Everyone always brings up a thread of "if you could only have one" threads. For something different for a change if you could have 20 guns (or even more) what would you want or have?
I've been buying guns for some time. More than 20 now. I have firearms for two different reasons: potential use and collection. I seriously collect rifles from WWI and 7.65mm pistols from roughly the end of the 19th Century to roughly the beginning of WWII. And rifles that tickle my fancy, like No.1 Rugers and other borderline works of art. That is one of 'numberless' figures. That will continue until I find an example of each or I die.
Using firearms fall into three main groups and some crossovers.
Defensive use for facilities and personnel. My home, my cars and my family and friends. And the cats. Can't forget about the cats.
I have three main handguns for defense. I have one of them on me whenever I leave the house. I have a few more, but those three will count for this. (Seventeen to go.)
I have two long guns for defense. A shotgun (12) and an M1 Carbine always in the house ready for action against the minions of unholiness and evil. (Fifteen to go.)
Then for hunting, one should have an entirely adequate (or excellent) rifle in .22 lr. I have one but I am not really enamored of it. I may spend some cash on a replacement. (Fourteen to go.)
One should have a centerfire for small game. Here I have a conundrum. Too many to choose. I have too many with conflicting reasons for each one over all the others.
One should have a centerfire for 'mid-sized' game. Deer, perhaps black bear, and that sort of thing. Like the 'small' rifle, I am torn. Should I go with 6.5x55mm (in a modern CZ action), a 6.5x54mm Mannlicher–Schönauer
(Greek 1903 rebarreled and re-stocked) or 7x57mm Mauser?
Large Dangerous Game rifle? I think the best choice is the Ruger M77 'Alaskan' Hawkeye in .375 Ruger. (Down to Thirteen.)
If I were a Trappist Monk, I could likely combine the small and medium game size rifle into one.
This is starting to sound like a Country song about beer, ' ... one is too many and twenty ain't enough ... '
