Why so many ?

[KG1]

This reminds me. I need to get more guns.

 

[calcot7]

May be that you are just not cut out to be a firearm "Collector" as many are. Just enjoy the ones you own and or need and don't try to understand it. At least for the time being firearms are still a very good investment.

 

[Midskier]

OP already has 3 and maybe just doesn't want any more (?) sure you start with one (or 3 ) and they may work fine but maybe something about one of them bothers you so you find another to fix that issue - then what to do with the one you just replaced - trade it, sell it or keep it. do you wan to help the sport grow - having a small variety of different calibers may help new shooters become more involved. I started my son and daughter out on 22 rifle then 22 pistols now they shoot 9mm and 45. starting them on the bigger calibers form the beginning may have turned them off altogether. One may get a lot of enjoyment from shooting sports as a hobby and marveling @ the differences of engineering and craftsmanship between pieces as well. Just like cars , boats, stamps whatever.

 

[redpitbull44]

For us, each gun fills a perceived need, from close range personal protection to long range hunting, and everything in between.
That and even if you can only shoot one at at time, who the heck wants to eat the same thing every day, or drive the same car every day, or remain monogamous for all of eternity?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Do you ever play golf with one club? Sure, if you only play putt-putt.

Few of us here play putt-putt when it comes to guns.

 

[ModernGunner]

I have no 'safe queens'. They're tools, and as such, are used as such. A variety allows me the latitude to carry and utilize firearms in the manner and method most suitable to my needs on a given day, in a given situation.

In what other country does the citizenry have this choice?

 

[Brandon]

Is there such a thing as to many?

By OP's logic I should only have one pair of pants since the rest of the time the others would be in the closet hanging and nobody would get to see them.

 

[NyleRN]

May be that you are just not cut out to be a firearm "Collector" as many are. Just enjoy the ones you own and or need and don't try to understand it. At least for the time being firearms are still a very good investment.

Firearms are a notch above horrible investments. They tend to retain value and over a long period of time they are worth a little more but hardly keep up with inflation rate. I can think of a better way to invest my money. I'd hope that a an IRA that I put $1000 in will give me more than a $150 return in 20 years

 

[draftyranger]

Every time I buy another firearm, I just see it as my way of helping out the economy! Bottom line is, this is AMERICA! Land of the Free! We are free to do as we wish, buy what we want. Everyone has different interests and everyone spends their money the way they want. Any man who works hard can spend his money anyway he sees fit in my book. The pursuit of Happiness!

 

[TopDog]

I've been reading several posts here & there seems to be a lot of people who have many firearms. I'm having a hard time understanding this. You can only fire one ( well two ) at a time. Why buy a firearm only to have it sit in a safe. That to me seems as bad as some of the classic car buffs I run into that have a bunch of cars that sit in a garage for no one to see. Obviously an old gun may be important for heritage or value. One wouldn't drive around an Auburn classic or carry a first model handgun. I don't think these people all have (Auburn's) in their safes. I have a .22 rifle my parents gave me for Xmas, a 870 shotgun that I have hunted with & now a carry firearm for personal protection. Why so many?

Why so many? - Free Will of a Free Citizen in a Free Country, enjoying the Freedom bought and paid for by the blood of a Free people, not subjugated by a liberal / socialist nanny state run by fascists.

 

[Informed Decision]

I believe I'm beginning to understand . Not sure I'm there yet but time will tell. I have thought of a time when more firearms might be a good idea. Correct me if I'm wrong but if I'm involved in a shooting incident , won't my firearm be confiscated until I'm cleared. If I had another weapon to carry then I would not be "naked". Assuming I would still be allowed to carry.

 

[churchmouse]

I believe I'm beginning to understand . Not sure I'm there yet but time will tell. I have thought of a time when more firearms might be a good idea. Correct me if I'm wrong but if I'm involved in a shooting incident , won't my firearm be confiscated until I'm cleared. If I had another weapon to carry then I would not be "naked". Assuming I would still be allowed to carry.

Good question. Depends on the incident.

 

[Fullmag]

I believe I'm beginning to understand . Not sure I'm there yet but time will tell. I have thought of a time when more firearms might be a good idea. Correct me if I'm wrong but if I'm involved in a shooting incident , won't my firearm be confiscated until I'm cleared. If I had another weapon to carry then I would not be "naked". Assuming I would still be allowed to carry.

Just assuming here, but if there was an incident involving confiscating a firearm then your licence your licence would also be temporarily revoked.

