Do you consider yourself a shooter or a collector?

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I'm an accumulator. Collectors tend to go after all the variants of certain firearms, or specialize in certain brands, styles, ect. I need more than that. Shooters, defined here as someone just concerned about function and role, tend to dismiss all sorts of interesting, stylish, or historically important firearms. Can't have that either.

I like them all, and as a result, I have a large and diverse accumulation of firearms.
 
Much more of a shooter. I'd no more buy a gun that didn't shoot than I'd buy a car that didn't run.

I understand collecting, though; it would be cool to own an old Civil war revolver that wasn't safe to shoot, but I'd rather spend that money on ammo for my guns that do shoot.
 
Except for a few pieces I've inherited that have significance within my family I buy and keep nothing that I don't plan on shooting on a somewhat regular basis and enjoying.
 
I shoot every firearm I own at least several times each year. If it doesn't have a working role of some kind, I don't keep it around. Also I don't carry anything for defense that I couldn't stand losing. If you have to use it, it'll probably be confiscated.
 
I have a collection buy they are all shooters and I do shoot them all. Some more than other of course but a shooter first and a collector second.
 
I consider myself both. There are some I shoot and others I just admire and am happy to own. If I started to shoot a different one every day it would take over 6 months to shoot every one. Soooooo, many do not get to be shot.
 
With a few exceptions, a firearms overall value is actually increased if it is fully functional and able to be proven as such. The exceptions are of course those that were made with low quality materials and would pose a danger if fired. The only reason I don't shoot my Colt is that I am just plumb sceert that old Murphy will raise his ugly head and turn a possible 6 figure gun into a 25 cent paper weight (along with my hand :( ) I am confident in it and have had it gone over completely but Mr. Murphy and I have a long standing deal. I don't kick him in the rear and wake him up and he leaves me the hell alone :D
 
Both but more shooter than collector. If I see something at a gunshow or local gunshop, and I can get it at decent price, then I will buy it; even if it's something that I really don't have a particular need or use for. If it's already priced at the top end of what a collector would pay, then I would pass on it. Aside from that I'm primarily looking at guns that have a particular purpose (CCW, target shooting, hunting, etc.), and that I'm going to use on a regular basis.
 
writerinmo said:
I'd say a shooter. If it's a wallhanger, I'll do my best to fix it so it can be safely shot. If it doesn't have documented bringback history, I'll do the same. I just got banned off of a particularly purist Mosin site because I posted on ANOTHER site that I had rebarreled a Chinese Type 53 that had a sewer pipe bore with a barrel off of an M44 Mosin. It's kinda sad when you troll other forums and then ban members for what they post there, IMHO. But at least I can shoot it now accurately, none of the bullets go through the targets sideways at 25 yards like they ALL did with the old barrel.
Click to expand...
I was also banned form the forum for the purist of the purist Mosin collectors.
It was not for something I did, but for not wanting to drink the kool-ad that was on the table. The word Purist leaves a bad tast in my mouth. :barf:

I believe that history should be saved, but I will never tell someone what to do with their own guns.
I had a friend that wanted to make a sporter from an old rifle. He came by the house with the rifle to see if I had a sock, or knew where he could find one.
What he had was a Mosin M91 worth about $200 at the time. I told him that his rifle was not a run of the mill Mosin and had some collector's value. He said that he just wanted to tinker with an old rifle.
I told him that I was looking for M91s and I would be willing to trade him a better looking Mosin 91/30 and a nice sporter stock for his M91. We traded and were both happy.

I think that it is great that we are able to collect in different ways.
I just wish that I could have a little more focus when it comes to my collection. Maybe I wouldn't have so many.:)
 
Gunny and Writer, Nicely done! That is exactly the reason this thread was started.
 
I guess I am a collector of shootable firearms. There is nothing I own that I don't shoot.
 
I collect different calibers to shoot, don't collect because they're pretty sitting in the gun safe. I don't buy antiques or anything along that line. What I buy gets shot, but I guess the definition of "collect" would be key here.
 
I'm a shooter through and through, guns are tools in my mind, and meant to be used. Although I admire a handsome gun, function and utility are much more imporant to me. When you can combine all the above in one pacage that's my favorite. Most all my weapons are homely but very functional, but I do have a couple that dress the safe up. I shoot every gun I have and have NO interest in owning a safe queen. If I don't use it, it goes down the road with no regrets and the money gets invested in something I will use.
 
I guess my signature below is my best answer for the thread. :cool:

Geno (Previously Doc2005)
 
I'm an accumulator. I do have one gun I've never shot and probably never will, a 30/40 Krag, but that's just because I don't want to buy brass and dies. All the rest get fired whenever I feel like it.
 
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