Support line for gun addiction???

bobhwry · August 25, 2006, 05:21 PM

Is there a 12 point program for gun addiction?? I retired two years ago and firearms and shooting has become my major hobby and obsession!! In the past 24 months I have purchased on average one gun a month. Now I have traded some that I already had but my purchases seem to be growing exponentially. I enjoy buying a new gun as much as shooting them.
I can't pass a gun shop without checking it out. I go to Cabelas and Bass Pro every week to see if they have anything new.Whenever my wife and I travel the first thing I do is check out the local gun shops.I go to every gun show within a 200 mile radius and that's at least one a month. I spend probably 2 hours a day online searching auctions and forums.
My wish list grows daily.Now, I have sufficient discretionary income to support this addiction but if things continue at the current rate that could be at risk.
Please tell me that I'm not alone and this behavior is perfectly normal. Is there such a thing as firearms obsessive- compulsive disorder and how do you treat it???

HCfan · August 25, 2006, 05:27 PM

I used to be one of the volunteers at the gun addiction hotline but after awhile I started to ask the folks why they wouldn't buy this, or why do you think it's bad to have that.

After I was fired, I found myself in my house, huddled by the safe, talking to my Precious(s)

Naw, all the 12 step programs fail. That's why you have to join the How to buy alot of guns and still have money left over for food seminars.

croyance · August 25, 2006, 09:47 PM

Cold turkey. I'll take care of your collection so they aren't there to tempt and torment you. I take the burden so you may be free.

clayking · August 25, 2006, 10:52 PM

Well, don't call me, I'll be of absolutely no help. This is the eight month of the year, and so far I've bought as many guns. I've found myself buying a new one before I even shot the previous buy. Have fun with your addiction, I know I am.

.......................ck

tony pasley · August 25, 2006, 11:44 PM

this is not addiction, it is not a problem, I have a very nice collection, the kids always ask how I feel. Now my ex-wife doesn't talk to me just because I went to the gunshow one Sat.( what is an anaversery?) but I have no problems with collecting guns except not enough money

skeeter1 · August 25, 2006, 11:50 PM

I bought a Marlin 1894C a couple of months ago, and have a Beretta 87 on order. I finally got a gunsafe to put the collection in. Like you, I'm a retiree, and after dabbling in golf and racquetball, the shooting sports are my chosen pasttime. I'm moving back to rimfires to save a few bucks. They're fun and cheap to shoot. I'll hang onto my centerfires for when the bears get here (they are in my county now) or the insurgency happens (yeah, right).

teejhot.40cal · August 26, 2006, 12:07 AM

I know exactly what all of ya mean but I am not retired. I am only 22 and I have bought 7 guns this year. I can't pass up a gun shop or a deal no matter how bad I want to. Is this a bad thing?

skeeter1 · August 26, 2006, 01:14 AM

Teejay--

No this is a good thing. There's nothing I like more than bringing home a new firearm toy. At my age, it's better than sex, and easier to get.

Nothing beats a blued steel firearm with walnut stocks. One of these days I might get out the router and try making some handgun stocks out of cocobolo wood (I have one piece). I bet that would look really nice.

chris in va · August 26, 2006, 01:33 AM

I started down the road to addiction, but realized after a while that shooting objects at the range gets pretty old and costly.

So I took up motorcycles.

skeeter1 · August 26, 2006, 02:11 AM

Chris in va--

I just sold my motorcycle. That's where the money came for the new Beretta. Punching holes in paper or tin cans strikes me as safer than riding the two-wheeler any more.

lil_bro · August 26, 2006, 02:34 AM

Yes there is help.

All you have too do is sent me all of your guns and you will be cured.

dad23honu · August 26, 2006, 03:20 AM

For years, I used to ask my buddy, "Why do you have so many guns?"

Last November, I bought my first gun. A Ruger 10-22.
Now, I have:
Mossberg 500
Mosin Nagant M-38
Yugoslavian Mauser
Mini-30
M1 Garand
SKS
Ruger PC-9
Springfield Armory XD-9
Glock 20

My son has a collection of airsoft guns. I ask him, "Why do you need so many?"
You can guess what his reply is.

Guess the apple doesn't fall too far away from the tree.

My wife is very supportive. As long as she can buy purses and shoes. And just why does a woman need 8 pairs of black shoes, anyways? And why does she buy a purse that only goes with ONE OUTFIT ?

