Streamlining Your Firearms "Collection"

[Moonglum]

You will please note I put "collection " in parentheses

[Targa]

I can see why people would streamline and it makes sense to me. With that said, I wouldn't want to and agree with cheapshooters, life with one calber is too boring comment. I was just at the range earlier this week with my dad and brother. We shot 6 different rounds from .22lr to .45lc and everything between, talk about a good time.

[Cheapshooter]

I think it exemplifies the two types of gun owners.
1. Shooters, Collectors, and enthusiasts.
2. People who own a gun or two.

[mavracer]

I know a lot of shooters and enthusiasts that are very focused with their collection. My uncle for instance has an extensive collection of firearms and yet I believe he only has one handgun.
A lot only focus on SD and as such I could see not owning more than 1 or 2 calibers.

[BigMikey76]

I think it exemplifies the two types of gun owners.
1. Shooters, Collectors, and enthusiasts.
2. People who own a gun or two.

I think that is a bit narrow. Couldn't there be a shooter/collector/enthusiast who only shoots and collects firearms in a couple of calibers? I shoot weekly, for example, and I am very enthusiastic about my guns. If I had the money, I would likely have much more of a collection. I don't really have the desire to have a whole laundry list of calibers, though. Let's be careful with lumping people into dichotomous categories, it pretty much never really works.

[Jeff #111]

At the beginning I was more of a gun gatherer. I was all over the map with action types and calibers. But in the past ten years (give or take a year) I've narrowed it down. Now I mostly collect mid-size S&W and Colt Double Action revolvers in 38 Special. I prefer examples from the years in between the two world wars, but I'm not exclusive. I also own a couple N frames and a Colt New Service and a Webley Mk VI. I have a 38 S&W chambered Colt OP and the Colt is a 1917 Army in 45acp. I have a couple 22 LR pistols a Glock 19 and so on. But approximately 2/3rd of my collection is 38 Special mid-size DA revolvers. I don't consider that boring at all. There are barrel lengths, sights, finishes, transitional examples, and so on.

[Moonglum]

I'm not a collector I just don't have that kind of disposable income but that doesn't mean I'm just some random person (AKA Fudd) who only owns a gun or two either.

My primary reason for gun ownership is self-defense be it from a criminal or a criminal government. I've been lucky enough to get to participate in training about 4 times a year over the last 3 years or so and one of the things that I've learned as a result of that training is that I can train more efficiently and more effectively when I'm only training on one platform. I've also found it's easier to fund my ammunition expenditures when I'm just looking for sales on one caliber.

I'm sure you're all familiar with the saying "Beware the man with one gun he just might know how to use it" I want to be that guy.

If that makes me a Fudd so be it

[bikerbill]

I sold off my only .40, an XD-40 .. minus one caliber. I sold a Taurus .25 at the same time, goodbye caliber No' 2 .... then I added .380 ... so I'm +1 I guess ... not a great job overall ...

[SaxonPig]

Yeeeeaahh...I gotta work on that streamlining thing...

[Cheapshooter]

Yup SP, if you streamlined the way you have them laid out you could fit a couple more in!

[Sevens]

I like that one in the picture... the one right there, over that way, next to that other one. Up there. Yeah, in the middle of the one side.

[Big Shrek]

Older I get, the more able to afford the collection of guns, safes, and ammo
So getting all the things I lusted for in the 80's to well, now is what I'm doing!

Plus, remember the ammo crunch?? Couldn't find pistol ammo for squat...
Thank God for reloading
That's where having a few different calibers pays off, because when you do find a box or two,
of whatever caliber you have, you scoop 'em! Different calibers came back at different times...

As far as streamlining, dumped a few .22lr rifles, figure the only ones needed are hicaps at this point...
So kept a Marlin 795 w/ Promag mags...and the original 10-rd'rs just in case...
Marlin 989M2, which shares the 795's mags, and a Marlin 37 pump.

[WV_gunner]

I'd be hard pressed to get rid of any of my guns. If I had the time for handloading I'd like to get into the more odd calibers. A .41 AE barrel for my Baby Eagle sounds nice to me. Maybe a scoped Encore in .50 AE? I don't like the idea of having a bunch of guns in the same cartridge. I don't like the fact I have three 12 gauges. If I could "collect" guns I'd like to get some more Magnum Research stuff and I kind of do have a thing for .45/.410 guns but I really have no need for anymore. I like the idea of just getting random guns, no real method other than I like it.

[moe.ron]

I do that very couple few years, then think "what have I done?", then buy a few more, and the cycle continues. I'm sick...

I do however stick to .40 S&W though. I see a CZ 2075 RAMI on the horizon.

[Cheapshooter]

i do that very couple few years, then think "what have i done?"

Repeat after me!
...............V..............

[SEKLEM]

Originally Posted by Cheapshooter

I think it exemplifies the two types of gun owners.
1. Shooters, Collectors, and enthusiasts.
2. People who own a gun or two.

People who own a gun or two usually don't post here. And if they do it's only a couple times.

[spacecoast]

I believe in gun diversity... boring guns are... boring

[Independent George]

I don't plan on streamlining anytime soon, but I am becoming more selective about what I add to my collection. I've filled every niche for guns I 'need', now I have to be clear in my mind about exactly why I want to add a new one, and why (or why not) get one now.

[Cheapshooter]

I am becoming more selective about what I add to my collection.

Me too. If I see it, like it, and have the money for it.....I select it!

[DA/SA Fan]

I'm only a couple away from my need to haves being met.........Then comes the really cool stuff!

[Skans]

So getting all the things I lusted for in the 80's to well, now is what I'm doing!

No truer words were ever written!

[NateKirk]

I'm a one gun kind of guy. If a gun can do what I want then I don't need another. That being said I now have only one handgun, which does everything I want one remington 870 that does almost everything I want (I need a rifled barrel) and an old mauser that I can't part with.

[P-990]

For me and my uses, it's not so much streamlining the collection, as making it more portable. I'm on my 6th or 7th address in as many years and have gotten tired of packing up the paraphernalia. Luckily I've managed to avoid losing any of the miscellaneous parts and accessories so far...

I've had what I consider my share of different or interesting calibers too. .260 Remington? Check. .45-70? You bet. Something muzzle loading? Been there. .44 Magnum? Oh yeah, definitely checked that one off the list a few times. But now when I'm looking at something I wonder "can I shoot this when my reloading gear is packed up?" So I'm limiting myself to common, pedestrian cartridges that simply get the job done while being widely available and affordable (relatively speaking). At the moment that means 9mm, .38/.357, .223 and anything in a non-magnum .30-caliber rifle. Plus .22LR, which isn't going anywhere in my accumulation. And I still want to add something in .45 ACP, because that's one I haven't personally owned yet and really need to rectify.

[mrt949]

Over the years owned a lot of different firearms.
Now into the silver years .
A few calibers is all I need to get by.
22 lr, 32 .acp ,40 s. w. ,357 mag .
40 SW is on my short list to go.

[lewwallace]

Ya think its time for me? 47 Webleys a yr ago and more since then!