How Do You Justify, In Your Mind, Large Gun Collections?

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I justify things differently as time goes on. I was in my basement looking at my rifles and shotguns and I realized that I haven't shot my SKS for a while, yet have more 7.62x39 than any other caliber. For a moment there I thought about selling it (gasp). Then I remembered SHTF scenarios and the ammo scare of a few years ago and reconsidered.
Lately I have been busting clays with my shotguns and plinking with my .22s, so as soon as I thought of selling that SKS I had already bought 2 other guns in my mind.
If I owned my own house I would not worry so much bout having more possessions. I just want to make sure I don't have to move too much stuff the next time I have to move.
I guess I want to shoot more and own less. That doesn't sound so bad.
 
continuing to collect guns is like making love to my wife. I have no reason to stop and
I always want more
 
Actually, I find having a large collection and "forgeting" what I have to be a lot of fun. Every once in a while, I see a rifle or handgun that I haven't touched or shot for quite a while and it is a "new discovery"...a bit like seeing an old friend that you haven't seen for years. I get to rediscover an interesting mechanism, artistic interpretation, cool bit of history, a turning point in firearms tech ergonomics, etc.

Being surrounded by the same thing everyday would be boring in my view.
 
Phydeaux642 said:
...So, how do you justify the next purchase when you know that you have enough guns to cover all of the shooting scenarios for your particular shooting lifestyle, i.e., hunting, plinking, carrying, etc.?
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Hmmm...

Not going to read thru 7 pages so if this has already been said - and it probably has - then it bears repeating.

Its not about covering shooting situations...

Its about want. If one wants a 1000 guns and can afford them there's absolutely no reason not to have them. No justification required.

Why don't you ask Jay Leno to justify all the cool cars he owns. I'll bet you get the same answer.
 
Looked through some of the first threads. Silly thread. Why would anyone have to "justify" the purchase of any firearms - whether 1 or many.
 
How does a person who builds model ships justify thousands of dollars and hours creating beautiful replicas of naval vessels past and present?

How does a person who is a connoisseur of fine wine or whisky justify the fortune he is likely to spend on some of the rarest, most awesomely crafted alcoholic beverages ever mixed?

How does a rock climber justify hundreds or thousands of dollars in high-end mountaineering equipment and thousands of hours climbing?

How does a person who collects antique, vintage soup cans justify a separate room of their house for their lovingly maintained collection?

A man pays thousands for a first edition Dickens. How can he justify this when a current-print of the same story is $5.99 at Barnes & Noble?

I belabor the point.

We love things because it's a part of human nature. Some of us love climbing, can collection, coin collection, model ship building, or any of a thousand more hobbies, some too obscure for us to imagine. We might enjoy some of these hobbies ourselves (I, for instance, am an avid military history buff and can chew your ear off for days about tactics, units, tanks, airplanes, generals, and battles).

We love guns.

The only reason we feel like we need to justify it is because the anti-gun crowd has spent billions of dollars and millions of hours trying to convince society that people who love guns are lunatics.

Reject the shackles that those who rail against freedom have placed on you. Embrace your hobby, your collection, your pride.

This is, after all, still America.
 
This reminds me of a statement that I saw Rep. Diane Fienstien (D) of California make on TV a few years ago during the push to pass the Clinton assault rifle ban. She was holding an AK-47 and said "This is not used for hunting so why would anyone need one of these?"

I pondered her statement for a while, then I thought - I'm so glad that I live in a free country where I don't have to justify to her, or anyone else, what I want to own by proving that I have a "need" for it.

If it ever gets to the point that we have to prove to someone why we "need" something before we can buy it, we have already lost our country and our freedom.
 
I'm in total agreement with Frogo.
Me & my guns get along great.
I sorta got along with the ex for 17 years.
And I have no kids to provide an inheritance to.

So my nieces & nephews will have to fight over my collection when I'm gone.
 
I still can not figure out what is a small collection and what is a large collection..... So I just need to buy more until I figure it out.....
 
The only thing I will ever feel compelled to justify is whether or not I can afford it now, or later.

I will buy as many guns as I want and can afford, those who feel I should justify the purchases wont be invited to the reading of my will :evil:
 
This is becoming a debate in AZ even as we speak. Guy frequented a number of gun stores buying 5-10 AKs at a time, etc etc on a regular basis. When confronted he advised the ATF they were for his personal collection, even though there is suspiscion that he's trafficing. Again we visit the 'how much is too much' debate here in AZ.

And my sig becomes sadly ironic yet again.
 
Black Butte: Yes, what a typically stupid govt. decision.
Also read somewhere that this issue with Korea might have begun years ago.

RustHunter:
Over at "Gunboards", an Aussie guy said months ago that he has a friend in South Africa. The guy walked into a gun shop and saw Brens and bolt-action Lee-Enfields being destroyed.:(
As for the British/Euro arms 'control' groups, they have websites which I stumbled onto months ago, but I either forgot to bookmark or can't find them on a very long list.

Apparently, this waste of sporting guns, ammo and cash helps prevent rebel and insurgent leaders in Africa from forcing/recruiting more children into conflict, by keeping the guns away from black market arms merchants.

The European politicians' higher levels of academic, theoretical education allow them to comprehend that the war lords Really prefer heavy, bolt-action WW2 rifles!:rolleyes:
The movie "Blood Diamonds" etc drew lots more attention when it came out.
 
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If YOU are not comfortable with additional purchases, then don't make any.

As for me, I wont apologize for what I love in life.
 
Why on God's green earth would you need to justify anything that didn't hurt someone? Guns, motorcycles, sailboats, airplanes whatever. If I can afford it and want it, I'll get it. Life is pretty short especially looking at it from my age, go for the gusto!
 
I would justify a large gun collection because justifying a tiny gun collection sounds like a contradiction in terms. Collection = several.








Rep. Diane Fienstien ... was holding an AK-47 and said "This is not used for hunting so why would anyone need one of these?"
Click to expand...
That question should be put to a vegetarian who believes in self-defense and who lived through the LA riots.
 
how does one justify buying video games? building computers? play football?......everyone has a hobby, many people just do it because it's what they enjoy.

and of course some people are paranoid to all hell, but for me, it's just because I enjoy it
 
Because you only live once and buying a gun doesn't hurt anyone or lead to the contraction of unpleasant diseases.
Click to expand...

But the lead fired is known to the state of California to cause birth defects....
 
I have 16 guitars. I can only play one at a time. I don't need to justify, but each has it's own characteristics and feel, just like a gun collection.
 
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