Quality or Quantity?

[larryh1108]

I agree with browningguy.
Just because it didn't cost $1000+ doesn't mean it won't function and work as intended. A $400 Rock Island can shoot accurately and function 100%, just like the $3000 custom 1911. It won't be as refined or as pretty, though. That becomes a matter of choice.

As the hair gets grey you tend to learn a few things. At one point I had well over 30 handguns of various calibers, mostly run-of-the-mill shooters. Every one functioned perfectly or I wouldn't own it. They all did as they were intended. However, as the OP stated, I was good with all of them but not great with any of them. I was good enough, if needed, for any SD situation. I know them all and once I hit 1500 rounds with a certain gun I was satisfied that I could use it well.

I wanted one or more of all the popular American calibers. It got to a point that I didn't shoot the "older" guns as much as I used to and finding time to shoot them all as well as the cost of ammo made me realize I had too many guns for my needs.

QUALITY will never disappoint you - especially if you have to part with some of it, to finance something else!

The same can be said for the cheaper guns. If you paid $350 for it used and kept it 5 years you should still be able to get $350 for it. What I decided was to sell 2 or 3 less expensive guns to get "better" guns that I will shoot more and get more proficient with. I love the 1911 platform and I got a top of the line Kimber and a custom that way. I scratched that itch. I can now sell my other 1911s because I doubt I'll shoot them any more and I don't like safe queens. I am in the process of selling more to buy better, per caliber. I think I have 6 or 7 9mms. I have a PM9 for carry as well as a PCR. I have a HK P7. I have a 1911 9mm. I have 3 BHPs in 9mm. Do I need 3? I think so. They are all different. I can't sell any....

Sigh, I still need a shrink. I thought I figured it out. I guess I didn't.
Nevermind, ignore my post. :banghead:

 

[Coltdriver]

I don't think its how many you own. I think what matters is how many you have owned.

And along the way, you will find a keeper or two.

I have never bought junk ever. I find you always get your money back on used quality firearms. However there is a limit. As you get higher and higher in price your available market to sell the gun to in the future also gets smaller.

As your taste in finer arms grows you may find your collection gets smaller but your satisfaction level goes up. Its hard to beat the experience of a truly fine firearm.

You can, after all, only shoot one at a time.

 

[Stealth01]

I'm fortunate (and blessed) enough to purchase quality over quantity. I have absolute faith in my primary CCW weapons being two Kimber 45s (with demonstrated reliability) and two Wilson Combats one in 45 and one in 9mm. I can shoot them all equally well and routinely rotate which one I carry based on what I'm wearing. When it comes to self-defense I'll pay more for the confidence...

 

[MCgunner]

I've got a bit of both. Some are both in one gun, contrary to what a snob will tell you. Rugers are affordable and high quality. My recent SR22 purchase is my 8th Ruger. The junk I own is .22 caliber, old Erma LA22, a Charter Arms exploader...er, explorer 2 (actually reliable, but the trigger REALLY sucks), a Phoenix Arms HP22 (Zinc, but it was cheap and is accurate and pretty reliable between servicing for this and that, usually the recoil spring). I keep the junky .22s for various reasons, the old Erma was bought in college many years ago. The Charter Arms and Phoenix arms are just not worth selling, wouldn't buy a good meal at a fancy restaurant, and, hell, why not keep 'em around. LOL

I ain't ashamed of the junk .22s and I have a Ruger Mk2, a Ruger SR22, A scoped TC .22 match barrel (a single shot), and a Rossi 511 Sportsman that are pretty danged decent to actually take to the range. I wanna get a Browning Buckmark as my next .22. I really ain't interested in another revolver, even single action .

CCW or hunting, I have higher quality guns, proven to ME 100 percent reliable and highly accurate for what they are. I like what I've got. They're not expensive as in Sig Sauer, but I'd cry if a cop took a thousand dollar handgun for evidence and marked it with an engraving tool, it happens. I'm not rich, can't afford to be a snob. .22s aren't that serous for me, but I do like the higher quality stuff for plinking.

Oh, and I own CHEAP Pietta cap and ball replicas along with my Ruger Old Army. Tell ya what, those Piettas are danged fun and the 5.5" Remmy is accurate, about 3" at 25 yards off a bench, won't scare my ROA or anything, but that's pretty impressive. The '51 Navy is about half that good, not quite accurate enough to make a fun plinker.

I have 26 handguns, now, and none of 'em are for sale, junk or quality.

