In light of all the too whatever posts lately I thought I would add this one. In talking with one of my Namibian buddies over a beer he made the comment that "You guys own too many guns." My immediate response was you can never own too many guns, it is part of what makes us free. Now the political side of this is not the purpose of this post nor was it his and I knew it at the time. I added in the next breath that I knew what he meant and I agreed for the most part. The point is we do own a lot. In doing so many of us never really master any of them. The weapon never becomes an integral part of the shooter where instinct and muscle memory from practice take over. How many folks dont know the drop at various distances without having to look at a chart or calculate it? How do you figure the distance and hence the drop without a range finder based on the size of the animal you are hunting? How about the cross wind? How far do you hold based on the direction and speed? This also applies to figuring the speed of a walking or running animal. Last is the angle of trajectory. Most people tend to shoot over top of an animal at a steep incline because they underestimate the distsnce that the bullet is actually affected by gravity. I think that although I enjoy owning and shooting many different weapons we would be much better by only practicing with a couple and knowing them inherently? Thoughts?

Since I retired, I have spent a lot of time behind a gun counter. Gun stores sell dreams, mostly. The guys that really love working the gun counter, have a lot in common with bartenders. Part of the job is listening. What Mike say carries a strong ring of truth. I am amazed how many folks come in to buy a rifle scope and ammo on the way to the airport. I am also amazed at how many rifles some folks own. Many guys don't shoot that much either.
The sad thing is, that when something goes a awry, the usual solution is a new gun, not more experience or practice. I also suspect from my gun counter time, that very few shooters actually shoot more than a few rounds a year. Even for a big trip, they may actually go to the range a week before they leave.
Then there are the crazies, like a number of us on this site, who burn a lot of powder and tend to know their rifles.
Hunting is twenty-three hours and fifty nine minutes and fifty eight seconds of intense watching and slightly less than two seconds of shooting.
I've kept it simple by having my hunting bolt rifles as tang safety Ruger 77's. Yes, it's boring to some. All but the 22-250 and 416T are set up in 209 (two inches high at one hundred, 0 at two, and nine low at three). Even I can remember that. Gotta be dummy proof for me. I do hunt a good bit with my drilling and O/U, but that tends to be short range. The other stuff goes to the range once in a while or sit and collect dust in the safe, but seldom out hunting.
Bfly

Before I was married, I had a 3 mottos.

1. One can never have too many girlfriends.
2. One can never have too much money.
3. One can never have too many guns.

Since I got married, the first choice has been replaced by.

One can never have too much fun.

A friend once told me,

"A good shotgun is like a good wife, you only need one. However, rifles and handguns are like girlfriends, you can have as many as you want as long as your wife doesn't put a stop to it!"

I'm probably more of a collector than even a hunter; I own WAY TOO MANY guns. I'm sure I'll continue to buy more when I see something that catches my eye. That being said, I totally agree that you should only use a very few guns for hunting, & learn all you can about you're "go to" hunting guns. Collect all you want, but keep a very few - maybe 4 or 5 - that you always use when hunting so you are totally familiar with them & shoot them well.

BS! No such thing as too many guns!

This thread has given me such a guilt complex I'm depressed. Think I'll go buy another gun.

Since I posted my response above, I've bid on another rifle on GunBroker.

I figure that I own many more guns than most people my age. But I have one rimfire rifle that I've had since I was a little kid, as well as a centerfire, as well as two shotguns and a pistol. And I shoot those excellent. The rest are just toys or have some sentimental value. My guns consist of toys, sentiments, and tools. And I've got no stock in people who claim to have a gun for every job. People who claim this in my experience are terrible shots and are arrogant and ignorent enough to claim to be good shots.

I sold 3 guns in the past month or so myself for that very reason. I still own too many.
I have also found that the fewer guns I have to hunt with, the more I appreciate the ones I have left.
But alas, I now have a plan to buy another one.
It's a caliber that I have not owned in quite a while, and one that I have taken more game with than all the other's I've had combined.
It's called a .30-06!

Saeed: +1 ! I will NEVER own too many guns. End of debate.

Whew
I feel better now. The nausea and depression has finally subdued. I went down the gun room, drank half a bottle of Amarula, fondled my guns, and promised them to never think about throwing them out of my life ever again.

Goodnight, I'm going to go browse Gunbroker.com.

While you're on there, check out one of my favorite .45's. I'm lightening ship. Going down to the minimum. I'm getting older and have no one to leave them to as the long guns are all lefties.

I did buy a Bushmaster last month, but I traded an older AR for it, so the formula remained unchanged.

I'm addicted to my .375 and shoot it often and also the AR. Getting addicted to the .458, too.

