Am I a bit mad? Are you?

P

Pond James Pond

New member
I have a CZ SP-01, I have mags, I have 2 decent holsters. It is a good gun, I like it a lot and I'm pretty accurate with it. It also runs the cheapest handgun ammo available here: 9mm.

Yet here I am thinking of selling it for a GP100?? Lower capacity, lower resale value (revolvers not as popular here), no speed loaders, no holster, ammo twice as expensive if not more!

It's by no means a done deal, but I keep getting drawn back to wheel guns. The CZ is excellent and makes a lot of sense. The most sense, but here I am getting sucked back into the idea of just going wheelgun on the handgun front.

It makes no sense in practical terms, no in financial terms but...
I just love revolvers!!

Some might say keep the CZ and get the Ruger, but I can't. Legally imposed ownership limits based on secure storage mean that I am at the brink. It is why I had to sell my Glock to buy the CZ and why the Mark III went to make way for an AR, and so here I'd have to sell the C to make way.

So am I deranged to even think of it?
Should I dip my head in icy water?
Have you ever felt drawn to a choice that wouldn't be called common sense?
 
No, you're not mad. If I understand your post, though, I might suggest a slightly different (and possibly even more mad) perspective. You're considering getting rid of a CZ to make room for another pistol because of:
Pond said:
Legally imposed ownership limits based on secure storage . . . .
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My question is this: How does one get more secure storage? :D
 
I have both an SP-01 and a GP-100, so I sympathize with you greatly. The SP-01 makes more sense for all the reasons you state, but there's just something special about a revolver. It's a more elegant weapon from a more civilized age.
 
My question is this: How does one get more secure storage?
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You spend a huge amount on a very big safe that, regrettably, would not fit in our place.

And, no, I'm not buying a new property that can take the safe.... ;)
 
I do not quite understand your dilemma, you are at odds with selling one pistol to buy another however you then recognize a track record of doing just that; selling one to buy another. What advise are you seeking? Support for your final decision whatever that may be? Only you can evaluate your options and make your decision accordingly. I like both revolvers and semi-auto pistols and when i purchase a weapon it is no longer for resale (sometimes trade or gifts but not sold) but i guess i am fortunate that i can retain them and buy more and more safes to house my booty. Rots o ruck with your final decision and i'm sure it will be right for you.
 
You aren't crazy at all. I have a CZ-75B that has proven to be reliable (after a trip back to CZ), yet I still carry various revolvers because I simply feel a lot more confident with them. I've had failures with both platforms, but in my personal experience my revolvers have generally been notably more trustworthy. And I tend to be more consistent with my revolvers. Also, I tend to shoot them faster and with greater accuracy than any of my semi autos. But YMMV.
 
He has gun lust; irrational desire is smothering logical need. Which I think is a natural state for many of us. Certainly I'm guilty of it most of the time.

I don't have a government to tell me how many guns I can have, but I do have a budget and someone who oversees said budget, or at least makes sure I don't go completely off the deep end with any one purchase.

So, right now I really, really want a couple different guns (and a bunch of other pricey non-gun stuff), but I have been told that there is a temporary moratorium on gun purchases until after September. To keep the peace I plan on honoring that moratorium, but sometimes it's like an itch I can't scratch.

Anyway James, I just wanted to say I feel your pain, and you're not crazy. Just hang in there, and rant on if it makes you feel better. Especially when it comes to the revolver. My last three guns were all revolvers and apparently I still need at least two more.

Peace.
 
Not at all. I do have several semi's but I love wheelguns. Just something that I've always been attracted to. Oh and as for a GP100, I've got the 4" version and carry it quite often as a CCW and walking through the woods gun. Its not light but it handles heavy .357mag rounds quite well.
 
So am I deranged to even think of it?
Should I dip my head in icy water?
Have you ever felt drawn to a choice that wouldn't be called common sense?
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Gun fidget. Been there, done that.

He has gun lust; irrational desire is smothering logical need. Which I think is a natural state for many of us. Certainly I'm guilty of it most of the time.
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I ran across a report of a study a while ago. It seems that we humans are built to get a bigger charge out of seeking something, than actually getting it.

Explains a lot.

Now, especially knowing this, I try to avoid covetousness. "Godliness with contentment is great gain."
 
My memory isn't great, but sometime around when you first joined TFL you mentioned something about an effective higher capacity rifle that would fit the bill if things went sour. Does that concern not also hold the same weight for pistols?
 
Does that concern not also hold the same weight for pistols?
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Yes and no. If I am in pistol territory, then I am waaaay out of my depth!! Higher capacity rifles have always had that aspect in their favour, but I can't realistically say that it has been a driving force behind the purchase of mine. The icing on the cake perhaps.

I do not quite understand your dilemma, you are at odds with selling one pistol to buy another however you then recognize a track record of doing just that; selling one to buy another.
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No dilemma, just sharing my tribulations. However, in this case, it would mean selling a gun that I have no complaints about and do shoot. Just typing for a sympathetic eye....

James, you are a reloader. Doesn't that mitigate the ammo cost difference?
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It does to a point, but there's no way I could load .38Spl or .357Mag for the cost of factory 9mm. Heck, I couldn't load 9mm for the cost of factory 9mm!!