 

[C5rider]

Great replies guys! I appreciate it. Right now I'm at that stage where family life keeps the gun purchases limited, and on the lower end of the financial scale. That's okay, because I could use a purchase-governor once in a while.

I did make a few purchases from that realm that I'm pretty satisfied with. I purchased a Llama, knowing that they are out of business. But, l liked the gun, so I bought it. It needed a little "tuning" but now, it eats my reloads like candy. And, I learned a LOT about tearing one of these things down. I read up on the design and decided to give it a try, with safety in mind.

I won't say it's a 1911, but, the parts of the puzzle match closely enough that I could know what they were in one. I wouldn't have attempted that with something that I had paid much more for. Maybe it wouldn't have even needed it.

I have always had a soft spot for orphans at my LGS. But, I see my tastes are changing. i really like every gun that I currently own. Maybe I'm lucky.

 

[jbr]

I have one large caliber hunting rifle - Quality all the way, several 9's - from very nice to very cheap and reliable. Pocket 380 - cheap but reliable. one .40 - Quality. A 12ga and a 20 ga. - both very nice. One .22 target pistol - high quality but not outrageous.
your young - mix it up - some time it's fun to try and find a cheap gun that performs great. Other times it fun to buy that really cool looking collectable gun and there is always room for some "utility" guns. The only line I draw is reliable - if it doesn't work well, why have it.

 

[MCgunner]

Look for good USED guns if you know what to look for. Some of my favorites were used. I paid 197 dollars for a near new condition early 90s nickeled Taurus M66 after inspecting it at a gun snow. That is the BEST medium frame 4" I've owned, shoots .38 OR .357 fave loads into 1" at 25 yards, is tight and perfectly timed and has a fantastic trigger, as good as my old M10 Smith and Wesson early 60s vintage which is also in great shape. I had a M19 Smith, a Ruger Security Six, and a Rossi 971 that could NOT shoot with this Taurus. At 191 dollars and change, I think I'd get my money out of it if I sold it. The 19 wasn't a bad gun and I got more for it than I paid for it and I bought it new, but the 66 is slightly more accurate and just as nice, though it's nickeled instead of blued, but is a nice satin nickel, great working gun.

You can find deals, that's most of the fun IMHO. When you find such a nice gun at a low price, it's a special pat on the back feeling.

BTW, lots of good deals on eastern bloc 9x18 service guns. I picked up a very accurate Radom P64 last year for under 200 bucks.

My SIL had a Llama .45. It broke something, neither his or the gun's fault, and he could NOT get the part anywhere. The smith broke it while rebluing it. He got a new Taurus TCP for the gun, which isn't that expensive, but it's a new gun and shoots real nice.

 

[Teachu2]

I enjoy mechanical devices, especially firearms. I like to shoot - everything. I don't hunt anything but varmints and occasionally dove, but I'm up for any kind of target shooting.

I buy based on value to me - not to someone else. I buy each gun for a particular purpose. I have a Mossberg 500 12ga that is both a HD gun with the 18" bbl and a loaner sporting gun with the 28"VR (if one of my sons decides to come along). My Beretta 5901 is my skeet/clay gun - not a beautiful gun to look at, but a pleasure to shoot and a bargain price. I also have a Remington 1100 LT 20 ga that is a beautiful gun, purchased in case my wife wanted to shoot, and bought slightly used at a great price. Rifles include 3 .22-250s (my sons like to participate in varmint shooting), a .223 CZ, a Savage .17HMR HB stainless, a Ruger 10/22 that's getting upgrades (my current project gun), a S&W M&P 15 Sport (what a FUN gun!), a Hi Point 4595 carbine (HD and a ball to shoot!), and my bargain long-range target rifle, a Remington 700 ADL Varmint that I've restocked and put a Jewell trigger in.
My main interest is handguns. I'm a long-time 1911 fan, but currently only own two, both Colt .45 Government models. The next one will be a 1911 in 9mm, both for fun and because I want one to tinker with. Other handguns include a Kimber .22LR conversion for one of the 1911s, a Ruger 22/45, a S&W .22LR snubbie that I inheirited, a S&W .38 Chiefs Airweight (carry gun), a S&W 686+ SSR for target practice/matches, a Ruger LC9 (wife's carry gun), and a Glock 30 (carry gun).
So I guess I'm both a quality and a quantity guy. I introduce others to firearms, so I like to have a variety of guns at hand. I think I'm a value guy who views guns like tools - I want guns that will shoot where I want every time, and while I enjoy a beautifully-finished gun, I won't spend a lot more for a pretty finish over a plain one. Maybe that makes me a utility guy. Just bought the Glock 30, and it certainly wasn't for it's beauty! If I hadn't rented one first and been impressed with it's function and accuracy, I wouldn't have bought it. Same with the M&P 15 Sport.
I buy guns that I want to shoot. I'm not a collector, I'm a shooter with a developing interest in gunsmithing who enjoys turning antis into shooters. My guns reflect that.

