Well my 65 year long gun buying career/hobby is coming to an end.
I decided last year that come December 31st 2,021 I would stop buying Rifles and pistols.
It is going to be difficult.
But I am determined.
I have been buying guns since I was 9 years old (1956) and my father encouraged me and my two brothers to save our allowances and pop-bottle money and he would take the money and buy us a 22 Rifle.
I will never forget the day dad took us boys to Seattles Skid Road and used our pooled monies to buy us a nifty used Remington 511-A bolt action clip fed 22 Rifle from Kauffmans Pawn Shop.
We brothers were in heaven with our new treasure.
Soon I started saving my monies for "my own" Rifle that I would not have to share with my older and younger brothers.
Been buying/selling/trading guns ever since.
But all things must come to an end and in July 2,022, when I turn 75, I will begin selling off my lifelong collection.
Back on December 23rd of 2,021 I was on my way to the Bozeman, Montana airport and stopped in at my favorite Montana gunshop where they have been selling off three LARGE estate gun collections.
Decided to put on lay-a-way a couple of mint guns as I did not want to take them with me on the flight.
First gun was an as new in the box Smith & Wesson Model 17-6 with a full lug 6" barrel and all target options on this 6 shot revolver. The pistol even had all the paperwork and the un-opened screwdriver and cleaning accessories envelope. This pistol is so cool and feels so good in my hands I just could no longer resist buying it. And the unusual (rare) full lug barrel and finger groove "Target Grips" should make it easy to re-sell come July.
The other gun I put on layaway reminded me so much of that first Remington Model 511-A that I started with.
It is a minty Belgium Browning 22 T-Bolt with checkered stock and a matching gloss finish Leupold 4 power compact rimfire scope.
I can't wait to shoot this one.
On my drive back home Friday I mused about the difference in prices of the humble Remington 511-A and the classy and first rate beautiful Browning T-Bolt.
The Browning T-Bolt cost right at 50 (fifty!) times as much!
$15.00 versus $750.00!
Anyway the 75 mile ride home with my "last Rifle" and my "last pistol" was mixed with sadness and nostalgic memories of all the fun I've had, all the friends I've made, all the cool guns I've owned and all the nifty places I have traveled to collecting guns.
Not even all the wild creatures I saw on my trip (including Moose, Elk, Mule Deer, Antelope, Turkey, Whitetailed Deer, Eagles, Canada Geese and Pheasants galore) to and from the gunshop, could cheer me completely up.
I feel a bit better today.
Long live The Second Amendment.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

No more guns, Yeah right.

What's your next story, ya gonna say you've figured out women?

Everyone has to live their own way but why put a deadline on it? Buy when you want, as long as you want and sell the same way.

I think the relapse rate for rifle loony addiction is right at 100%. Good luck VG.

I hate to hear you feel the need to hang it up. At least you were blessed to have grown up in a country where you could pursue such a hobby and at a time period in history when there were gun shops everywhere and gun-trading was at it’s peak.
You’ve had a good run and I wish you many more years.
Sure would like to have a look at your collection. I’m sure there are several I would love to have as our taste are very similar.

Sounds right.

I gotta admit - I'm pretty much in the same boat.. At 73, I have enough... Those that I have are my own IRA, so to speak.. So when it's time to sell this place and move on I'll have to make some serious decisions on what - if any - to keep... Gonna be a sad day for me..

I hear you varmintguy, at my age it's time to sell but a few guns, just have to find the best place for it

Cold turkey quit??? I thought it was a 12 step process

VG - very nice post. Memories are priceless. Hope that the sales go well and you find great pleasure in allowing others to enjoy what you have acquired over the years.

IGood luck VG! I've often wondered when I should start selling them off because I don't want my wife to have to deal with it. But as long as I'm still able to use them at the range or in the field, I'm going to keep them. I guess when I quit hunting and shooting I'll save a couple for bad guys and sell the rest.

Check your pants….they’re smoking 😁

I would agree with that!

You had a good run!

VG,

That's a very good feeling.

"But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

Anything above necessities is just icing on the cake.

HC

At 80, I haven't quit buying, but try to sell more than I buy so the accumulation gets smaller. And I'm much pickier about what I buy now.

Bruce

VG I've very much enjoyed the dealings that we have and feel blessed to have met You a few times.

I'm at that stage , too. But I ain't makin' any resolutions or promises.
VarmintGuy, get back to us in 365 days and let us know how it went.

