Arkansas Paul
Member
I agree with most of this.
I really don't give a rat's a$$ about the social isolation part. The more I'm out in the general public, the more I want to be isolated from it, but all of the other stuff is spot on.
Serious question ... How many is too many?
- Thread starter kimberkid
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I agree with most of this.
I really don't give a rat's a$$ about the social isolation part. The more I'm out in the general public, the more I want to be isolated from it, but all of the other stuff is spot on.
GBExpat
Member
I, too, feel the need to trim my large Accumulation ... perhaps morph it into a real Collection, y'know?
Too Many? Yes, I really have too many ... for me ... but I think that is a question that each person must answer for themselves.
Once I finally get moving in that direction (I plan on selling them via Gunbroker) my initial, conservative, goal will be to sell enough so that all of those remaining will actually fit in my gunsafes.
My primary issue is that, like you, I really like every one of them.
NoirFan
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I've never been a fan of having a lot of "stuff" lying around, regardless of the hobby. I see the material aspect of any hobby as a way for the practitioner to gain skills, and it seems pretty consistent across hobbies that one or two mid-quality pieces is all you need to master 90% of the skills you will ever use. In home cooking, for example, no one actually needs an entire block of expensive knives. A mid tier chef's knife and paring knife are enough for you to learn 90% of the recipes you will ever make.
If you have more guns than you are practicing with on a consistent basis, then the others are just sitting around not contributing to your shooting skills. If it were me I'd sell off anything that fits that description, just for a start.
If you have more guns than you are practicing with on a consistent basis, then the others are just sitting around not contributing to your shooting skills. If it were me I'd sell off anything that fits that description, just for a start.
It would depend on whether you are a collector or not.
Collectors may have examples of firearms that they would not shoot on a regular basis.
MagnumDweeb
Member
Hold onto the ARs, I sold four of them for over six grand and I didn't pay twenty-four hundred for all of them (and I still have two). The lull in sales is coming. Wait till 2016, and then after (especially if Hillary gets it). The money you will get will be insane. I used the proceeds from my sales to invest in some great equipment that now lets me do some interesting things, things so interesting I won't even post my projects online (all legal).
I've got enough guns for my own personal use. Now it's about picking up great deals that will sell for bookoo money in two to six years. There are lots of people who wish for $2,400, they would have profited $3,600. Gold is fine, but guns hold their value better (seriously I sold a Gen 2 Glock 22 for seven hundred dollars with two service mags, I paid $300 for it).
One day I hope to build my own Shansei style C96 in .45 ACP with a ten round capacity, just because I can.
I've got enough guns for my own personal use. Now it's about picking up great deals that will sell for bookoo money in two to six years. There are lots of people who wish for $2,400, they would have profited $3,600. Gold is fine, but guns hold their value better (seriously I sold a Gen 2 Glock 22 for seven hundred dollars with two service mags, I paid $300 for it).
One day I hope to build my own Shansei style C96 in .45 ACP with a ten round capacity, just because I can.
Boxhead
Member
I own easily 30 -50 pieces that are excess and were bought over the years as they were a great deal at the time and I always had the cash. Not unlike any other investment though one you can at least play with in the bush. As I head to retirement in the next year or two they will go as will some others.
GBExpat
Member
Interesting take on the subject.NoirFan said:
I, otoh, don't recall ever buying a firearm with the intent of using it to "contribute to my shooting skills" much less getting rid of one because it did not.
Ed Ames
Member
I have bought guns to contribute to my shooting skill/knowledge, so I somewhat see where that thought is coming from...but I disagree in the details.
E.g. the other day I had a chance to handle a P-08 Luger and a Webley Mk IV-I-think. These are not firearms that operate the way my "normal" pistol operates. Just handling them increased my skill and knowledge. I can't see myself ever practicing with such guns on a regular basis but having them in my library, and handling them from time to time, would be a skill/knowledge builder for me.
In other words, I think the premise (that a gun which isn't used regularly can't contribute to skill) is flawed, but I somewhat share the view that the guns you own should have educational qualities.
E.g. the other day I had a chance to handle a P-08 Luger and a Webley Mk IV-I-think. These are not firearms that operate the way my "normal" pistol operates. Just handling them increased my skill and knowledge. I can't see myself ever practicing with such guns on a regular basis but having them in my library, and handling them from time to time, would be a skill/knowledge builder for me.
In other words, I think the premise (that a gun which isn't used regularly can't contribute to skill) is flawed, but I somewhat share the view that the guns you own should have educational qualities.
