Minimum Number of Guns a Gunperson Should Have

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Something fun and cheap to plink with
Something easily carried to keep close by
Something to reach out and touch at a distance
and at least one so pretty you can't hardly bear to shoot it :)
 
Just One

Trouble is, I haven't found that "one" and until I do I'm keepin' all the others, 'cuz you never know when one of them might be "the one."

Okay, I suppose you wanted a serious answer . . .
  • A nightstand gun of some kind,
  • a "repelling boarders" home defense gun,
  • a personal open carry gun of some kind,
  • a concealed carry gun of some kind,
  • a formal dress pistol,
  • a truck (or trunk) gun of some kind (a rifle),
  • a hunting rifle (medium/large game),
  • a hunting rifle (small/medium game, varmints),
  • a hunting pistol,
  • a fowling piece,
  • a hiking gun (pistol),
  • a sporting pistol for paper targets,
  • a sporting pistol for plates,
  • a sporting rifle for targets,
  • a sporting gun for clays,
and a spare of each for everyting listed above.

Oh, alright, I guess you have to have a suitable militia-grade piece, don't you. So add to that list a military grade rifle/carbine suitable for community or national defense.

Civic duty and all that.
 
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As many as you want. Then, spares for all the ones you do or might use. Then, spares for the spares.
 
1. Bedside revolver
2. Carry gun
3. Hunting Rifle
4. Shotgun
5. .22 Rifle
6. .22 Pistol
7. Cheap surplus plinker(sks)
 
I don't think you can put a number on it. but I can tell you what I want in my collection down the road based on my research anyways.

handguns (caution: semantics ahead. I base all my statements on self-defense, as I do not hunt)...
1). full-size and magazine-fed in a defense-worthy caliber. I'd say a 4.5-5" barrel in general, depending on the ergonomics.
2). compact and magazine-fed in a defense-worthy caliber. I'd say a 4-4.5" barrel in general, depending on the ergonomics.
3). sub-compact and magazine-fed in a defense-worthy caliber. I'd say a 4.25" barrel or less in general, depending on the ergonomics.

reminder: semantics.

4). full-size revolver in a defense-worthy caliber. I'd say a 3-6" barrel in general, depending on the ergonomics.
5). compact revolver in a defense-worthy caliber. I'd say a 3-4" barrel in general, depending on the ergonomics.
6). sub-compact revolver in a defense-worthy caliber. I'd say a 3" barrel or shorter in general, depending on the ergonomics.

reminder: semantics.

7). your choice of something magazine-fed in .22LR.
8). your choice of revolver in .22LR.

reminder: semantics.

long-guns (caution: semantics ahead. I base all my statements on self-defnese, as I do not hunt)...
9). 12 gauge shotgun in defense-worthy configuration. I'd say an 18-22" barrel in general, depending on the ergonomics. should be able to be easily converted for hunting.
10). 20 gauge shotgun in defense-worthy configuration. I'd say an 18-22" barrel in general, depending on the ergonomics. should be able to be easily converted for hunting.

reminder: semantics.

11). semi-auto rifle in defense-worthy configuration. barrel length should be a compromise between defense and hunting ability.
12). lever-action rifle in defense-worthy caliber. barrel length should be a compromise between defense and hunting ability.
13). bolt-action rifle in defense-worthy caliber. barrel length should be a compromise between defense and hunting ability.

reminder: semantics.

14). any rifle of your choice in .22LR.

reminder: semantics.

I can follow up with examples of what I'd like in each category if anyone thinks it might help the thread. I didn't include them since there's such a level of semantics involved. but I can include examples of 1 or 2 firearms that I personally want in each category. THR's hunters will likely have much different opinions on long-guns and revolvers. and THR's LEO's and military folks will likely have much different opinions on long-guns as well (and handguns to a lesser extent).

- Ryan

P.S. disclaimer: I'm not currently a gun owner. still kicking back in 2A-supporter/firearms researcher mode. my training and buying is going to take place over the summer, so everything I say is based in research and minimal range/field time. for what it's worth, I did stay @ a Holiday Inn Express last night. :eek:
 
Minimum, huh? Well, I have no firearms any more (immigrant to the US) - but I will soon ;)
 
If your wife (or significant other) no longer complains or comments when you bring in another gun - just rolls her eyes when you bring in another safe - you might be a gunner.
 