Little Silas · August 26, 2006, 02:59 PM

http//www.gunbroker.com

TNT · August 26, 2006, 06:13 PM

after getting my divorce 5yrs ago times got hard and finally I am able to buy things I would like to have. bought a S&W 5906 couple months back just bought a Henry Golden Boy .22 10 days ago. Planning on getting a XD .45 Tactical and a Ruger Vaquero but have updadted the want list from two to at least 4 and possibly five, seeing a Ruger single six in stainless is just a beautiful gun to compliment my Henry rifle my list as of today is all follows and in no particular order

Springfield xd .45acp Tactical
Rossi/Puma M92 .454 lever action
Henry Big Boy .45LC
Ruger Vaquero .357mag or .45LC (not decided yet)
Ruger Single Six SS .22LR/.22Mag
Valkyrie Arms DeLisle 2000
Browning High Power
Browning BL-22 Grade I or II

just a few, check back tomorrow it will change again, and due to ammo costs I too have gone towards the rim fires as well

rdebert · August 26, 2006, 09:22 PM

The process is expensive at first..but does pay off in the long run.

Buy as often as you can. (Ramen is good food.)

At some point you will have so many that you couldn't honestly list what you actually have. (Break even point)

Once past the break even point (or BEP for the tacticool crowd) when the urge to buy another firearm strikes...open up the safe and find 2 firearms that you can't for the life of you remember buying at all. Put them back in the safe and lock it.

Fire up the computer and post a firearm A vs firearm B question on the board here and begin doing your research on these 2 firearms.

Once you have accumulated enough information to make an informed buying decision (that would be the ..IBS..of course) including real world out the door street prices..make a decision on which one you would like to buy and add to your collection.

Put your cash together (no checks, promisary notes, IOU's, credit cards, etc.....accepted. Cash only). Go back to the safe, buy (deposit the money in the safe in a cash box) for your "new" firearm of choice.

Clean it thouroughly. Take it to the range. Shoot it a lot. Clean it thoroughly again. Take some pictures. Put it back into the safe.

Fire up the computer, tell us which firearm you actually decided on (with pics), if you got a fair deal on it (or not), and give us a detailed range report.

Do this right in the long run..that cash box can be a happy box.

deanadell · August 26, 2006, 09:31 PM

Problem

I don;t have a problem.........well......i almost did get choked up today when I sold my M1 Carbine...even though I'm using the procedes to buy a new Puma .357 lever action rifle......and I think I did actualy shed a tear three weeks ago when I sold my T/C Contender....until I ran right out and bought a pair of Ruger Blackhawks with that money....

If there a 12 step program out there, just don;t tell me about it, I don;t want to be cured...I'm going to embrace my addiciton and wallow in it.

teejhot.40cal · August 26, 2006, 09:36 PM

Sorry skeeter, I am only 22 so sex still beats it though not by very much.

Esquire M Busterbury · August 26, 2006, 09:53 PM

If gun addiction is wrong, I don't wanna be right.

TNT · August 26, 2006, 11:29 PM

teejhot.40cal

Quote:

I am only 22 so sex still beats it though not by very much.

when you get to my point in life teejhot.40cal you get the best of both worlds and to think I am almost twice your age and getting..............well we'll leave it at that

roy reali · August 27, 2006, 02:01 AM

If your addiction is mainly handguns I have a good solution. Move to California. There you are limited to the purchase of one per month. Add the infamous list of approved guns to narrow your options and you'll be well on your way to recovery.

Syntax360 · August 27, 2006, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by teejhot.40cal.
I know exactly what all of ya mean but I am not retired. I am only 22 and I have bought 7 guns this year.

I'm in the EXACT same boat. I've been 22 for a month now and came home last night with my 7th gun (stainless Sig GSR Revolution with rail). I didn't even make it 3 months since my last purchase.

teejhot.40cal · August 27, 2006, 12:24 PM

Tell me how that sig works out for ya syntax. I have never made it 3 months since. The longest I have made it was 2 because I was unemployed. I have learn that the trick to all this is not to let our girlfriends/wives know that we buy this many guns. Has anyone besides me ever bought 2 guns in the same day?

Austin HiPowers · August 27, 2006, 01:51 PM

Unfortunately my budget doesn't allow be to get "addicted". But when better times arrive, I am sure I will be vulnerable. Till then I stick with my HK USPc.

MeekAndMild · August 27, 2006, 02:12 PM

I don't know how to treat it but if you marry a shoeaholic/pursaholic she won't notice.

Syntax360 · August 27, 2006, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by teejhot.40cal.
Has anyone besides me ever bought 2 guns in the same day?

Twice now. Last june I picked up a Bersa Thunder and Taurus 651SS at a show (at least they weren't high dollar, right?). A few months prior to that I ordered my Steyr M9A1 and USPc .45SS on the same night.

It's not cheap feeding them all, either.

Funny thing is, my girlfriend usually does jump me for looking to hard or seriously considering buying any gun. This time, I was wanting to wait until Tuesday and she wouldn't stop pushing the purchase on me. She was worse than the sales guy!

