doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com 16 guns and whadda U get? ...

... another day older & deeper in debt????

I'm wondering what the heck I'm doing buying all these guns and thinking of thinning the chaff and keeping the grain. I see many doing this as they mature in their "collections" and their tastes and knowledge. How many of you have done similarly? Advice?

Down to six and counting!
My Kimber 22lr SuperAmerican is with me all the time - it stays.
The Beesley makes the cut too - it has taken a mallard or two over decoys with no problems.
I don't know about the rest - I don't want to turn-up an old man with a collection.

Buy low, sell high? Or, keep what shoots best in your grubby little mitts?
Hey, I'm exactly where you are. My problem is, the Mossberg with the equipment black lacquer stock finish, covered with chip guard paint, Mexican replacement fixed choke barrel, Wolf Creek safety, black nylon web sling, and swivels (don't laugh, I've got almost 60 bucks in this gun) is, sadly, my money gun-the damn thing refuses to miss the things I point it in the general direction of and shoot at. Given to me my a felon neighbor, who knew better than to have it in his home, I figured I might need it as a pickup truck/duck boat bottom/barn gun. After the last 100 straight, in the rain, I almost wish I'd never seen it.
The old "never bet against the man with but one gun" myth is a 'bitchen reality, if you ask me. Too bad I didn't figure it out thirty seasons or so ago.
Best,
Ted

Chuck-

In a major way I have done that. I think it is a good thing. Short of the largely philosophical instant before we destroy something in our possession, we own nothing. We can own nothing we cannot take with us when we die, meaning we can own no thing.

Look at one of your older firearms and ask how many others called that gun "theirs". We are simply custodians of these things. If you have a very nice firearm, but you do not use or enjoy it any longer, why keep it and deny another of the joys of ownership? Why not sell it and purchase a firearm you really want and will enjoy?

Most recently, had I not sold my Sig 225 6 months ago(which I did not shoot very well and did not particularly enjoy) I would not now have my Fox Sterlingworth (an impulse purchase from my friend's table at a gun show). If I had not purchased that Fox, I would not have gotten the bug and purchased three more shotguns and over a thousand rounds of shotgun shells and spent countless hours enjoying and shooting these guns with friends and making new friends. Life is short, enjoy it.

Doug

A good friend of mine who is in his early 70's was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's. Some of you have probably met him at the Vintage Cup and the Southern Shoot. He told me the other week he has about 60 shotguns. His guns range from more than one Purdey and Holland & Holland to a plain and simple boxlock.

He has no intentions on stopping.

Over the last year of so, have cleaned out some Ithaca and Parker SBTs, 12 and 16 (oops ) Model 12s, 12 and 20 Trojans and a 12g GH, and a 12 and 16 Sterly. Now left with 3 LCs, 2 16s and a 12. The 'youngest' is 96 and the other two are 101. They have the same dimensions (but 2 30" and 1 28" brl) and two triggers, and all three are 'shooters'; and are all the bird and clays guns I really need. I have a little left over if that 'special' LC turns up, but couldn't be happier (once they all get back from Dan Lammers for glasbedding and minor 'tune ups'.)

I have been thinking about slimming down my accumulation. Problem is that I like shooters and would miss having them. Once before I had a gun collection that I remixed the ratio of low to high condition or higher grade. Ended up with several dozen where I started out with several times that amount. Ended up selling them all but one and started buying 3200s, high grade 1100s, a few clay busters, doubles and few muzzle loaders .

Last month I did an inventory of my doubles. More than I weigh. Figure that it would not be too hard to part with about a third of them without too many tears if I can replace them with higher condition or higher grade guns. Either that or just wait three more years and sell about a half of them to put one of my kid to college. That would give our college fund a few more years to grow for the last two kids. Hard to have fun when you have to be the adult sometimes.

If Mr. Ken's "new Lefever" comes around I might just sell more and not look back.

I buy for keeps, or at least as long as the Lord permits. I don't buy guns I don't intend on keeping. The only reason I would part with any of my side by sides is because I could not shoot it well enough and could not bear to restock it if it were a vintage gun in original condition.

Of course, that means I'll never accumulate a great number of guns too!

I don't think one can have too many guns especially if each has a story, special feel, special beauty, etc. I always have sellers remorse when I do part with a family member.

I do not think it would be any fun to have only two or three side by sides! And besides i might become a better shot and never miss! Bobby