How many do you own?

[jnynetwk]

+1 on the hassle of selling. Plus it is hard to get what you think something is worth out of it. Outside of my few task specific guns like a carry gun or two, or that AR that is my SHTF gun, I tend to buy guns I think are cool/interesting. Some I rarely shoot and if it was easier to sell, maybe I would (I'm looking at you Hudson H9!). But it is the novelty of a gun that makes it hard to sell too. Do I shoot my CZ P-01 Omega very often? No, but it is a really cool gun that I love and it is a pain in the bubblegum to sell so I'm not going to unless I absolutely had to. And the list of interesting is basically endless! Someday I'd love to have a Regulus or maybe, if I really save up my pennies, in a few years be able to afford that Laugo Alien because, darn that looks cool! Unless they go out of business like Hudson did literally the day after I bought my H9. But I'm sure there will always be something else interesting which brings me back to what many have said above: How many is enough? Just one more.

 

[coop44]

Even if they don't get shot all the time there is always fondle time. Hold them and tell them they are just as important as the others and you don't love them any less or more than any of their siblings. That way none of them will have hurt feelings and will remain psychologically balanced. Unlike their daddy.

 

[tac]

Here in yUK I'm stuck on hold with nineteen and not a hope of getting any more. My own fault, I guess. I refuse to turn my home into a gun vault, with barred windows and steel inner doors, let alone 24/7 monitored alarms that get ignored by a professional security organisation, instead of being ignored by the police.

I would love to increase my little collection with some nice flintlocks from your recent Revolution, some more from your even more recent WoNA, and a few percussion arms from the rest of Europe.

Sure, I COULD just go ahead and buy them to look at, but I want to be able to shoot them, too, and by some mystic chemistry or even wizardry, the moment I want to shoot them they each become a deadly weapon, rather than an item of historical interest.

 

[Member 52301]

I agree with the one poster here.

To each their own.

Individual needs, physical limitations due to a disability or age, home locations, and/or tastes may change over time.

I have had one rifle for some time.

My main rifle:

CZ 455 LUX - 22lr bolt action rifle.

StackPath

This is the second rifle for me which will be picked up this afternoon.

CZ 457 LUX - 22wmr bolt action rifle. (Early 70th birthday gift.)

CZ 457 Lux - CZ-USA

The 457 Lux has crisp iron sights and a European-patterned stock.

cz-usa.com

So my answer today is 2 and no longer 1.

I was never a collector - I used what I owned.

I have NOT been a high volume shooter for some time now.

I still keep up my basic skills and I am a safe shooter. I will stop shooting if my hand arthritis gets much worse down the road.

Old Lady Cate

 

[revjen45]

How many is enough depends on why you want/need them.
You don't need to justify ownership or acquisition to anybody.

 

[SHOOTZMEDLER]

This is such a loaded question..

I went through a phase for a while where I wanted them all. Had loads of guns. The problem, ammo. I had so many calibers and guns to keep track of and try to shoot on a regular so I decided to sell everything that wasnt 9, 556 and kept a shot gun.

Since that point I noticed I was always shooting the same couple guns so decided to sell off all but the ones I used regularly and kept the same shot gun I mentioned earlier.

I soon decided after shooting so regularly that I wanted an AR22 because ammo is so cheap and I was shooting a lot and weekly so ammo was becoming expensive.

So now I have 8 guns in total, all have a purpose and are how I want them.

Does that mean I won't buy more, absolutely not. Waiting for the next wave of I need more in my head!

 

[deadeye]

EASY question to answer.
As many as I can buy before I die........

 

[leadcounsel]

Well, considering guns generally and routinely get harder to obtain, are are made with less quality, and the older ones get more scarce and harder and more expensive to obtain. There are of course exceptions, but that's generally how it works.

The best common guns made, were available in the 80s-90s. Better hand fitting, better materials, etc. Take these examples; think of all the best guns in any category made. I bet most are pre-2000. Few improvements since then, and lots of steps backwards. And most serious gun folks know it, and snap up those older guns. And they are pretty hard to find on the market b/c folks tend to hold onto them.

Often on gun forums, members will say they regret selling or not buying certain guns. Aside from gun dealers of course, who are in it to make money on the margins, or people getting rid of poor quality, rarely does any gun owner say they were glad to lighten their collection, unless some big financial swing happened and they made big profits.

With that in mind, it's wise to get and hold onto those guns from yesterday.

So my answer is generally, "more."

 

[Andy54Hawken]

While it is fun to seek out and obtain firearms...
Be careful that you don't turn into Captain Ahab in search of the White Whale...
Be sure to enjoy what you have.
Andy

 

[Capn Jack]

How many guns is enough?
Ask any Golfer how many clubs is enough and they will say, " They all have a different purpose".
I feel the same way about my guns.

 

[Joe13]

I have 'a good amount' of inheritance guns that don't get shot much but I'll never sell them.

When I started adding to that list my wife asked me how many guns do you need?

I said I don't know...

