Your "core" collection

[DeepSouth]

I have several family heirlooms that I will not depart of.

apart from that I’m not really sure. I carry a PM45 and I don’t see it going anywhere, but I don’t really see any of mine going anywhere.

 

[huntsman]

Shotguns: BSS, BPS
Pistols: M&P9SC,Shield40
Revolver: Blackhawk.45Convertible

 

[bullseye308]

I have already paired down to my minimum, and with my health issues I don’t see any changes coming to it.

Marlin mod 60 .22
Ruger SR-22 .22
Ruger SR9C 9mm for the wife
Ruger GP-100 357
Glock 17 9mm
AR-15 223
Savage Axis 223.
NEF 20ga
CVA Hawken .50/.54
That’s what I was able to keep and what I’m holding on to. Very little can’t be done with those if you do your part.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Every time I think about trimming things down---I just can't, even the lesser ones because they were bought for a reason too---the last economic downturn had me down to 2 guns--it's been rebuilt into quite a substantial accumulation that would be very hard to part with.

 

[wiscoaster]

I have multiple "cores" representing multiple "themes". Some themes: 1) service and duty sidearms; 2) military service bolt-action rifles; 3) US military rifles; 4) target .22 pistols; 5) target rifles; 6) unique actions; 7) representative actions; 8) representative calibers; 9) unique firearms; 10) historical firearms. Any one firearm can fit multiple themes. For example, my VZ-52 fits #1, #6, #7, #8,#9 and #10. It's therefore a "keeper". A firearm that fits no one theme is a candidate for divestiture. For example, my Ruger SR-22 pistol is at my LGS on consignment for sale. I can look forward to a happy lifetime of finding new firearms to fit and to fill out their core themes.

Hee hee.

 

[Dragonfly]

These types of threads are fun “thought experiments”. I’ve got lots of fun and unusual guns, but if I had to pare it down to what I’d consider the minimum to cover as many needs as possible this is what I’d go with, based on a criteria of usefulness, not sentimental value. I’ve selected from my current collection:

Bare Minimum

Winchester Wildcat .22

A repeating .22 is a necessity and as much as I like my 10/22 I shoot the Wildcat better.

Mossberg 590

A pump-action 12 gauge is very versatile, and packs a punch.

Tavor CTAR

A semi-auto 5.56mm is a necessity, and this was a tough choice for me. As much as I love my M&P15, the CTAR’s bullpup design and 15” barrel makes for a super-compact OAL of only 25.2”.

Tikka T3 CTR .308 Win

The .308 cartridge has a wide range of loads, covering a plethora of uses, and the CTR has the advantage of removable 10-round magazines and a compact 20” barrel.

Ruger GP100 .357

A .357 revolver is also super flexible, accommodating light .38 target loads to powerhouse .357 rounds. I’ve also got a 3” S&W CS-1, but I like the 4” barrel length as a good all-round compromise.

Walther PPX 9mm

A centrefire semi-auto pistol is definitely on the list, and 9mm makes the most sense to me due to ammo availability. To be honest, I’d prefer a Glock 17 or 19 in this role, but the PPX is my current “pistol as a tool” 9mm so in keeping with my “pick from my current collection” this makes the list. I originally picked this one up on a lark as I got the pistol, five mags and a holster for a great price, but the darn thing fits great in the hand and shoots very well for me. I’ve swapped out the factory sights for night sights.

Tier 2
These are ones I’d add to fill in a few gaps in the bare minimum list above.

CZ45 .25ACP

A .25 is not much, but this pistol is tiny, and the DA trigger means fewer external controls for a great snag-free design.

H&K Mk 23 .45ACP

A .45 semi-auto would be a great addition to round out semi-auto pistols.This was a very tough choice between the Mk 23 and my P220 Legion, but the Mk 23 won out due to it’s super-robust design and better long-range accuracy potential.

Marlin SBL .45-70

I’m not sure that this does much more than the .308 Tikka or a slug-loaded 590, but with higher-end loads it would provide good punch over a longer range than 12 ga slugs.

OK, that’s it! That was a fun exercise! Now if I had to pick my favourites, that would be a different list.

 

[mnrivrat]

The first being my original Trapdoor; love shooting it, and easily the coolest gun I own. It's just a lot of work and doesn't take long to start gumming up at the range, so it doesn't get out too often.

