What Should The Essential Gun Collection Have?

[xrageofangelsx]

Would you consider yourself and your gun collection to be a minimalist approach to the gun world or an abundance of guns as part of the essential gun collect? I ask, because everytime I think I have everything I want, something else is clicked in my brand and I want to own yet another part of battle history.

So I've made a "short" list of all the things I'd like to have/already have for the list (in no specific order).

1. Glock 17/19
2. 1911 of some sorts.
3. AR variant.
4. AK Variant.
5. M1 variant.
6. Beretta 92
7. Remington 870
8. .357 for concealed carry (personally, I decided on a SP101 & 640-2, YMMV)
8 1/2. Colt Python
9. CZ 75 variant.
10. Sig 556
11. Barrett .50 variant.

Sadly, I own only 3 of those. Curse my Western urge to own an abundance of things!

I neglected to list honorable mentions.

 

[Majic]

No one should be able to tell you what should be in your collection. What's essential would only apply to your tastes as there are no guide lines. Why some think that you should have this or that because everyone else has one is beyond me. The longer you are in the game the more you will realize exactly what you prefer and not pay much attention what others say you just got to have for whatever reasons they can come up with.

 

[Nicotine]

I own an old trapdoor springfeild in 45-70, and would have to say that I can't imagine my collection without it. it is essential to MY collection.

I guess as a general rule, no collection should be without an AK. They are cheap, fun to shoot, and have an enormous amount of history behind them.

 

[xrageofangelsx]

Majic

You are right, no one should tell you what to own!

That does not stop my mind from demanding that I add pieces to the firearms collection.

 

[4V50 Gary]

Something to represent every longarm ever carried by the U.S. Army.

Brown Bess musket (not the 3rd model India pattern either)
Charleville musket (not the 1777 model either)
Harper's Ferry Musket
1803 Harper's Ferry Rifle
Hall Rifle
Mississippi Rifle
1841 Harper's Ferry Musket
1855 Springfield Rifle Musket
1861 Springfield Rifle Musket
1863 Springifled Rifle Musket
(forget the Civil War calvary carbines - there's so many of them)
1871 Trapdoor Springfield
Krag
1903 Springfield
M-1 Garand & M1 Carbine
M-14 (civilian equivalent of course)
AR-15 (or some derivative)

OK, I won't even be able to claim one of each of the above.

 

[Te Anau]

Every house should have the following.
1.Semi-auto .22lr rifle and at least 3000 rounds of ammo on hand.
2.Decent caliber (8mm,7.62x54R,.308) bolt action rifle and at least 800 rounds of ammo on hand.
3..357 mag 4" barrel revolver and at least 1000 rounds ( I dont right now) of ammo on hand.
4.Pump action 12 gauge shotgun and at least 300 rounds on hand.

 

[Blackwater OPS]

My idea of an essential Gun Collection is a bit different. In this order-

1. A good pump shotgun like an 870.
2. A good mid-range rifle like an m14/m1a or m16 if you have to shoot a varmint round.
3. A good scoped bolt rifle like 700 sps with a mark 4 scope.
5. A good full size pistol like a beretta 96.
6. A good small backup gun like a S&W J frame or a Kahr.
7. Something like a 10/22 for fun and cheap practice/small game hunting.

 

[Maser]

For me the essential guns should be:

Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 (12 gauge)
Remington 700 (.308 or .30-06)
Ruger 10/22
Colt 1911

 

[xrageofangelsx]

I can't believe I forgot to mention a .22 , especially since it is one of my favorite rounds to fire!

 

[Baba Louie]

I tend to think in terms of caliber in lieu of specific firearm variants...
.22 lr a must, both long and handgun
9mm, cheaper fodder and easy recoil make it fun, yet serious
.38/.357 revolver, blue, S&W... maybe Colt... Ruger/Taurus in 3rd place
.44 either spl. or mag. revolver, again blue, S&W N-Frame
.45 acp semi auto/revolver, when you're real serious about punching holes... also .45 Colt for those Cowboy moments
5.56/.223 rifle/carbine, critters or plinking... Walter Mitty dreams
.30 cal milsurp, the more the merrier... European/Asian variants from 6.5 to 8mm as well, might as well throw in lever action here too.
20 ga. smoothbore, upland birds, bunnies & clays
12 ga. smoothbore, clays, birds & HD

A second approach is by designer...
Anything JMB or Paul Mauser designed; Horace, Daniel and Sam as well. A couple of Bill Ruger's early designs are fine too

Which pretty well covers the bases... for me. YMMV

Any way ya look at it, it's a fun hobby/lifestyle, albeit not real cheap when you end up with as many as I seemed to have gathered to date.

And then there's knives...

 

[xrageofangelsx]

Don't get me started on knives... !! I saw a cool knife from the show "24" and went to look it up online.. $300-400 dollars!

I don't remember the name exactly, but it was similiar to MagTech or something. I thought I was really spending douch when I spent 45 bucks on an assisted opening Kershaw!

 

[dfaugh]

Alot of personal preferance here...

Personally, I like "utilitarian" guns...Mostly meaning I can't afford anything fancy!

