Reading the thread asking how many rifles you own.... I wondered what drives your collection choices.

I tend to collect one in every action type partially for teaching youth firearms safety.

So what trips your trigger?

Good question- looking at the menagerie in my safe, my answer would have to be "Impulse Buys". I once tried to stick to a genre...Winchester Model 94's. But then I got bored and bought a Sig P938.

Less is more, more or less.....

Money or a lack there of typically.

Being left handed has limited mine. Changing interests or a better term would be wanting to explore new territory drove it in the past - some new caliber I'd never loaded for, or some company finally producing LH rifles that never did before.

These days I look for rifles with a front sight, the ability to mount a peep sight and a longish barrel to get the front sight out far enough for me to focus on, 24" or so preferably.

Kleinguenthers, L-61 Sakos, pre 64 model 70's.

I am a rifle loony. Sometimes I wished I could make sense of why I do what I do.

Grass is always greener and I keep thinking there's gonna be a hunting rifle closer to perfect than what's in the safe. Way cheaper and easier to upgrade rifles than wives.

Odd caliber, classic caliber, and nice wood.

Hunting with and shooting classic cartridges for the most part......

i was nuts about old remington pumps for many years and collected them almost exclusively until i had satisfied the urge and the price went too high. then i went into limited edition marlins until they went through the roof. switched over to s&w revolvers but ran out of money there too. i am considering turning over some of my old rifles and getting into 1911's.

Lust.

Apparently redundancy..I have a number of rifles chambered the same.....

I enjoy firearms.. For years I tried to limit my number to about 15 rifles, pistols & shotguns.. No more.. If I like it, it comes home..

Quality guns for very low price.

Varieties of rifles are like varieties of women- the spice of life. To me, only having one rifle would've been as boring as being with one woman. 'Tain't happening.

Practicality and ready ammo availability.

.22lr
.30-30
.30-06
.357 mag
12-gauge

Specific usage.



A whitetail rifle...
(or two...)

Mule deer.

Pronghorn.

Coyote.

Feral dog.

Beer can.

Truck guns.

House gun.

In theory buffalo, wolf and elk rifles...


My wife understands that each species requires a different gun.

Great system there Sam, now if you add spares, it will be close to being complete.. Plus pistols and more shotguns..

It's usually an M98 action and lack of self-control.

Wild hair.

I turned in my looney card. Well, didn't really have the card, they turned down my application. Been on a minimalist kick and guns were one of the first things to get sorted. 80% return on 20% effort kinda thing.

+1

Also, I like a project, picking up a rough old Bubba'd Mauser and making something nice...

What drives me is usually a specific need. For instance, I was hunting on a private ranch. The owner required guns be 100% unloaded in our vehicles. So I bought a Winchester model 88 in 308 Winchester. Because it has a clip that I keep one in each my pockets.

Another reason is a great deal. I saw a Remington 700 ADL, but it was covered in rust. At that time a new one cost $486. This one was selling for $150. I bought it because I was going to have it re-barreled to a caliber that I wanted. I took it to a gunsmith to have it checked out. As it turned out it wasn't rust, it was nicotine! The gun had never been fired. So I had him cleaned it up, Glass bed the action, free float the barrel and jewel the bolt. So I ended up with a brand-new 270 Winchester For one third the price of a new one.

Money and Schizophrenia.. I will look at one rifle/shotgun or handgun for weeks then walk out with something different.. But still happy and never buyers remorse... Sold one that hurt..

Projects hanging fire and hanging out the butt comprise a percentage of my collection. I can't turn down an orphan single shot project (currently a .25-20 German kiplauf that shoots sweetly but needs TLC; a Stevens 414 Armory .22RF; small Martini custom; and a Ballard .22RF that is begging for a new stock and furniture) Then there's the Krag sporter that keeps getting shoved aside, and the half-stock Ohio rifle .32 muzzleloader, plus another Savage 1899 takedown...

While my collection is comprised of a lot of varied guns, with no real rhyme or reason other than "oh man, I always wanted one of those", the real thrust I guess is with guns that I was/am able to resurrect from oblivion. They don't usually appear in any order. The only things I avoid are anything with the word "magnum" in their title, or more powerful than an '06- I simply have zero use for stuff like that and I doubt I ever will at this point.

Ones I wanted as a kid but couldn't afford.

Hunting; mostly Model 70's and lately Kimbers.

Collecting; Mauser 98's and lever guns.

Mausers - I have .243, 6.5x55, 7x61 S&H, .308 Norma and .35 Whelen.

Levers; Marlin 39 Mountie, Savage 1899 [1917] .250-3000 TD, Model 88 .308Win, 1885 Browning .45-70 and an SS Rossi 92 in .357.

Several things...like Dancing Bear, I own a Win 88 in a 308 because I always wanted one as a teenager and could not afford one. I have a Hawkeye in 264 Win Mag because that caliber always intrigued me as a child. I have a Win 100 in 284 Win because I always thought the it was a cool caliber, and still do. I have a tang safety Ruger 77 in 257 Roberts because I like the tang safeties AND the Roberts. I have an old 77 Flat Bolt in 243 I got simply because it was a flat bolt, it wouldn't have mattered what caliber it was in.

