Safe Queens

[CajunBass]

I have at one time or other owned a lot of "safe queens." I don't think I've owned a gun that I NEVER shot, but I've owned a lot that I didn't shoot very often, and didn't intent to when I bought them.

So why buy them? Because I wanted them. The hunt for them was the fun part of it. Shooting them was incidental.

Then later, I sold them. That was almost as much fun as buying them was. I got to meet a lot of friends I didn't know I had. Might never see them again, but I count them as friends.

 

[Ignition Override]

Not at all immune.
The Service Grade Special M-1 bought Aug. 31st in Anniston qualifies. Have not tried it out. It's just too dang purdy to scratch up.
Yes, this is a hostage situation, with No FBI Negotiator.

A second Queen is an FR8 in excellent condition.
With only 600 rds. of reloadable ammo, the price of Nato 7.62 and comm. .308 is too high for plinking much with both FR8s.
The other FR8 might soon be in the WTS forum (west TN: FTF only).

 

[bluekouki86]

I've got an Ithaca Single Barrel Trap grade 5E (1929) that spends 99% of its life in the safe. I've also got a Winchester model 21 SxS that sees even less daylight. The only time I drag them out is to make the guys at Wednesday night trap shoot green with envy

With that being said, those guns are worth 5k-10k dollars each. Only a fool would purposely handle them much, because even putting them in the truck risks damage. That is why I have service guns, and collector/heirloom guns. Each has a purpose.

 

[22-rimfire]

I never considered a safe queen in the early firearm accumulation stage when every gun had a specific purpose. Some got shot a lot and some didn't, which is typical of my habits. Over time, my shooting habits shifted away from a hunting focus. Guns sat unused for years. I started selling some just because I had no particular connection to them any more. I kept the ones I liked.

Overtime, some acquisitions became somewhat desireable and my interests were fine tuned a bit. I saw the writing on the wall prior to things really becoming highly sought after and they corresponded with things I liked. I began buying not because they were potentially valuable, but because I liked them. I accumulated safe queens and they have remained unfired since I got them. Eventually they will get sold by me.

 

[Legionnaire]

As your collection grows you will eventually own some guns that you no longer enjoy shooting or just don't have the time to shoot. Unless money is a problem then those guns wind up becoming "safe queens".

This. Almost all my guns are "shooters," but I have enough at this point that they don't all get shot regularly. Guess that makes them "safe queens."

 

[bender01]

I like collecting things! My Father mid 60s is too and so was Gramps! Im in a spot now that Dads older friends are making sure things go to a good place not generally for $ gains. To be real I'm hoping to make some of these 1st and 2nd gen safe queens relay further down the line! Not saying they won't be shot unless known unfired! But folks with safe queens usually have plenty of cool stuff to shoot!

 

[Russian Hammer]

I have shot the majority of my guns. If I spend a few thousand on a new or non collectible gun, I'm going to shoot it. On the other hand if I spend that money on a gun just for collector value that may be devalued by shooting it will sit in the safe. I shoot and collect, lots of people seem to be one or the other

 

[DSAPT9]

I have to agree with many folks I have a number of guns I own that I do not shoot much but do not consider them safe queens. A couple of them where my father’s that are well worn but still usable I just do not shoot them much.

I like many am a shooter and the firearms I get are meant to shoot and lovingly abuse so for this reason I have few with wood stocks and fine finishes most have poly stocks/frames and matt military type finishes.

 

[loose noose]

I own at least 76 different firearms, but at least everyone of them has been shot several times. Granted some of them do become a safe queen, but eventually they all will get shot again. I guess you could say I'm a collector of sorts.

 

[wyohome]

None of mine were bought for that purpose, but I have several that have not been fired for decades, some 30-30s that I have never loaded.