 

[larryh1108]

But, I see my tastes are changing. i really like every gun that I currently own. Maybe I'm lucky.

I think we all love the guns we currently own or we wouldn't own them. Cheap junk, old classics or modern whatever, we own them for a reason.

You say you won't call your Llama a 1911. Well, it is a 1911 style pistol. I laugh because over the years the purists said the Llama could never be called a 1911 because of the external extractor (among other things like the grips, etc) but lo and behold, S&W and Sig both have 1911s with external extractors. Now since it says S&W and Sig, you don't see the purists jump up and down and proclaim they aren't 1911s like they did with the Llamas. It amuzes me the double standards that run amuck out there.

1911?


1911?

 

[Confederate]

Times are changing, but back in the 80s I was going with quantity and quality. What do I mean by that? It means that I would sell my Beretta 92, which went from something like $192 to $350 almost overnight. Once it was selected as our new military side arm, I found I couldn't afford to keep the one I already owned. I sold it at a great profit and bought two S&W 559s. I put one in the safe and shot the other.

I also sold my Colt Gold Cup and some others and sold my S&W 686s so I could buy two Ruger Speed-Sixes that were on sale. The Rugers were .38 Specials that I had converted to .357s for almost nothing. I was a dealer back then and I was constantly selling expensive quality handguns and buying inexpensive quality handguns.

.

 

[CraigC]

As the years pass, much more quality than quantity. There was a time when I might have bought 12 guns a year. Never anything cheap but I simply bought what interested me. Now I'm a lot more deliberate, focused and discerning. I don't mind waiting and paying for quality. Even though I make a lot more money than in years past, I buy much fewer guns. Which is not to say that I am a snob and don't enjoy less expensive guns. I do. Lots of great .22 rifles can be had for $200 or less. I'm just at the point where I'd rather work towards a Cooper than buy five more lesser guns. Where I'd rather build an engraved custom Ruger Bisley than own five or six factory models. Where I'd rather find a nice S&W 1950 Target than two or three new "Classics". Where I'd rather have a nice USFA than two or three Uberti's.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I'm somewhere in between. I like to have two handfulls of guns that I'm proficient with. Having Dozens of guns does me no good.

 

[The War Wagon]

Taste that filet and you will never go back. .. Id rather have 10 quality guns than 100 mediocre run of the mill ones.

PRECISELY! My days of mediocre guns are LONG behind me.

 

[tnelson31]

Life is too short.
I'd rather see 5000 boxed high points than the newspapers and cats again.

Again???

 

[orionengnr]

I never saved money buying a cheap gun or a cheap tool

My choice for Post Of The Month.

Corollary--I have wasted a ton of money buying Rossis, Kel-Tecs, etc.

As a famous (or infamous) man once said, quantity has a quality all its own.

That would be Josef Stalin. As it related to MiG 15s, Kalashnikov rifles, and conscripted troops, (in its time) it contained a grain of truth.

However, it is not a universal truth (note that the winner of Cold War prevailed with fewer but higher-tech subs, aircraft, etc).

I don't earn enough money to throw it away.
That is not to say that I shouldn't have bought several AKs when they were $279 or SKSs when they were $69 each. But I didn't, so that is that.

 

[22-rimfire]

My least expensive guns are the Ruger Mark II and Ruger 10/22. Trying to remember if anything cost less that I still own....Okay. I have a Colt Junior (22SH) or two that didn't cost much and a few Colt Derringer's #4 (also 22SH). Never shot any of these.

I am not particularly interested in milsurp guns that often tend to be inexpensive.

I prefer quality. But I make exceptions for Rugers.

 

[CraigC]

I don't earn enough money to throw it away.

That's what folks don't realize and the US would be a better place if they did. Many think that by buying cheap, they're saving money. In reality, they're usually throwing it away. Unfortunately, a lot of people measure their wealth by quantity. Even if it's a quantity of cheap Chinese garbage. Good stuff costs more but it lasts.