Most of the rest of my rifles were either inherited or I bought simply because I wanted to hunt with it. Right now, I would buy something in an oddball caliber or an old tang safety Ruger in a number of different calibers. Yesterday, I found a Rem 760 in a 6mm Rem. I would have probably gotten it because of the caliber, but it was in a newer model 760. If it had been the old style stock I would most likely have gotten it depending on condition. So...it all depends on what strikes my fancy at the time.

Laffin.....what collection?

My latest purchase a Kimber 84M in 257 Roberts. AAA French Walmut.

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Practicality.

Quality at a bargain price seems to drive my collecting. I have never been able to feel good about a gun purchase, even if I had been looking for it for a long time, unless I got a bargain on it. There are so many quality made rifles, pistols and shotguns on the market that I never could see buying cheaply made guns even at a low price.

Sometimes I didn't know I needed one till I saw it.

Original poster again...


I have come to grips with my shotguns that I treat them like golf clubs and you can have a full bag of them with specific purpose.

Struggling with that on the handguns and deer rifles. For some reason I can be happy with one predator gun, but have 7 deer rifles.

I'll admit a lot of this came with inheriting several guns from my dad and a recent shift to lever guns.

Surprised no one has mentioned family sentimental guns. A few "wanted one as a kid", but not many "same as dads".

Not sure I have a "collection"...lol. A couple of things have moved me thru the years. I grew up in a family deer camp and as the elders passed I got interested in aquiring their firearms. These were all working, practical for them pieces and in a couple cases hand me downs. Owning a few of them provide special memories that I can refresh by taking them shooting and hunting or even just handling and cleaning.

The other thing is things odd and obsolete. Lots of good rounds have come and went, never to catch on. For the last 10 yrs I have been on a .350 & 6.5 Remington Mag kick. Pretty sure a person could hunt North America over many times and never need any thing else....but they will stay obsolete.

The other are all the Mauser cartridges....worked my way thru them years ago and a few remain....I probably took more game with a 7X57 than any other single cartridge.

Luckily Pistols and Shotguns have remained tools....lol.

Good Thread!

Sentimental ones can be a pain of sorts. My brother and I agreed that if one of us goes, the other should do as he pleases with no regard to sentiment.

They're just phuqqing guns...

When I was young and almost always broke, it was practicality and a good deal. Thought I had things covered with a Remington bolt 22, a H&R 22 revolver, a Savage 110 in 308, a Ruger Blackhawk 357, and a Navy Arms 45-70 that I traded for some tools I didn't need any more.

A little older, but still on a pretty strict budget I began to collect MilSurp guns. Carcanos, Nagants, Yugo mausers, K31s, French MAS, SKSs, and others were bought for $15 to $150. As my interests changed I've sold most of those.

Thompson Contenders are a little too easy to collect without even trying. I'm down to two frames, three carbine barrels, and five or six pistol barrels.

What floats my boat the last 15 years or so has been lever action rifles. Started out when a friend said she wanted to sell her grandfather's "old shotgun", and would I be interested? It turned out to be a Winchester Model 1895 in 30 Gov't 06. I made her a fair offer and the madness started. Next was a Marlin 336 30-30 which I had always wanted. Before long I also had Marlins in 35 Rem, 444 Marlin, 44 Mag, a 39 A, and Levermatics in 22, 22 Mag, 256 Win Mag, and 30 Carbine. Along the way I also decided that Savage 99s were cool and have four of them in the safe too.

My wife, while understanding my love of guns, has instituted a policy that when I bring something new home, something else must be sold. I mostly adhere to this recent rule. My strategy now is to "upgrade". A ratty Winchester 94 is sold to help finance a pristine Savage 99 takedown. Somehow a Mossberg 22 was turned into another 99 in 22-250.

Mike

I'm lucky, my wife doesn't care,any overtime I make I spend on what I want. I do give her half, that helps her frame of mind. I want a 6.5 Creed upper for my Rock River 308. The 308 will shoot 3/4 groups. That be an outstanding pig gun in 6.5!!

Origional poster again....

I'm adding a twist.

Are there guns you buy or keep because they were private sales and don't "have papers" behind them?

I like quality guns of all kinds. I don't much care for the guns most buy for cheap "truck" guns. I don't much care for most Savages,Mossbergs,Marlins,or Rugers. There are a few quality exceptions but I'm talking about the current bargain offerings of those brands.I don't really care for the cheapest model of anything.

This ^^^^^



And This ^^^^^

Forcing me to analyze why I've "gathered" what's in the safe has illuminated that there is no rational pattern to what/why I've done....

It just "is what it is".

:-)

Wifey says buying guns and hunting is very valiant and masculine, who am I to let her down?

Plus, I can't think of anything I'd rather have for a hobby, guns, shooting, reloading and hunting will be part of my SOP for as long as I can remain mobile.

Couldn't have said it better. I like good rifles and firearms in general. Can't get enough of them.

Collection?

practicality and being left handed.

