Ballancing your gun collection against real life

Riflechair

Riflechair

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I suppose it's a maturing process and probably laced a bit with boredom.
How else do interests and priorities change? Where is the next challenge?
Sometimes it hurts and sometimes it rocks.

I've come to terms with a few personal observations.

Two kids and a whole lot of responsibility later the fun gun collection has turned primarily into hunting rifles that make sense to me in a suite of calibres for the most appropriate application. To be honest most of my shooting this year was with a .22 LR simply because of the type and size of the critter being stalked.

However recently I've noticed that not only must calibre must be suitable for the intended purpose but the rifle must be of high quality and finish. Of the limited time I do have available, in the evenings, I spend it refinishing, checkering, oiling, polishing and dehorning hunting rifles, instead of gunplumbing milsurps. Heck my milsurp knowledge both historical, model inventory, and mechanical is what people usually seek me out for. To me these are bush savy working milspec rifles for hunting and competition. Frankly I'd like to see more of the guys in cadpat shooting enfields. I think it would teach them how to shoot better - but that's another story.

But my interests are now hunting rifles; especially mausers. However I'm even interested in the new stuff and what it has to offer.

To borrow from William Shatner
"Wierd or What?"
 
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Over the years, I find myself doing even more target shooting, and a little less hunting. The result is that my rifle collection now contains a few rifles that are more suitable for target shooting, with less pure hunting rifles. I picked up a nice used Anschutz 1408 off of the EE, and after enjoying shooting it with the match sights, I picked up a nice Brno Model 4 to shoot with the match sights as well. Due to recent eye surgeries, I also sold off my ultramags, and other rifles that produce more recoil, and replaced them with softer shooting rifles. I used to only own one 22lr at a time, but now I find myself shooting them so often, that I am up to four, including a very accurate Anschutz 1907 repeater, and an older Remington 541S. I also own two 17 rimfires, both Coopers, in 17mach2, and 17hmr, which I now use exclusively for small game shooting. I also picked up a like new Anschutz 1730 in 22Hornet, just because I like the Model 54 action, as well as the 22 Hornet cartridge. I never owned a .264" rifle until last year, and now I shoot a 6.5x47L, and a 260rem. on a regular basis. I still own a 223, but instead of it being on a 700 action, it is a Tikka Tactical, that I bought on the EE. It seems that over half of my current collection was purchased on the EE.
In the past, I purchased most of my rifles new,or had them custom built, and most of my rifles were large capacity magnums, but that has changed as of recently.
 
Speaking as a Ranger who still gets to shoot the Enfield, I really enjoy those well built, accurate and incredibly simple firearms. I also find it interesting that many of the CF guys that I have met enjoy shooting it as much as I do.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the CF does a disservice to their members by not teaching them on these old, accurate and reliable firearms. I know training time is limited, and so is the number of Enfields available, but it really is an excellent platform to learn the mechanics of shooting and aiming.

In my own collection, besides my issued Enfield, I have a variety of firearms, but have found that the ones that I have spent the most time working on and improving are the ones I really like shooting. For working on my technique I have a couple of different .22 LR that I use to work on muscle memory, and some heavier ones (P-17) to increase endurance and build the muscles up for specific things.

I guess it really is about what you enjoy, and what you are doing with them. The P-17 is probably going to be taken apart this winter and turned into a hunting rifle, just because its a project that I've thought about for a while and really want to get working on now that I've made the dedicated space to work on this type of project.

just my thoughts...
 
I don't have a gun collection. Nor do I have a woodworking tool collection. I have hunting tools that include a range of guns suitable for the hunting I do. THAT is my balance at this point in my life. It seems to make a lot of sense to me.

In truth, I don't just "collect" anything.
 
Me I've just started a new business should sell my XCR-L with both uppers in 223 & 6.8spc and put the money towards equipment/larger trailer...

Just couldn't bring myself to part with my rifle so I bought a used trailer yesterday instead needs a bit of work but I don't need to feel bad about keeping my gun now...

:D
 
Yes for sure, life has a way of changing your hobbies! Since my son was born a little over a year ago I have cut my collection in half, which includes all my restricted s and kept just the firearms that have a real life purpose and not just for the sake of having them. With the exception of my Uberti Henry 1860 that my wife bought me for an engagement present all my firearms are all suited for hunting. I have also found myself getting rid of almost anything that say made in China in my gun room. Seems the older I get the more important I find that little 'Made in Canada' or 'Made in USA' is to me.
 
I've trimmed mine down to the ones that I will actually use. A couple big game rifles, target .22, 12ga semi for ducks/clays, ML & slug gun for those specific seasons, and 2 upland 20ga shotguns. I used to think quantity was important, but now its quality.
 
Life is too short (to own unused guns)

I'm getting very selective with age and only keep guns that shot very accurately and that I use regularly.
I will soon part with an excellent Remington 700 CDL SF 270 WSM and a Ruger 10/22 as the result of this!

Life is too short,

Alex
 
I was in the exact same position and literally halved my collection, keeping only the most needed/practical guns: 12 gauge pump for "deer and defence", .22LR target/varmint, two 7x57's for deer, 30-06 (of course), a few 7.62x39 plinkers, and a 308 target rifle. All my boutique calibre guns are now in other appreciative hands.
 
Over the last 40 years, i bought mainly rifles, never had a handgun and have only one 12 shotgun for turkey hunting, each of them are part of an era of my life, if i except one mini-14 that i sold, i just cant convince myself to sell even a single shot 22 LR, each and everyone have a story... Cheers. JP.
 
Over the past two hunting seasons I have realized that for what type of game
I'm after and the forested areas where I hunt, a lever action rifle is more than sufficient.
That being said, I have recently went through a reduction in what I've had in larger calibre as well. I'm pretty much down to a .17HMR, a 10/22, two Marlin levers, and just for the fun factor, a Russian SKS.
The best two things about my current arsenal is that I've finally overcome the problem of trigger flinching due to the recoil and it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg for ammuntion... .17HMR excluded:rolleyes:
 
I keep looking back at all the hunting scenarios I've been faced with over my extremely short hunting career (6 years) and I ask myself "what rifle would have been ideal for this?" I keep getting the same answer "Sako 85 LSS .338 Federal" . I have what I would call 3 decent quality rifles though now, the Sako, a .270 Win Kimber Montana and newly acquired Model 7 SS 7mm RSAUM that will get a stock replacement soon. All three guns fill particular roles I want filled. But if one had to stay, I gotta say it will and has been the .338 Fed.
 
I've found in the last few years, a dedicated target pistol in 22 LR and a Wichita target rifle in 308 have made thier way into my hands. The big game hunting is a bit more back seat these days certainly. Heck in a few weeks I'm going to another pistol match.
Next year I predict more trap shooting in my scheduale, but I would not mind a bit of pushing up pheasants too!
 
I went through a purge a couple years ago and got it down to several dozen of my favorites. They are all important to me, but for different reasons. Some practical, some sentimental, some aesthetic, and some collectible, but all high quality. I am finding myself hunting more, and enjoying it more than I used to. I find it to be a source of solace in my busy life, so I think the next one will be another hunting rifle, unless I buy a zombie gun to celebrate C-19 lol.
 
I have found a love for the 06 case. Maybe by being younger then a lot on here I still like having a lot of firearms. I have a 25-06 and plan on having another 30-06 and 35 whelen. I have amassed a fair numbered of guns over the last 3-4 years but I find I'm selling off my cheaper ones in favour of higher quality craftsmanship. I grew up with pump 12gas and still love them but I tried skeet and met some great guys who were shooting berettas perazzis and a holland n holland royal and since then I've had a love for nice walnut and fit and finish. I still have my beater guns I use for hunting and will never give them up. I have 22s and sks and tactical pump shotguns for fun and am now playing with longer range shooting so a custom made bench rest rifle is in the works. Of the nice guns I own my ithaca 4e, mossberg 535, stevens 2506 baikal sxs and rossi and ithaca 37s are guns I could never sell. But I agree with life comes change and as I get older I'm becoming more practical. I do still love smoking tires. Happy shooting all
 
I started with the "more is better" mindset, and picked up everything i could lay my hands on.

Now, 20-some years later, I've downsized to: What I hunt with, what I want to shoot with, and the inevitable "jsut because".

.22 to .458's I'd grab them all. Now I've come to the mature (?) decision that if I'm not actively shooting it, or it doesnt' hold a specific interesting history/uniqueness, I'd rather let it go to a home that will use it and appreciate it.

I still haven't conviced myself that I have enough .22's though :D And, i know if I ever had the money to do so, I would expand the collection once again, but this time it would be caliber specific for each rifle, instead of a few of each. In my dreams, I'd like a Lever Action for as many caliber's as possible.

Throughout it all though, I have never really become on "expert" on anything. I simply like guns, and if they look nice, shoot well or have any other interesting feature that appeals to me, I want it. Learning all the in's & out's of Enfields, or Garands doesnt' appeal to me, nor does learnign all the variations of the different gnerations of a Glock. I like the unique action of the Garand, I like the ruggedness of the enfield, and i like the fit of a Glock in my hand. That's enough for me.
 
I thought I had the ideal rifle to cover all my hunting situations but I ended up lending it to my dad and he really likes it (Sako A7 .270). Feel bad not lending it to him anymore so it gives me a reason to get something else done up. Besides...I really need a 25-06 AI...:D
 
I as well started with the more is better attitude. I just passed the 3 year mark for having a pal. I have learned a lot and still have a lot to learn. Major changes in life made me feel cluttered and I purged stuff like I've never purged before. Some where around 16 rifles in a month. I'm glad that feeling went away. No regrets though, I only miss 2 of them. I hunt as much as I can and am not a trophy hunter. I enjoy including my kids in everything I do and this sport is great for kids. I love lever guns and am hunting with a 3030 primarely this year. The tikka will come into service when time is a factor. I like 22s the most and shoot them almost every day. My whole lawn sparkles lol. Probably pick up a 22 every week or 2. Squirrels are legal this year so 22s have become even more useful. Have shot 30 in my yard this year already.I. Can't wait till my kids are old enough to get their own animals as they are already asking if they could please take the shot. I still try to keep a balance and the girlfriend said she will never give me crap about anything I buy unless I can't pay my bills. Fair enough. Now back to the EE
 
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