 

[brnmuenchow]

I would say a little of both, my father for ex. has a Colt "Gold Cup" 1911 he really loves, but does not shoot very often (He does not want to accidently ruin the finish on the gun)-- so he is currently looking for another 1911 that he wont be as worried about and currently is looking at the Desert Eagle 1911 "G" Full-Size Pistol for msrp $826.00. He knows that there are cheaper 1911's out there but he also needs to feel secure about the overall functionality of the gun. Granted my father's financial situation is better than mine over the last couple years, I on the other hand have gone another route. I have some really nice guns that I purchased back when times were good, not that I abuse any guns I own but I now have several '40's-'50's era WW2 guns that may not look as nice as a modern day $1K+ gun but for the price avg. $100-$250 a gun and everytime I pull the trigger they all go "BANG"! One day I hope that some of those guns may become real collector pieces, so I take good care of them but right now if my Yugo M57 craps out or gets dropped in the sand by a beginner shooter I wont feel a need to cry over it.

 

[MCgunner]

Corollary--I have wasted a ton of money buying Rossis, Kel-Tecs, etc.

If I were a rich man, I wouldn't buy a gun under 6 figures. Not that they'd be any better, but I could be a rich snob. Hell, I might own a football team or a NASCAR team or run for president or something.

For me, Kel Tec and Rossi are decent, not top of the line, but function just fine. I don't own, but one KT, but it's my favorite carry and has been since I bought it new in 1996. I have 2 Rossis, one's a .22 that gets fired about every range trip just because. However, I do shoot my Mk2 a lot and my new SR22 has taken center stage lately. Funny, though, even though the SR22 and the Rossi 511 shoot about the same 2" groups with Fed lightening off the sand bags at 25 yards, I seem to hit more plates off hand with the Rossi. Sight radius is about the same, too. I'm still working on understanding that conundrum and learning to shoot the SR22 a bit better.

 

[larryh1108]

I don't earn enough money to throw it away.

Are you throwing it away by spending $800 on a range gun when you can get an equally reliable but less refined one for half the price or are you throwing it away because a $300 range gun is a piece of crap that will surely break apart into a million pieces and you are out the $300?

 

[WC145]

I learned to buy quality, it never disappoints.
Interestingly, over time, quantity seems to have taken care of it's self.

 

[Sig Bill]

I wanted an SD gun that's easily concealed for carry so after much browsing I went to the range and bought a KT PF9. That gun was perfect but I had to eliminate some ammo that caused FTEs like the WWB value pack. After that it was 100% and my fav loads was Rem UMC 115 HPs and WWB 147 HPs. My range loads has always been Fed Champ 115 FMJs.

Funny thing is I bought it for SD and it turned into a range gun so I had over 1000+ rounds through it in several months. I think I wore that sucker out though it still shoots so I sold it back to the range half price and ordered a Sigma 9mm. The ads says it's a range/SD gun so I say ok. It's a great gun and had 500 rounds through it already. It's a keeper for sure.

Now I wanted to try a 40sw so I ordered a Sigma 40 and after two weeks I found out it's pretty well back ordered at their suppliers so my RO suggested the Sig Sauer P250c they have on sale. I bought it and shot 230 rounds in three trips inside a week. Talk about a hand beater but I like it.

They're both great values, well made and no issues at all with a variety of ammo. Both though have their own unique triggers and takes some getting used to it.

 

[David E]

Quality or Quantity?

It's a bit of a balance, but it depends what your goal is.

I'd rather own one custom gun made to my specs that cost $5000 than 50 Hi-Points. Unless my goal was to arm 50 friends and relatives. (which it isn't)

But I'd rather spread that $5000 out over 7-10 handguns that'll cover my wants and needs far better than any single gun could.

 

[C5rider]

Improving the quality of our shooting, instead of the quantity in our gun safes.

Thanks for the insights guys. Interesting, informative and, definitely kept on the High Road.

Both though have their own unique triggers and takes some getting used to it.

I think Sig Bill touched on something that also plays into the equation. When I go between a couple of my guns at the range, there's always a re-learning on where each gun shoots. Now, it's not a problem but, I'm always reminded of the guys who I admired who could hit EXACTLY where they wanted, each time, without a "warm up shot" to figure out where their gun would poke the hole. They didn't have a lot of guns, but the ones they did have could put the fear of God in a quarter at 15 yards! And it didn't take many shots to do it.

So, moving the question of "Quantity or Quality?" away from the cost of our guns, is there anyone who has chosen to shoot one or two guns VERY well, instead of shooting a safe-full, fairly accurately?

 

[Swing]

Quality for primaries. Quantity for secondaries. Call it good.