Eight (8) and I arrive at that number not arbitrarily. I figure one on my person (which transfers to whatever vehicle I drive) and 1 for each room of the house. It's just my wife and myself.... guns are appropriately put away if friends, relatives, kids, etc are coming by.

This makes sense to me and, of course, the number may exceed the number of rooms as I can be lazy and might require more than 1 in any given room.

Paranoid? I prefer prepared. We've been burgled more than once and there have been 2 home invasions within a .5 radius over the past year.

It affords great peace of mind. We might add a room which, of course, would require my purchasing another gun.
 
Being a Gun"person" or "Nut" is like being a Car freak, Any body can have a car, Jay Leno is a Car Freak, but he is also a DRIVER. And just about anybody can have a gun. But what do you do with the gun, Sit in a Dark corner of your basement and rubbing the darn thing mutterng "my EEEEEEEEEEEEEEBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR' or are you a SHOOTER.

What is the Minimum and Maximums you should have is up to you.
My question is; What kind of training and practice do you have with said gun.

For me
small CCW
Handguns.
Practice/Plinker 22 revolver
Shooter Revolver 38 cal and above

OR

Practice/Plinker 22 auto
Shooter Auto

Rifles.
Practice 22 similar to your hunting/target gun
Good accurate Bolt to cleanly kill what you hunt.

Shotgun.
A good Pump in Whatever Gauge you like.

For me I would like to settle into 6.
22 auto
357 K frame
22 lever
357 Lever
7mm-08 bolt
20 Gauge Single shot.






Most of my shooting is a Colt woodsman and a Semi-Custom S&W 65
 
The correct answer is one.

Claiming anything more scares away would-be newcomers. I should know because I'm a newbie who owns one shotgun. I'm a gun person whether you like it or not. Until recently, I was pro-gun control. After doing a little research a few months ago, I saw the light. I'll probably convert a few of my friends who think I'm crazy for owning a gun. They just need to go out with me to the range and hit one clay. One clay is all it will take.

Becoming an expert on every firearm you own is more important than what your repertoire is. As a newbie, I thoroughly know how to disassemble and reassemble my Wingmaster. I understand most gun vocabulary, including choke sizes, gauges, gun parts and safety guidelines. I am confident I can protect myself and family members should we be attacked.

Yep, one gun is the minimum, and one gun is way more than zero guns.
 
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Again, I'll go back to the thread topic.

Minimum # of Guns a Gunperson should have.

The US was built by the Rifleman, has been maintained by the Rifleman and our freedom preserved by the Rifleman.

The MINIMUM should be One Rack Grade Rifle (IMHO of course).

We can all find justification for lots more but I think I could argue that push come to shove the Minimum I would want is One Rack Grade Rifle (and a pile of ammo ;) )
 
Minimum by force:

.444 Timber Carbine
.44 Mag Black Hawk
12 Ga 870 or equivalent

Minimum by choice:

A different one for each day of the week, every week for a year. Guess that would be 356.

I am still a couple of hundred short of my minimum choice.
 
I agree that the minimum number required is one, especially if someone only has one due to financial reasons. Anyhow, every gunner had to start somewhere, and that was with the 1st one.

Of course now I need my 1st Glock 19, my 1st Springfield operator, my 1st CMP Garand.... etc. etc.

And to our clay shooting new friend from above, jakemccoy... welcome to the shooting world. Thanks for doing your own research and not being a media slave.
 
One, with a thousand rounds through it. Doesn't matter much which kind. I suppose 2 guns with 500 rounds each through them probably also counts. A thousand guns with 1 round through each? Uh, no.
 
I think you can cover most situations with six guns:

* .22LR rifle or carbine
12-gauge pump-action or semi-auto shotgun
.30 caliber rifle (pick your flavor)
.22 handgun
subcompact pistol or snubby revolver (i.e. .380ACP, .38SP, 9mm)
compact to full-frame pistol or revolver (i.e. 9mm, .40 S&W, .45ACP)
Click to expand...
+1. Ideally, but finances can get in the way, so any you can afford otherwise. Also depends on where you live, as in some places you may want a varmint rifle in between the 30 and the 22, and your size, as not everyone can or wants to handle a 12 gauge, some may prefer a 20 gauge.
 
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