Limiting yourself....

[Andy54Hawken]

Limiting yourself.

What I mean by this is , to limit yourself to what and why you own and do things with firearms...
Can lead to a limited appreciation and understanding of firearms.

Which of course , could be seen as ironic , coming from a guy who is known for his love of traditional muzzle loading firearms.
However...
I have owned and shot many different types of firearms. Which has helped shape my liking for certain firearms and for my use of firearms.

The reasons why people own firearms are probably as least as different as there are different types of firearms.
The "why" behind why I own firearms is varied.
Some of the "whys" are :
Family guns...mine from my youth or those of my Dad and Grandpa.
Some firearms are owned for historic reasons....I like history ...having a firearm that is from the time periods that I am into , is important to me.
A few are for hunting uses....they are useful for how I shoot and the game that I hunt.
All are owned because I have fun shooting them or maintaining them...as well as taking pride in the ownership of them.

Reading the 2nd Amendment shows that one does not need to have a reason to own firearms...
Nor does it state that one can only have certain firearms , or that one can own firearms only for specific purposes.

I think the above is very important because many folks seem to be all wrapped in only owning firearms for one or two very specific reasons.
Reasons like hunting or defense.
And while both are very important things to consider. and are reasons to own firearms...
Both can also lead to a limited viewpoint of firearms and firearm ownership...if either one of those are the sole , single reason one owns firearms.

Now none of the above is to read that ....
One must do as Andy does...
Or that any one particular reason is not enough to own firearms.

I am just trying to say that one may want to not get all "stuck" on just one aspect of firearms and firearm ownership.
And would suggest that one try to look at both , as their whole selves so to speak , and not just for one thing that they may be useful for.
Andy

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[dangerranger60]

I buy and collect what interests me. I like history, and have bought quite a few just because they were from a time I liked to read about.
I started with military rifles, got interested in Buffalo hunters and their guns, then after a few shoulder injury's found it painful to shoot them. For awhile I collected 22 rifles made between the civil war and WWII. [ way easier on the shoulder].
Now I find my interests leaning toward Varmint rifles, and min of squirrel's head accuracy. DR

 

[oremike]

I wouldn't say I limit myself more like have over time I've filtered down to what I like.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Filtering down to what one likes...is good.
Kinda like what I said in a different thread...

Owning things is both fun and good....
It is also good that the things that we own....don't own us.
Andy

 

[Member 34319]

Gosh, glad to know I'm not the only one!

I get the sentiment Andy. I basically rent firearms. It's my way of having something new to mess around with. Firearms filled an itch for me, though the itch was scratched thoroughly by prior things, it is the current thing that I enjoy for killing time. Prior things were cars, RC cars, drones (early drones before they got to what they are now). P point being, I owned these things to keep busy with. I enjoy having things to do and mess around with or take apart, guns work well for that.

Supporting the second amendment and feeling American helps with the reasons I do what I do.

That and up till recently guns were decent investments, I've sold guns that I've held onto for 5-10 years sell for at least double what I paid.

I try to accept that gun owners own guns for a broad amount of reasons.

 

[nwslopoke]

In a way, 114 helped me realize I reached a level over the years, that I achieved what I wanted. I'm not lacking.

I had more curiosity of various firearms than need. I even picked up a few iconic pieces along the way. I learned from others about 2A but I also learned it for myself. Not to make someone else feel one way or another.

 

[Willysmb]

Yes! Many reasons to own, and become familiar with different firearms.

For me-

Self Defense (both privately and professionally).
From an Instructors perspective, it is important to have experience with different systems in order to field questions (and dispel myths).
Historical. I view it as an excellent way to experience what it may have been like to actually have to use particular firearms in use throughout history. You get to slightly "live" history.
Mechanical operation. Roller locking is quite different than recoil operation (as an example). I find it fascinating how different designers solved similar (and different) challenges.
Family heirlooms. No explanation required here
Intended use- My precision rifle does not fulfill the same roll as my PCC or my M6 survival combo gun.
Hunting (although Blacktails are still safe from me despite my best efforts,lol!).
Competition. Who does not want to gain an advantage here
Finally, and to a lesser extent than all of the above, aesthetic. To my eye a Spitfire is simply more pleasing to look at than a P47. So to, some firearms are better looking than others.

Whenever someone asks me why I own so many guns, my answer is usually some combination of the above.

Best regards.

WMB

 

[Jasonanddeonna]

I am glad that we have the right to own for whatever reason a person likes as long as that person understands his/her responsibility with exercising that right. Without being political, I wish others would also recognize this. In doing so, I think it would make this issue less political.

 

[red442joe]

I have limited myself to one 22 pistol.....
Of each.

Joe

 

[Red98422]

Gonna be honest, I have at least two firearms for no reason other than "damn that thing is super neat!" Lol

There isn't a particular "need" to own a colt pocket hammerless…but it sure is cool! And it shoots good to boot!

 

[Hueco]

I hear you, think I understand, and would like to add my own thought:

No matter what one decides to pursue as a passion, you generally find what you like pretty quick and it's tempting to settle into a groove.

I think it's important to push yourself into things you may have not considered, least of all for a new experience. Is that not why we're on this rock - to experience?

Then again, I am also the kind of person to tell you about every dish at my favorite restaurant…because I've had them all…and to this day, still do not understand the perspective of people that have "a dish" so to speak - whether it's food, guns, music, dance, anything.

It's good to not get stuck in a rut, especially a self imposed one.

 

[titsonritz]

I have a relatively narrow focus on a broad interest.

 

[orygun]

I've gone unlimited, except by my budget, and limited by other facets of life.
I like guns. Lots of different kinds of guns. In "the old days" it was legal and easy to buy and sell guns, which made it easy to scratch the itch of owning a different gun. I've owned a bunch of guns of many different styles. The investment required for keeping all of them would have cut into my real responsibilities, but I avoided that by selling one to pay for another. I've also sold "excess" firearms when I wanted to scrounge up money for other projects.
The amount of guns I own has fluctuated throughout the years. I don't have nearly as many as I did at my "high water mark", but I have several. I have more than I need, but the rest of my life is not limited because of the $$ invested in my "collection".
The roof over my head, the vehicle that gets me to work and the food for my family come long before any more guns.

 

[Spitpatch]

Primarily for me,

It's the learning experience.

 

[deadeye]

I hear you, think I understand, and would like to add my own thought:

No matter what one decides to pursue as a passion, you generally find what you like pretty quick and it's tempting to settle into a groove.

I think it's important to push yourself into things you may have not considered, least of all for a new experience. Is that not why we're on this rock - to experience?

Then again, I am also the kind of person to tell you about every dish at my favorite restaurant…because I've had them all…and to this day, still do not understand the perspective of people that have "a dish" so to speak - whether it's food, guns, music, dance, anything.

It's good to not get stuck in a rut, especially a self imposed one.

So when will your firearms be posted for sale to fund your divorce lawyer after your ol lady reads this?

 

[solv3nt]

What @Andy54Hawken is trying to say, "buy both".

 

[Nosferatu]

I'm sure I have my limits. I just haven't found them yet.

 

[titsonritz]

 

[red442joe]

I have a relatively narrow focus on a broad interest.

I have a relative interest in a narrow broad.
I'll go away now....

Joe

 

[P7M13]

Curiosity, science, engineering and aesthetics.
In life, the only real limiter is the mind.