Cleaning out the safe

M

mrt949

New member
Working on downsizing your collection . When you find a safe queen lurking in the back .Do you leave well enough alone or give it some life.
 
I've thinned my pile down a couple times, just about in half last time. Dont regret much of it, just one or two things.


An old friend, when I asked him why he sold a particular gun, said "It's interesting, but it's not important". I think on that when I want or need to sell something.
 
No, just get a bigger safe.....:D

( I do have guns I don't shoot often / but some of them are designated to go to my adult kids when they get their act together a little more...)....
 
I really don't want to get rid of ANY of my guns because each one was acquired for a REASON.

Now maybe I've forgotten the reason, or maybe it was a bad reason, or maybe if someone happens to be looking over my shoulder when the gun safe gets opened (I REALLY try to avoid that) I might have to MAKE UP a reason on the spot to justify a gun (I'm actually pretty good at that) I figure I probably need that gun or maybe it needs me and I better not get rid of it.

Also as I've said before in another thread what happens when a shooter passes if there's more kids and grandkids than guns? Would some kid go gunless just because I didn't buy enough guns when I was around? That's a really sad thought!:p
 
Well I have a number of antique(in some cases over 200 year old) they are full time safe queens. The modern guns(for me thats after 1947) if they are not used in a year or two will be sold for some "new to me" things, I also will pick up collectors guns when I find them at a good price so they can be used as trade or sale items in a couple of years. Buy low have fun shooting them then turn them over when I need money for something I really want.
 
I too have a number of antique safe queens, but the remainder are all fired at least one time every six months. I open my safe each November and let my kids pick a number from a hat and each gets to pick one of any of the guns in order of the number drawn with the exception of the antiques and my often used SD/HD guns. This cuts my collection by four guns each year and next year I will include my two grand kids. I am sure one of the kids will pick the .454 Raging Bull this year and the S&W 659. It really sucks to get old.
 
Don't really have that much to speak of and the few times I've got rid of a gun...............I soon had seconds thoughts about it.
So theses days and at my age..........I let my kids worry about it!:D
 
I am a crazed buyer and seller at times. My advice: be VERY careful about selling anything. Make SURE you won't miss it. If you find you miss something, it will often cost alot more money to get it (or the equivalent) back, unless you are very patient.
 
I'm just finishing a walk in gun safe, so I have more than I can realistically shoot... however I'm not looking to get rid of any more...

... a couple years ago ( well actually more than that now ) I sold most of my semi auto stuff, & used that money to redirect my collecting... I probably have 3 dozen antique & C&R pocket revolvers, ranging from the cheaply made to some very fine revolvers... anything I collect must be shootable, & I have to have ammo for it... shooting them often is not a priority, as long as I "could" shoot them

for example I have a really nice shape, very old birdshead revolver in 30 rimfire ( which is virtually impossible to find shootable ammo ) so I had some rifled chamber inserts made for 22 lr so I could ( & have ) shot the gun, which I would have sold if I couldn't shoot it

my old bottom break 22 S&W is probably one of the closest to actual safe queens I own... I did shoot some Colibri's through it, but the gun is quite fragile, by design, so I know it functions, & I could shoot it, so I'll keep it, even though I may never shoot it again...

I also regret selling a couple of the guns I've sold... one an unfired Iver Johnson 32 S&W ( sold this before I started collecting the old revolvers ) & a nice Browning High Power... the only semi I sold that I regret
 
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A few years back had SW19-5 NICKLE 2.5 " clean but no box .Never shot it but a few times .Went to the gun show sold it for $ 550.00 . :D
 
I also regret selling a couple of the guns I've sold
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that is why I do my best to avoid this road. I have regrets of selling my coin collection when younger and in 'seeking money' mode. I miss it, so I don't want that to happen again. Maybe it is a little much, but I still am cautious on this issue(s).
 
I have a couple of guns that I could easily live without, but the amount I could get for them is not significant, so I'd just as soon hang on to the guns. Sometimes I think I only really "need" three handguns: one for home defense, one more compact in size for concealed carry, and a quality 22lr for inexpensive target shooting. But the ones I have beyond these three give me a different sort of enjoyment, in just owning, holding, looking at and occasionally shooting them, more enjoyment than I would get from the cash I could realize by selling them. What would I do with the cash? Pay bills, buy groceries, gas, etc., none of which is as satisfying as owning the guns.
 
My heirs might thin down the collection. I certainly will not. Addition is much more fun than subtraction.
 
My collection is not as extensive as some here but neither is my income.
I had to set limits because I love to shoot different guns.
I have set my limit at 10 hand guns and if I buy a new one I have to part
with one first,the dollar amount of sold or bought being a none issue.
Being I like and shoot all I have buying has slowed a lot.
Rifles and carbines are not included in this as limitations have to be limited.
Bob.
 
if the safe gets cleaned out
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...

...it consist of removing everything, dusting and vacuuming inside of safe, wiping down and re-oiling all guns and neatly re-organizing them back into safe.

Selling :eek: ...not an option.
 
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