 

[Whip_McCord]

As stated by many above, different guns for different applications. I have guns for bullseye, action pistol, USPSA, steel plates, skeet, trap, sporting clays, PPC, cowboy action, plinking, and self defense. I have at least 15 guns for cowboy action and the side matches. You may have favorites for each task, but it is always nice to mix it up a bit and shoot something different.

Here is some wisdom I will pass on to you. The right number of guns to own: just one more.

 

[45fan]

Because I cant shoot 'yotes at 300 yards with a .22 (LR), and squirrels would be vapor shooting them with my .308. I cant stuff a K frame Smith with a 4" barrel in my front pocket, and I cant shoot deer with a .380.

Add my wife into the mix, and just about everything I own, she has her own version of it too.

I like to get people interested in the shooting sports, and starting a beginner with a .44 mag is counter-productive.

I have, in the past, used way more gun than I needed for an intended target, but in reality, it gets expensive, and depending on the target, can get messy. My SD collection started out small, but every time I walk into a gun store, the shiny things in the cabinet call for me to take them home. With ammo volatility, and difficulty predicting what will be available at any given point, it seemed a smart move to expand my caliber portfolio, to give me more options for those times when I cannot find ammo in my primary carry gun, and my stocks are depleted (a far stretch, considering I keep a fairly well stocked ammo cabinet in the full spectrum of my firearms, but any excuse is a good one to buy a new gun, lol)

 

[88E30M50]

This is no different than why some folks own more than one or two shirts. You can only wear one at a time and if you own two, you have something to wear when washing yesterday's shirt. There really is no need for more than two shirts.

Except that people tend to have complex personalities and do different things, so we own multiple shirts because sometimes I want to wear a different shirt than I wear other times. Sometimes I go places that would not be appropriate for the same shirt I use when working under my car. Guns are no different. When I want to shoot a 1911, I am happier to shoot a 1911 than I would be if I only owned one, non-1911, gun. That same 1911 is great to carry some places, but can prove troublesome in others.

We have only three entitlements living here in the US. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. A gun collection supports all three in that I have the liberty to carry in order to protect my life and collecting guns makes me happy.

 

[Expat]

If I didn't spend my disposable income on guns, it would probably be wasted on wine, women and song...

 

[stephen87]

If I didn't spend my disposable income on guns, it would probably be wasted on wine, women and song...

So what's your favorite song?

 

[Expat]

So what's your favorite song?

I buy guns so I don't have one ;-)

 

[Cameramonkey]

I saw a few Glocks available.

OUCH! CM isnt gonna live that down anytime soon.

Firearms are a notch above horrible investments. They tend to retain value and over a long period of time they are worth a little more but hardly keep up with inflation rate. I can think of a better way to invest my money. I'd hope that a an IRA that I put $1000 in will give me more than a $150 return in 20 years

I dont think the point was they were a good investment vehicle. More that they retain value so that if you DO need liquid assets, you can get your money back easily. And as a bonus you got a toy to play with in the meantime!

I believe I'm beginning to understand . Not sure I'm there yet but time will tell. I have thought of a time when more firearms might be a good idea. Correct me if I'm wrong but if I'm involved in a shooting incident , won't my firearm be confiscated until I'm cleared. If I had another weapon to carry then I would not be "naked". Assuming I would still be allowed to carry.

yes, depending on the incident, assuming it was ruled a good defensive shot they would simply confiscate the gun as evidence. Thats when it would be handy to have more than a single carry gun so you could still defend yourself while the case is winding its way through the courts.



And I too cant see why some people would have a bunch of the same gun. Looking at the 1911 folks here with 5+ 1911s just doesnt make sense to me. Sure, a 5" standard and a compact make sense as each serves a different purpose, but to have that many of the "same" guns doesnt make sense to me. But welcome to 'Murca where its their right to be redundant.

For me I have a few redundancies due to inherting my late father's collection, but I'm only holding them for a couple years. They are instant hunting guns for my kids when they are old enough. And if they arent interested, THEN I will consider selling. Other than that everything in my safe has sentimental value or serves a purpose and I'm not looking to duplicate any. For instance I'm getting ready to buy a G42, but when I get it I'll probably sell my G27 as the 42 fills the role of a compact deep concealment pistol; I dont need two. Also, I already have a 10/22, so I dont feel the need to buy another rimfire rifle.

So get as many or as few as you like. Its all up to what you like.