 
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On one hand I agree with getting rid of guns (and stuff in general ) you are not going to use again.

On the other hand having a diverse collection of guns/chamberings makes you more shortage proof without having to stack it super deep. When all the 9mm, 556, and 308 was gone for past two years I could still mange to find 455 Webley and 30 RAR is the cobwebby back corners of the LGS.
 
mcb said:
On one hand I agree with getting rid of guns (and stuff in general ) you are not going to use again.

On the other hand having a diverse collection of guns/chamberings makes you more shortage proof without having to stack it super deep
Click to expand...
I see both sides of this. If you stick with one caliber, it makes things a lot easier to shoot... I never picked up a .40 in handguns. If I liked a model, I got it in 9x19. That said, I have a couple of those that offer alternatives... a Tokarev that also has a 7.62x25 barrel. A Star that also has a 9x23 barrel. I found, and shot, surplus Tok and new manufactured 7.63 Mauser out of the Tokarev. Same thing with the Star, surplus Largo, new Largo and new Steyr. At the peak of the panic, this ammo was available and cheaper than 9x19. In an absolute emergency, I wouldn't hesitate to use either pistol in the "other" chambering.

I mostly have old surplus warriors in rifles, only got into ARs at the beginning of the panic. I made certain to get uppers in both 556, and 7.62x39, because both are the cheapest centerfire you can find. I had carry-over ammo from my SKS, which helps.
 
I've been downsizing in retirement. Sent a few long gun safe queens to the local auction house. Although I now have a few more handguns than I did pre-retirement. My excuse was that the handguns take up very little room in the safes. Didn't plan on getting more handguns, but just ran across some stuff that I really liked at a good price.
 
All mine are in common calibers, though I plan to start reloading for my uncles 303 British at some point. It's not easy to find 357 Magnum or 38 Special ammo but revolver cartridges are easy to reload and revolvers don't throw brass across the range. I haven't reached the point I feel I need to consolidate. I would like to consolidate powders and bullets where I can. One pistol powder and one rifle powder would be nice. One load for my 9mms would be nice too. They are finicky creatures though. Additionally, supplies being what they are, versatility is necessary. Just like wrestlers try to get three escapes for a given hold, I like to have 2 or even 3 equivalent loads for each caliber or a metric pile of the same components.
 
I've stabilized my assortment of guns but have consolidated cartridges. While I understand having diversity to weather shortages I have stockpiled powders, primers, and lead long ago that allow me to continue shooting a more limited range of cartridges. At present I have .22 rimfire, .38 Special/.357 mag, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 Colt and 12 gauge. These fill all my needs for target shooting, hunting, and defense.
 
Buzznrose said:
I’ve kicked this around for a while. Wife and I are downsizing and eliminating clutter in our lives and it feels good honestly. We are far from extreme, but getting rid of a lot of extra junk makes it easier to kind stuff I actually need/use.

I’ve been trying to do this with firearms. I have been hanging on to a Win 70 7MM Mag for no real reason…hadn’t shot it in 6-8 years…it was fun to shoot 20 years ago but not so much these days. Sold it and all ammo. No regrets (yet)….

My conundrum is with revolvers and lever guns. I recently began buying a few just to have for fun. And while I’m gonna keep them, I have to adjust my thinking that I don’t need as much .38 ammo as I like to keep in 9MM. Same with the 30-30 or other calibers that are infrequent shooters (once or twice a year max).

So I’m weeding out the stuff slowly but surely…and while I’ll always have more guns that I don’t shoot, I’m gonna get rid of the excess that just doesn’t have any future with me.

Anyone else taking these steps? When I catch myself thinking I may need something I haven’t used in years, I feel like a crazy hoarder person like you see on TV…LOL!
Click to expand...

Nope! I am still in unrepentant crazy hoarder like the ones you see on TV. I admire your will power and follow thru on decluttering your life.

