Finally come to the point in life where I've collected too much stuff and even rifles. At least more than ill practically ever use. I have my first which is an Remington 7mm mag left hand my parents bought me for Christmas when I was 17 and ill always keep it. Other than that I tend to actually use my left handed Ruger GSR 308, Ruger compact lefty 338RCM, 30-30 levergun, 45-70 levergun. Those really get the bulk of field use.

Looking at it I have some neat military bolt action old war rifles I like to take out and blast away with and appreciate the historical aspect of them. They truly are pieces of history with stories to tell. I also enjoy my various Sharps, Rugers, and other single shot rifles. They're great fun but see little actual hunting use if any. Im also deeply amazed by my Winchester 1895 rifle, my various 1886 and 71 model leverguns and my Savage 99. I really want to think I'm going to be found afield with my model 71 348 but it just doesn't happen even though being a left handwd fella its a perfect rifle for me. I even have multiples of them.

I guess I'm taking a realistic look at paring things down and keep fewer rifles and reducing the multiples of any particular model. I really like playing with different historical and classic rifles and love Mauser but the reality is im left handed and I have a few select left hand bolt rifles and leverguns that really suit me and the other right hand stuff I have and redundancies are of no use. Most of this stuff has appreciated a good deal since I've gotten ahold of it. Maybe its time to cash it out and put the funds to an hunting trip in a location ive always wanted to go and give a try. Maybe keep one model 71 and one 1886 and then my using stock and call it a day.

so are you going to list them, or wait for questions about details?

I'd encourage you to trip some of them and go on a hunt you have always wanted to do. At the end they are just things and when you are to old to use them you will appreciate the memory of the hunt more than owning the stuff.

+1 to what Mohawk said. If you have kids / nieces / nephews who are into guns you could gift some of them along as well. It is too easy to end up with a lot of stuff we don't ever use because it's cool and then as we age wonder what the hell to do with it.

Got kids/grand-kids/nephews/nieces you can pass the unwanted rifles down to? I'm looking forward to the day when my grandkids are old enough to receive some of my firearms.

This. I remember trips/experiences more than the things.

I think many of us can relate, been collecting for 50 years and have only sold a few.....My plan is that my hobby in retirement will be paring down my collection to a number I can realistically leave to my son (and a few to my daughter)…...

I've been culling since spring. This is a great time to do it, as many things are selling for higher prices than they would "normally."

I had the same epiphany a couple years ago.

I think it easy to get in way to deep in collecting just like every other hobby. I have had many and still buy and sell a few and there still a few I’d like to try. But know a family friend up here with over 600 old Winchester’s. He’s 78 this year and has had his body rebuilt several times. He has said several times he wishes he woulda started selling stuff off decades ago and doing some trips while he could. Now he worried about leaving all for his wife to have to deal with.

I'm doing exactly that this fall on a moose hunt and selling off some stuff this winter when things slow down.

I am in the same boat.No one to pass them on to that would enjoy them. Besides firearms, I have hunting and camping gear from the early 60's thru today. I constantly upgraded as better stuff came out .Now an entire shed is filled with it.
The other day, I looked at my ammo inventory. I would be hard pressed to shoot it al up before I die. It is all reloads so I can't sell it

I'm there myself. Two sons that I can leave them to like guns but not into it as much as I. Must consider my options.

Spot on pointer! 👍

Thinking about selling 50 or so Savage lever guns here.

Find select people who you care about and gift them, unless you absolutely need the money from sales. A gifted gun to the right person will be a treasure for a lifetime, and will hold more good memories than a single Bucket List hunt.

I dont have much and already figured theres stuff that needs to go. My dad has a fair bit and ill proly keep a half dozen of his and dump the rest.....if he has anything to pass along.

Its just stuff.

Worked my whole life. Get my back fixed and im gonna go blast critters elsewhere.

Dont need much for that.

I have too many, but not ready to cut down yet!

I decided a few years ago to start thinning out my collection. I picked several firearms that I knew my sons had expressed interest in and gave the guns to them. I wanted to see them enjoy the guns while I was still here and not in the hereafter. I've done it several times since and haven't regretted it once...I have gone to the safe to get a pistol a time or two and realized that I had given it to one of my sons and just smiled...I'm going to keep doing it. Kind of cool going into my sons house and seeing the old Remington Rolling Block leaning against his fireplace mantel.

I have been trying to thin the herd. I given a few to family and sold several. So what just happened? Sitting around home on the web, and I just added anther one. A Steyr Classic Mannlicher in 6.5X55 with a full stock. Could not resist.. Not the new one, but one several years old NIB.

Ive only got a nephew to pass things to, no kids. I dont have a vast amount but still its more than I need and it does get in the way in it takes up a bit of room.

I think I'm trending toward divesting of much of what I have and keeping select leverguns and bolt actions. Maybe pick up the Savage 99 takedown ive always wanted and do adventures and trips with the rifles left over that actually get used. No doubt concentrating efforts on going places and enjoying the moment is more precious than "things".

