Shooters or Safe Queens, Users or Keepers?

[GOG]

I was recollecting some guns and knives that have passed through my hands over the years and it got me wondering about other folks thoughts about using 'em or keeping 'em pristine.
I've gone through too many firearms to count, but I've had a couple of my dream guns and some that were just flat out cool. In truth I don't dare ever do the math because the bottom line would be dismal. I've had some mint guns and always wound up selling or trading them because I couldn't bring myself to shoot them. It just didn't feel right, even if it is my gun. So while I love beautiful or unique firearms I only have shooters.

Knives, I've done the same but not nearly as many or as much.
As an example, right now I have a new Benchmade Mark Lee commemorative knife I bought on this board and I've decided to use it. Otherwise I was going to sell it. There's no package or paperwork, just the knife and sheath so it's not really something for a collector.
I'm thinking of making a belt sheath for it and carrying it when I want a larger knife at hand. It seems to me that a knife commemorating a SEAL should be used not ogled.

So Ladies and Gentlemen as well as any Binary Space Beings have you any thoughts to share?

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[WAYNO]

Some guns need to be preserved in as perfect condition as possible, as evidence of firearms history, not any different than other historical items placed in a museum.

I have safe queens that I will never shoot, but if it's a gun I would really like to shoot, I find a shooter-grade specimen of the same gun.

I also have peddled some safe queens, knowing I would never shoot them, just to place them in the hands of collectors that were looking for a certain model to fill a void in their collection.

WAYNO.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I guess it depends on why you want to keep or own said gun or knife.
I have some guns that are for looking at only ... a few that are shot carefully and usually only at a range in good weather and some that are shot , a lot.

In any case I don't mind the use or lack thereof of a gun or knife ... Just please don't abuse a gun or knife.
Andy

 

[Flopsweat]

I have some that I don't shoot much, but none that I never shoot. Everything I have there is more than one of, so I'm going to enjoy them. Hopefully other people will get to too. They'll likely be in great shape long after I'm gone.

 

[Medic!]

When I get a new gun. We have a little sit down talk.

The gun will tell me what to do.
And it's never ''Sell or trade me off''.

 

[Pops1911]

Never been much of a collector of guns or knives. [Gibson guitars are another matter entirely!] Everything I have purchased has been to use. Never could save enough money to buy that gold inlaid .44 mag I discovered back in Idaho when woolly mammoths still grazed the tundra. Sure was a heart breaker though. I admire the folks who can afford to buy a firearm and keep it in a safe untouched by human hands except with cotton gloves. Don't get me wrong. I have my own versions of "safe queens" except that they have been loved to death over the years and retain the scars of all that loving. Firearms yes. There is an old 30-30 and a .357 who both show the years of loving use. I have a very old Buck knife I took overseas in the military way back in the late '60s. Brought me home safely and I still carry it in my back pack. Wish I had my first 1911 back. What a pistol it was! It was an @$$ saver. Seems like almost every ding on my stuff tells a story. Life saver, big buck, outdoor fun away from cities they are all memories made by my own "safe queens". Here's hoisting a pint to everyone's treasured collections, shiny or not! To the Safe Queens!

 

[Alexx1401]

My "safe queens" now days are just guns I don't have much interest in. Since new stupid law went in selling one to buy another got a wet blanket thrown on it. I have never been into collection. When I buy a new to me gun it's been too long for me if it's 24 hours later and I have not fired it yet. Nothing wrong with those who enjoy having guns they never shot, just look at, just not for me. Some times it pays off though. Wife and I were knocking around today with nothing to do. Stopped at a LGS to look. She ran across a Beretta Tomcat in .32. Started asking my about them. I told her that would probably work for her since she is never going to be able to use the LCPII she bought. It was sold as used for a decent price. When we got home I took it apart to check and it looks like it had never had a round chambered much less fired in it since it left the factory. Someone must have bought it, kept it in a drawer then got rid of it at a big loss. Nice for her. Going to take it out tomorrow to see how it does. I think this will work for her. Don't know why I did not think of one of these years ago.

