My handgun buying habit is out of control

It is not the number of firearms you own, but what you own and what you do with them that counts. But it might be nice to own 230 firearms. I have no idea where I would keep all of them however.
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Well Said Rimfire!

Being 30, with a mortgage and 2 dogs I try and get the most bang (hahah!) for my $$. I like to buy off roster guns because I feel they will stay valuable. That being said I recently purchased a Sig P220 Elite Dark here in Cali. Its a GREAT gun, built like a tank however after shooting Glocks and 1911s the Da/Sa trigger is tough to get used to. Since I cant legally carry it I'm stuck trying to decide to keep it or sell it. I got a great deal and can make probs $300 on the sale, enough to buy a TRP or nicer 1911. Tough call as another will not come up in my area likely again. But I want to shoot my guns IDPA or at the range and don't have the $$ to stuff my safe yet. If I sell it I can then sell my Sig Tacops and get a XDM 5.25 match in 40 or 45.

Here is Cali we pay through out teeth to play.....the damn XDM 5.25 is $800 cuz its off roster :(
 
Gun buying goes kind of this way based on my experience.... when you are under 25, you buy frugally and often don't buy the "best" models simply because of price. You often do not understand the difference between good > better > best. You see this with 22 handguns a lot. Time marches forward and you have spare cash, and you start buying more of what you "need" and choose what you hope are the better firearms and you begin buying replacements or upgrades. Whether you keep the old ones varies.

Then by age 40, you have pretty much whatever you "need", most of what you want, and you either slow down or start collecting. Some of the older models are beginning to be of interest to collectors after 20 years.

Then you become focused on your collection (vs accumulation) and begin to sell off the "junk" or ones you have no particular attachment to. You also begin to buy stuff that just interests you. Examples in my case are the Ruger LCR-22 and SR-22P; neither of which I have the least need for but wanted to shoot them. You might buy that 375 H&H custom rifle, Marlin 336, Winchester M94, or a top of the line AR at this point because you always wanted one, but have little need. You might tell yourself that you need a SHTF rifle or two. That thinking has been inherent with gun buyers since WWII and probably before.

Added: 22 rifles have captured my interest in the last 10 years and I own far more than I need but fewer than I want.
 
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Then you become focused on your collection (vs accumulation) and begin to sell off the "junk" or ones you have no particular attachment to.
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Never!!!
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Cheapshooter, I tend to agree with statement. But there comes a time when you simply don't want a big accumulation of firearms around anymore. Maybe you move from a house into a condo or apartment and have less space. Maybe you decide to buy that RV/travel trailer and travel the highways and byways of America and enjoy what is left of your life and potentially sell your house completely. 320 guns would be a bit of a stretch to haul around in a travel trailer or store inside a home you are not even there much of the year.

But again, for the majority, I agree with the don't sell or trade simply because your interests may change for a period of time, but you often migrate back to the old preferences.
 
I look at it this way. You only need s couple of guns tor carry and self denfense. Once you have that taken care of and want to work on your collection as a hobby, buy what you want. It is your hobby. If you want lots of inepensive guns go for it. If you want a fee high dollar ones go for it. I would like a good mixture of both myself.
 
Agree with TennJed..I sold/traded a few this past year


642
RIA 1911
XD45
FNX9
CZ82
Charles Daly..thing

Miss a few of them....

642 - didn't like shooting it 5rds..don't know why I bought it.

RIA 1911- person before me messed it up greatly and I didn't notice.

XD45 - The Glock 21sf took over it for me, wasn't shooting it much anyways..45's are a big mouth to feed anyways.

FNX9 - Magazines needed hulk to smash them into the gun for them to sit..then a butterfly would land on the mag release to open it. Makes sense huh? -__-

CZ82 - LOVED it, miss it, but that round that can only be found online...eh...Maybe I'll get a CZ83 someday soon.


That Charles Daly thing..lol gtfo
 
Its important to remember that Cheapshooter's advice/rule works best for him and is not necessarily the best idea across the board. I don't regret selling any of my guns.

If you buy them right, thensell them right and use the money to get something better than what you sold, you will always be happy.
 
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What you need is self-discipline regarding your spending. If you cannot do it alone consult someone you trust or a psychologist.

Jerry
 
Cheapshooter

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What you need is self-discipline regarding your spending. If you cannot do it alone consult someone you trust or a psychologist.
That's almost as funny as post #3 so I'll give it a smaller ROFL smiley!
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Cheapshooter,

Don't underestimate the absolute power/problem of addiction. While I am conservative and believe in self-control/accountability (which the left in our current society seems to have completely abandoned in favor of the"it's everyone else's fault") philosophy, this is a real and legitimate problem IMO. Addictions can involve anything that is abused to excess, be it food, alcohol/drugs, se* or shopping sprees. I agree that if one cannot get it under (self) control, they need to seek help via the family or even shrinks which I am generally averse to and would recommend only as a last resort.