I have no high collectible guns, but do have a few in the desirable category. I always wonder who took what where. The closest I know anything of is a 99 a widow thought better of destroying and consigned instead.

Depending on who gets a gun, maybe they would appreciate a tag: "used in 1987 in Wyoming to take an antelope" or such. A 336 I have would say "left under a bed since 1971"

I fear I am still suffering sentiment and nostalgia today.

A little early for April Fool's Day isn't it?

G23

i have been saying the same thing, but have you looked at the new springfield hi power? one more wouldn't hurt

I've been looking for a Winchester 94/22 magnum.

If you have one and sell it to me then I too shall quit buying any more guns.

15 more years at least

I agree...

I also stopped buying guns...

7 pistols and 22 rifles ago...

He didn't say no more guns. He said no more pistols and rifles!

lol

There’s always barber college.

VarmintGuy, I’ll tell you how to get over that affliction you seem to have developed. When the realization sets in we cannot climb the mountains and chase the mountain game, thoughts turn to selling out. Take up sporting clays. You can shoot as much as you have ammo for. As far as shotguns go, there is always something that you think you need. Your rifle/pistol collection would probably set you up with a really nice shotgun or five. You will meet a whole new group of shooter/ hunters in your age group.

I know what my history has been. Lol.

Not bothering with no resolution on it this year.

New Years resolutions were made to be broken.

VG, I’m not at your age, but I know where your coming from. No more for me either. I no longer hunt but I enjoy shooting/sighting in rifles. If there was one gun that has my interest it’s Springfields SA-35. Sadly, I’ll never own it. I’m to busy upgrading or improving on the guns and scopes I have.

I hope these feelings change, but right now, I’m satisfied with my little collection.

Lol, you sneaky turd! You left shotguns on the table. Enjoy!

At least you allowed plenty of time to fall off the wagon!

81 and still buying, although I have sold a few lately also. Never give up. Never.

I try hard, but a guy always needs One more

JKTrapper73: Thanks for the well wishes - but my collection is so extensive I just can NOT take a chance on leaving it for the VarmintWife to "deal with".
Indeed its been a great run and I will have more fun making sure my favorites and my utilitarian guns get to good homes.
It's time.
And for others who have made this point, I already have suffered "relapses" in the past couple of years.
Long live the Second Amendment!
Thanks again.
Hold into the wind
VamintGuy

I’ll be 75 in June and wanted to finance my sixth (and final) Safari to Namibia. So far I’ve sold two Super Match M1A’s, a cherry Savage 99F in .300 Savage, and a NIB Ruger Red Label shotgun in 20 gauge. I also gifted several nice rifles to my grandson via his dad (my younger son). For the first time in several decades I have room in my sixteen gun Treadlock gun safe.

I'm only 55 and I made the decision to begin selling this year. It's really not much fun being the curator of a museum no one comes to.

When Im 75 im gonna due what ever the heck I feel like doing. If I get the notion to buy a gun I will. Sell I will. Im not going to do anything I find hard to do that doesnt effect my health. Im not putting any restraints on my pleasures or passions after a life of balancing responsibilities and desires , work and play. Heck with that. But everyone has their own road they are on.

I started the same process a few years ago by buying less, trying to sell more but using smaller chamberings overall. No big magnums here anymore.

Ultimately, I'd like to get it down to 4 or 5 big game rifles, maybe less. I don't own a lot of other gun types so no issue there.

Boarmaster: Maybe I should have been more specific in my reasoning.
"I" just can not burden the VarmintWife (should I pass on or become incapacitated!) with trying to dispose of several hundred pistols and Rifles (and 6 shotguns - 12344Mag!)!
It would just be a misery fest for her when I am sure she would have more use of the monies and profits from my selling the guns prior to my demise.
I have already given and dedicated some specific guns to relatives (you can specify this in a will by the way - according to our lawyers) and friends.
And of course I will keep a few guns to the bitter end for Hunting (Varmint and Big Game), plinking with the VarmintGrandChildren, home defense and self defense purposes.

SuperCub: I am following your lead then - by the way did/do you experience any remorse/withdrawals - I mean I have been "attached" to many of my firearms for well over half a century now!

Fireball2: Thank you for that input - two of the four VarmintChildren are enthusiastic Varmint Hunters and on rare occasions Big Game Hunters - 3 of the 4 own their own guns and some I helped them with.
But indeed the younger generations seem to appreciate other things in life more than firearms and the outdoors.
I also have been selling off, already, a small hoard of quality Rifle scopes I have accumulated - I have sold about 20 already and have 12 or 14 left to sell.
Let alone my knife hoard - probably have 60 or 70 of them to move.
It's been a blast!

Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I never did keep a lot of guns around and not many did I get overly attached to preferring to keep only those that I used on a regular basis.

I really only have 3 or 4 that I would never sell for personal reasons or guns that where in my family. Having younger grandsons that might become interested in shooting is another factor on which stays and which goes.

One of my projects for the New Year is to go through all my stuff and sell off anything I no longer use. Sold 2 scopes yesterday and another today. Bullets, stocks, loading kit, gun parts, etc etc. It's all going this winter.

I understand I myself have taken some to auction, given to friends, and of course kids and grandkids. Still have a bunch that will have to go but wait a min. I'm still hunting. LOL

Bought my 1st gun of the year today, it was in layAway, and finished last year the second to last day., But that only made 6 that I bought in all of 2021. Getting rid of stuff now, no one to leave it to anyway. Be 64 next September, had a health scare last summer. There's a few I'm still going to try to buy, but just guns to shoot or hunt with. I have enjoyed your tales of finding rare guns and will miss that.

I’m 71 and in the same boat. Have sold off most within the last year. I’m down to two CF hunting rifles, two shotguns, a .22, a springer air rifle and three handguns. As long as I don’t wake up dead tomorrow, that will do it for now.

Yup. This right here.

VG..are you going to post any of them here? Would definitely be interested in some of your rimfires

I've heard similar. It will start slowly - you'll find a magazine or set of dies you don't have a rifle for, or a casual glance at a handgun display will cause the one mismarked price on a classic to leap into view. Just reading the previous sentence will set off a yearning. In time, you'll find yourself naked in a puddle of whiskey-soaked credit card receipts and gun boxes. You'll come to the realization that...life is good.

Don’t mean to be unsympathetic BUT
Put me at #1 on your list for that Browning T-Bolt.
I am 20 years behind you.

Dude, this is bullschidt. Your gun buying exploits are a big part of the joy I get from this forum. Maybe you can drive around finding good deals then tell us about them. Live through us vicariously by enabling.

I find conversations with guys like you interesting. How you've managed to accumulate so many, and the stories that go with them.

I have more than I need, one less than I want. But only one that slipped by I truly regret. It was a pretty 64 model 70 in .257 Roberts. Since that one, I've tried to keep a stash just in case I come across another.

Hear, Hear!

If you start to get varmintgrumpy, we'll know the cure.

Hate to hear it, but we all have to deal with our own responsibilities and situations. I really enjoy looking at the collections of guys like yourself and hearing the stories of the favorite guns. My collection is nowhere near the hundreds mark, but I find myself fondling my favorites and thinking about the hunts I've been on with them. I'm sure it'll be tough to let them go.

I'm downsizing to my .308 and 9mm guns only. Sick of looking for 6 different types of ammo. I'll just stockpile two calibers.

If you want a big gun collection, go to every gun show and buy the cheapest gun at every show.

Once you have broken the ice, buy some more guns at the show. Stop at the pawn shops on the way home.

When you get the guns home, don't let the wife or neighbors see. Put them in the garage.

Take them partially apart and rub oil on them with a toothbrush.

This is the first step of bonding with your new[used] guns.

Well now that you quantified the number it makes good sense. I thought maybe you were just creating some sort of imaginary stop date. I wont be laying a burden on anyone after I pass. At least not on purpose.

Last one for the year, anyhow...

Once you.sell them all there's no reason you.can't start over....

At 65yrs now,I'm starting to think do I really need more? I have everything I want right now and I have to begin to think I have rifles I like that I may never hunt with because some I just really like better.Do I want to sell any?Not at the moment,but someday I may.I've determined the only way to quit buying is to just admire what I have and quit looking.It's hard to do,but then there is always a rifle that will pop up and I tell myself dang that a good deal and here we go again.

Figure in multiple relapses?

400%+

Yeah, I've decided to have a minimum of 24...er 26...or maybe just 30 gun minimum.

No way am I gonna have more than 50...at one time!

SheriffJoe: Its been 6 (six!) full days now with NO new guns and NO gun shopping - I am dealing with body shakes and mental remorse.
Don't know if I will be able to "hold out" going "Cold Turkey"?
Sheesh....
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

He about to cave, better warm up the Dodge truck, VarmintDuffer about to hit the road! LOL

when you know you have the sickness, is when you have something like 15 of the same type of gun, like garands or carbines or 1911's