I buy a gun only when I find that I have a real need for it. I'm still working on the meaning of "real need."

What drives my collection? Wife leaving almost 20 years ago. Like others there is no rhyme or reason. I get on a streak for awhile. The most obvious was single shots. Right now is 22 rimfires. Since being forced to retire cause the body just plain wore out, my attentions will be turned toward building the projects that have been sitting around forever. Most are bolt action centerfires but there is a rolling block in there

Plus, dragging all that wild healthy meat home for the table is another overall investment in health and longevity.

Never saw it as a collection, merely an accumulation of stuff I like ( or thought I liked). Real collections usually have some goal or pupose in mind. My stuff all gets used to one extent or other. If it ain't getting shot, it's going down the road.

The local "sale paper" for the Shenandoah Valley area often features "Gun Collections" for sale usually consisting of a bunch of low-end stuff, apparently with sheer numbers as the goal.

This ^^^^

This is a large part of it. I cannot call mine a collection. It's more of an accumulation of guns that interest me. Even my left handed guns are a bit unusual. My 35 Whelen and 300 H&H lefties are as close to main stream as I get. I have as many right handed rifles as left but most in odd or unusual rounds or rifles that interest me. Most recently a 1908 8x56 Mannlicher Schoenauer.

The closest I have to a collection are the three Herters Powermags, one in each of the chamberings they offered and the Ruger Bisleys, 357 Mag, 357 Max, 41 Mag, 44 Special, 44 Mag, 45 Colt and 480. Still need the 22 and 32 Bisleys.

No one ever accused me of being practical when it comes to firearms. Even my shotguns are, if not odd, a little off the beaten path.

humdinger, TEOTWAWKI!!!

Hmmm...
Kind of like a guy I know that collects multiples of SKS, Mossin Nagants, and mossberg pump shotguns....

Very little variety

What drives my "collection"? Usually an F-150... but I digress. I have 1 new-to-me 30-06 at the moment. I think it's my 6th or 7th. Un-American not to have a 30-06. But I think it's lonely so maybe I should it a brother or sister. All the other rifles in the vaults are in awe or feeling highly superior. I'm not sure which. I don't even care. If I'm happy with them I trust they are happy to have a place in my world. Besides, it's easier and cheaper to deal with multiple firearms than with multiple or rotating wives. One is plenty. Gun show? Hunt? Where? Sure, I'll go. Whoowhoooo.. road trip.

I agree......This is also My quality gun owning policy, i dont care for budget type guns...I dont have a huge collection but I feel my guns are of good quality........Hb

Hemi's?

What drives my collection? The classified ads here, and being friends with shortactionsmoker and scenarshooter....

Yep.

Without reviling the number of rifles.. What is the Caliber of the most guns in your collection ?

We have two 30-30's, four 22 LR's and two 22 magnums but I try not to duplicate any rifle chambering. I could never see the use of two rifles in the same chambering. In the case of our 30-30's my wife has hers and I always wanted a nice Winchester 64 and found one. It happened to be in 30-30. I also would have bought it if it had been 32 Special. The chambering wasn't as important as the rifle in that case.

I'm incurable when it comes to rifles. I love working up loads for new ones and trying different chamberings. I have duplicates in handguns and shotguns but all the rest of the rifles are one of.

Good deals and 280 Remingtons are my weakness

My collection is driven by what I know works flawlessly day in and day out. I've had a chit load of rifles and some that just didn't cut it due to failures of some sort. The rifles I use and collect, just work...

I'm another lefty. I'm always striving for the perfect rifle, and I've owned many that held the title for a while then were dethroned. I prefer the 700 or a custom 700 footprint action but I do have one Sako and one Wby Mk 5. I also like Marlin levers but have pared down my collection to a .35 Rem, a .41 mag and a .32 Special.

Good deals drive my collection in cartridges that pique my interest. I usually don't know what that's going to be until I find it.

I walked into the lgs the other day and they had an early Sako 7mag sitting there in very good condition for $600. Wasn't looking for a 7mag, but I love Sako's and like the chambering, so it got a ride home.

Occasionally I have a specific cartridge I'm looking for, and then the search is a little less random. I recently was looking for a Creedmoor, and I was pretty singularly minded as I searched to fill that want.

Overall, I like just looking until I find a rifle that speaks to me.

i like bolt guns that are lithe, comfortable to shoot, bark quietly, and kill schitt.

Here's one I think fits that description with a generous dollop of early 20th century cool thrown in for good measure. W.R. Pape 256 Mannlicher. While I've not killed anything with it yet, history suggests it meets the last requirement of the above description.

Good one. Had to google it.

Its the reason I want to buy my friends ruger blackhawk 357/9mm conversion revolver... could shoot most anything you scrounge up after the zombies take over.

That is a fundamental...

And Ruger #1

Reviling? I honestly don't revile any of my rifles. As for caliber, .30 predominates and I employ a fair number of cartridges/chamberings that utilize that caliber.

I'm looking to add quality within my ability to afford it.
I already have guns that perform well for the hunting I do.
I like certain actions and calibers and have some selection of those but lately I'm looking for another level of quality.