Less guns, better shooting, more fun.

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Carl Levitian

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I don't know if we are the only ones to have had this experiance. Both of us are in the mid 60's, have shot as a couple since we met at a pistol range in 1970. Married in 1971. Over our life together, the better half and I accumulated a good number of guns.

But...

I have not hunted in over 20 years, don't carry a gun most of the time, as Maryland is not a ccw state. As an older couple in retiredment, we deceided to have a downsizing to simplify our life. I called the kids together, as well as a couple of other family members and gave away most of my guns. The wife and I kept only the old ones we had when we met, plus one new one each. In truth, most of the acummulation was mine. The better half still shoots the same K22 her father gave her for High School graduation.

The upshot of this is that we're having more fun shooting now than in years, and we're shooting better. In spite of old eyes and slightly blurred sight picture, our marksmenship is better with only shooting a favorite old gun week in, week out. And we feel liberated, no more worrying about the guns getting stolen when we're gone. TRhe few left fit in some very out of the way places when we are out.

Anyone else cut back on thier firearm collection, and find you shot better?
 
You're a good man for giving away your guns in a thoughtful manner. I have only a few guns because I'm relatively new to gun ownership. My guns feel like broken-in shoes that fit well. I don't think much about how my guns feel. I guess that's a good thing.
 
I have a decent amount of guns, probably not that many compared to some here. I always take the same pistol that I keep in the nigh stand and others when I go shooting. I enjoy shooting different guns each time I go. I always make sure though to stay proficient with the one gun that I may have to use one day.
Variety is the spice of life.
 
Fewer guns

Over on Pistol Training. com they have a comment about the SIMP factor. It is Simon's Inverse Multiple Gun Paradox (I think). Basically it states that the more guns you bring to the range the worse you shoot. I carry an M&P 9 and compete in IDPA and Tactical matches with a Pro model of that same gun. That certainly simplifies my life and I do shoot better. BUT, I like to compete in bowling pins shoots too and the 9 just isn't going to hack it there at my club. No pins closer to the back of the table or any other handicap considerations. In pins I shoot a Sig X-5, 40 S&W and there is a .22 match in which I use a S&W M-41. I do practice with all four guns and two are almost identical. I think the SIMP factor is at play but I don't know how much of a consideration it really is. Is my life simpler with few guns? You got that right!
 
Excellent! We have started giving a few guns to the kids now, rather than having them have to fight over them later.

My dad collected guns all his life, mostly Winchesters. He always had the intentions of giving them to his three boys eventually. He never got around to it, and he passed away unexpectedly in January at age 80. My brothers and I were left with the sad task of deciding where the guns would go.

We only kept the ones with family history, and divided them up amongst ourselves after a long meeting. The rest will be sold, as they are part of mom's estate.

One gun that I got was my dad's pre-64 Model 70 in 300 Win Mag (rechambered 30-06), "Grandpa's Elk Medicine". I always wanted a model 70, so I kept it for a couple of weeks, and then presented it to my son. I probably won't be hunting elk any more, and I hope he can kill a big bull in his grandpa's memory.
 
"cover you with the muzzle while he clears a jam"

Not if his one and only is a revolver.
 
In Starting to think along those same lines. But My only Daughter is in canada so I Just use them as Barter trading fodder. Any one want to put a new furnance in for me for a coupla Old friends!!!
 
This has become a family philosophy on my end as well. I don't have money to own any "real" collector's pieces, so hoarding banged up mil-surps is kind of pointless (yes they are neat...but it ties up funds).

Less guns...more bullets...more range time!!
 
I just traded away my sig 229 so I could focus on my HK USP45F. I got a good shotgun and plenty of 45 ammo out of it. But my thinking was along your thoughts. If I had more funds I might buy more. I need to get a rifle and a carbine to have a more well rounded selection. I think you can get too narrow a selection, but simple is good. If I were to get a 9mm I would likely get a USP 9 and I might get more USP 45s in the future once I get the long gun needs met.
 
I hear what you are saying.

