The bare essentials gun collection

Breachloader · June 15, 2025, 04:03 PM

Thought exercise for a Sunday morning.
...
If you had to pair down your collection to just a handful of firearms, what would you keep? What do you actually use? What do you really need?

Being brutal as can be.

The absolute minimum 5.
12g O/U Sporter
22 semi rifle
308 bolt rifle
357 revolver
22 pistol

If I could have 10 I'd keep.
375 double rifle
22 revolver
357 lever rifle
223 semi rifle
12g semi shotgun

If I could have 15. I'd also keep.
12g pump
9mm pistol
45 pistol
6.5 creedmore bolt rifle
SxS 12g shotgun

I could go on, and on, and on.
But really I'd be happy with these

Sent from my SM-S931B using Tapatalk

Paul B. · June 15, 2025, 05:23 PM

Interesting thought Bare minimum for handguns would be my S&W M17 with 5" barrel from factory and two other S&Ws, a Model 28 .357 Magnum and an M624 .44 Spl. Possibly, I might also keep a custom 1911 .45 ACP.

For rifles, I have a Remington .22LR but don't remember the model number It's a bolt action and is very accurate with good ammunition. Then a Kimber in .223 Rem. that I'm not sure of the model number as I haven't even looked at it in at least six or seven years. Last is a Winchester M70 Featherweight in 7x57 which may or may not see any use. I'm no longer interested in cartridges that have heavy recoil and the 7x57 will handle whatever limited hunting I may do in the future.

Old age (86 very soon to be 87) and somewhat battered up from a car wreck has curtailed a great deal of whatever hunting and shooting I can do and finding affordable hunts for the handicapped is becoming more difficult on a daily basis.

Paul B.

**44 AMP** · June 15, 2025, 06:36 PM

Would you count a Contender and a dozen barrels as 1 or 12??

BourbonCowboy · June 16, 2025, 01:41 AM

I'd want a 12ga shotgun, a 9mm pistol, and a .22 pistol.

So I would keep:
Mossberg 500 with the 18, 24, and 28 inch barrels
HK VP40 with a VP9 long slide
Kel Tec P17

Between those three, I would be able to have food, protection, and entertainment.

jonnyc · June 16, 2025, 12:10 PM

Minimum...? One of each!

**44 AMP** · June 16, 2025, 01:29 PM

Quote:

If you had to pair down your collection to just a handful of firearms, what would you keep? What do you actually use? What do you really need?

Use and need are, to me, minimum standards. but for me, I include want. And that covers, at a minimum the guns I want to keep. Guns I rarely use, and didn't buy but paid a price beyond money getting them.

The Ithaca 12ga that my grandfather bought new, to his order, in 1909. The rifles and pistols I inherited from my father over 20 years ago, are NOT on my "dowsizable" list. The rifle my Dad gave me as my first deer rifle, and the Winchester Model of 1912 that was my 16th birthday present, not getting rid of them, until they close the lid.

Go ahead and declutter all you want, live a minimalist lifestyle if it's your thing. Its not my thing, thank you very much.

Shadow9mm · June 16, 2025, 01:49 PM

Defensive pistol, probably a g19
Defense rifle, 16in ar in 223/5.57
Pump shotgun, 12ga
Bolt action hunting rifle, probably rem 700 in 6.5 creedmoor
22 rifle, either 10/22 or ruger american rimfire.

FITASC · June 16, 2025, 02:46 PM

2 of the same for CCW; most likely my SIG P365s - or possibly my HK P7s
12 gauge O/U target gun, with gas back up gun
.22 rifle, 22 revolver with both capable of using short, long, long rifle shot, subsonic, etc.
my dad's 2 service revolvers will be handed off to my boys or my brother and his son
my 7-08 for SHTF scenarios where hunting for food might become necessary
9mmPCC for inside the house defense

I could live without the others, but that isn't as much fun

georgehwbush · June 16, 2025, 07:12 PM

m-4 carbine you said "bare essentials" didn't you ?

Skans · June 16, 2025, 07:56 PM

Mine would come down to this

Rifles
- Sig AMT .308
- Wood stock/Stainless Volqartsen (10-22) .22LR
- Nice AR-15 build with a good binary trigger or an FRT.
- Browning X-Bolt Gold Medallion 30-05 (maple stock)

Pistols
- Sig X-Five 9mm Level One
- Boberg Xr9s Platinum
- Smith & Wesson 627-PC Lew Horton, No-Lock
- Tanfoglio original "Stock" 10mm

Shotguns
- Beretta Diamond Pigeon 12 O/U
- USAS-12

Yeah, I could live with that.

deadcoyote · June 16, 2025, 08:45 PM

I carry a SW 642 daily year around so I’d keep it. Glock 21 with a light for nightstand so keep it.

LR pattern 308 I’d keep because I’ve killed a ton of pigs and a couple deer with it, would prefer a tikka .270 but you gave me a five gun limit and this could do double duty.