So, my must have list would be short:

A decent shotgun.
An accurate .22
A high-powered rifle (30-06, .308, 8x57, etc...even 7.62x39)
A pistol caliber carbine

I have one or more of the above, plus quite a few others. I like historically significant battle rifles, but could easily live without any. But someone elses list would be quite different. For example my best shootin' buddy collects Winchesters, primarily older lever actions, plus a wide variety of pistols... While I can appreciate all of the guns he owns there are very few that I would put in a "must have list" or even "I really would like one" list...

 

[FirstFreedom]

For me, the *essentials* would be, at a minimum:

1. A full-sized, home defense handgun (such as, for me, a C75)
2. A compact CCW handgun (for me, CZ PCR)
3. A subcompact CCW handgun, for throwing in pocket, belly band, etc., for hideout/deep concealment/non-covering garment carry needs (for me, Kahr MK9)

4. A .22lr rifle (take your pick. If I only had one, it would be one that feeds shorts, longs, & long rifles, such as a levergun)
5. A larger, longer range, varmint and/or survival rifle, such as a .22 hornet, .221 rem fireball, .222, .223, .204, .22-250, etc.
6. A long-range precision varminter/interdiction rifle such as a .243, 6mm rem, .25-'06, etc.

7. A full-power turnbolt, in .270, .308, .30-06, 7.62x54, 8mm mauser, etc.
8. A muzzleloader for hunting large game

9. A home defense shotgun, pump or semi-auto, short bbl, high-capacity, 12 ga.
10. A large bird 12 ga - semi-auto or pump (ducks, geese, turkeys)
11. An upland bird gun - 20 or 28 ga - O/U, SxS, pump, or semi-auto.

12. Homeland Defense & Militia rifle - take your pick (AK, AR, etc.)

 

[rugerdude]

A good .22 rifle
A powerful centerfire bolt-action (milsurps fill this role very well)
A 12 guage pump-action or semi-auto
A handgun, either an auto in .45 or 9mm or a revolver in .357

 

[Easy E]

A good .22 pistol
1911 or Hi-Power (or both)
A 4" or 6" .357 revolver of your preferred mfg.
A .44 or .45 single action (SAA / Blackhawk)

A good .22 rifle
12ga pump
A light centerfire (.222 .223 .243)
A .30 rifle

 

[skeeter1]

It's up to you

Whatever makes you happy is YOUR collection. No one can decide for you. My current stable consists of:

Ithaca/SKB 100 12-gauge SxS double
Ithaca/SKB 200 12-guage SxS double
Marlin .22 39D
Marlin .357/.38 1894C
High Standard .22 Magnum DM101 derringer
Smith & Wesson model 35 .22 target revolver
Smith & Wesson model 60 .38 Special revolver
Savage .22 single-shot

I'm not looking for any more at the moment, but I'm sure that could change!

 

[mikel_holt]

A friend had...

a pretty cool plan, if a bit lofty. He wanted five each of the best center fire rifles, rim fire, shotguns, revolvers and semi-auto handguns he could find. Then as he found one he wanted to add to his collection, he was going to trade the least desirable one of his collection for it. Not a bad plan but it wolud get pretty expensive after a while. For instance, I sold him a custom varmint rifle built by Andy Pryor of B'ham, AL. It wore a Weaver scope with a Lee dot reticle. He kept the scope and later traded the rifle for a pre-64 model 70 in .264 Win Mag and put the Weaver scope on it. Traded up and still had a great bolt gun. I'd kinda like to do something similar with three each or so. Problem is I don't want to sell any of my Colt's to get down to three.

 

[Te Anau]

Those of you who recommend a muzzleloader are thinking good.It cant hurt to have one on hand..50cal makes sense

 

[2ndamd]

What "should" a gun battery look like?

Well, I don't want to "should" all over any one. Many smart statements about your gun battery serving your needs. Many hunters here. I am just a plinker, target, and self defense shooter. And I like wheelguns over autos. in 15 years of shooting I have found a comfort level in the following gun battery:

1. A service size fighting handgun. For me it is a Ruger GP100 4" with adj sights. The most accurate and durable IMO.

2. A CCW gun. For me a Ruger SP101 in .357 mag. This is a back-up to the full size fighting handgun.

3. A fighting shotgun. For me it is a Remington 870 12 ga. with magazine extension.

4. A back-up handgun to the aforementioned #1 and #2. For me it is another Ruger GP100 and another Ruger SP101. In case either one goes down I have an Identical back-up.

5. A rifle. For many this would be #1. I shoot indoors and live in the city. So, for me handguns are the order of the day with a CCW permit. The rifle should be versatile (like the .357 magnums are versatile). So, maybe a 30-06 or .223. In case you can not tell I do not care for any type of auto loaders. So, my rifle will be probably the Remington 7400 (I think?). Which is a pump rifle. It will be in a versatile caliber like 30-06 or .243. Like I said I do not hunt.

This is my essential firearm battery. But that is IMHO. I do not mean to "should" al over any one else's choice(s).

 

[walter in florida]

Gun Collector, Not Me

I have over 20 guns both long guns and hand guns, I am a gun bottom gather. If I see a gun and can afford it, I'll get it. I have one requirement now, it must be a real hand gun. Run out of room for long guns.