It is done My collection is gone

[Dr Ray]

As of this week, the entirety of my bachelor collection is now gone. I loved collecting and accumulating rifles and shotguns over the years and I felt like I learned so much in the process.

Different chapters in life, all fantastic, have changed priorities for me. Hunting has grown as a passion as shooting has become nothing but a necessary evil to maintain proficiency or to meet up with friends.

My battery of guns is pretty slim these days but I want for little.

I have a 7x57 single shot that will someday be supplanted by a vintage British Mauser. I have my .318 Westley take down. I have my vintage Cogswell .375H&H and I have a "Spanish Best" 12-16 two barrel shotgun that fits me well but I generally disdain as an Anglophile shooter.

My kids have their .243 circa 1958 Winchester and I've got a safe full of yard sale quality stuff I keep as trinkets along with my 17hmr varmint gun.

I'm decluttered. I've erased all the tacticool stuff of my prior ways.

It feels good. I spent 25 years amassing beautiful things and now with kids I'm in the chapter of amassing beautiful memories instead.

Someday I'll add a large bore double back into the team and probably a .404, .416 or .450 magazine rifle, but for now there is contentment.

Anyone else experience the therapeutic effect of consolidating collections and owning fewer but better? While none of what I have left are truly best guns, they are the best guns I can own with a clear conscience with my family.

Right now I'm in the right place and I think most of my lovely guns are in great hands that use them properly in the pursuit of great sport.

Anyone else found contentment?

My latest wife made me get rid of trophies
Beginning to wonder whether I threw the right one out

 

[Buckdog]

rookhawk, I am curious how old are you? And sorry to disagree with any of you and I find it sad but they will have to pry any and all of mine from my cold dead hands when I head to the great beyond. I will never part with a single one as long as I can suck a breath of air period!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Hank2211]

@rookhawk, I know how you feel. For a long time I collected odd guns, and then one day I just decided I'd rather have (a) better ones and (b) ones I'm going to use. So I'm down to a .300, a .375, a .404 and a .416. That covers it for me, and the rest have gone or will go. Even the .22. Oh, sorry, I keep a .223 for target practice. Can shoot it all day long and never feel it.

I just don't feel the need to look at a collection of things I never use. I understand those that do, but I guess we go though different stages in life, and I'm at the stage of wanting fewer but better.

 

[CAustin]

Hello...........my name is............(name here) and I have a problem! I buy guns. It has been, (how long) since I last purchased a gun!

Some of use need to form a group!

 

[rookhawk]

rookhawk, I am curious how old are you? And sorry to disagree with any of you and I find it sad but they will have to pry any and all of mine from my cold dead hands when I head to the great beyond. I will never part with a single one as long as I can suck a breath of air period!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm in my 40s. Don't get me wrong, I love guns but it's hard to explain owning a trove of guns including a Boss's and Purdeys yet I'd not been on safari and my kids didn't have their education fully funded. Priorities!

The other hard thing about guns is that your "low water mark" of what you'll tolerate as a minimum changes over time as preferences and perceptions of quality evolve. I've had guns in literally every price and quality range and now I'm pragmatic, yet I still want quality. For that reason alone I had to turn some of my collection out.

It's been a fun journey and it's still fun, just with less guns.

 

[Lrntolive]

I'm somewhat in the same boat, but I haven't downsized too much. Rather, I've amassed a few more as I prepare to pass them on to my sons.

I'm 40 myself, with two boys, and a fantastic and loving wife. I guess I'm lucky.

I did, however, remove firearms that did not fall into specific calibers for firearms I wanted to keep. Since I reload, I became pragmatic in my firearm choices based on which calibers would use the same powders, primers and in some cases, brass (with a little neck resizing, of course).

Also, I'm lucky that my career, and my wife's, has been blessed as we both do well and are not wanting for anything.

I think each person must judge for themselves where their priorities lie. I would not judge them for wanting to have more than the next man provided he does not harm anyone else. It's what keeps the world interesting and keeps new ideas flowing.

 

[Ray B]

I find it too mercenary to sell rifles, so when I find a good home, I give the gun to the new custodian.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I think George Carlin covered this subject pretty well.

 

[jacques smith]

Now that shit or stuff is funny

 

[Red Leg]

I think George Carlin covered this subject pretty well.

One of the truly classic bits ever written or performed. And like all his best stuff - so true!

 

[Velo Dog]

rookhaw and others,

Not a young man any more, now in my mid 60's.
Sold several firearms each time I went hunting in Africa, to help pay for same.
Currently booked for my 5th African safari (Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris, Namibia) and have sold my last double rifle, only a few days ago to help pay for it.
(Still planning to be at Cal Pappas's Double Rifle Event May - 6 though, just no rifle in hand this time).