A year later she said, you're not going to stop buying guns are you? I replied probably not.

She wasn't thrilled with that... until we were in a financial bind with another 6 months until she graduated with her bachelors degree.

So I started selling guns. That got us thru that time.

Fast forward and we got to the point I could buy again. Never heard another word about it except - how many safes do you need, just buy a big enough one you won't need another for awhile

I have something that fits everything I want to do with guns and I can afford the Ammo for.

When I make more money then I'll buy the other guns I want As I can. I don't know Of anything else that you can buy, play with and get 'most' if not all of yours money back on so imo they are a good investment for me.

Someday I'll be set up to reload and that should open even more options for me.

Do I NEED a 45-70... no but I want one

I have a few shotguns but there are other models I want.

My kid may not want them but I have every intention to keep them in the family so grand kids or great grand kids will inherit a fortune if I make it another 80 years lol.

I love fast cars but they are a money pit and I've never seen anyone get half their money back on one after roiding one out so guns seem like a much better hobby.

Now my wife is a year away from her masters degree and I haven't acquired a new gun in awhile but in a year that will most likely change.

now having typed all of that, I have a buddy with 1 pistol and that's all he thinks he needs or wants so it's not really a question that has just one right answer.

 

[leadcounsel]

On the other end of the spectrum, I'm bewildered at all the people I know (and those I don't know) who have zero guns. Even former military guys, or otherwise people I'd think would want at least 1 gun.

Say what you want about some guys who have gluttonous collections, to not have even a single defensive gun is puzzling.

 

[joken]

I say stop when you're collection needs a bank vault to store them in.


View attachment 711176

View attachment 711177

Charlton Heston's' collection.

 

[Member 34319]

I've been purging since 2016. Down to a good number, mostly things I truly enjoy shooting, think rimfire.

I used to have so many I would actually forget about some.

I got caught up in the whole, I need a gun for this and for that. When this or that's likelihood of ever happening is less than 0.001%.

Now I'm simplifying things and I find myself enjoying shooting again.

If you enjoy collecting, by all means collect.

If you have so many you really don't recall why, you probably have too many.

If you enjoy the ones you got and they are used often, you have just enough.

 

[thorborg]

In the past, I might have been able to come up with a number for me, the total had rather stabilized because I use to move some along from time to time making room for others.
But now, it is less profitable to sell, sometimes even a loosing proposition.
So I just keep adding without getting rid of any.
Not sure that is prudent but it works for me.

 

[trevi]

Until you start seeing unicorns! I know I have....

I have a penchant for bolt hunting rifle and they out number any other type of gun i own. Also, I started finding i prefer certain calibres over others and starting selling off the gun of certain calibres, and then certain makes. So, this year is a goal of mine to create a switch barrel system, currently in the works, since most calibres i shoot use the same bolt face diametre. If it goes well, I could potentially have two rifles with up to 8 switchable barrels (based on their compatible bolt face).

Battle style rifles do not get used by me much but I would like to downsize to two different lowers and multiple compatible uppers, and really learn about these items.

Handguns, well, as a 1911 aficinado, I do not know how many will appease me. I sold off all my .45 ACP 1911s and hope to not buy another. I usually scour 1911s in 9mm or 357 SIG.

Bought my first two guns on the same receipt when I was 23 and in 13 years I aquired on, my own, an embarrasing number north of 90. And, only three were "cheap" guns! I do not have regrets of the ones I re-sold, and like some posters stated, it is hard to sell them now for what they are worth, but I hold out til I make even.

In the past, I intended to be a collector but my heart is set on travelling for pleasure and hunting.

It reallyboils down to "Each their own."

 

[Ruger Rich]

Charlton Heston's' collection.

Got me beat. "Twas never a contest, me thinks.

 

[Colt_Commando]

I don't own many guns anymore and I like it that way.

Now, if you wanna talk about how many magazines and how much ammo is enough, Lord help me.

 

[Ruger Rich]

Remember when you were younger, say 16 to 30 something. And you couldn't get enough, sex, that is. Well guns have kinda morphed into something similar as the miles have rolled by. And yep, my original gun still shoots though not as efficiently as it used to. Don't yet need any "blue" handloads but perhaps in the near future. So I go out into my space, the garage, open up some safes and drag a gun or two out. Fondle them for awhile, maybe run a patch or two through. Maybe even recollect which hunt a particular one went on and the really good shot it made. It's a keeper for just that. And that little .22 H & R 9 shot revolver I had on my hip when I ran into Mama bear and her two cubs many seasons ago in the Northside unit. She was pissed and looked as though she was ready to charge. Didn't want to use the rifle on her so I cranked a couple of rounds outta that little 22 up in the air. It worked, she hauled azz up a pine with her two and I left directly away. So guns are the therapy I once had with other thing. And like that other thing, I cant get enough.

 

[jbett98]

Charlton Heston's' collection.

That's what everybody thinks, but it belonged to a rich lawyer from Virginia.
Here's a pic showing his southern 1860's mansion.