Contentment with gun collection

[230RN]

I'm only 48 years old.
But...I have a 4 bedroom house on 30 acres of land completely paid off now. I hold the deed. And all my vehicles are paid off too. And no credit card debt either.
I'm at the point now that I can survive on an NCO army retirement and don't even have to work any more.
I just blow money on guns and other hobbies now while drinking beer and sitting on my butt....lol

You wanna adopt me?

 

[SabbathWolf]

You wanna adopt me?

Maybe?

But you'll have to earn it by shoveling horse poop, keeping the grass mowed and washing my trucks at least once a week....lol
In exchange, we'll be shooting, fishing, horse riding or BBQing the rest of the time.
But you can't bring any liberal Colorado politics here.
We don't stand for it around these parts....lol

 

[PabloJ]

I know this may be an abhorrent concept for some folks, but I believe I have finally achived contentment with my gun collection. I've had guns my whole life, but I have seriously built my collection over the last 10-12 years. I have had about 100 different guns, ultimately keeping only about 20 of those. I've also gone through a number of "phases" and bought more than a few guns I did not like simply for the sake of having a "rounded" collection. Now, I've learned that MY collection is really only about ME. I've ditched things I don't enjoy, and I have multiples of a few favorites. Most importantly, I finally feel HAPPY with what I have. There is nothing I have that I'm tempted to sell, and I know of nothing I'm eager to buy. Sure, there might be a couple of things I'd buy if I found a good one at a good price. Or, a new item might later hit the market that catches my eye. But, I won't go trolling through every shop within a hundred miles trying to find those items, and I won't overpay in an auction for some "must-have" gun. In years past, that's exactly what I would have done. Now, though, I just want to shoot what I have and maybe tinker with an accessory or modification here and there. Contentment actually feels good!

I'm pretty happy with one handgun and one shotgun. Life is grand.

 

[Sniper66]

Content? I like my collection, but doubt I'll ever be done looking for another gun. For example, I have .17 HMR, .22 Hornet, .204 and .223 that I shoot p-dogs with, but I'm always wondering what it would be like to shoot Coopers and Kimbers and Anschutz. My HMR is an Anschutz and a fantastic shooter. The others in order listed are Savage, Ruger, Remington. I can sit here and list in my head at least a dozen rifles and pistols I would like to try. So, happy?....you bet. Content?...probably never.

 

[Ignition Override]

One inspiration to have bought four Enfield #4s and two #5 "Jungles" is because of the insanity in some foreign countries, as a result of UN and local govt. decisions to spend heaps of cash on having surplus, even obsolete military rifles destroyed, along with surplus ammo.

The primary motivation is because they are solid, accurate classic Battle Rifles with wood/metal, versus plastic.
After a second Garand is acquired, extra 'contingency' ammo will be the only objective. Maybe the CMP won't receive any more or continue to sell it for .50/rd. too much longer, as with their M-1 inventory/prices.

If I were concerned that a Hezbollah or Al Qaida cell were active just east of Memphis, then a VZ-58 and four magazines would be the objective.

 

[Teachu2]

My accumulation reflects my shooting interests. I do varmint and predator control, so most of my rifles are .22 cal (.22LR(5), .223(2), or .22-250(4)) with a .17HMR and a heavy .308 just for giggles. Shotguns are limited to a Mossy 500 house gun, a LT-20 Skeet, and a Beretta 3901 12ga. Handguns have gotten a lot of attention since I started shooting at an indoor range, 20 or so with half of them being Glocks - and I only started buying Glocks two years ago. Some of them are just because it's going to be harder to get them in California as time goes by.

I rarely sell guns - I have three sons and two grandsons, so they will get passed down.

 

[SabbathWolf]

My accumulation reflects my shooting interests. I do varmint and predator control, so most of my rifles are .22 cal (.22LR(5), .223(2), or .22-250(4)) with a .17HMR and a heavy .308 just for giggles. Shotguns are limited to a Mossy 500 house gun, a LT-20 Skeet, and a Beretta 3901 12ga. Handguns have gotten a lot of attention since I started shooting at an indoor range, 20 or so with half of them being Glocks - and I only started buying Glocks two years ago. Some of them are just because it's going to be harder to get them in California as time goes by.

I rarely sell guns - I have three sons and two grandsons, so they will get passed down.

I don't have a shotgun. But I'm thinking maybe this VEPR 12 would work as one of my future purchases.
Then I'd be down to only still needing a 22lr rifle.

 

[Steve CT]

I do not actively collect guns, I own less than 10 and have had 40 or so pass through my hands in the past five years. I keep what I like, and don't try to own more than I can shoot with any regularity.

In the past year or so, much of my shooting enjoyment has come from reloading and shooting my own ammunition.

 

[skyscratcher5150]

My collection includes doubles 14 in all. I shoot one and keep the other for admiration. I have a particular fondness for the NAA Mini's 5 in all.

 

[paintballdude902]

i envy you.. im not even close to my collection being complete.... heck my latest ar still lacks handguard and bcg...... but alas.... my wonderful girlfriend recently discovered there is a child hiding inside of her.... so allot of our money will be going towards moving into a bigger house and she wants me to get a safer car....(my bronco isnt safe enough i guess) so there goes my play money till i get a few new stripes.........