This could get real bad if she keeps getting more and more into my hobby - I used to take her to gunshows to keep me level headed, but now I fear I will come home broke every time.

/

August 25, 2006, 05:21 PM	#1
bobhwry Junior member Join Date: April 5, 2006 Posts: 530	Support line for gun addiction??? Is there a 12 point program for gun addiction?? I retired two years ago and firearms and shooting has become my major hobby and obsession!! In the past 24 months I have purchased on average one gun a month. Now I have traded some that I already had but my purchases seem to be growing exponentially. I enjoy buying a new gun as much as shooting them. I can't pass a gun shop without checking it out. I go to Cabelas and Bass Pro every week to see if they have anything new.Whenever my wife and I travel the first thing I do is check out the local gun shops.I go to every gun show within a 200 mile radius and that's at least one a month. I spend probably 2 hours a day online searching auctions and forums. My wish list grows daily.Now, I have sufficient discretionary income to support this addiction but if things continue at the current rate that could be at risk. Please tell me that I'm not alone and this behavior is perfectly normal. Is there such a thing as firearms obsessive- compulsive disorder and how do you treat it???

August 25, 2006, 11:50 PM	#6
skeeter1 Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2006 Location: Northeast Ohio Posts: 3,403	I can't help you I bought a Marlin 1894C a couple of months ago, and have a Beretta 87 on order. I finally got a gunsafe to put the collection in. Like you, I'm a retiree, and after dabbling in golf and racquetball, the shooting sports are my chosen pasttime. I'm moving back to rimfires to save a few bucks. They're fun and cheap to shoot. I'll hang onto my centerfires for when the bears get here (they are in my county now) or the insurgency happens (yeah, right).

August 26, 2006, 03:20 AM	#12
dad23honu Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 124	Firearmitis: Ask you doctor about it. For years, I used to ask my buddy, "Why do you have so many guns?" Last November, I bought my first gun. A Ruger 10-22. Now, I have: Mossberg 500 Mosin Nagant M-38 Yugoslavian Mauser Mini-30 M1 Garand SKS Ruger PC-9 Springfield Armory XD-9 Glock 20 My son has a collection of airsoft guns. I ask him, "Why do you need so many?" You can guess what his reply is. Guess the apple doesn't fall too far away from the tree. My wife is very supportive. As long as she can buy purses and shoes. And just why does a woman need 8 pairs of black shoes, anyways? And why does she buy a purse that only goes with ONE OUTFIT ?

August 27, 2006, 02:01 AM	#20
roy reali Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2005 Posts: 3,248	Handgun Help If your addiction is mainly handguns I have a good solution. Move to California. There you are limited to the purchase of one per month. Add the infamous list of approved guns to narrow your options and you'll be well on your way to recovery.

August 25, 2006, 05:27 PM	#2
HCfan Member Join Date: August 1, 2006 Posts: 26	I used to be one of the volunteers at the gun addiction hotline but after awhile I started to ask the folks why they wouldn't buy this, or why do you think it's bad to have that. After I was fired, I found myself in my house, huddled by the safe, talking to my Precious(s) Naw, all the 12 step programs fail. That's why you have to join the How to buy alot of guns and still have money left over for food seminars.

August 25, 2006, 09:47 PM	#3
croyance Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2001 Posts: 3,604	Cold turkey. I'll take care of your collection so they aren't there to tempt and torment you. I take the burden so you may be free.

August 25, 2006, 10:52 PM	#4
clayking Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 796	Well, don't call me, I'll be of absolutely no help. This is the eight month of the year, and so far I've bought as many guns. I've found myself buying a new one before I even shot the previous buy. Have fun with your addiction, I know I am. .......................ck

August 25, 2006, 11:44 PM	#5
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,641	this is not addiction, it is not a problem, I have a very nice collection, the kids always ask how I feel. Now my ex-wife doesn't talk to me just because I went to the gunshow one Sat.( what is an anaversery?) but I have no problems with collecting guns except not enough money

August 26, 2006, 12:07 AM	#7
teejhot.40cal Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Posts: 394	I know exactly what all of ya mean but I am not retired. I am only 22 and I have bought 7 guns this year. I can't pass up a gun shop or a deal no matter how bad I want to. Is this a bad thing?

August 26, 2006, 01:14 AM	#8
skeeter1 Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2006 Location: Northeast Ohio Posts: 3,403	Teejay-- No this is a good thing. There's nothing I like more than bringing home a new firearm toy. At my age, it's better than sex, and easier to get. Nothing beats a blued steel firearm with walnut stocks. One of these days I might get out the router and try making some handgun stocks out of cocobolo wood (I have one piece). I bet that would look really nice.

