Contentment with gun collection

My meager gun "collection" is just like my Harleys.

Always $2000 away from being dead solid perfect.


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I am at the point now where all the local gun store owners just tell me that I have already owned everything they sell so they have nothing new of interest for me. However, I keep on telling the wife and friends that I have bought the last gun and then go and buy not one, but two new ones. I am so bad that I often buy a gun one week, shoot it and then sell it the next. I just traded in 3 guns that I bought a month ago and only shot once. However since I am running out of guns to buy that I have not already owned and am interested in, I may finally stop buying my usual 15 to 20 guns a year.

minutemen1776 said:

I know this may be an abhorrent concept for some folks, but I believe I have finally achived contentment with my gun collection.

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Over the last 35 years, I too have reached contentment, several times. It's lasted anywhere from a few months up to about a year ... I've been in such a place now for about 6-7 months now.

While I don't go to every gun show within 200 miles like I used to, I go to the local ones looking for something new to inspire me, but that's getting more difficult as I get older.

I have everything I need.
Nowhere near everything I want.

I added a Nylon 66 last year, and a Whitney Wolverine this year. I seem to have reached a pretty comfortable place.

The closest I ever come to contentment is when my guilt over spending so much on guns outweighs my desire for the next gun fix. Usually a very temporary situation.

For a good, $300 M-1 Carbine (Not an AO....), the story would change.

I'm right there with the others. My collection isn't large by any means, but I realized not long ago that I must be content with what I have - after picking up the last revolver, I just kinda stopped looking. Don't get me wrong, I still look for the almighty super deal - but now I just lightly browse with a much greater eye to price.

Now, THAT'S funny!...and a good tip to get rid of telemarketers too.

swalton1943 said:

A telemarketer called and caught me in a very bored state. Gave me a spiel; then asked me what would I do with $50,000? I said I would buy guns. He asked if I was a hunter, and I said "no, I just like to fondle them." He hung up on me, but I realized that is the aim of my collection; to have lots of guns to fondle. Kinky, but true.

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Sorry...I meant to quote Swalton1943

I've never thought of myself as a collector. And since I don't hunt, the only thing I wanted was a good handgun for home defense. After my one crappy gun was stolen during a house burglary, I bought a beautiful nickel S&W Model 19, 4-inch 357mag, which I still have. At the time I thought what more would I ever want, or need? That Model 19 is STILL my go-to gun when a strange noise awakes me at night. But not long after buying that 19 I felt I needed a semi, and bought a nice Ruger 97 45acp. Then I decided I liked target shooting, so of course added a couple of 22's (one Browning Buckmark and a S&W 617, 10 round). When concealed carry became a big thing I needed a couple of easy to conceal guns, and ended up with a tiny 380 semi (Ruger LCP), a Smith 640, and a mid-sized 40S&W (Ruger sr40c). But with 4 semi's and only 3 revolvers, I feel I "need" one more revolver to balance my safe, so a S&W 642CT is calling to me, as the "perfect" carry gun. I'm sure that those 8 handguns will be it for me, most likely....

I am not going to lie to anyone here. I will be satisfied with my collection when I die. Also my household is not a single collector one, my wife has taken up collecting over the past year. She is up to 19 plus one or four more. Just take what she names off with a grain of salt. She is trying to lay claim to my Christensen 338 Lapua, because she can handle the recoil or lack there of.

So I had post number two but I will elaborate since this is one of the only good threads going right now.

First, I am very jealous.

Second, I dont know if I can ever reach that point. Assuming you can satisfy your needs in five guns or so(deer rifle, CCW, Shotgun, Rimfire, and one more,) I did that years ago. In fact I hardly pay attention to any of that. As I have said on here many times, the only guns I actually enjoy recreational shooting with are my rimfires. If I am shooting another gun I am doing it with a purpose ie. sighting in my deer rifle, CCW practice, etc.

