Downsizing, Purging. What do you call it?

SuperCub said:
... I've owned them all and have come to realize that less is more.
Click to expand...

This ^ is wisdom and truth!


barrett50cal said:
...once it was in my grubby paws I inspected it, studied it, shot it, and got to know it. Then I decided if it was a keeper or not. If I lost a couple bucks on the resale, I considered it the rental fee for the opportunity to play with it...People sometimes asked “how the hell could you sell that?!” and my answer was often “If that’s what I’m selling, imagine what I’m keeping...”
Click to expand...

Yep, it's amazing how many owners consider the purchase of a gun as a lifetime commitment. It's not. You're buying an inanimate object, hopefully for a price that will allow you to sell it if it doesn't turn your crank without losing much or any cash, maybe even make a few bucks.

Terrific comeback; I'm stealing it! :)


hoytcanon said:
I have been "down-sizing" as well, it would be more successful if I weren't "up-sizing" with other stuff at the same time...
Click to expand...

Downsizing doesn't mean you can't buy anything. It just means reducing total numbers, and usually also concentrating on quality rather than quantity. I think of it as "net downsizing/upgrading".
 
Last edited:
FarmerDanz said:
I call it quitting, quitter.
Click to expand...

You're right, I did quit after having this rifle built. I realized that I have all I need now and some too many, thus the downsizing. Someday, you might understand. :)

KLobVeSl.jpg


Shot a moose with it a couple years ago and this buck last year making it a keeper.

TOhwlH9l.jpg
 
I bought 2 in the last 3 weeks, now I have two on the EE that need to go! When I get my Bradshaw I might let a few more go!
 
Like many things I find it cyclic…
Easy to buy, try this, play with that.
Over time past fascinations eventually clutter the cave.
Selling is a lengthier process…you have to box and ship, deal with people, etc…
So the collection swells.
Until the tipping point, then the purge gene kicks in.
Motivation for some its age, others for money, some for added room, others just a reset.
No doubt many other reasons…
Happily I’m past a purge and back to seeking the next must have.
If only I could get my motorcycle parts purge gene to kick in, lol…
 
Purge. De-hoarding. Yeah, stuff I've acquired thinking I'll use it, and that was 15 years ago and haven't touched it. I need to do more of that.
 
I have little problems selling stuff when I decide it's time to let go. Stuff is just stuff, and the more you own, the more it owns you.
 
infidel29 said:
I have little problems selling stuff when I decide it's time to let go. Stuff is just stuff, and the more you own, the more it owns you.
Click to expand...

I get that. It's the guns/stuff that made you memories that are hard to let go of. My 56 wingmaster that I purchased off my Gr 10 English teacher for $225 will stay with me till I pass it onto one of my children, but I've got a few guns that are just guns for sure.
 
Last year I gave my grandson my Browning pre81 .308 and my Browning Bl-22. The .308 I bought at 16 and the.22 was a birthday gift at 14 from my dad. I get pics when he gets a grouse with the .22 and it brings a great feeling to me that he's following the same path as my son and daughter. Can't see pics and enjoy the stories when I'm gone.
 
bam7mm said:
Last year I gave my grandson my Browning pre81 .308 and my Browning Bl-22. The .308 I bought at 16 and the.22 was a birthday gift at 14 from my dad. I get pics when he gets a grouse with the .22 and it brings a great feeling to me that he's following the same path as my son and daughter. Can't see pics and enjoy the stories when I'm gone.
Click to expand...

My father had a liking for Browning lever actions... before he passed in 2020, he gave my son his Pre-81 BLR .308 and his BL-22... my son enjoys shooting and hunting with those rifles, he feels connected to his grandfather, who we all miss.
 
I call it editing. More to go. Good feeling going from 4 safes down to 2. 35 bullet molds and buckets of lead to cast into bullets and sinkers.
I haven't shot competitively for 15 years.
 
I refer to it as "picking my next projects". Some of them have to go to make room for others. Some of them stick around if the result is exactly what I wanted. Some projects are as simple as "buy rifle, mount scope". Even then, sometimes I change out scopes or mounting systems to try different things.

The only constant is I can fit 18 long guns in my safe, it's currently full, and that is my limit. I have room for *maybe* a tiny 4-gun safe that I could move my shotguns into if I really wanted, but what was once a large gun-and-reloading-and-outdoors room has shrunk due to needing space for other things. If I can't keep it locked up 24x7 then I need to get rid of something so I can keep all under lock-and-key.

There is always another project I'm thinking of, which means something will need to go. I've accepted that I really only need a .243 and 7-mag for all of my hunting, but that's boring and so I'm always cycling something out to make room for the next thing.
 
I have been calling it "up-grading" for years now. Lately when I look into the safe(s), I am really happy with my collection, although many I have yet to even fire. I try to take at least one animal with each, which usually equates into about 40 shots at the range, with one or two in the field before I tuck them away. I was at one time, doing really well at selling one or two to buy a nicer one, and then too many nice ones come along all at once. I have sold 40-50 over the last five years, but then twenty or thirty follow me home. Eventually I hope to get my collection back under triple digits, which may only happen with a serious intervention and subsequent "purge". I'll let the kids come over and fight over a few before that happens, but my gun room has gotten to small to turn around in lately.
 
hoytcanon said:
My father had a liking for Browning lever actions... before he passed in 2020, he gave my son his Pre-81 BLR .308 and his BL-22... my son enjoys shooting and hunting with those rifles, he feels connected to his grandfather, who we all miss.
Click to expand...

When I was a kid, my grand mother had a old-folk home... and some of the ladies used to say that: In life, the best you can really hope for is to be someone's good memory.
- I know I hang one to some guns for the only reason that they remind me of an old coach/friend/shooting-hunting buddy...
 
browning525 said:
I have been calling it "up-grading" for years now. Lately when I look into the safe(s), I am really happy with my collection, although many I have yet to even fire. I try to take at least one animal with each, which usually equates into about 40 shots at the range, with one or two in the field before I tuck them away. I was at one time, doing really well at selling one or two to buy a nicer one, and then too many nice ones come along all at once. I have sold 40-50 over the last five years, but then twenty or thirty follow me home. Eventually I hope to get my collection back under triple digits, which may only happen with a serious intervention and subsequent "purge". I'll let the kids come over and fight over a few before that happens, but my gun room has gotten to small to turn around in lately.
Click to expand...

Yer dew'in'er right.
Then along comes a bunch of aches'n pains and voila, yer yewth izz kahpewtzkees.

Just doing labels and receipt book info for the up coming Loopy gun show.
Some nice inventory going to a new home I hope.

Then when I feel a tad nay-kitt, well the hunt continues.
 
hoytcanon said:
My father had a liking for Browning lever actions... before he passed in 2020, he gave my son his Pre-81 BLR .308 and his BL-22... my son enjoys shooting and hunting with those rifles, he feels connected to his grandfather, who we all miss.
Click to expand...

My dad gave me a bunch of his rifles, and I would have a hard time selling them, all took moose for me! The next one will be his latest one, sako s20 precision in 7mm rem mag! He bought it right handed cause I’m right handed, he’s left handed!
 
So if I buy a rifled slug barrel for the same model gun that I and my 2 daughters use, does it count as purging three rifles that I never had to buy in the first place? :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom