Did you hit a point where aquiring new guns wasn't that much of a priority anymore?

[Zaydok Allen]

I find myself not buying and trading guns with the same fervor I once did. I find myself with 14 handguns, 13 of which are safe to shoot. I also have 4 rifles, only one of which I shoot regularly.

In the past I would buy a gun, be happy, but shortly afterwards there was a quick turn around on desiring the next gun. I had the mentality of getting guns early so I can enjoy them for a long time, and it always seemed that I had the next one on the list in mind.

Don't get me wrong, I still have a long list of guns I'd like to try, and possibly own, but I have less time to shoot than I once did, and despite being a year and a half into a promotion with a decent pay increase, I find myself having less time to shoot, and less money with which to spend on guns.

I don't know if I have more of an eye on the future, and thus am less willing to spend large sums of money.

I don't know if I've now shot enough guns that the "I want to try everything." mentality has worn off.

I don't know if my recent endeavor into reloading has me thinking about savings and developing good loads for the guns I own. I am trying to save money, so maybe that has caused a passive response in my brain causing me to turn off desire.

I used to always have a gun I was thinking about trading towards something else. It makes me wonder if I really liked the pursuit of the next transaction more than the gun itself. I used to be on Gunbroker all the time. Now I'm hardly on there at all. However, I like all the guns I own, and don't really care to get rid of any of them.

I THINK what it boils down to for me is a combination of all of the above.

What about all of you? Are you still buying with all the same interest as usual, or have you tapered off a bit? Also, can you identify one or more reasons for your attitude?

 

[Rodentman]

Priorities shift over time. Now retired, I no longer chase the next gun. I have quite a few now. I reload many calibers and that is a large part of the hobby for me. I tend to be a "full emersion" hobbiest which means going overboard sometimes, amassing large amounts of "stuff." I guess the key is only be excessive in moderation.

 

[Robert]

I'm kinda there now. I have my bases covered and don't feel the need, desire, to be buying more just to buy more. There are a couple things I still want, but I am good with where I am at. I can use that money on other projects that I am more interested in right now.

 

[redneck2]

At retirement age I can pretty much afford what I want, but just got rid of four to replace them with one. I’ve got more guns that haven’t been used in the last five years than ones that have been used

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I guess the key is only be excessive in moderation.

Ha! That should be your signature line.

 

[sarge83]

I kind of hit that point last year. My wife took a new job for less pay, it was a more stable position and had way better benefits as her previous job with the higher pay will probably close down so we bit the bullet and she took this current position and I had one child get married and another had a baby, funding and priorities changed. Plus I am getting to the point I don't get to shoot much anymore, just physically can't do it. The spirit is willing but the body not so much. So I go to work and after eight hours just don't have much juice left to do anything else. I added one firearm last year and it was a Christmas present from my wife and her mom a glock 43. Now I buy more ammo than anything.

 

[aarondhgraham]

I hit it about two years ago,,,
That's when I finally purchased the last on my "Wish List".

I now own every gun that I need,,,
And every gun that I had a real want for.

Now I'll buy a new-to-me gun only if I see something that truly catches my eye and piques my interest.

Aarond

.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

At retirement age I can pretty much afford what I want, but just got rid of four to replace them with one. I’ve got more guns that haven’t been used in the last five years than ones that have been used

Yeah, I'm at that point now too... which means that I have to start shooting more often.

 

[GBExpat]

I reached the acquisition Slow Down point almost a decade ago. Told myself that it was time to shift into the Thin-the-Herd mode. Since then I have accumulated more firearms and disposed of none. <sigh>

Well, I did give my niece a Glock 42 for Christmas.but since I bought it for that purpose, I guess that doesn't count.

I picked up a Blue Label G43 for myself just last Friday.

The thing that I have really slowed down on is the shooting of the firearms in my large Accumulation ... and it is not for lack of ammunition ... the old grab gun(s), walk over to the farm and shoot the poot out of something(s) Muse has left me.

I have no doubt that a major contributor to this state of affairs is the advent of O.L.D.

 

[1948CJ2A]

For me, I have times in the past where I've been very obsessive about my next acquisition. Conversely I've gone into lulls where other things have taken priority. I too have little time to shoot these days, which I really need to make a better effort towards; however, I have too many hobbies and a very understanding wife.

I think my MO is about collecting and hunting rather than shooting or any kind of real practical approach.

 

[Alte Schule]

I retied a couple months ago and after much thought and discussion with my wife of 45 years (she's an enabler) I came to the conclusion that I probably won't change. I really don't need anther firearm but I have fondness for older SW's and Colts so I will probably always have an eye out or an ear open for one. The same with NIB firearms. I like the Ruger LCRx series of pistols, have the 3" .38 Sp, and have fondled the new .22 WMR at my local LGS. I also like the new model SP 101 in .327 Fed Magnum. I could see me acquiring one or both within the next year or two. I also have a C&R license that requires my attention every now and then. There is something about buying a C&R eligible firearm on line and having it delivered to your door that I like. Unfortunately for my wallet there's always some new firearm coming down the pipe that makes me so I'll never say never.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I should be well beyond that point but I'm not.

 

[BSA1]

I view a firearm as a package, not a individual item especially since I am coming to adopt a prepper mindset.

For example with a semi-automatic affordable extra magazines are an important part of my buying decision. Magazines are the weakest yet most important component. A damaged, worn out or lost magazine turns your gun at best into a single shot and at worst it isn't even a good fishing weight. I like lots of extra magazines but I will admit I have been lacking on a few guns.