Reloading here is a great thing: I enjoy it. It, however, just isn't as cheap as all that. I do save on most calibre that I reload, but only ever about 20-30%. Everything "shooting" here is just very expensive!! 9mm happens to be the closest to being an exception in that regard.
 
I'd say that you are a bit mad in that CZ's are great guns and anything is 9mm is +1 for cheapness and therefore funness. Think of all the extra bullets you will shoot with your CZ over a .357/.38.

But then again, I'm the bloke that started a thread asking if I should EVER buy a non-9mm handgun, so you could say that I am quite biased. If I could only own one centerfire handgun, you had better believe it'd be a 9mm.

If you MUST own a revolver, might I suggest a S&W 986 (which I own) or a S&W 929 if you want a larger, full-sized revolver. You will retain the cheapness of 9mm and the coolness and function of a revolver. The 986 is better for carry, but the 929 would make a better range gun potentially. I can't say enough good things about the 986. It is the most easily shootable gun I've ever fired, other than CZ 75's, and a CZ 75 is up next on my purchasing list.
 
Pond said:
Spats McGee said:
My question is this: How does one get more secure storage?
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You spend a huge amount on a very big safe that, regrettably, would not fit in our place.

And, no, I'm not buying a new property that can take the safe....
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Well, there goes that idea. ;)
 
Storage

James, I still support the storage idea.

Safes: Does it HAVE to be the type of safe you are thinking of? Are there smaller safes that meet criteria (is there an approved "safe list") Would a fireproof safe with a combo and key meant for safe storage of precious documents qualify? And who makes that judgment call anyways? Could you talk to them?

Storage: Do you live in an apartment? If so that would indeed cause limitations but if you have your own home you could consider an in-the-wall safe, or even put the safe somewhere less glamorous like the garage, basement. I have a friend who for years put a safe in an unattached garage with an alarm system. No issues. In fact the safe was second hand and the crooks had previously tried to cut the safe open but gave up as they were in a hurry. He had dehumidifier packs and a small heating rod inside. No rust. One could argue that if criminals were to try steal, it may be better to have them enter a different structure than your own home.

Okay, off my soapbox. My more moderate approach is this: how hard would it be to get your hands on another SP-01 if you really wanted to? If it wasn't too hard, then you could of course buy and sell to try different types of guns, knowing that you could always go back and get another. Lots do this just because of financial limitations regardless of storage space. Curiosity is natural and good if its directed somewhat.
 
Have you considered casting your own?

I have found that I can save quite a bit of dosh when I cast my own bullets. The initial setup cost is steep, but the longevity of moulds, furnaces, and sizers is significant.

If a 357 magnum is what you want, and not including the initial price of brass, the cost of expendibles in each round I'm loading is about 7 or 8 cents. Of course brass does wear out and must be replaced from time to time, and I find that 9mm does last longer than 357 brass.

I too prefer wheel guns, as they are *for me* just more fun to shoot, and I seem to shoot them better than automatics. In the end, the enjoyment I get from shooting revolvers outweighs the advantage of a bottomless magazine of 9mm.

If you have another firearm that you can use for a defensive situation, such as your rifle, perhaps make the switch to the revolver?
 
Well, there goes that idea.
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Tell me about it!! And to think my wife said that the second mortgage wouldn't be a good investment... "But honey... We could fit in a new safe!"
There's just no reasoning with some people. :D

James, I still support the storage idea.
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Honestly, I have to be realistic. As much as I'd like to own all the guns that take my fancy, I just can't afford to and I certainly can't afford to have ammo on the side for them all.

In that respect the irritating storage rule does me a favour. An unintended brake on my spending and it makes me think about my purchases (as you can see).

Technically, over a certain number of guns you have to move up to a strong room. They changed the law so that large safes can act as that strong room. Those safes have to be "certified" for a certain number of firearms and you can then own and store up to that number. As for my flat, well it's a loft conversion and they don't lend themselves to accommodating large, wide, square lumps of steel!!

The buy and try option is possible except that revolvers don't sell very easily if I decide to go back and CZ, as good as they are, don't hold their value particularly well, so it would be an expensive exercise!!

I have found that I can save quite a bit of dosh when I cast my own bullets.
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I have considered it and I may give it a go simply for the fun of it, but I confess to not having a clue about where to source the lead. I hear that is quite an important step!! Lead wheel weights were phased out some time ago here. There is a member on here who lives in Estonia and casts. He offered to show me some time. I really should get backing touch and take him up on the offer, just to see how it all works (I am largely a visual learner first).
 
The OP has a tough choice. I have both and both are excellent.

Really comes down to the roles of the guns. A backwoods 357 is more valuable to me than a 9mm. Conversely, a high cap 9mm is more valuable to me for carry and home defense. If it's just a safe queen, then it's a subjective tie.

In these situations, I personally keep what I have as a known variable.

I generally only trade or sell if I am making a significant step upward or really can't live without the other item. Where it's a wash of a trade, I generally keep what I have because you don't know the other gun's history, mechanical workings, etc.

I would simply try to sell something else or save and buy the gun outright, or pass on it.
 
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