How Many Firearms Are Enough For You Personally?

[mrt949]

Over the years had over 60 at one time. Then I realized that's money laying their not being used. Sold some and gavs some away .Down to 10 When you get older you find out what works and stick with it .

[breakingcontact]

Originally Posted by mrt949

When you get older you find out what works and stick with it .

I'd like to have one for each thought out purpose and 1 backup for each.

[mrt949]

Down to 3 Revolvers.38 SP.
2 Autos 22lr. 1 40 sw.and 1 =32. seecamp.
Long guns2= 22lr
1 =Shotgun
Makes life simple.

[GrailKnight]

I have whittled my collection down to 8 firearms.
Four are strictly persona/home security and four are pure hunting arms.

I have plenty of ammunition for every firearm I own but a couple of years
ago stopping going shooting every week and just go every 2 or 3 weeks.

I have found new hobbies in my retirement that are taking time to learn
but time is something I have plenty of.

[KyJim]

Niches for my handguns include such things as:

(1) a mouse sized semi-auto that I can shoot reasonably well at moderate distances (25 yards and in). I have a Sig P238 for that.

(2) for when I'm wearing cotton shorts with a drawstring and elastic waistband, I need a mouse gun that is light, even if my effective range is 10 yards or less. I have a Ruger LCP for that.

(3) a more powerful handgun that I can fit in most, but not all, of my pants pockets. My Kahr CM9 covers this.

(4) a "lightweight" 1911 that is very concealable in .45 acp. I have a DW CCO for that.

(5) for practice and backup to the CCO, above, a steel framed 1911 of the same size. That's my Baer Stinger.

(6) a full sized 1911, steel frame, in .45 acp for OWB carry and/or home defense. I have at least one for that role.

(7) a full sized 1911, steel frame, in 9mm cause it's cheaper to shoot 9mm than .45 acp.

(8) a full sized 1911, steel frame, in 10mm just in case a black bear wanders into my city of about 300,000 (don't have to worry about grizzlies)

Well, you get the point. If I want a gun, I can find a niche for it. Having said that, I have contemplated getting rid of a couple of handguns I don't shoot and/or duplicate other guns.

[44 AMP]

Back when my (now) wife and I were going out, one time she asked me just how many guns I wanted. At the time I had 4 rifles, 2 shotguns and one handgun...

I told her, with complete honesty (at the time) that "I'm not greedy, I'll settle for one of each..."

She may not have understood that I meant make, model, caliber, barrel length, etc, but over the past 37 years she has learned....

And, to be perfectly honest today, not only am I a long way from "one of each" but I have identical multiples of certain favorites, as well as groups of identical models in different calibers.

Yes, I'm in the over 75 club, and not made of money, or even close. Just blessed with an understanding wife with low desire for typical feminine material goods.

I have sold a few, from time to time over the years, as excess to desire (forgot NEED, I had need covered before I graduated highschool), but that usually means I get something else. Last gun show I took a gun to, to sell or trade, I did just that. Left one rifle, came home with a different rifle and two pistols.

These days, I don't buy as much as I used to, mostly because of the outrageous prices today, and because of the things I am interested in getting are rare. Nearly every gun or caliber I was ever interested in I have, or have had at least one example to check out. And I am not very interested in much that is new these days.

Several people have posted their wish lists, and reading them, I find a lot of things that I have, or have had.

I'm also currently set up to reload for 32 rifle and 11 handgun centerfire cartridges (having multiple guns in some calibers) as well as a bunch of .22RFs and some shotguns.

I don't have a single safe queen, meaning a gun I never intend to shoot, but I do have a dozen plus (currently) that I fully intend to shoot, just haven't gotten arount to it, yet....and I have quite a few that I haven't shot in some years, but I will shoot them again, someday....

My 14th birthday present was a Winchester .22. I'm within a handful of mandatory retirement age, and I still have my first deer rifle and my first shotgun. I inherited some of my Dad's collection when he passed on, and others from other family members...

In time, others will benefit from my collection, my Grandfather's shotgun will go to a grandchild when the time is right. Some of my Dad's guns will go to my kids or their kids, when the time is right, etc.

I realized that maybe the time ought to be coming up for some of them, sooner than later when I talked to my son the other day, and he told me about the deal he got on a Ruger Super Blackhawk...if I had known he was looking for one, I would have given him the one I've got kicking around here somewhere.....I almost felt greedy.....

almost...

[Beepy]

Fortunately, my wife and I have come to an understanding over the last 25 years. Need has little to do with firearms. Guns are to men what jewelry is to women. As long as she gets a shiny bobble from time to time, she accepts the fact that a new gun of some kind might find a new home with me, too.

In reality, when I find I haven't shot a gun for more than a couple of years, it is usually time I found a new home for it and something else more interesting to take its place in the safe.