August 26, 2006, 01:33 AM	#9
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	I started down the road to addiction, but realized after a while that shooting objects at the range gets pretty old and costly. So I took up motorcycles.

August 26, 2006, 02:11 AM	#10
skeeter1 Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2006 Location: Northeast Ohio Posts: 3,403	Chris in va-- I just sold my motorcycle. That's where the money came for the new Beretta. Punching holes in paper or tin cans strikes me as safer than riding the two-wheeler any more.

August 26, 2006, 02:34 AM	#11
lil_bro Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2004 Location: Oklahoma. Posts: 396	Yes there is help. All you have too do is sent me all of your guns and you will be cured.

August 26, 2006, 02:59 PM	#13
Little Silas Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2005 Location: Hendersonville, Tennessee Posts: 183	http//www.gunbroker.com

August 26, 2006, 06:13 PM	#14
TNT Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: Back in glorious Nebraska Posts: 606	after getting my divorce 5yrs ago times got hard and finally I am able to buy things I would like to have. bought a S&W 5906 couple months back just bought a Henry Golden Boy .22 10 days ago. Planning on getting a XD .45 Tactical and a Ruger Vaquero but have updadted the want list from two to at least 4 and possibly five, seeing a Ruger single six in stainless is just a beautiful gun to compliment my Henry rifle my list as of today is all follows and in no particular order Springfield xd .45acp Tactical Rossi/Puma M92 .454 lever action Henry Big Boy .45LC Ruger Vaquero .357mag or .45LC (not decided yet) Ruger Single Six SS .22LR/.22Mag Valkyrie Arms DeLisle 2000 Browning High Power Browning BL-22 Grade I or II just a few, check back tomorrow it will change again, and due to ammo costs I too have gone towards the rim fires as well

August 26, 2006, 09:22 PM	#15
rdebert Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Posts: 301	The process is expensive at first..but does pay off in the long run. Buy as often as you can. (Ramen is good food.) At some point you will have so many that you couldn't honestly list what you actually have. (Break even point) Once past the break even point (or BEP for the tacticool crowd) when the urge to buy another firearm strikes...open up the safe and find 2 firearms that you can't for the life of you remember buying at all. Put them back in the safe and lock it. Fire up the computer and post a firearm A vs firearm B question on the board here and begin doing your research on these 2 firearms. Once you have accumulated enough information to make an informed buying decision (that would be the ..IBS..of course) including real world out the door street prices..make a decision on which one you would like to buy and add to your collection. Put your cash together (no checks, promisary notes, IOU's, credit cards, etc.....accepted. Cash only). Go back to the safe, buy (deposit the money in the safe in a cash box) for your "new" firearm of choice. Clean it thouroughly. Take it to the range. Shoot it a lot. Clean it thoroughly again. Take some pictures. Put it back into the safe. Fire up the computer, tell us which firearm you actually decided on (with pics), if you got a fair deal on it (or not), and give us a detailed range report. Do this right in the long run..that cash box can be a happy box.

August 26, 2006, 09:31 PM	#16
deanadell Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2005 Location: Upstate, South Carolina Posts: 639	Problem I don;t have a problem.........well......i almost did get choked up today when I sold my M1 Carbine...even though I'm using the procedes to buy a new Puma .357 lever action rifle......and I think I did actualy shed a tear three weeks ago when I sold my T/C Contender....until I ran right out and bought a pair of Ruger Blackhawks with that money.... If there a 12 step program out there, just don;t tell me about it, I don;t want to be cured...I'm going to embrace my addiciton and wallow in it.

August 26, 2006, 09:36 PM	#17
teejhot.40cal Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Posts: 394	Sorry skeeter, I am only 22 so sex still beats it though not by very much.

August 26, 2006, 09:53 PM	#18
Esquire M Busterbury Junior member Join Date: July 30, 2006 Posts: 445	If gun addiction is wrong, I don't wanna be right.

August 27, 2006, 12:24 PM	#22
teejhot.40cal Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Posts: 394	Tell me how that sig works out for ya syntax. I have never made it 3 months since. The longest I have made it was 2 because I was unemployed. I have learn that the trick to all this is not to let our girlfriends/wives know that we buy this many guns. Has anyone besides me ever bought 2 guns in the same day?

August 27, 2006, 01:51 PM	#23
Austin HiPowers Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2006 Location: Little South of Miami Posts: 147	Unfortunately my budget doesn't allow be to get "addicted". But when better times arrive, I am sure I will be vulnerable. Till then I stick with my HK USPc.

August 27, 2006, 02:12 PM	#24
MeekAndMild Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2001 Posts: 4,988	I don't know how to treat it but if you marry a shoeaholic/pursaholic she won't notice.