After years of buying I have started to try and sell a gun everytime I buy another. With the addition of my boys guns the safe was getting too darned full! :D

The "extra" gun money is being spent on ammo.

I have also tried to limit the different kinds of guns that I have. Most of the time I am shooting my AR-15, Ruger 10/22, and 1911 pistol when I go to the range. This has helped me become more familiar with one platform. I am also spending a lot less time cleaning.
 
It is not just the guns like you say, for me a big part of it was so I could just buy one pistol caliber. When you have to buy all the different accessories the costs add up quick.
 
I own 42 guns, and everyone is used for a different purpose. One can never own too many firearms. The way I have settled arguments as to who gets what upon my death is to give each nephew/niece who wants a specific firearm a letter with the serial number of the gun that they want with my signature. That way I can still use the gun, it prevents me from selling the gun, and they know what they will get.
 
I am trying to get down to one of each:

rimfire, centerfire, pistol, shotgun.

I'm almost there, that would total 6, right? :rolleyes:
 
I think about this a lot as I feel I get caught up in the owning, collecting, but have a hard time enjoying what I have. I seriously don't know what I would get rid of though. To make it worse, politics always make me fear that I will not be able to own any "politically incorrect" rifles again if I were to get rid of them. I should probably just sell all but a few along with all my other possessions, and meditate every day for 6 hours to gain the peace I need!
 
You have to prioritize.

Most of us accumulate guns as we go along. But there comes a point when you have to divide the collection up into Shooters, Collectors, Gifts, and Trade Fodder.

And if you're smart, half the Shooters will go into the Trade Fodder category.

Because you can only shoot one gun at a time...you may as well trade three or four mid-quality pieces for one gun that you really enjoy shooting.
 
Boone, I got to a point where I couldn't enjoy the guns anymore. Too many and they got to be a PITA, beleive it or not. One day I had this epithany as I was standing there looking at the two guns safes full of stuff I hardley ever used anymore. I thought to myself "what the heck do I need all this for?"

That weekend I had the kids and grandkids over. They took the one I had told them would be thiers, and the Mrs. and myself just kept a few for our oun enjoyment. The ones nobody wanted, I sold on consignment at the local gun shop. Since them, I'm enjoying shooting again like I had not enjoyed in many years. Sometimes you really can have too much. Not just guns, stuff in general. We also did a downsize of our life. I didn't need duplicate power tools and motorcycles, nor do I need 5 fishing poles and two tackle boxes. The wife figured she didn't need but one simple set of chna and a few pots. Let alone Lord knows how many pairs of shoes. Man we got rid of alot of stuff. Goodwill, Salvation army, AmVets, they loved us.

We cranked everything back to when we were married in 1971, and we're happy as hell. Life is simple again.

There's an old saying; "When you own too many possesions, the possesions end up owning you."
 
I agree with everything you've said intellectually... but for some reason, I just can't bring myself to sell one unless I really need the money.

I have guns I shoot so infrequently I need to reference the manual when its time to clean them because I can't remember how they take-down... now in my mind, that's kind of pathetic. Too many 'manual of arms', too many calibers in my safe, and I know some day I'll significantly thin the herd and feel better for it. Until then, I end out shooting the same ones 90% of the time, and then once in a while taking one of the others out for the novelty.
 
I havent hit that point yet (dwindling down the collection) but have them categoriezed as carry guns, house guns and the rest. I guess the main problem for me lies in that I just cant seem to pass up a good working rem 870 that is under $200. I dont just buy any one I see, it has to have character. There is just something about 870's that I cant shake. May have to do with the fact that my first "real gun" was given to me by a good mentor (an old police department 870).
 
I've gotten rid of several guns over the last few months for the same reason. I don't shoot them but once every year or two...why keep them? I'd rather have the range time and ammo for the guns I enjoy.
 
As I'm reading the replies, I can't help but wonder how much of the downsizing is age related.

I fall into that catagory myself, where I don't want to accumulate too much baggage any more.

The kids are gone, retirement is imminent, and moves are possible.

I'm at the point where less is more.
 
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