 

[orygun]

A while back I got rid of all of the guns that just sat around, family heirloom guns excepted.
Since then I've acquired a few more and have some decisions to make. I honestly have more than I want to keep. Keeping firearms that I don't care to shoot seems like a waste of my resources and keeping firearms as an investment gets very boring to me in short order.

If I don't take it out and play with it, I'll probably send it down the road.

 

[Flymph]

Nothing gets people's attention when some noob is talking about a Luger or broomhandle and you can say "yeah, I've shot one of those."...
I say shoot them, and have enough to where you don't have to shoot them often. If you can, switch out matching parts with replicas. I picked that trick up some place. Can't remember where.
If you can't shoot it, keep it anyway.
Hoarder/collector mentality.

 

[Misteramax]

I love that people like to collect guns. Though I don't own any safe queens. I believe that all modern guns should be used and seen as tools.

What bothers me are folks who complain about cosmetics. Hell, you can have a guy buy a hi point and he will probably upload a YouTube video complaining about finish wear. Or better yet...the ar guys who can't live with brass marks or aluminum showing on a deflector. In my head, as long as a gun is mechanically sound and doesn't grow rust easy, I could care less about wear spots. It's a tool that can save your life. That's all they are to me. It's nice to have a large library to pick the right tool for the right job.

I don't believe in neglect. It's a machine/tool that does need preventative maintenance. I use my truck hard for example. It's cosmetically getting bad. However, mechanically I replace things before they go wrong. For my guns, I try to keep parts around so a gun isn't out of action.

 

[joken]

I have a 21 year old BHP that is NIB. I need to shoot it or sell it and I don't much want to do either, but I really should start using it.

 

[Koda]

I have nothing against safe queens, if you collect for the sake of collection then dont shoot them and keep them pristine thats awesome.

Myself, I shoot them and use them at will they are all tools no matter how nice they are.

 

[Caveman Jim]

No collectors I'm my cave, what FA's we have all have a purpose & get used regularly.
No safe Queens either.

 

[No_Regerts]

I consider my guns as tools, but stuff that my dad and I enjoy mean more to me. I'll keep those as pristine as possible. The guns Ive bought come and go.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

If it's not worth shooting, it's not worth keeping. IMHO...

 

[ThemGunsThough]

I dont have any guns that I consider safe queens to preserve their value, however, I do have some guns that have sat in the safe as I havent had the opportunity to shoot them.

Knives are another story.. I have recently decided that I will start to enjoy my knives more rather than stare at them amd just be enamored.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I don't have any unfired guns! I have a couple of safe queens!

I have my Kimbers, both have been shot, but not for 25-30yrs! These are rifles, made by me, at Kimber of Oregon!
There will never be any more made, so I've retired them. The .22K Hornet has had a few hundred rounds through it, and I would pull it out to shoot it. The .223 has only had 10rnds through it, so probably not!
I get special, interesting or historic guns as sitters of the safe! I would own one or more, if I could afford them! With the exception of the Kimber rifles I do shoot everything I own!

 

[Misteramax]

Knives are another story.. I have recently decided that I will start to enjoy my knives more rather than stare at them amd just be enamored.

Dude, yes. Knives are disposable in my book. Maybe extreme but for how little money a good knife is when compared to a gun I stash knives away in all kinds of places. Heck I have a mora in an ak mag pouch. Ontario Afghan bush in my truck. Several others in my various packs.

 

[Boboclown]

The only guns I try to keep in pristine condition are mil surplus rifles with all matching numbers. If the numbers don't match, I do w/e to it.

 

[B3dlam]

Often modern Commemorative pieces don't tend to carry too much of a premium look at the limited production Winchester model 94 commemoratives like the lawman. To many people hold onto them meaning if you don't have it 100% pristine with all its original stuff your value goes down. I look at my firearms as tools and use them as such. Now if I came into a Colt Snakegun NIB that wouldn't leave the safe due to the inherent value. So generally I buy guns to be used but there could be exceptions usually on guns that already have a significant value as a collectors item.