That all being said, I buy guns like an absolute idiot. And I do not shoot any of them. In fact I have not shot 10% of the guns I own and never will. I dont shop for guns to shoot. In fact the thought of actually shooting them usually doesn't cross my mind. For example, I just got a Mossberg 183t in as new condition and a Colt Trooper from 1977 also in as new condition. Neither will EVER be fired in my lifetime. I will probably not buy, other than rimfire, two or three more guns in my lifetime that I will actually buy to shoot(except for rimfire). What is there to buy? I have two good deer rifles that is far more accurate than me. I have two good handguns that I am relatively good with. And I have a good Winchester shotgun. I may feel the time comes to try something new in the rifle department. But thats probably it.

So, understanding that, it is impossible to satisfy me. I would literally need over 1000 guns before I could possibly imagine not buying more. Because I am not buying it for a specific shooting need I have a very broad range of interests at any time. And, when I see a good deal or an underpriced gun, I buy it.

Its a desease. And I am sick with it.

There is nothing I have that I'm tempted to sell, and I know of nothing I'm eager to buy.

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I think I reached the same state after purchasing a 1957 Winchester 88 in .243 Win.
What's the chance I will find something I like better at a price that makes sense?

I'm in a bit of a lull at the moment with most funds going towards ammo. i am shooting 3-4 times per month now which is nice and just trying to get a better feel for some of my collection. deep down though, i know it won't last and something will start peaking my curiousity.

Paraphrasing:

The content person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.

I seem to have struck an equilibrium between the two; therefore I am slightly more than content. Nice feeling.

Your are never content with a collection. There is always the elusive Peruvian trial contract of twenty demonstration models of the Wowser pistol in 9mm Muy Largo you just cannot find an example to complete your collection.

I am content with the heart of my gun accumulation: .22 Marlin 39 Mountie, .30-30 Marlin 336W, .22mag Taurus 73 pump, 12ga H&R single 28" barrel, 12ga Baikal double 20" barrel, .22 Mark II Ruger.

I have reached the point where I feel good with what I have and don't have a desire to own anything else as of now. My wife and I made a decision: if we add anything else, something we already have has to go. We had to reach that decision. You can reach the point where there just isn't any room for anything else.
That's just my personal decision. Law-abiding citizens have the right to own whatever and however much they feel like owning. That's what this country is supposed to be all about. Who am I or anyone else to tell someone what they "need" or should have?

Content with the rifles and pistols I now have left after selling about 75% of them. Some more may still have to go but I'm down to the favorites now.
The reason for drastically reducing my collection is two fold, reducing calibers and storm evacuation issues.

CZguy:

added a Nylon 66 last year, and a Whitney Wolverine this year.

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Ooooooo, thems is pretty.



Zero actual use for it not covered by other guns, but oooooo-sexy. Reminds me of an old girl friend.

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Carl N. Brown:

There is always the elusive Peruvian trial contract of twenty demonstration models of the Wowser pistol in 9mm Muy Largo you just cannot find an example to complete your collection.

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That's a knee-slappin' snot snorter.

LOL,L,NKA (Laughed Out Loud, Literally, No Kiddin' Around)

"9mm Muy Largo," indeed!

I'm sure I have dies for that somewhere in my die collection.

Terry, 230RN

Pic credit for educational purposes:
http://milpas.cc/rifles/

The reason for drastically reducing my collection is two fold, reducing calibers and storm evacuation issues.

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Yeah I find it liberating to only have to buy 2 pistol calibers and 12 gauge and while I have no threat of hurricanes in Ohio I have given a lot of thought how I could get my most prized possessions out of the house quickly and what would be left behind, mostly in a house fire situation.

Originally posted by 230RN,

Zero actual use for it not covered by other guns, but oooooo-sexy.

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I hope my wife never reads this but, I didn't really need it. It just goes so well with my Nylon 66, when I get the urge to shoot modern guns.