Streamlining Your Firearms "Collection"

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Trunk Monkey

Trunk Monkey

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When I first started buying guns I bounced around a lot and bought a lot of different types of handguns in a lot of different calibers.

After a while I realized that it cost a lot of money to stock on different calibers of ammunition and different types of magazines and accessories and I decided that I needed to downsize my "collection" and concentrate on commonality.

So after a year of looking around and doing research and selling off guns I'm down to 2 M&Ps and my wife has an LC9 so at least we're only stocking one caliber of ammunition which is easier and cheaper to buy in bulk. I also kept my 4006 because I really like that gun but buying ammunition for it is low on the list of priorities.

I have 6 magazines each for the M&Ps, we're working on getting 6 magazines for the LC9 and going forward I'm going to invest in some X grips and( finances permitting) only buy FS magazines for the M&Ps and of course Ruger magazines for my wife. Not that we plan to have some huge number of magazines, IMO 12 per gun would be enough to last long past the end of our lifetime.

So, am I the only one that thinks this way or are others of you working on streamlining their firearms collection?
 
I've gone through a couple of bouts with streamlining. I regret almost everything I sold. My last paring was getting rid of stuff that was more toy than pragmatic, including an 6" Anaconda and a '92 in .45 LC. :(
 
my CC guns are a pair of .380acp's. My sidearm and hunting handgun uses both .45acp and .45C that's all the cartridges I buy. I guess I'm streamlined, don't like buying mags so I only own 3 per gun, wasting money on gadgets or holsters? nope too cheap.
 
I once thought about culling the herd, but my daughter and son (mostly my son) looked at me like I was crazy. I might have been.

Any RIF (Reduction In Firearms) is now just passing them down. I still have access to them if I ever need any and I get to see my kids, and grand kids, enjoy them.
 
I streamlined last year.

I'm down to 4 long guns and a dozen handguns.

But -- except for the Colts I am saving for the kids -- I use all of them more regularly. Which is a good thing, I think.
 
I think this is a good strategy.

Couple of years ago I found myself with far too many handgun calibers. So I decided to get rid of everything except the 9mm and .38 specials and two .22 target pistols in case I ever want to do that again.

Ditched the 9x18 maks, the .32 acps, the .32 longs, my .45s, .44 special, and .357.

On consideration, I added a S&W model 19 in .357 (and .38) as my bedside gun (big bang, big bullet, and a big hole in something if it gets shot) and a .32 acp FEG PP clone (as I had a bunch of leftover ammo, it was dirt cheap, my gunsmith said he could do a trigger job on it that would make it a dream to fire, and it's just too cool looking a gun to get rid of.)

In terms of milsurps, I early-on tried to limit calibers there as well. I wasn't quite as successful as I still have .303 British, 8mm Mauser, and 7.5 Swiss. Plus a spam can of 7 x 54r for two Finn Mosins.

I'm thinking the .22's will soon go and maybe the Mausers as I struggle with the sights and aging eyes.

I hate parting with any of them...but common sense says get rid of the ones I'm not shooting. Anyone want some Mausers?
 
I streamlined to 45ACP a few years ago - and then to Sig P220 variants. Sold off a bunch now and kept a non-railed Carry, Compact SAO and P245. ( also have a SW 625-3)
 
I didn't reduce the overall number but I harmonized on one make and model of semiauto handgun.
 
i have slimmed down on calibers , but do have multiples of each caliber i have
settled on
 
I’ve thought about it, but I’ve only been able to identify 4 guns I would be willing to part with and I’m so far underwater un them, I can’t bring myself to eat the loss.
 
I mostly buy handguns in one of four calibers. .45ACP, 9mm, .38/.357 and .44 mag. I reload for every gun I own, so there isn't really an issue with ammo availability.

Also, having only one type of gun or caliber is really boring.
 
I did much as the OP and have owned many different guns in lots of different calibers over the years. As he did, I've streamlined and simplified my collection too as I've found the guns and calibers that best fit my needs. I vastly simplified my ammo needs to .22LR, .38/.357, .45LC/.454, 9mm, .223/5.56 and 12 gauge. I have multiple guns for each, as well as one lone .475 Linebaugh. I've also found I tend to like guns that are most readily "carryable" and I very much like long guns that are compact or takedown capable.

I find this streamlining/simplification makes range trips easier, more organized and more enjoyable and find myself shooting more often as a result. The guns I have are almost all used regularly and for me it's worked very well.
 
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I went from 39 rifles to 31 and will go down a few more. Going more for quality than quantity. Example: after the recent unsafe act and my desire to shoot F-Class I sold an L1A1 (century arms) and an M14 (one of those late 80's builds). Used the funds to buy a 700 Milspec, Xray Chassic, mags, DNZ mount, and Vortex Viper Scope. So yeah I went down by 1 rife, but the quality of the herd went up.

I sold my two Arisaka's (6.5 and 7.7) and a butchered Hakim and butchered Gew98 and sent my Mini 6.8 to ASI to have the full treatment done.

At the same time I picked up a 7.5 Swiss, and a Enfield No 4, MK2 (post war model). So the numbers keep changing for the better.
 
No interest in streamlining at the present time. I enjoy the variety and diversity of my gun collection and look forward to adding different guns and calibers to it.
 
I have lost too much money in slimming down stuff from various hobbies. I'll keep what I have. Not everything makes it to the range very often, but I'm very selective now in what I buy.
 
At one point I tried to divest 9mms, a High Power and a Smith 669. Fast forward a decade or two and I came back around to nine for a sub compact. :banghead:
 
Yes....have done it a few times over. The semis are now all .380, 9mm, and .45.
The revolvers are .22, .22 mag, .44 Special and .44 Magnum. Down to one hunting rifle....270 Win. Reload for all....except the rimfires of course..
 
Yup, I've done it. I'm down to just three Glock 21's in .45acp, we all just shoot them the best.
One design, one caliber, one type of magazine, it's relieving really to not have to keep up with all that stuff.
 
Parting with a gun is 10x as much work as acquiring one.

I've sent many on their way.
Lots of work to do it right.

Everybody gets downsized eventually.
Have a plan.
Unless you're so special that you can plan to not plan.

I did get rid of one gun, and then re-bought it.
...and haven't fired it since I re-bought it. Life can be that way.
 
I streamlined a couple years ago.

Now I am diversifying again. Variety is the spice of life. And it's perfectly fine to own guns that don't have much practical purpose as long as you enjoy them. Life is short, enjoy it.

Then again some people just can't enjoy something that does not have a detailed thought out purpose. I'm not that anal. Everyone's different.
 
It all depends on what you want to do with your handguns. I have handguns in 11 different calibers. Different guns for different tbings. You can't expect a 9mm to do what a 44 mag does. If 9mm meets your needs that's good too. While I have guns in 11 calibers I usually only shoot half of those calibers on a regular basis and those are the bulk of my ammo supply.
 
After seeing empty shelves where ammo should have been available for purchase, I came to the conclusion that I am A want more choices, not less.

There was a spell here in Seattle where a guy could buy any caliber he wanted - provided it was .380ACP.

I reload for a number of calibers, and like to buy components when I can find somebody else streamlining his collection. Have made some good buys that way.

Right Now, have a second PA-63 that I would like to replace with a Tokarev pistol. Then the hunt for some bulk 7.62X25 will be on...
 
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