 

[muggia59]

I hope to be satisfied with my collection soon. A ruger gp100 357 w/6" barrel will do it. Then maeby a 20" marlin 357 lever action. Another 1911 45 acp, or a 1911 in 9mm. I hear those are nice. Maeby a cz97 45 or just another cz75b. Not popular, but a bersa thunder 45 would be rather inexpensive when they become available. My friends tell me I have issues. They are right. Admitting you have a problem is half the battle (I hope).

 

[Irtys]

I told my wife that I have all I want also. She just laughed at me.

 

[TCB in TN]

I don't know if I have a theme to my collection. I guess some on here would call my collection a jumbled up mess, but I call it stuff I like. From the 1890s to mfg last year. Rim fire, center fire, revolver, pistol, semi, bolt and lever. I buy what I like. Some because I owned shot or wanted it as a kid, some because I want the performance now or for a specific task.

I don't spend money I can't afford to spend but I.buy what I can afford just because, and I don't see that changing. I also have 3 young adult children who shoot and I plan on making sure they have a good start to their collections as well.

 

[kwguy]

Man, just when I thought I was satisfied with my collection, someone had to put a picture of that VEPR up there. I didn't know about those...

 

[JTHunter]

Of the several guns I've owned over the last 40 years, only two are gone.
One was a Marlin Golden 39A .22 levergun (S, L, & LR - even if mixed).
The other was a Ruger semi .22LR pistol with a tapered 7" round barrel. Traded that for a .380 about '76.

Every gun since then I still have.
Three .22 rifles (1-bolt, 1-SA, & .22 Mag bolt), a .25 & a .32 ACP, 2- 12 ga. shotties (SxS & Mossy 500 pump), .243 bolt, an AK, a .357, the aforementioned .380, a .22LR/Mag "convertible", and a .32-20 revolver.

 

[SabbathWolf]

Man, just when I thought I was satisfied with my collection, someone had to put a picture of that VEPR up there. I didn't know about those...

lol......

They are everything the Saiga 12 wanted to be.

 

[tarosean]

I am actually pretty close to being content also.. I have 2-3 more to purchase that I want then I am done.

 

[Chris-bob]

I'm getting there, but then I see a lonely, lost gun sitting there waiting to be adopted. I don't have much, but it all started 20 years ago with a Marlin model 60, now it's at 14 .22 rifles, and lots of other rifles and pistols. I figure I'll be content when I die.

 

[Twiki357]

I'm pretty satisfied with my collection (Although based on AlexanderA's definition it could be considered an accumulation), but I do have a theme. It's called a little of this and a little of that. But, I would like to add a S&W 50mag. Oh, and a K-22. I also wouldn't mind adding a S&W break top. And maybe a Ruger 10/22. I've also been thinking about an AR-15. Now that you brought it up, maybe I'm not all that satisfied. :banghead:

 

[bannockburn]

Still looking, admiring, fondling, contemplating, buying...and still collecting.

 

[pockets]

When I got my first firearm 48 years ago, I thought that was all I'd ever want or need.
Today I find myself content with the knowledge that I change, my tastes change, situations change........life happens.
.

 

[Manny]

Back several years after I first got into shooting and was dirt poor I'd worked myself up to three guns in my collection and was quite content. And for what what needs were at the time I was very well equipped with a .44 mag Super Blackhawk, .38+p+ S&W 640 and a 12ga Remington 870 Special Field. Later as my finances grew and I could afford to indulge my wants and curiosities I had a FAR larger accumulation, as the disjointed nature was in no way coherent enough to be termed a collection. I was also shooting less and getting nowhere near as much enjoyment. I decided at that time to rediscover my "roots" and get back to the heart of what first drew me to this sport.

My collection now is far smaller, though not down to three as I've expanded my interests over the years, and very will suited to what my needs are. If I haven't attained the same level of contentment I once I had, I'm not missing it by much. The fun, challange and sense of accomplishment & satisfaction when I shoot especially well that first got me hooked is back, hopefully for good.

I may add a couple more guns still, but if I don't I think I'm pretty good to go as is.

 

[Al Thompson]

Over the last 3ish years, I've gotten away from the hardware side of things and focus more on the software side.

Sold a bunch of guns, trimmed down the collection and started doing more training.

Works for me!

 

[Arkansas Paul]

There is a hole or two in my collection I'd like to fill. I can see myself happy with having all my bases covered, but I don't ever see me being perfectly content with what I own. There's always the next one.

 

[22-rimfire]

I don't consider myself a collector at all. I only own 6 guns and want to keep the total at 10 or less.

That's because you aren't a collector. In my 20's, I felt exactly the same as you. Each firearm fulfilled a need of some sort. I wasn't interested in owning three of the same caliber rifle or handgun unless it was for a different niche. A serious varmint hunter may well see the need for three rifles in the same caliber. I don't dispute that way of thinking. It's a "need" that they determined they have based on their interests.

That changed when Colt declared Chapter 11 and had dropped most of the revolvers from production that I dearly loved or appreciated. The new Colt was nothing like the old Colt. At that point, supply was limited and I had the interest.

As you age, you begin to make choices. Sell a few things or not..... Life starts to become more finite in terms of longevity. What happens to these things when I die? Do I want all these firearms going to people who only see them as "money" or do I want them to go directly to people who appreciate them? Eventually in our market, both choices are equal. But these things are all choices that people eventually have to make. A purist collector will only see the need to preserve something and who owns that firearm is of little consequence. You are just one in a stream of owners who appreicate such things and preserve them.

To address the OP specifically, I think its good that you have reached a point with this type of material thing that you don't long for the next one. Life and interests go in cycles and we adapt to those cycles as our interests change or rise and fall.