Hokkmike
Member
I have learned a lot about shooting and buying guns over the years. Mostly my mistakes have taught me some basic "rules" that I try to follow in acquiring and keeping my collection.
Here are 3 of my rules or guidelines.
#1. Always buy the best you can afford. Don't be satisfied with something less only through impatience or a lack of willingness to wait and save the money. Generally, you get what you pay for. For example, if you want a Colt, save up for it and don't buy a clone. In the end, you will end up getting what you want anyway.
#2. Guns can be beautiful but they are not, strictly speaking, art. If I am going to buy a gun it will be used for something. I don't buy a gun because it is availble or cheap or anything else unless I also think I will find some use for it. Exceptions might be gifts and/or family heirlooms. If you are buyng guns as a collector then I suppose this rule would not apply.
#3. I try not to duplicate. If I have a great deer rifle I don't need two. However, I may have a larger big game or smaller caliber "varmint" rifle that could double as a deer rifle. This would allow you latitude to shoot with something different or possibly "lend" a gun to a friend for a hunt. But I wouldn't purchase a .260 and a 7mm.08 in the same type of bolt action rifle. A matching or sequential pair of firearms might be an exception.
So, what gun buying rules can you add - even if they disagree with mine?
Here are 3 of my rules or guidelines.
#1. Always buy the best you can afford. Don't be satisfied with something less only through impatience or a lack of willingness to wait and save the money. Generally, you get what you pay for. For example, if you want a Colt, save up for it and don't buy a clone. In the end, you will end up getting what you want anyway.
#2. Guns can be beautiful but they are not, strictly speaking, art. If I am going to buy a gun it will be used for something. I don't buy a gun because it is availble or cheap or anything else unless I also think I will find some use for it. Exceptions might be gifts and/or family heirlooms. If you are buyng guns as a collector then I suppose this rule would not apply.
#3. I try not to duplicate. If I have a great deer rifle I don't need two. However, I may have a larger big game or smaller caliber "varmint" rifle that could double as a deer rifle. This would allow you latitude to shoot with something different or possibly "lend" a gun to a friend for a hunt. But I wouldn't purchase a .260 and a 7mm.08 in the same type of bolt action rifle. A matching or sequential pair of firearms might be an exception.
So, what gun buying rules can you add - even if they disagree with mine?