I don't feel a sense of loss about any of it, because my priorities don't include stacking up sporting goods and sitting at home, staring at them but, unable to afford an international flight / daily rates and all the rest.
A few items like that are fine but, only a few.
The rest can come and go, according to my safari budget, so to speak.
I'd rather go hunting, especially in Africa.

At the moment I'm soon to meet up with my sons for a guided boar hunt and some do it ourselves spear fishing on Kaua'i.
And, guns sold to help me get there will not be missed in comparison to the good times ahead.

Priorities,
Velo Dog.

 

[Hank2211]

I'm in my 40s. Don't get me wrong, I love guns but it's hard to explain owning a trove of guns including a Boss's and Purdeys yet I'd not been on safari and my kids didn't have their education fully funded. Priorities!

The other hard thing about guns is that your "low water mark" of what you'll tolerate as a minimum changes over time as preferences and perceptions of quality evolve. I've had guns in literally every price and quality range and now I'm pragmatic, yet I still want quality. For that reason alone I had to turn some of my collection out.

It's been a fun journey and it's still fun, just with less guns.

SWhen I said I was at the stage of wanting "fewer but better" I didn't know you were in the "fewer but best" category! Boss and Purdey - they just don't come any better.

 

[rookhawk]

SWhen I said I was at the stage of wanting "fewer but better" I didn't know you were in the "fewer but best" category! Boss and Purdey - they just don't come any better.

Key word: "was"

 

[Odinsraven]

Yep 48 now and down sizing the number of guns I have ........peak rifle was reached at 102 ....now down to 62 and hope to reduce that to forty as the same two guns seem to go to Africa every year ........however the double will be kept and when I get to forty some additions will have to be made

 

[ArmyGrunt]

As of this week, the entirety of my bachelor collection is now gone. I loved collecting and accumulating rifles and shotguns over the years and I felt like I learned so much in the process.

Different chapters in life, all fantastic, have changed priorities for me. Hunting has grown as a passion as shooting has become nothing but a necessary evil to maintain proficiency or to meet up with friends.

My battery of guns is pretty slim these days but I want for little.

I have a 7x57 single shot that will someday be supplanted by a vintage British Mauser. I have my .318 Westley take down. I have my vintage Cogswell .375H&H and I have a "Spanish Best" 12-16 two barrel shotgun that fits me well but I generally disdain as an Anglophile shooter.

My kids have their .243 circa 1958 Winchester and I've got a safe full of yard sale quality stuff I keep as trinkets along with my 17hmr varmint gun.

I'm decluttered. I've erased all the tacticool stuff of my prior ways.

It feels good. I spent 25 years amassing beautiful things and now with kids I'm in the chapter of amassing beautiful memories instead.

Someday I'll add a large bore double back into the team and probably a .404, .416 or .450 magazine rifle, but for now there is contentment.

Anyone else experience the therapeutic effect of consolidating collections and owning fewer but better? While none of what I have left are truly best guns, they are the best guns I can own with a clear conscience with my family.

Right now I'm in the right place and I think most of my lovely guns are in great hands that use them properly in the pursuit of great sport.

Anyone else found contentment?

I'm thinning my herd to get one particular high dollar rifle. One sold, two to go for the funding.

I totally agree with the statement of building beautiful memories. I'm not able to do birthday parties with my kids this year, 6 & 13 within a month of each other. First weekend in May we're starting what I hope to be a new tradition of annual trip. We're going after a FL gator, then SeaWorld. Everybody's excited about it

 

[Nyati]

I am in a totally different situation as most of you guys.
Living in a European country means having a License to own guns, which has to be renewed, and which you may lose due to many circumstances, and as a result you have to turn in your firearms to the authorities.
So, it doesn´t make much sense to own a collection of guns, but only those you really use.
On the other hand I am lucky that a good friend and hunting partner is the editor of a guns magazine, which allows me to test or borrow for a hunt most of the guns which are sold in Spain.

 

[ArmyGrunt]

It's nice to be reminded sometimes of how well we've got some things in the States. Now it'd that Heading Protection Act will just go through so I can have my suppressor sooner....

 

[enysse]

I get what you are saying, less is more. I find as I get older, its about experiences rather how much stuff I own.

 

[Ridge Top Ranch]

Already in the process of giving guns to my grand kids.

 

[spike.t]

I find it too mercenary to sell rifles, so when I find a good home, I give the gun to the new custodian.

..............