How many guns should one person own?

"How many guns should one person own?"

How many are there? People should have an unlimited choice.

Though I've never been a person to collect items I don't use or actually need, probably the mindset from growing up in a small urban apartment. So my collection is probably pretty small compared to some I see mentioned here.

It's adequate for my hunting, target, and SD needs, anything I considered excess or redundant has been removed by gifting or sale.

I see the term SWMBO mentioned here several times, do you think when women talk among themselves they ever use the term HWMBO? Sorry, that's probably just a laughable idea. lol

Several years ago, there was an article of a couple from one of the southwest states. At the time they had a collection of 74 (IIRC) Dodge Vipers. I'm sure that didn't raise much of an eyebrow as it would have had they brought out half that number in guns.

I have only a few. 14 to be exact.
3 12 gauge shotguns
1 20 gauge shotgun
1 .270
1 6.5x55
1 .22 LR rifle
1 .22 WMR rifle
4 .22LR handguns
1 .38 special handgun
1 .357 magnum handgun

For what I do, those cover the bases just fine. I'm not much of an accumulator of things just to have.

I'll never have too many or enough. Sometimes I sell ones I've lost interest in, followed by pursuit of another one. I hope that never stops.

As many as they think they could want.............+2. LOL

How many guns could a gun man have, if a gun man does have guns?

As many guns as a gun man can, since a gun man does have guns.

You are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness......... and as many as you want!!!!!!!!!!

The guns we "should"have
.22 pistol with scope
.22 rifle bolt
.22 auto rifle
.22 hornet rifle
.22 tcm pistol 1911
.22 tcm rifle
.22 pistol backup
.32 revolver k.32
.32-20 revolver
.32-20 single action
.32 hr single action
.38 special revolver
.357 mag revolver
.357 mag lever action
.41 mag revolver
.41 mag leveraction
.44 special revolver
.44 mag revolver
.44 mag scoped revolver
.44 mag lever action
.45 colt single action
.45 colt lever action
.45 acp singleaction
.45 acp 1911
.9 mm 1911
.44-40 singleaction
.44-40 single shot rolling block
.38-40 lever action
.30-30 lever action
.7.62-39 rifle auto
45-70 trapdoor
45-70 trapdoor carbine
..45-70 single shot hiwall
12 auto
12 double barrel coach gun

As many as you want. JM

Oldman11 said:

The guns we "should"have
.22 pistol with scope
.22 rifle bolt
.22 auto rifle
.22 hornet rifle
.22 tcm pistol 1911
.22 tcm rifle
.22 pistol backup
.32 revolver k.32
.32-20 revolver
.32-20 single action
.32 hr single action
.38 special revolver
.357 mag revolver
.357 mag lever action
.41 mag revolver
.41 mag leveraction
.44 special revolver
.44 mag revolver
.44 mag scoped revolver
.44 mag lever action
.45 colt single action
.45 colt lever action
.45 acp singleaction
.45 acp 1911
.9 mm 1911
.44-40 singleaction
.44-40 single shot rolling block
.38-40 lever action
.30-30 lever action
.7.62-39 rifle auto
45-70 trapdoor
45-70 trapdoor carbine
..45-70 single shot hiwall
12 auto
12 double barrel coach gun

Click to expand...

I only have 15 if what is listed.
Some are on my watch list, though.
But, several not listed.
12ga auto, but your left out the pump, riot and magnums
Followed by 16ga, 20ga, 28 Ga, and .410

Then, there are auto, pump, bolt, single shot centerfire rifles; varmit, deer (med game) , large game, dangerous game.

Revolvers, single action, double action / rimfire, centerfire / SD, hunting, target
I sure there are others.
The list is endless

As many as possible.

I’m getting close to “ enough” as evidenced by the fact that I took a peek in both my safes a week ago and spotted a few I had forgotten about, those which I hadn’t shot in several years. It was a great feeling.
Now that winter is close at hand I’ll have the time to empty the safes and do some routine cleaning….after some overdue range time.

FL-NC said:

After I acquired a wife, "we" acquired a lot of kitchen stuff- the stuff I had previously (not much/just the right amount), the stuff she already had, and the stuff that continues to pile up, replicate, clone itself, or whatever is happening in there. There's a good amount of it that I have no idea what it even does, and there are cabinets in the kitchen I don't think I have ever opened. I have no idea why we have more frying pans than stove burners, but she insists that she knows what she is doing, so I just let it be. Since I pointed this out, she doesn't question my firearms inventory.

Click to expand...

Interesting point. I have often thought that for people who sometimes let the dishes (plates, bowls, silverware, etc) get away from them and pile up in the sink (like me) I think why do we have 27 plates when there is only 3 of us. I've told my wife I'd like to toss about 90% of what we have to make life easier. I tend not to share the same philosophy about firearms though, in the past I've been pretty tolerant about those piling up although I did thin out the safe a lil bit a while back.

Mauser lover said:

I didn’t get a positive integer? I think I remember how to do these right... Also, from whence came 10 power 6 in the denominator of the first parentheses?

Also... I seem to have more guns than this equation would provide... so I just tell my wife, “One of each, and maybe two or three of just my favorites.”

Click to expand...

It probably should be the positive solutions rounded to the nearest whole number.

Then at 18 you should get 1, 19 = 2, 20 = 3, 21 = 5 . . . . 50 = 46 . . . . 60 = 202 . . . etc. (with z = 0)

The equation in parentheses in front just adds a multiplier if you make more money. At zero annual income the multiplier is 1, at 100,000, it adds a 10% increase, and so forth.

caribou said:

Freedom is dangerous.

A person should be able to own any amount of guns they want.

I hunt for a living, so I use a gun for every occasion. I also practice self defense, so I dont call a guy with a gun to save me, when theres a gun problem.

1shotgun, 12 gauge. + 1 .22lr + 1 30-06 + 1 handgun for self defense, + whatever you want and can afford, because we are free people.

A gunheap is not more or less dangerous than 1 gun, because you can only use one gun at a time.

I think people should be allowed to keep their issue weapon after service, because they are vetted and trained by the military.

Click to expand...

This.

As many as they want, provided they can comfortably afford them. How many someone needs is a different story, and the answer is at between four and ten depending on whether you are a hunter.


For everyone:
Pocket defensive pistol
Regular defensive pistol
Rimfire rifle
Defensive shotgun

If you hunt:
Hunting shotgun (or second barrel for defensive gun)
Centerfire hunting rifle
Muzzleloading rifle

If you hike in bear country:
44 magnum revolver or 10mm auto

Nice to have for inexpensive practice:
Rimfire pistol

Just in case:
Magazine fed centerfire rifle

I don't think one guy/gal should own ALL guns. Less than that and I'm cool...

When you become a slave to your possessions, then you have too many.

Five is the minimum.
One handgun centerfire
One handgun rimfire
One rifle centerfire
One rifle rimfire
One shotgun minimum 20 gauge.

Is this a trick question?

As many as one wants of course.

But everyone has there own take on that.

Mine is I don't need 87 of any one or multiple guns. I like to pursue guns I don't have that I want, simple as that.

I've got SD and readiness against a tyrannical govt covered, and I don't need a dozen AR's to do that.

Works out remarkably close to the number I actually have.