I have to comment on this as I to had an original trapdoor carbine. I acquired it back in the 70's when I went to a local realters office to talk about buying a lot to move a house onto. The gun was leaning in the corner of his office. Before I left I asked him about it. I forget the details, but ended up asking him if it was for sale. Then he said yes so I asked him what he would take for it. He said, and I didn't dicker at the $100 price. I knew a local guy who reloaded 45-70 so had him load some black powder cartridges for it. It was a fun gun to shoot. Like many of the guns I bought and sold I have no idea who I sold it to , or in many cases why. Like many of the guns I owned, I would love to be able to go to a range today and shoot a few parting shots from each. It would be an all day afair, loaded with fun, and memories.

 

[Rexster]

My minimalist scenario would be a pair and a spare, of the Ruger GP100, probably with 3”, 4” and 6” barrels, plus at least one smaller-frame revolver, probably an SP101 or K-snub, and my pair of Benelli M2 shotguns. I cannot say that i really need rifles, for anything, if I have suitable revolvers and shotguns.

I would not call this a “collection,” but a minimal accumulation of workin’ guns.

 

[bangswitch]

I worked hard to acquire those I presently have. The theme is “guns I enjoy shooting.” I don’t seek any more in particular, nor are there any I want to sell. Things are dandy just the way they are.

This pretty much says it for me. I also searched long to find many of the guns I have, and whether I shoot them a lot, or very rarely, I refuse to part with any of them. I went down that road long ago (parting with a few guns I felt no need to keep), and instantly regretted it, taking many years to replace them. I don't have an extensive collection, I think all my rifles, shotguns and handguns total around 28 guns. Over 1/3 of that is revolvers.

 

[wiscoaster]

@Dragonfly - nice collection!!

 

[Mike J]

I have more of an accumulation than a collection. I seem to always wind up with 12 or 13 guns. As far as what I consider necessary. of what I have I could probably get by with my old model 70 push feed .30-06, any one of the 3 Marlin/Glenfield .22 rifles I own, Mossberg 500 12 gauge (I believe those three firearms give me the ability to hunt anything I would want to), my S&W M&P 2.0 .40 Compact & Kahr CM9 (carry guns). I have other guns that I keep around because I like them but those listed would cover 99% of anything I would want to do. I do still find myself looking for better options for carry. I am happy with the M&P but I am looking more & more at the newer stack & a half micro 9's. If I decide to get one I will most likely sell the Kahr off.

 

[bear166]

I have to comment on this as I to had an original trapdoor carbine. I acquired it back in the 70's when I went to a local realters office to talk about buying a lot to move a house onto. The gun was leaning in the corner of his office. Before I left I asked him about it. I forget the details, but ended up asking him if it was for sale. Then he said yes so I asked him what he would take for it. He said, and I didn't dicker at the $100 price. I knew a local guy who reloaded 45-70 so had him load some black powder cartridges for it. It was a fun gun to shoot. Like many of the guns I bought and sold I have no idea who I sold it to , or in many cases why. Like many of the guns I owned, I would love to be able to go to a range today and shoot a few parting shots from each. It would be an all day afair, loaded with fun, and memories.

You know what's funny, is that yesterday while we were doing our 4th of July shoot (lasted most of the day), I think that Trapdoor shot the best out of any of my guns and certainly got the most attention from me. In fact, I would say it has passed the .38-55 as the first gun I'd sell in my top three. Realistically if I sold all my guns but two, including my lever guns, the first thing I'd do with my money is buy another lever gun anyway!

 

[chicharrones]

Arrrrgh. I'll shoot for 12.

Some of these I have and some of these I would have to get with proceeds from selling off the current "excess".

.22 LR = Browning Buckmark, CZ-452T, Marlin 39AS, and S&W 617 4"
.22 WMR = Ruger Single Six 4.625" and Zastava MP22 Carbine
.380 ACP = Ruger LCP and the new LCP Max (or ?)
9mm Para = Beretta CX4 and CZ75D PCR
.357 Mag = Marlin 1894 CSBL and S&W 66 2.5"

 

[Captcurt]

I only shoot my Beretta BL-3 20ga unless I am after ducks or turkeys. Then I pull out an old 1300 Winchester with 2 barrels, a 28" with tubes and a 20" smoothbore slug barrel with tubes. I could get by with my Savage 10 300WSM, and my Weatherby Predator 223. The 22lr would be my CZ 453. Handguns are the hardest to cull. I really like my 40 Hi-Power Practical, GP100, and my Ruger 22/45's. The rest could go. They won't, but they could.

 

[chicharrones]

Ruger mod 60 .22

You got one of those already?

 

[Orion8472]

Core:
Custom 10/22 w/ Volquartsen parts.
Mark II Government Target....with Volquartsen parts.
1958 Ruger Single Six
Ruger Shopkeeper
Henry Silver Boy, large loop, with extra nice wood.
Taylors 1873 in 357/38 Special.

Those would be the ones I wouldn't get rid of.