Can you own too many vanilla hunting rifles?

[heronfish]

Ive recently found myself in a situation i never expected to be in. It almost seems as if I own too many plain jane hunting rifles, all of which will do exactly the same job on exactly the same game. 30-06, 308 270 etc etc.
The problem arises and none of these rifles get shot, heck, there is several that have yet to be sighted in, let alone reloaded for. None of these are what you would consider budget rifles, but none are expensive either, and all carry mediocre glass like Leupolds vx1 and vx2s.

Im sure this has been asked before, but would it be preferable to divulge of these in favour of one very expensive set up, or is accumulating without reason perfectly acceptable? Or both?

 

[Superbrad]

I was there during my rem 700 days....... IMOP, there at two choices..... Both involved a sell off......

One option was to sell them off and use the extra money for hunts with a "premium" rifle of choice.....

The other option, which is what I did, was to sell them off, replace them with a decent do all selection and use my money I would have spent on guns to finance hunts..... I am still young in this journey, but so far, no complaints..... And still picking up the odd gun I am missing......

 

[hoytcanon]

I have gone from triple digits to a couple dozen over the past few years... I was in the same place as you, only moreso... spending all my time "managing" my collection rather than shooting. I have spent a good deal of time developing a plan to bring back the joy of shooting into my firearm passions. I now have very few repeats in cartridges, have streamlined my platforms down to my preferences, namely M77's in various configurations and Browning O/U & SXS shotguns.

Everything I own is now sighted in and has a load worked up and is ready to go at a moments notice...

Now factor in that 90% of my time is spent bowhunting... go figure.

 

[todbartell]

I always find rifles creeping into my safe, but I try to keep redundancy to a minimum and utility to a maximum. Recently turned a few cool, but impractical rifles, into a new, practical one that will not be a safe queen. About to sell a few more to get two customs that will fit the bill for 98% of my hunting needs, and have $$ leftover for a couple new Mystery Ranch packs that I intend to try and wear out!

moving forward my safe will basically contain : 223, 280 Ackley, 308, 338-06, 375 Ruger

 

[patricksbb391]

Fewer seems better, but as I grow older, my tastes change, and my income (?) grows, I am liking nicer things. I should trim the heard but it would a marginal change.

 

[The Kurgan]

I did, and most are now gone. Just the essentials for me now. I was spending too much time maintaining and fretting over them than actually shooting them. I am now left with under 10 firearms in the following "must have" (for me) calibres: 30-06, 6.5x55, 7.62x39, 7.5mm Swiss, 32-20, 12ga

 

[Gatehouse]

Purge and get something nice built

 

[brybenn]

You can never have to many guns. However as I get older I find I appreciate finer things in life

 

[SuperCub]

Last fall I plopped $7000 onto my mortgage that I borrowed from my line of credit. I paid off that line of credit with extra "vanila" guns, scopes, bullets, loading kit, powder etc that I wasn't using

For big game guns, I am down to a 257Roberts, 270Win, 308 and a 35Whelen (in the works). The 308 belonged to my Grandfather, so won't be sold. I will prob give it to my oldest daughter to pass onto the grandkids. The remaining three will do anything I need here in Canada and then some.

That $7K was money well spent against my mortgage and I am left with a nice, small inventory for hunting.

 

[theshootist]

Less is more. I know in this modern world everything hinges on being a consumer and happiness is supposed to come from money and possessions. I've noticed that with fewer possessions brings one more time to do better things with life. Sounds cheesy but I truly believe in it.

 

[hoytcanon]

For big game guns, I am down to a 257Roberts, 270Win, 308 and a 35Whelen (in the works)....

Keep in mind that I also like loading and shooting, but I am down to;

12 ga. X 2
20 ga. X 2
28 ga.
.22 LR X 2
.22 WMR
.223
.22/250
.243
6mm Rem
.257 Roberts X 2
7X57 X 2
7X64
.308 X 2
.358
9.3X62
.375 H&H
.45/70

Half a dozen of those will be going shortly... not shotguns though as they see much more use.

 

[Claybuster]

Im sure this has been asked before, but would it be preferable to divulge of these in favour of one very expensive set up, or is accumulating without reason perfectly acceptable? Or both?

Live by the motto, "Fewer but better guns."

Go to your safe. Pick the one rifle of all of them that you like the best. This is now your back-up gun.

Sell the rest and use the money to buy something spectacular.

 

[gwes2003]

Keep in mind that I also like loading and shooting, but I am down to;

12 ga. X 2
20 ga. X 2
28 ga.
.22 LR X 2
.22 WMR
.223
.22/250
.243
6mm Rem
.257 Roberts X 2
7X57 X 2
7X64
.308 X 2
.358
9.3X62
.375 H&H
.45/70

Half a dozen of those will be going shortly... not shotguns though as they see much more use.

Hopefully one of those half dozen is in 257 Roberts, dont know if its just my luck but the bob seems a bit hard to find these days!

 

[hometownhero]

I'm in the less is more camp. I have more guns then I ever used at one point. Kept the ones I always reached for in the safe and sold the rest. Made a few upgrades along the way (ei; axis to m70) I do not regret my choice at all.

 

[tinviper]

Sell of the ones you don't love or have passion for.

 

[SuperCub]

Keep in mind that I also like loading and shooting, but I am down to;

12 ga. X 2
20 ga. X 2
28 ga.
.22 LR X 2
.22 WMR
.223
.22/250
.243
6mm Rem
.257 Roberts X 2
7X57 X 2
7X64
.308 X 2
.358
9.3X62
.375 H&H
.45/70

Half a dozen of those will be going shortly... not shotguns though as they see much more use.

I do have a few other long arms in the form of 22s, 223, 22/250, SKS and upland guns. 13 total I think. One or two or three of those will be leaving as well.

Sell of the ones you don't love or have passion for.

I'm not keeping what I'm not using. Love and/or passion has nothing to do with it.

 

[inthehizzy]

It's a good idea to bring a bit of minimalism in to every aspect of your life, not just firearms. You'll be happier for it, despite what marketing and materialism might try to convince you otherwise.

 

[Claybuster]

I'm not keeping what I'm not using. Love and/or passion has nothing to do with it.

If a gun doesn't have a specific role then it's not sticking around. Everything in the safe has to earn its keep one way or the other.

But there are people for whom possessing many is a joy unto itself. It might not make sense to us to have guns you aren't using but for some people just having them is sufficient.

 

[SuperCub]

If a gun doesn't have a specific role then it's not sticking around. Everything in the safe has to earn its keep one way or the other.

But there are people for whom possessing many is a joy unto itself. It might not make sense to us to have guns you aren't using but for some people just having them is sufficient.

I don't think it's wrong or right either way, just no for me anymore.

 

[ForealBoreal]

..........