What is it about guns...

Every one knows the guns they had and have. Unfortunately many of us are painfully aware of the ones we don't have... yet.

What have you got... 12 listed in your signature line? Now, say you bought them in the order listed and at this point only had the first 10 - you'd be pining like a kid for those next 2 - but you have them now and are still not done. So you get a magic wand for Christmas and it can conjure up 12 more, of course by February you'd be whining for the next 2 and so on and so on.

I figure it's a toss up what's more frustrating - the ones I don't have yet or the ones hindsight says I was a fool to let go.

What it is is, they are cheaper & smaller then motorcycles or sports cars.

We can mostly all afford sooner or later, most guns we want to own bad enough.
And you don't need a 50 car garage like Jay Leno to store them in!

If it weren't for that, I would probably collect vintage Vincent Motorcycles & Ford Cobras instead of guns!

rc

rcmodel said:

If it weren't for that, I would probably collect old Vincent Motorcycles & vintage Ford Cobras instead of guns!

rc

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A man after my own heart...

Except that I'd collect vintage Harleys, Ford/Shelby Cobras, AND guns.

You are not alone, I no more than pick up a new gun and my interest is already moved on to my next quest. Good to know that I'm not the only one.

What it is is, they are cheaper & smaller then motorcycles or sports cars.

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Yup, and I'm out of space for the sports cars...

I dunno... I have waaaaay too many motorcycles, an AMG Mercedes, GS Buick, Scout, Jeep and a Land Rover, an antique boat, just sold a '32 and have another one on jigs and then some and still can't catch up on firearms.

And I don't make a lot of money but rather prioritize heavily and don't carry debt.

No fellas the guns aren't because of our socio-economic bracket - it's just "a thing".

Well, since I ain't dead yet ... gotta' keep in the game.

Sold my Beetle, Ghia Coupe, Ghia Convertible and Type 181 "Thing" 'cause I'm too crippled to drive 'em any more (but I had 'em for 25+ years). Sold off nearly all my guitars, basses and amps 'cause arthritis has taken over my hands and I can't play a darned note. All that's left is my guns.

I'm just about where I wanted to be with my collecting ... maybe a couple more will sew things up. (But come to think of it ... I think I said that a whole bunch of guns ago ... but I'm getting old so maybe I was just thinking I did).:banghead:

Yep.
I started off with tactical and self-defense guns.
Now I'm buying single-action revolvers and wanting a lever-action cowboy carbine.
Guns are just...well...fun!
When I was younger, I collected girl friends. But guns are cheaper in the long run and you can just lock them in the closet when you don't feel like playing with them.
You can do that with girl friends too, but it usually doesn't work out as well.

I feel the same way. don't get me wrong, I do love all the current models I have, and only have two regrets on guns I have gotten rid of in pursuit of other guns (not that the new ones aren't better, I just miss the old ones).... but that's beside the point. There is something special about the one(s) you are still after. I imagine them as something special and different than anything I currently have(sometimes this illusion turns out to be true, as was the case with my first M1 Garand). I think its the thrill of the hunt for exactly what you want, and the exciting feeling of that magical moment when you take it from the store clerk or private sellers hand knowing it is now yours. Then extending further, those first few rounds you send down range, the anticipation of whether or not it will perform as you have imagined. Once that is over, its on to the next one.
Now, to clarify, I am not one to just let them sit unused. I cycle them all through regularly to the range so none of them feel left out, they all get there own special attention.

Yep. Guns, motorcycles and fine whiskey...

Most definitely, as captain awesome posted, it is the thrill of the hunt. That keen and highly focused anticipation of tracking down that new aquisition, leading up to the actual purchase itself, and then the range trip to see what this latest toy will do. Like having Christmas morning anytime (and many times), throughout the year.

Maybe there should be a 12 step program.....

I already tried the 12 step program.
I live on 30 acres and walk approximately 12 steps out my back door to shoot all my new guns.
Wait...errrr....ummmm....that don't sound right.
Ah screw it.

Guns are (relatively) affordable.

In 2000, I decided to revisit sax playing, and before long I owned 15 of them, many worth $4-5 thousand. Now, as my gun hobby outstrips my sax hobby, the saxes are getting sold off. Each one that goes easily pays a month's bills and buys a new firearm.

Even as bad as it is, my sax playing cannot kill a deer or stop an assaillant.

Luckily I have pretty much every gun I've wanted to own. My local range is full of friendly people - almost every time I go, people let me try out their stuff, so I've fired quite a variety of guns, mostly handguns.
I'm putting most of my "gun budget" toward ammo and training... that said, if I ever inherited, earned or won a really substantial amount of money... well, let's just say that I'd be looking for new real estate to hold my newly expanded collection.

That's an interesting question. I remember feeling that as a younger guy, and the corresponding "gotta-have-its" for a complete compliment of accessories to go with every gun, too.

Along the journey though my interest in firearms changed from collecting and "having" to competition and other "practical" uses like training and defensive practice. These days I have probably five or six firearms that I shoot "regularly" (meaning at least a few times a year), three or four of which get shot "heavily" in practice, competition, and training. Then I have the rest of the collection that pretty much just sits in the cabinets waiting for me to pull out and wipe down about once a year or less.

And while there are a few niches I don't really have filled yet (what, no AR-15? Hey, sometime I'll get around to it. Don't really need one right now...), I don't feel any pressure to do so. I can go to a gun show and not feel a strong desire to purchase any firearm I see there. (Probably why I've largely quit going.)

But I do have a pretty insatiable hunger for ammo components, match fees, course fees, and little bits and pieces of gear to help me run something better, faster, or more conveniently.

But, given $1,000 and told to spend it however...probably not buying a new gun.

I've got a collection of 72 firearms in 3 gun vaults, back when I had about 24 I thought this is my last firearm. What do I need with another firearm?! I still think that way, but, what good does it do me. Eventually my sons will have an awesome collection to fight over.

that no matter how many you have and how cool they are.... that you always are looking forward to the next one????

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The next one? Your thinking too small. I'm already dreaming about the next five!!!

Boy does this make me feel better... I wondered if I was the only one that did this. I get hung on different styles. First was bolt rifles, then lever actions. Moved on to ARs. I am now thinking about a 1911 but, I just had a guy mention that he loves his m14 and I don't know what to do.. My wife is about at her limit so I need to slow down a little. I have bought 4 in the last 2 1/2 months and I ain't even got my refund back yet. :banghead:

It wont be long, as in within the next gun or two that I will need another safe.

kenken

"Guns are evil."
-My wallet.

More toys* and private property in which to play with them at my leisure are the reasons I am striving for a better career.

These toys are not limited to guns, but also include computers, a golf cart, and a new car.

My favorite drink is the same thing as my favorite gun...

The next one.

rcmodel said:

What it is is, they are cheaper & smaller then motorcycles or sports cars.

We can mostly all afford sooner or later, most guns we want to own bad enough.
And you don't need a 50 car garage like Jay Leno to store them in!

If it weren't for that, I would probably collect vintage Vincent Motorcycles & Ford Cobras instead of guns!

rc

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WOW, You hit it on the head! I had to sell my Harleys because I moved into a smaller house. I can't build a FFR Cobra in the garage because its too small so I started building guns and reloading again.

Believe it or not, I've pretty much got all I want or need. I shoot most of what I have. I have a few old shotguns that seldom get used, but I keep them for sentimental reasons.
Most of my funds go towards reloading supplies, accessories, match fees and sporting clays fees.
I'm at a point where I can either spend more money on guns, or enjoy shooting what I have.