I've owned three dozen or so at one time in my life, but I'm slowly getting everything down to the useful category. If they ain't useful, they're gonna go.

I figure, if you own rifles or handguns you have not shot in six weeks; then you have too many. Collectibles excluded of course. Of course! The other exception is the last six weeks before you head on a big (read spendy) hunt overseas. Then you focus on the ones going with you. I am lucky, my lovely wife understands the guns. I retired in October of 2008, so I have all the time casting bullets, loading ammunition and range time I want. The dream come true.

Rich

For years all I owned was a .22 rimfire, a 12 guage sxs shotgun and an ex military .303 rifle that had been cut down. I did my own reloading and using the original open sights could damn near outshoot everyone I knew, plus I brought home enough venison to feed the family for the year. I must admit though, since I obtained a .375 H@H, the old .303 comes out for odd shoot.

Frank, you could probaly post that on a daily basis.

A much older gentleman I know once told me " you can't have too many guns". Have kinda followed that opinion, now he tells me that I'm out of control I need to move a few but only to finance a new custom.
I totally agree with what Saeed said.

quote:

One can never have too much fun.

I have been trying to have to much fun for yrs. haven't found my limit yet

In my previous post I mentioned that I was amazed at how many firearms some people owned. Thought I'd include a number. I had several customers who had three to five hundred rifles, not including handguns or shotguns. One fellow told me he had built a 12x14 foot room that he had now filled, floor to ceiling, right up to the door with new in the box rifles. He bought two to three new rifles every month. He always made me feel like I needed another one.
Bfly

guns is like sex to much still an't enough

the pretext of this thread is utterly ridiculous

founding member of the get a new gun a week club

quote:

and have no one to leave them to as the long guns are all lefties.

Well, that means you are not related to anyone in their right mind...don't let anyone toss them in the trash, just give 'em my handle, I can be troubled to make sure they feel loved!
And right here in the rainy Sunshine State!

I was thinking back to when I was getting ready for my 1st trip to Africa and all the equipment I needed to get, or thought I did. New Rifles, Scopes, Ammo, Reloading Equipment, Clothes, and so on. I did enjoy rounding up all those things. Now as I get ready for my 5th trip and seem to have everything I need and more I realize that some of the fun is missing. I have Safari Rifles that I suspect will never see Africa as I have got used to the ones I have been taking. So it would seem I might have a few to many guns, but am not inclined to part with any of them yet. So I would say No, you cannot have too many guns, but you can run short of places to store them. In which case you take several of them and trade up.

I somtimes get the feeling I have too many and I know I don't have ANYWHERE near as many as probably most of the people here lol. However I can almost never bring myself to sell or trade them. I was going to trade a 25wssm for a 257 bob last week....and I just couldn't do it lol I rationalized they have different purposes since ones a sporter and ones a heavy varmint type.

I'm sure I do like most and justify a "need" for a particular gun lol I guess my problem is I have too many do-it-all rifles. My TWO 300 wbys are sufficient for anything in the world short of DG, but hey, ones for nice weather ones for crap weather lol its allll in the self justification.

I don't have too many guns. What I don't have is a big enough safe.

quote:

Originally posted by Wink:
I don't have too many guns. What I don't have is a big enough safe.

Exactly!!!

I'm having a hard time closing the doors on my 2 gun safes. As soon as I can finish this home addition, I'll be looking for a 3rd safe.
Some of you guys sound like my wife - too many guns? NO SUCH THING.

I have about 25 long guns in my safe. That includes my great grandfather's rifles, my dad's rifles, and some for my son as well. For the last several years I have only added to the collection through raffles. I now have raffle rifles stacking up in boxes that may never be shot because they have pretty medallions or are duplicates. Some how the family has been lucky in winning guns, it may be related to buying enough tickets. This afternoon we are going to pick up the rifle my wife won at the local SCI banquet.

For hunting, the one I reach for is the 7 mag I bought when I started hunting. The others are fun and all, but that one can always be trusted, shoots really well for me and is good for everything I have hunted so far.

On my next Africa trip I will have to chase something worthy of the 458 Lott I won.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve H:

quote:

and have no one to leave them to as the long guns are all lefties.

Well, that means you are not related to anyone in their right mind...don't let anyone toss them in the trash, just give 'em my handle, I can be troubled to make sure they feel loved!
And right here in the rainy Sunshine State!

Don't listen to Steve. He was adopted by a right handed guy years ago.
I, on the other hand ( )am a true left handed orphan (I haven't lived at my parent's house in decades). Heck, I fathered a left hander myself so we'll keep your long arms well used long after you are worm dirt.