I like to laugh as much as the next guy but, honestly, this is not some skit on SNL.

-Cheers
 
Why is it so irresponsible to have over 230 firearms. Always room for another $130 Mosin or antique pistol. I am old. That is Only under 5 a year. I will get rid of them only if I get alshimers and lose that urge. Or when I die.
If you want to see collectors go here. We are many. We have had this arms race for 3 years so far. I have never won the race.

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=115860&sid=a21c2db5135741180cfae6e6011ac67b

I used to post pictures but it makes people mad. Maybe again one of these days.
 
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230 guns is not necessarily irresponsible. I have a pretty good start on that number. But have no desire to simply have that many guns unless they are for investment/collecting purposes.

I have trouble remembering what I own. Someone with 230 guns would probably be going to the store and see something... think I'll buy it, and when they get home, they have one just like it. That happens occasionally to me with movies and paperback books.

I could not tell you what I own now unless I use a cheat sheet.
 
I am a collector organizer. I have a 13 page Excel spread sheet to keep things in order. My Guns, ammo, military collectables. and all thoes accessories. But I remember every one I have ever bought:)
 
@winchester you said that cheapshooters advice works best for him? well same goes for your ranting about having "too" many guns. just sounds like jealousy too me:D. you dont think 230 glocks, ak's, and ar's is a great collection?....REALLY? i guess we all cant have the 230 wilson combats like you do;). in all seriousness though its up to the individual. 230 taurus's might be a great collection just like having 10 taurus's might be for someone who likes taurus! just because you dont like em doesnt mean you should discredit someones collection who does. imo if 10 guns is enough for you then stick to your 10 guns. if 500 is enough for you and you only have 230, well keep buyin:D
 
@winchester you said that cheapshooters advice works best for him? well same goes for your ranting about having "too" many guns. just sounds like jealousy too me. you dont think 230 glocks, ak's, and ar's is a great collection?....REALLY? i guess we all cant have the 230 wilson combats like you do. in all seriousness though its up to the individual. 230 taurus's might be a great collection just like having 10 taurus's might be for someone who likes taurus! just because you dont like em doesnt mean you should discredit someones collection who does. imo if 10 guns is enough for you then stick to your 10 guns. if 500 is enough for you and you only have 230, well keep buyin
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I think some of my post you misunderstood. I didn't really rant about someone having too many guns, I actually said that having a lot of guns means little, what matters more is the type of gun. No, I do NOT think 230 glocks, aks and ars is a great collection because they are easy to get, common and still made and they are modern. Me have 230 wilson combats? I actually am not a big 1911 fan and I don't own any high end 1911s. Maybe you don't read or understand my posts, but I like vintage / unusual guns. Having a wilson combat 1911 is cool, like a brand new corvette or the like, but it doesn't impress me. I instead prefer '56 T-birds, 409 Impalas, model Ts, Packards, Auburn Speedsters and Stutz Bearcats. Does that make sense? I'm a throwback - old music, cars, movies, history, etc. I was probably born too late.

I also didn't mean to discredit another persons collection per se, but I was discrediting someone who would BRAG on an INTERNET FORUM about their size of collection of guns esp when its run of the mill stuff. I was also commenting about how crazy it is to announce on a public forum the size of your gun collection. I don't want any late night unwelcome visitors and I'm sure anyone with any sense doesn't either. Why advertise why someone may wish to rob you?

Having a lot of guns is ok. I never said it wasn't. Its just a great collection is more than having a high number of guns. Sorry I confused you and perhaps others.
 
in all seriousness though its up to the individual. 230 taurus's might be a great collection just like having 10 taurus's might be for someone who likes taurus! just because you dont like em doesnt mean you should discredit someones collection who does
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Ya, I guess you didn't read my post when I said...

I guess its all very subjective what is "a lot" or a "ton of guns" or what is a "gunaholic".
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Seriously guys, no hablan? One would think the bookfacer generation would be great at reading and replying with comprehension. I guess you guys need more bookface to understand the English language.
 
I like to laugh as much as the next guy but, honestly, this is not some skit on SNL.
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This obviously overlooked sentence in the OP led me to believe it was exactly that!

(From the last sentence of the OP)
Of course this is kinda tongue-in-cheek,
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Of course any addiction is a serious problem, and as you pointed out all to often now blamed on everybody else. I just took the OP as a humorous post by a guy that has a similar interest in guns as many of us.
 
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