BP

[TX Hunter]

I voted 10 or less, but sometimes I get bored with a gun and dont use it for a few years. Then re discover it and dust it off and use it again. Ocasionaly I get a hankering for a firearm and go buy one, like right now I want a Winchester Model 70 Alaskan.. But things keep coming up and I put it off.

[22-rimfire]

You know that you might have enough when you need to rent a box truck just to move your accumulation from one place to another. But then, what about that new gun you read about here?

[Skans]

Guns are like children - you don't want to have so many that you forget their names.

[Closing The Gap]

I dont have a specific number but am sure it would surpass 75. The way I see it there are things I could be spending my money on that would give me far less enjoyment. I love my hobby. I share it with my wife and kids. They love it too. I am blessed that I have the disposable income to allow this fairly expensive hobby. Also if furtunes ever changed I have a significant amount of easily liquidated assets to help in that circumstance.

[Tom68]

Like anything else, priorities in life are the first factor in such a decision. Would I rather have another firearm, or would I rather have ___?

I really don't see myself owning more than 75, or probably even 50, even though there are so many out there that I would "like to have". Since they hold their value better than other things like electronics, shoes, dresses, etc. (these are just examples--I'm not REALLY poking my wife in the eye) it really doesn't make sense to get rid of any just for the sake of doing so... but at the same time, maintaining a big inventory takes time and effort, and everybody knows a 48 gun safe really doesn't hold 48 long guns, so storage is also at a premium. I have rifles I haven't fired in several years, but will certainly gravitate back to someday (after this current deployment is over!), and I have others with sentimental value that haven't been fired in longer than that that i'll NEVER part with.

I currently have just over 30, and when I fill the most glaring gaps in my collection i'll probably be okay at about 40. When I get older and shooting less frequently I probably will start gifting some of the less sentimental ones, and saving the special ones up until the very end.

hopefully that day is about 50 years down the road...

[tulsamal]

I don't have a single safe queen, meaning a gun I never intend to shoot, but I do have a dozen plus (currently) that I fully intend to shoot, just haven't gotten arount to it, yet....and I have quite a few that I haven't shot in some years, but I will shoot them again, someday...

That sounds oh so familiar!!

Sometimes I buy a new gun in a chambering that I'm not currently reloading. So I buy dies and brass at the same time as the gun. I bring the gun home and take it all apart. Check the design out from end to end. Dry fire it if appropriate. Lubricate. Usually leave it sitting "out" in the living room for a few weeks so that I can pick it up over and over. Getting the muscle memory in tune with the new hardware. Then I put everything away.... until I get to shoot it. But, like you, somehow I have some that I've never gotten around to shooting. Some that I actually do have bullets for but several because I never gotten around to reloading for them. Yet. It's going to happen!

Sometimes it's like standing in a fast moving river and trying to catch fish barehanded as they swim by. They just keep flowing by!

Gregg

[reticle]

All of them

[TennJed]

Originally Posted by reticle

All of them

Don't be greedy, I don't need all of them. One of each will do just fine.

[atlantadad]

Between 100 and 500 should be enough.

[Crankylove]

No idea, when I get there, I'll know.


My father and uncle have thier safes overflowing with firearms.........and half the time can't even remember what they have, when they shot them last, or if they even have any loaded ammo for them. I don't need/want that many. My current assortment lets me do everything I want, I don't need so many I don't even know what I have.


Honestly, there are a handful of firearms on my wish list...........but I would really just like to be able to use the ones I have more often.

[Dalek]

I'm with Cranky on this. I have no idea as I live by a simple rule when it comes to firearms and cars.

If I like it, can afford it and want it, I own it. Simple as that.

Having put in my time at the smithing bench, even when I manage to wind up with a dog, I can normally beat it back into some working shape.

[Ignition Override]

My answer was 11-20, in order to be satisfied. Six of them are Enfield #4s/#5s. Two are FR8s.

Right now thirteen is enough, but will be satisfied -as far as guns go- with a second Garand.
The primary objective, even though I have heaps of it, is to gradually buy more ammo. Why?

The main reason is to have even more for when I retire in a few years (less income), and also in case my grown son gets bitten by the gun bug.

A secondary concern is that our govt. one day Could be pressured (via foreign policy 'deals') to allow the UN Small Arms Treaty to dictate to us that we should not be able to buy imported ammo (or guns).
Right now the CMP might never acquire any more substantial shipments of M2 Ball from military sources, along with Garands which were US loans to foreign governments. Much mo' money in a few years.

Don't forget that the UN and some Brit/Euro 'arms control' groups pay numerous countries to destroy both surplus guns and ammo.
In a few years, other than MNs, imagine how many heaps of both AKs etc And obsolete, bolt-action military rifles will have been destroyed?

[Stevie-Ray]

Probably 30 or less. I've already gotten to the point that there are more safe queens than I would like. Several that haven't been shot in years. Actually I may start cutting back, but in practice thus far, I've sold only 2.