I do have several firearms that I should sell off. Stuff I acquired as a kid and don't really need or want any more. I still love my semiauto mil surplus rifles but don't really have the same passion for the bolt actions... Except the Swedish Mausers.
 
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I’ll sit here and say I only like to keep common chamberings around but then my primary hunting rifle is 450 BM which oddly has nearly always been available for the last 5 or so years.

If I am bored with it or haven’t used it in awhile I usually get rid of it. That is for all the stuff in my life.
 
I haven't sold a gun in a couple of years. There's not a rifle or handgun I own that I don't load for and shoot, although I don't shoot the most valuable ones very often. I am in my retirement house and there's no reason to downsize.
 
Buzznrose said:
Anyone else taking these steps? When I catch myself thinking I may need something I haven’t used in years, I feel like a crazy hoarder person like you see on TV…LOL!
Click to expand...
:rofl:
I paid attention to something I actually did see on TV about 10 years back. Some woman was explaining how to eliminate the clutter in your kitchen junk drawer. She said to just dump everything in your junk drawer in a cardboard box, and write the date on the box.
Then, for the following year, every time you use something in the box, put it back in the junk drawer after you use it. At the end of the year, throw or give away everything left in the box.
The problem is, try as I might, I just can't see how I can apply that advice to a single one of my gun safes or gun cabinets. I admit I'm a bit of a hoarder - maybe not a "crazy hoarder person like you see on TV," but I have hoarder tendencies for sure. It's probably because I'm an offspring of depression era parents. ;)
At any rate, now that I'm well into my seventh decade, I do think about downsizing a bit - not just guns, but power tools and such too. The problem is, I'm not just a bit of a hoarder, I'm a bit of a procrastinator as well. And I can't blame THAT on my depression era parents, darn it! :p
 
I’m at the beginning of this journey. Once basement is finished I’m going to downsize the collection. I’ll keep 1 AR, all the pistol caliber levers rifles, black powder rifles and single actions. One 1911. Most everything else will go. That’s primarily center fire hunting caliber rifles I don’t plan to ever use again…300 Win Mag, 30-06, .243 etc
 
Buzznrose said:
I’ve kicked this around for a while. Wife and I are downsizing and eliminating clutter in our lives and it feels good honestly. We are far from extreme, but getting rid of a lot of extra junk makes it easier to kind stuff I actually need/use.

I’ve been trying to do this with firearms. I have been hanging on to a Win 70 7MM Mag for no real reason…hadn’t shot it in 6-8 years…it was fun to shoot 20 years ago but not so much these days. Sold it and all ammo. No regrets (yet)….

My conundrum is with revolvers and lever guns. I recently began buying a few just to have for fun. And while I’m gonna keep them, I have to adjust my thinking that I don’t need as much .38 ammo as I like to keep in 9MM. Same with the 30-30 or other calibers that are infrequent shooters (once or twice a year max).

So I’m weeding out the stuff slowly but surely…and while I’ll always have more guns that I don’t shoot, I’m gonna get rid of the excess that just doesn’t have any future with me.

Anyone else taking these steps? When I catch myself thinking I may need something I haven’t used in years, I feel like a crazy hoarder person like you see on TV…LOL!
Click to expand...

Your question will be best answered by your heirs / children.
If you're going to bequeath everything to your wife...ask her.
Aren't the guns half her's anyway, legally speaking? Texas is a community property state.
 
mcb said:
On one hand I agree with getting rid of guns (and stuff in general ) you are not going to use again.

On the other hand having a diverse collection of guns/chamberings makes you more shortage proof without having to stack it super deep. When all the 9mm, 556, and 308 was gone for past two years I could still mange to find 455 Webley and 30 RAR is the cobwebby back corners of the LGS.
Click to expand...

Agree! There is definitely a balance one needs to find.
 
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DMW1116 said:
All mine are in common calibers, though I plan to start reloading for my uncles 303 British at some point. It's not easy to find 357 Magnum or 38 Special ammo but revolver cartridges are easy to reload and revolvers don't throw brass across the range. I haven't reached the point I feel I need to consolidate. I would like to consolidate powders and bullets where I can. One pistol powder and one rifle powder would be nice. One load for my 9mms would be nice too. They are finicky creatures though. Additionally, supplies being what they are, versatility is necessary. Just like wrestlers try to get three escapes for a given hold, I like to have 2 or even 3 equivalent loads for each caliber or a metric pile of the same components.
Click to expand...

I can hook you up with some .303 brass if needed
 
Otto said:
Aren't the guns half her's anyway, legally speaking? Texas is a community property state.
Click to expand...
Whether or not our guns are "community property" has absolutely nothing to do my wife's and my situation. I've said about a hundred times on THR that my wife has as many guns as I do, maybe more. If she goes before I do, I'm going to have a terrible time getting rid of her guns, and not just for emotional reasons - although my emotions will play a major role.
However, my wife is only 5'2" tall, and she has short arms to match. So all of her long guns (rifles and shotguns) have been cut down to fit her - if they weren't built to fit her in the first place.
On the other hand, I'm 5'10", and most factory rifles and shotguns fit me swell. So the only problems my wife will have "unloading" my guns will be emotional problems. ;)
 
I downsize on the front end. I moved 8 times in 23 years of service and I just don't get or collect what I don't need. Prevents the later heartache. Not being able to mover arisols is a major ptia. Getting rid of a new can of chain wax or can of plexus
 
I've gotten down to essentials but those expand too. It's tough and I should clear a few guns out anyway, a few I just don't have the heart to get rid of. I got rid of all but 1 357 revolver- a 6" gp100 but then I wanted a companion carbine so I got a 77/357. I got rid of my 45 colt and 44 mag revolvers in favor of a 5" 454 casull but I wanted a 454 for longer range shooting so I got a 10" barreled freedom arms. I got rid of a couple 30-30s in favor of a 45-70 but can't let go of my marlin 336 (sold the winchesters). Got rid of a 1911 & g21 and settled with a g30 for all my acp shooting. I'm down to a single good AR and no other semiauto rifles in any chambering including rimfire. I've been trying to simplify but it adds complication. I could really clear out some single shot 22s as I have more than I'll admit but they're all kind of special. That all adds up to I've got too much stuff! Beware the man with just one rifle, chances are he knows how to use it...
 
I did something similar. Got rid of stuff that I forgot I even had. Gun wise it was a small culling. Got rid of 380 guns and ammo. A couple 38 Spc revolvers and one in 327. There are times I miss having a certain gun but I have room for bigger stockpiles of the important stuff like 9mm, 5.56 and 12ga.
 
Otto said:
Your question will be best answered by your heirs / children.
If you're going to bequeath everything to your wife...ask her.
Aren't the guns half her's anyway, legally speaking? Texas is a community property state.
Click to expand...

LOL! She is a seriously organized person who hates the clutter. She is not adverse to my buying guns and ammo, but she’s not into having a big mess to deal with should I meet an untimely demise…
 
FL-NC said:
I'm not taking those steps, but I'm planning them.
Click to expand...
Funny you say that…it was one of your posts that reenergized my cleaning the clutter. You mentioned getting rid of most non-Glocks, and some other misc guns. Some thread about buying latest guns…

I was kinda doing that. Wanted to “upgrade” my pistols…bought a Staccato P Duo. Sold it to a buddy. Bought some of the latest greatest Sigs…meh. They just don’t make me
See why they are the new hotness. So I’m sticking with my Glocks.

The vast majority of my pistols are Glocks…almost all are 9MM. One .40 and one .45. I’m keeping most of them.

Sold my G20 and replaced it with an XDm 10MM for the optics ready factor. Keeping my G21 just because it’s my only .45 AARP gun. May get a 1911 in .45 and the Glock 21 will probably go.
 
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