I want to actually do some hunting with a 348 win or my 348 ackley, and moose would be a fun trip and worthy venture. Id so like to hunt some whith an savage 99 300 sav if i could find a decent one. Maybe a moose/caribou type of trip. The rest like can literally be done in my backyard.

Came to the same conclusion several years ago. Been selling off excess guns and loading components since. I sell some then take a break from it for a while. Then sell some more. I'll keep some left hand bolts and several leverguns. May buy some more guns if the fancy takes me, but won't let the herd get too large again.

I took this to the extreme. Went from 40+ guns 10 years ago down to 7. 3 pistols, 2 shotguns, and 2 rifles. Have an air rifle and crossbow as well. But that’s it.

.

I think I'll keep a few Ruger No. 1 rifles, an old Trapdoor, and a Sharps for single shots. Also have a Mauser VZ24 and an O3 Springfield for recreation and history. Other than that I'm keeping

Ruger compact 338rcm
30-30 levergun
1886 45-70
2 of my model 71 leverguns
Ruger GSR 308
One winchester 1895 rifle

The rest need to go.

I plan on finding a nice savage 99 takedown in 300 sav and I'm happy. So if I can go from 100+ down to around 14-15 units it will be perfect and managable.

Crazy gun buying for decades



Don't waste the time you have left selling guns.......

I haven't gone quite that far but getting close. It's liberating to purge the excess stuff in life. i'd much rather spend my time and energy doing the things I like to do than buying, storing, and maintaining piles of crap collecting dust.

This is pretty much where I got to. In my 20s I had zero responsibilities and few bills so had a (relatively) high disposable income that I could spend on buying guns I wanted to play with. I could also go spend 4 hours at the range on Saturday if I wanted to or even leave work early to shoot for 4 or 5 hours. I probably bought/traded 30+ guns in my 20s. Then in my late 20s - late 30s both grandfathers and my father passed away. I inherited another 20+ guns.

And then....., I got married and had kids. There went all my disposable income and time. My daughters are now in High School and have no interest in hunting and little interest in shooting. I realized I would rather have the money to spend on them and my wife now than holding on to guns I no longer shot/used and leaving them to sell them all at a serious loss if for some reason I die early. I have seen that happen several times to friends and their families and didn't want my wife/daughters to have to deal with all of that. I pared it down to things I actually use without any bias of sentimentality. If I hadn't used it in the past 2 years I got rid of it. If I get in to PRS or some other shooting sport after my girls are out of college then I can always buy another gun or three. Even with the paperwork, it is a lot easier to buy a gun than it is to sell it.

I’d have a hard time getting down to a few. How can you have less than 5, no wait 6 seven mags????

I only have a 30-06. No magnums. Just 1 rifle. Does all that I ask of it.

This. Do this.

Several years ago, started gifting to kids and grand kids. (1) Didn't want my wife to have to deal with distributing them after I died. (2) Figured the young'uns could start using and enjoying them now, instead of waiting X number of years. Significant herd thinning at that time.

Glad I did it when I did it. Nearly died in March of this year. Most of what was left was sold to pay bills. Down to a .22, a shotgun, and three centerfire rifles. May still buy/sell/tinker with a few rifles in the future. But, not to the same extent as in the past...

Nothing wrong with that

I gifted my nephew a perfect blued Colt Python and a s&w model 13 3" and an s&w 29-3 44mag. I never even shot these ones so the nephew has some nice revolvers in his early 20's and he'll never need to buy any in his lifetime now.

He's got enough rifles so I'll sell those off and raise a little cash. After I dismiss enough of them I'd like to pick up that 300 savage or have a Browning BLR turned into a 35 Whelan. A few leverguns and a couple bolt actions is the mission. Perfect for a left hander like myself.

Plans are to have something in place when "I go under." I do not have any relatives who care about firearms. Also, when an estate with firearms lacks any plan sharks will circle. The people who were lined up to help are my age and not in good health. Might be a good time to turn some of these guns.

Been thinking of paring the assortment down for some time, but never acted on it. Likely be making a big move in a year, so will start selling most of them off shortly. Keep a few.

I started on this ^ ^ ^ some time back, but
something always gets in the way. I sent the
expensive knives away, and the few pieces
of vanity jewelry. I'd rather have the money
than have some methhead sell my goods for
pennies on the dollar.
Things have changed drastically in the last
few decades

I rode out a Cat 4 hurricane at home because I have too much to move and too much to leave to looters. Still here, running generator, it’s Day 19, no power yet and it’s hottern Hell.

I used to belong to a large fishing club and there were a couple guys we refered to as the vultures. They would start cozying up to old timers with good collections that were in poor health trying to weazle their way into a big haul. It was sickening to watch but they're out there.

Sounds pretty miserable. I guess some of the recent cool-ish fronts haven't provided you any relief. Hang in there.