Collection or Arsenal?

For the purposes of the media, any time a plural noun can be used to describe someone's firearm ownership, it's an arsenal. While this is technically correct, so too would the use of the word collection as Brian Pfleuger pointed out, but the word arsenal just sounds scarier and makes for a more attention grabbing headline. Kind of like when someone gets arrested with a joint, $100 bill, and a .22 Rifle they always run a headline something like "Drugs, Guns, and Cash seized in Police Sting!!!" Yeah, it's technically correct, but it gives a very different impression than what actually happened.
 
I would totally agree with Webley. With anti gunners and the media it is always blown out of proportion to suit their needs. I would say that a majority of owners have collections. I personally don't think that a collection has to have a common theme in order for it to be a collection. I think of it like, I collect the guns that interest me and that I find useful, thereby I am a collector.

With private owners the main time I think the term arsenal is used is when there is a negative connotation that is being attempted.
 
I have about 20,000 rounds of ammo on top of my "arsenal". I guess the media would really freak out at that and I know there are people here that make my 20,000 look anemic.
 
I do not have an arsenal because it sounds evil. It would upset my wife who gave up an entire closet to house my firearms.

I do not have a collection because a collection implies a theme or unifying purpose.

I simply cannot part with a gun once I've shot it. So I have an accumulation.
 
LOL.......Its subjective
Once mans Arsenal is another mans Collection...

I have a safe full of stuff,ammo rifles pistols
BUT my buddy has a safe twice as large as mine and prolly triple the
hardware......to a Lib we all look like small Armys but to me,I just get jelious
 
Me and my buddy have about the same amount of guns, mostly just your everyday stuff, only 1 gun is the same. When people here the number we each have, they think we have an arsenal. But to some people, we don't have anything.
 
When challenged by anti gun acquaintances or in some of the blogs which I comment in, I all ways ask "How many golf clubs do you have"?

After they answer I respond with why do you need so many? They tell me and I respond that I have a large number guns for the same reason. Each one serves a purpose in the same manner a golf club does.

In fact a 7 iron is a most effective self defense weapon.
 
^LOL

To me, while collection and arsenal can be used interchangeably in the technical sense, they have different implied meanings. For me to see a group of guns, and think "jeez that's an arsenal" I'd likely have to see multiples of the same guns. ie 10 of this 10 of that etc. A group of guns that seemed suited to outfit a group of people. Whereas a collection, to me, just implies a group of guns, that may or may not be themed.

One day I'll win the lotto and have a collection of arsenals, or maybe an arsenal of collections. :D
 
Collection implies hobby and enthusiast. Arsenal implies weapon.

Your guns could be both. You might use them for hunting or fun at the range, but if zombies happen, you'll bust out your arsenal to take care of the undead threat.
 
I really don't know anyone who has an 'arsenal'. I believe it's considered an arsenal when you have ALL the guns.
 
I think it all boils down to perspective.
Our like-minded friends view it as a collection but whenever a multiple-gun owner is accused of a crime his collection is suddenly described with the "hot button" word "arsenal" in an attempt to evoke a visceral response from the reader.

I always laugh when someone tells me about their 2 full gun cabinets or full 25 unit gun safe because I have a few friends who each have a ROOM full of guns. I like to joke with those guys that they'd better not get in trouble or the reporters will have a heyday describing their "arsenals" in the news.
 
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