Knock Some Sense Into Me -Please!

[CWL]

Y'all,

lately I've been wondering why I own so many guns. I have, over the years built up a nice little collection of firearms, the majority of which I don't shoot. Some I don't think I've fired in over 2 years.

I prefer the .45ACP and will continue to collect, practice with and shoot some variant of this, as well as an occasional .22 and even .32ACP for SD purposes. But the majority of the guns I have simply sit in my safe. I estimate at least 12-15 pistols which I don't even touch anymore except an occasional glance. All of them are quality weapons (no Lorcins, etc.) or are pre-California ban hi-caps.

The majority are 9MM with a few .40 and others thrown in.

Should I sell them or should I hold onto them, even though I know for a fact that I'll probably never shoot them? One other thought is that I trade them for other guns that I still want.

What do you guys suggest?

 

[fastbolt]

You DO realize, don't you, that asking most of us on this forum that question is like asking your mirror ... right?

 

[moredes]

Damn, man, two years of disuse is nothin'. I finally gave up on the notion that I'd find a use for my BHP and sold it after it'd 'sat in the safe' for the last 20+ years. Felt bad sellin' it, but it's not doin' nothin' and there are other things I'd rather own and shoot.

Like you, my main focus is 45's (one is not a 1911). The BHP hasn't been out of the safe since my first experience with a 1911, so logic said it had to go. That BHP was one sweet gun; from a collector's viewpoint, I feel bad that it's gone. Do I actually miss it? Not in the least. Makes me smile every time I hold its' replacement, a KZ45.

If you really want to store 'em forever, buy replicas as replacements and sell them to fund guns you'll shoot. After all, would you own a Corvette and never whip them ponies?

 

[bullbarrel]

I think the reason you have so many guns is because there is something missing in your life, or you're not getting fulfillment in some aspect of your life. I'd like buy a lot of guns, too, but I also realize that they are (to me) kind of like substitutes for real relationships. It's not just guns, either - just read the knife forums, cars, computers, etc. - there are people there who have the same predicament.

 

[CWL]

Hey bullbarrel,

Niice!

Didn't know I was so unfulfilled until you filled me in!

Here's what I do. Should I change my lifestyle and get a deskjob?

 

[New_comer]

You're denying somebody else the enjoyment those babies can bring.

It's cruel to the gun, unless it's intended to become a museum piece or an heirloom. They are meant to be caressed, pampered, and fed constantly...

Solution: Send them all to me, and I'll take care of 'em real good!!!

 

[Hkmp5sd]

FWAAAAP!!

There, you have been knocked.

Notice the word "collection". This means you enjoy acquiring and owning some item, in this case guns. You don't have to shoot every gun you own continuously take gain pleasure from possessing it. Keeping it clean and functional, learning it's history, modifying and adding accessories or even hanging it on the wall so other folks can drool over it bring enjoyment also.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

CWL....

Keep them.
Unless you just need the money--KEEP THEM. Perhaps, some time in the future, you'll need them. Maybe you'll find someone who will love and take care of them. How much trouble would it be to replace them? The guns in your safe are a good investment. There aren't many things I own which have gone up SO MUCH in value over the years. As an example: I was sitting in the barber chair yesterday. A fellow who knows me came up and offered me $300.00 for a Smith I'd bought in the late '70's, NIB for $96.00. As kindly as I could, I declined his offer.
Never sell.
Excluding your home--how many other things do you own which have gone up in value by a factor of three??
I've got a good friend in Winter Haven with a SAFE FULL of pristine guns he will never sell. He sent me a picture of his safe yesterday. He doesn't shoot them...he LOOKS at them with great pleasure. He's a member here.

JMO,
KR

 

[bullbarrel]

Hey don't get so defensive CWL. I'm not trying to criticize you. You asked to get some sense knocked in remember.

Never said fulfillment had anything to do with what you do for a living.

Are you married? I wonder if single guys have a lot more firearms in their collection than the married guys.

I say take a break from your guns for a while. Try living life without thinking about, talking about, writing about, looking at, and finally shooting guns for say, a month or two. Nothing wrong with guns, but balance is good, with a healthy social life.

 

[Eric Larsen]

Marriage, NO GUNS, SOCIAL LIFE, Balance??????????
These are words I hear often...but dont really understand
Shoot well

 

[Hkmp5sd]

Are you married? I wonder if single guys have a lot more firearms in their collection than the married guys.

With the exception of me (recently un-married), virtually everyone I know with large gun collections are married. It's generally a good idea, if you spend all of your money on guns, to have someone that can pay the rent and buy groceries.

 

[jmlv]

TAKE A BREAK FROM GUNS! MY GOD MAN MY HANDS ARE SHAKING ALREADY!!!!!