Have to have a shotgun so probably an 870 with 2 barrels.

Have to have a .22 so Remington 521 JT because it’s the best 22 I’ve ever shot by far hands down and I love it.

June 15, 2025, 04:03 PM	#1
Breachloader Junior Member Join Date: June 23, 2024 Posts: 3	The bare essentials gun collection Thought exercise for a Sunday morning. ... If you had to pair down your collection to just a handful of firearms, what would you keep? What do you actually use? What do you really need? Being brutal as can be. The absolute minimum 5. 12g O/U Sporter 22 semi rifle 308 bolt rifle 357 revolver 22 pistol If I could have 10 I'd keep. 375 double rifle 22 revolver 357 lever rifle 223 semi rifle 12g semi shotgun If I could have 15. I'd also keep. 12g pump 9mm pistol 45 pistol 6.5 creedmore bolt rifle SxS 12g shotgun I could go on, and on, and on. But really I'd be happy with these Sent from my SM-S931B using Tapatalk

June 15, 2025, 05:23 PM	#2
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,928	Interesting thought Bare minimum for handguns would be my S&W M17 with 5" barrel from factory and two other S&Ws, a Model 28 .357 Magnum and an M624 .44 Spl. Possibly, I might also keep a custom 1911 .45 ACP. For rifles, I have a Remington .22LR but don't remember the model number It's a bolt action and is very accurate with good ammunition. Then a Kimber in .223 Rem. that I'm not sure of the model number as I haven't even looked at it in at least six or seven years. Last is a Winchester M70 Featherweight in 7x57 which may or may not see any use. I'm no longer interested in cartridges that have heavy recoil and the 7x57 will handle whatever limited hunting I may do in the future. Old age (86 very soon to be 87) and somewhat battered up from a car wreck has curtailed a great deal of whatever hunting and shooting I can do and finding affordable hunts for the handicapped is becoming more difficult on a daily basis. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!

June 15, 2025, 06:36 PM	#3
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 30,441	Would you count a Contender and a dozen barrels as 1 or 12?? __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

June 16, 2025, 12:10 PM	#5
jonnyc Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2009 Location: PA Posts: 1,748	Minimum...? One of each! __________________ 2024 PA Cartridge Collector Show; Aug. 16-17, 2024!!! Buy...Sell...Trade All Types of Ammunition & Ordnance PM or email me for 2024 show details.

June 16, 2025, 01:49 PM	#7
Shadow9mm Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 4,595	Defensive pistol, probably a g19 Defense rifle, 16in ar in 223/5.57 Pump shotgun, 12ga Bolt action hunting rifle, probably rem 700 in 6.5 creedmoor 22 rifle, either 10/22 or ruger american rimfire. __________________ I don't believe in "range fodder" that is why I reload.

June 16, 2025, 01:41 AM	#4
BourbonCowboy Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2019 Posts: 143	I'd want a 12ga shotgun, a 9mm pistol, and a .22 pistol. So I would keep: Mossberg 500 with the 18, 24, and 28 inch barrels HK VP40 with a VP9 long slide Kel Tec P17 Between those three, I would be able to have food, protection, and entertainment.

June 16, 2025, 02:46 PM	#8
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,641	2 of the same for CCW; most likely my SIG P365s - or possibly my HK P7s 12 gauge O/U target gun, with gas back up gun .22 rifle, 22 revolver with both capable of using short, long, long rifle shot, subsonic, etc. my dad's 2 service revolvers will be handed off to my boys or my brother and his son my 7-08 for SHTF scenarios where hunting for food might become necessary 9mmPCC for inside the house defense I could live without the others, but that isn't as much fun __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

June 16, 2025, 07:12 PM	#9
georgehwbush Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2023 Location: down town USA Posts: 546	m-4 carbine you said "bare essentials" didn't you ?

June 16, 2025, 07:56 PM	#10
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,322	Mine would come down to this Rifles - Sig AMT .308 - Wood stock/Stainless Volqartsen (10-22) .22LR - Nice AR-15 build with a good binary trigger or an FRT. - Browning X-Bolt Gold Medallion 30-05 (maple stock) Pistols - Sig X-Five 9mm Level One - Boberg Xr9s Platinum - Smith & Wesson 627-PC Lew Horton, No-Lock - Tanfoglio original "Stock" 10mm Shotguns - Beretta Diamond Pigeon 12 O/U - USAS-12 Yeah, I could live with that.

June 16, 2025, 08:45 PM	#11
deadcoyote Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2009 Location: northern CA Posts: 724	I carry a SW 642 daily year around so I’d keep it. Glock 21 with a light for nightstand so keep it. LR pattern 308 I’d keep because I’ve killed a ton of pigs and a couple deer with it, would prefer a tikka .270 but you gave me a five gun limit and this could do double duty. Have to have a shotgun so probably an 870 with 2 barrels. Have to have a .22 so Remington 521 JT because it’s the best 22 I’ve ever shot by far hands down and I love it.