JohnBiltz
Member
I tend to agree with the idea that if you are asking the question you have crossed the line.
I actively shoot four guns. They are a Remington 121 Fieldmaster, Remington 760 30-06, Taurus 85, and Glock 19. I may, once a year or so, pull out one or two others. I own, well, more than that. You don't have to shoot the gun to own it. I can shoot a deer dozens of different ways. But I only use one. Doesn't mean I need to get rid of anything.
Deaf Smith
Member
There ain't no such thing as 'to many' kemosbe. But there is such as 'to few'.
Life is short so get what you want and enjoy them.
Before you kick the bucket hand down to future generations of your family the best ones, and then have your spouse sell the rest for expenses.
Deaf
I have a couple guns that don't really get used that much. One is a Ruger MKII. It's stainless and as trouble free as a gun can get. I haven't shot it in about a year. In my youth, I'd have sold it already. Now I'm planning to just keep it cleaned up and in storage until my interests change back. A year, three years, whenever - when I rediscover it, it will be like getting a new gun again.
These days, a good reliable gun that I like is worth hanging on to. I've sold too many of them out of stupidity to keep making the same mistake.
These days, a good reliable gun that I like is worth hanging on to. I've sold too many of them out of stupidity to keep making the same mistake.
pockets
Member
Same with me. Over the decades I have accumulated dozens of handguns, dozens of long guns, and several flintlocks, none were bought or built to "contribute to my shooting skills".
As to the original question?
How many firearms you own is a personal thing. Amounts vary with the reasons for owning them. Only you (or your wife) can say if that is too many or not.
.
NoirFan
Member
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- 671
I don't mean to belittle anyone's collection or spending habits, god knows I spend money on some pretty silly things. I'm just not a collector at heart. Having too many possessions that I don't regularly use sort of weighs on my mind.
I also don't mean to say that collecting and shooting skill are mutually exclusive. Going back to the cooking example, I know some damn good chefs who collect premium Japanese knives that are worth hundreds of dollars. These are some really beautiful and rare tools. But if pressed, they would admit that 90% of their cooking and training is done with a well-sharpened stainless steel Forschner or something like it. I guess I prefer to stick with the basics.
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GBExpat
Member
I don't think that anyone read it as a comment meant to belittle ... just an interesting take, as I said.NoirFan said:
I have bought a few for which the "educational" aspect was part of my decision ... but that doesn't explain why I later acquired multiples of the same item.
One thing that has always crossed my mind as I decided to acquired another firearm related to the fact that its value would, almost certainly, appreciate over time.
SC Shooter
Member
I buy and sell, but I must admit that my buying far outweighs my selling. I bought a Bulgarian Makarov, which I really liked, so then I went out and bought a Makarov from each country of official manufacture. I enjoy gun shows and really feel bad if I don't buy something. My Christmas gift to myself, was a new gun safe because my other two were getting too full. The only time I feel somewhat bad is when I realize I have several guns that I have never fired. I solve that problem every now and then by taking them to the range and have a wonderful concience clearing time.
Ed Ames
Member
Agreed!
I probably don't think about that enough.
mr.trooper
Member
This is not a serious question.
I think there is a stigma about guns that make the 'do I have too many?' a bit more provocative and negative than if taken separately.
I know a fellow here in silicon valley who has well more than thirty Ferrari's. Keeps them in a nondescript warehouse in Mountain View. Too many? I think so, I think he has to pay people to maintain and drive them but they are just going up in value so holding on to them has no downside. I assure you he pays his bills.
People collecting tops, funny glassware, golf clubs, whatever rarely get that nervous sense of 'do I have too many?' the way a gun owner may.
I probably have twelve guns and already sense that stigma.
To me it seems best to separate out the 'how many?' from 'they are guns' and consider the question again. I'd probably want to apply the money to other uses, or diversify the collection rather than having 16 AR's, but only you know what pleases you.
B
I know a fellow here in silicon valley who has well more than thirty Ferrari's. Keeps them in a nondescript warehouse in Mountain View. Too many? I think so, I think he has to pay people to maintain and drive them but they are just going up in value so holding on to them has no downside. I assure you he pays his bills.
People collecting tops, funny glassware, golf clubs, whatever rarely get that nervous sense of 'do I have too many?' the way a gun owner may.
I probably have twelve guns and already sense that stigma.
To me it seems best to separate out the 'how many?' from 'they are guns' and consider the question again. I'd probably want to apply the money to other uses, or diversify the collection rather than having 16 AR's, but only you know what pleases you.
B
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