I have taken the liberty of updating my checks to read "Chetdrvr" in anticipation of my adoption.

I love you Poppa.

Is too many guns just an American phenomenon? What does it say about us and our collection of guns?

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Smith:
In light of all the too whatever posts lately I thought I would add this one. In talking with one of my Namibian buddies over a beer he made the comment that "You guys own too many guns." My immediate response was you can never own too many guns, it is part of what makes us free. Now the political side of this is not the purpose of this post nor was it his and I knew it at the time. I added in the next breath that I knew what he meant and I agreed for the most part. Thoughts?

There is an old saying around the gun owners here in the USA, that goes like this "Beware the man who only owns one gun, because he likely knows how to use it!"

I have way too many firarms, but I'm not only a hunter, but a collector as well. Still I need to slim down the herd so to speak. quite a few of the gus I own given to me as gifts from my grandfather, father, and my wife. We all know those can't be sold, no matter if I shoot them or not. To make matters worse, before I retired we had a much larger home, and I had built-in gun cabinets for many of the best rifles, and shotguns I owned, back a few years ago you could still display them that way,not longer. In that home we had a builts in storm shelter with solid steel reenforced comncrete walls, floor and cealing, where I stored many of my finer rifles, and the ones not on display. Now, my home is much smaller, and no storm shelter that is secure enough so two vaults hold the best ones,while the rest are in closets, or standing against walls in my office. Many of the guns I have not fired in years, but two or three of my double rifles, and a couple bolt actions, one a 375 H&H, and the other a 243 Mannlicher Shoenauer, and the onse I use to hut with today.

So I guess I could live with those five, and a 22 rifle, and a 12 ga shotgun, but I simply don't want to, and probably will not get rid of any of them except to give them to my kids. I say kids (I have four) the youngest will be 46 in May, and the oldest will be 53 in June!

U fortunetly I see a time coming on the horrizon with the political climate we live under here in the USA today, that all our firearms may be in danger of melt down Hitler style!

I will have too many guns when my wife has too many shoes. She has a pair of black shoes for every gun i own.

quote:

Originally posted by Black Fly:
I am amazed how many folks come in to buy a rifle scope and ammo on the way to the airport.

I also suspect from my gun counter time, that very few shooters actually shoot more than a few rounds a year. Even for a big trip, they may actually go to the range a week before they leave.

I am amazed at your first statement but don't doubt that it happens.

As for your second, I'm usually alone at my 1700 member gun club's rifle range during weekdays. But it's standing room only, with a 15 minute bench time limit, for the few days previous to the buck season opener, the Monday after Thanksgiving! And this behavior is not from newbies exclusively, but by seasoned deer hunters.

Most of the 'you have too many guns' quotes are the result of sour grapes from local political misfortunes or impecunious shooters. Furthermore, the 'beware the man with one gun' BS is just that. I have never met a guy with only one gun, or rifle for that matter, that could shoot worth a darn.

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:

quote:

Originally posted by Black Fly:
I am amazed how many folks come in to buy a rifle scope and ammo on the way to the airport.

I also suspect from my gun counter time, that very few shooters actually shoot more than a few rounds a year. Even for a big trip, they may actually go to the range a week before they leave.

I am amazed at your first statement but don't doubt that it happens.

As for your second, I'm usually alone at my 1700 member gun club's rifle range during weekdays. But it's standing room only, with a 15 minute bench time limit, for the few days previous to the buck season opener, the Monday after Thanksgiving! And this behavior is not from newbies exclusively, but by seasoned deer hunters.

Reminds me of a hunter I met while hunting Mule deer in New Mexico in 2007. I brought a 300 wby and he had a 300 wby too. I brought up reloading and the cost of factory 300 wby ammo and he said he wouldn't know since he has had the same box for over a decade. WHAT!!!! I must have fired 400 rounds getting ready for that hunt!

The one time I try to avoid the big gun ranges is the first few weeks before hunting season. They are always packed, people shooting at other peoples targets, missing the target completely, etc. Go the rest of the year during the week, and you got the place practically to yourself.

quote:

Originally posted by RBHunt:
The one time I try to avoid the big gun ranges is the first few weeks before hunting season. They are always packed, people shooting at other peoples targets, missing the target completely, etc. Go the rest of the year during the week, and you got the place practically to yourself.

It is the best time of the year to pick up once fired, factory brass!!!!

I'm happy with the 5 guns I have

Ruger 10/22
Winchester M70 375 H&H
Remington 870 12ga
2 1911 45's

Each of which gets at least 50 rds fired per week

Saeed, I'm surprised you didn't replace #1 with

1. You can never shoot too many buffalo.

So many guns, so little time to go to the range.