The next important item is availability of ammunition. As I reload factory ammunition isn't that important as long as I can get bullets and brass. It fact some of my guns have never had a factory round fired through them. However I like to keep some factory ammunition on hand, especially high performance self-defense and hunting rounds.

Then comes accessories such as holsters, sights, scopes, carrying cases, slings, etc, The AR-15, for example, can have pop-up sights such as Magpul, Red Dot sight and regular scope all for just one gun. A sling is a must for a hunting gun and pretty convenient even at the range when carrying two handfuls of gear. Then, of course, there must be magazines. A lot of extra magazines. I like to have at least 10 magazines for each of my serious self-defense guns. So depending on the quality of the optics along with everything else it is easy to approach or exceed the cost of the rifle.

So from time to time I back off buying guns to use my limited budget on the other stuff. This year I am focusing on stocking up on ammunition, reloading supplies (bullets, brass, primers) and accessories (Red Dot sight, slings, yada, yada) although I do plan on adding another AR (which means more magazines, ammo).

However I am far, far from being done with guns. This is an example of what I am considering to be my next package deal.

I am interested in the new Ruger 9mm Carbine. The appeal is mainly using it in combination with a handgun that uses the same magazines. However I do not own a Ruger or Glock that used the same magazines as the Carbine. I don’t like Glocks so I will need to get a Ruger SR 9mm pistol for magazine compatibility.

I have a lot of 9mm ammunition but two more guns means I need more. And don’t forget magazines. At least 10. Oh. A holster for the pistol, sling for the carbine, maybe another Red Dot sight…well you get the picture.

As for the guns I no longer shoot we just came out of the Great Banic and, one of these days, the Liberals will be back in power in Washington and they will be targeting gun ownership. So depending how successful they are in banning firearms some of those guns in the back of the safe will become useful again.

 

[cp1969]

I had more fun with guns when I had very few.

There was no choice to make as to which .22 rifle I was going to use because I only had one.

I didn't realize it then, but less really was more.

 

[lightman]

I think there are a few reasons for this. As one ages things can change. You acquire things that you want so your list can get shorter. Your taste changes and things that were once important are not as important. I've seen this with things other than guns.

 

[shoobe01]

I view a firearm as a package, not a individual item...

That's where I've gotten. Call it maturity or something, but I spend as much now a year as I did 10 years ago when I was buying a whole firearm every other month. Now it's better optics, more mags, better bags, a new mount to change how my white light is position, a good laser rangefinder, etc. etc.

I also give away to friends or sell guns I don't use or which are broken or bad and I don't really want to deal with. Not a lot, but just enough to keep focus on the good stuff.

Just this week I took the proceeds from a sale, and added a few bucks, ordering over $1000 in chassis, stock, mounts, and other accessories, to change out how my precision rifle is set up. 99% of my friends DNGAF I did that, because Not A Gun. But it's thrilling to me as it is effectively a new gun, and will require all that amusing work to get it dialed in, and get used to shooting it right.

 

[Hokkmike]

With age, trial and error, success and disappointment, comes a sifting and refinement of taste. Gone are caliber wars, uncertainty of which gun for what purpose, brand confusion, etc. Experience is a great teacher. Also, it is partly a function of maturity and understanding the value of money. Nothing wrong with buying, selling, trading, and the thrill of acquiring but over time we older folk settle on what works and what we really need or want.

 

[RedlegRick]

I hit that point years ago. Right now I have a very small collection that addresses all my needs. I look at it this way: if I had to boogie out of here with just what I could carry on my back, which ones do I leave behind? Hate to say it, but I'm at a point where that sometimes is a real concern for me

I still look at my collection and think of how much less I could go and still meet my needs while still ensuring I have enough to get by.

 

[hso]

Thinning mine out to the ones that I really want to shoot instead of the scores I wanted for other reasons.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

I have always enjoyed shooting, but as the years have gone by, I have come to enjoy the hunt for the next gun. I think this is due to the amount of guns I have already acquired. It makes finding something I want harder, and the hunt more fun.
I just picked up a new gun on Monday, two days ago, and I’m already thinking about what I want next.

 

[joed]

Priorities do shift and from time to time I don't even find myself thinking of guns. But I'm also at a point where there isn't any gun I want anymore, I've got all I ever wanted.

What I need now is to shoot what I have and enjoy them.

 

[Picher]

At 74 years old, I'd like to think I'm about done buying guns, but happened to buy three last year, a used shotgun, new 9mm semi-auto, and a new .223 bolt-action at nearly half-price that I couldn't pass up.

Until last year, I'd been giving away several guns to relatives and friends. Last fall, I gave a nice 20 gauge, Rem 11-87 Special Field to a grandson and have given his father two guns in the past, which he still has. Also, gave a .22 semi-auto handgun to a good friend who found a great used shotgun for me.

I'm pretty much done buying guns now.

 

[Charliefrank]

Yes, I went through about a 10 year limbo. Thank god I got over it

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

As I read over these comments I recall a Spanish word (phrase..?) that Hemingway used.
"La Penultima", The next one until the last one...
In his case, he was referring to a drink, but it would seem to be appropriate for buying guns as well.

 

[Speedo66]

Retired and doing OK financially. I've got every base covered as far as wants and needs. Takes an incredible price or opportunity to get me to buy another gun at this point.

I don't have a large collection, on the other hand there's nothing I want to get rid of. I think the term is stasis, "a period or state of inactivity or equilibrium."