Do theu have a patch for the smell of hoppies? of the feel of fine walnut and steel? take a break from guns! I'd sooner quit breathing!
some guns you just have to admire and fondle, memories of different time and folks. Others are just wonders of fine craftsmenship and a joy to behold. do I have guns I never shoot?
NO they all get shot even if only occosionally. but some get a lot more use than others. Guns are not just steel & wood they are memories of friends past and times now gone. I parted with a lot of guns wheeling and dealing in my younger days. many I now regret losing others simply don't matter. nowadays I have two collestions users and keepers. Users are everyday need guns-SD guns, working guns, hunting guns, competition guns etc. Keepers are guns that for some reason just call to me - two examples are my 1941 nickle Luger (yes I said nickle) and my 25-5 S&W with the 8 3/8" barrel. Neither leaves the gunsafe with any regularity these days. The Luger I bought a few years back just couse I wanter an example of this excellent weapon in my collestion. what I found is not only a WAR gun (it has all matching numbers anbd nazi proofs) but a bit of a novility becouse of its finish and history. Its a gun I will never part with. The S&W 25-5 was my main IHMSA Hunters pistol gun for many years. I have no idea how many loads of 9.5 unique under a 230 rn lead bullet I fired but the number is in the thousands. This was the first gun I ever made clean 100 yard hits with(and much younger eyes) Its a beautful gun and handles like a dream. It is a bit much to carry so my shorter bigbores usually go along instead now a days. I still take it to the range on occosion but just to plink (My IHMSA days with revolvers are over) std 45 cowboy loads work just fine in it. another gun I never will part with.
sorry for the ramble just got me to thinking about why I keep, collect and generally have my guns. especially handguns

 

[MikeJ]

Very interesting and timely question. I was just thinking exactly the same thing the other day. Due to my schedule, logistics in getting to a place where I can shoot etc. I don't get to shoot nearly as often as I would like to. I was looking at my gun collection of which I have 18 high quality handguns and a couple of rifles and thinking how many of them have sat there for so long without being shot. I was thinking should I just keep the ones I want for defense and a couple others for variety and sell the rest? Then the answer came to me, "what are you crazy?" This is the one hobby that has kept my interest for nearly 20 years and I've put alot of thought into each and every purchase. My suggestion is that unless you really need to sell them or have lost interest and really don't care about them, keep them. You may find later on down the road that your interests change and something you don't care so much about today becomes one of your favorites later on.

 

[Hemicuda]

Here'smy $.02 worth...

lets say that you have 8 guns that you aren't using... that you are thinking of divesting yourself of...

pick 4, and choose wisely... the easiest 4 to replace, or the ones you really don't care alot about...

sell those 4... and wait a year... if you haven't missed those 4, give it another go...

use the money from the 4 you sell to either add to your collection of .45's (a really nice Les-Baer or something) or on ammo, or reloading supplies/ equipment (if you don't have some already) and integrate that money back into the collection/hobby in the form of something you will use!

the first group that you sell will give you an idea of wether it was worth it... (without giving up the whole pile of "extra" guns...)

 

[OutLaw]

I think you should keep them.As soon as you get rid of any,You will regret every minute of it.
Oh,And nice tank.

 

[Onslaught]

Here's what I do. Should I change my lifestyle and get a deskjob?

Absolutely... until you sit in a cube ALL DAY LONG without seeing sunshine except when you go to the water cooler, and until you call your 45 minutes lifing weights at lunch your "exercise for the day", YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MISSING

I think the reason you have so many guns is because there is something missing in your life, or you're not getting fulfillment in some aspect of your life. I'd like buy a lot of guns, too, but I also realize that they are (to me) kind of like substitutes for real relationships.

OK MODERATORS!!! Can we change this guy's name to Sigmund? OK, how about Bull****?

Just because someone has a personally unfulfilling life, and has found a substitute for real friends, does NOT mean that it applies to everyone else who enjoys a similar hobby...

Heck, I AM married... (the reason I don't have more guns... she'd KILL me

), We have lots of friends that we have over for dinner, or go to the movies with, etc... And I have the most satisfying, fulfilling wonderful thing in my life EVER... a 6 month old baby girl.

But I still have a LOOOONG list of guns I want. Those "friends" of ours (to me) are most fun when they want to go to the range with us

Now, back to the subject. I was gonna suggest something like Hemicuda did, but not so drastic... Pick 1 or 2 of your least favorite, least viewed, handled, etc. pistols you own and sell them... Buy yourself something you REALLY want, and see how it fits. If you don't miss them after 6 months, and you REALLY want something else, do it again.

Don't just sell them for the heck of it though... Gotta replace them if you sell them.

 

[bullbarrel]

Onslaught, this is the first time I see someone get insulted on another person's behalf. You got offended on a comment made to someone other than yourself? And which has nothing to do with you?

I don't care how many friends you invite over for dinner, or how fulfilling your life is. That's great. You want a pat on the back? You got it.

Notice I said the word maybe in that first post. If it's not true, it's not true.

Geez.

 

[foghornl]

Knock Some Sense Into Me -Please!

OK. SLAP ! ! ! SMACK ! !

Barter/trade/sell to buy what you want works for me. Try selling/bartering 2 for something you REALLY want. That would reduce the overall collection by one, and let you have more space for another 1 you want.... when you spot the 1 you want.

See how easy it is ? ? ?

 

[bullbarrel]

Oh, and if it was me CWL, if I had guns sitting in the safe that I hadn't shot in 2 years, I would sell them to buy another gun I really want. There are too many guns out there I want for me to not try and get them.

Selling your guns you might get a better return than if you were to trade, but that depends.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Easy answer.

Bigger safe.

Have long wanted a tank...
Now have plan for justification;
"Honey, it's the new gun safe."

Sam