How many guns do you need?

PaulD

PaulD

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I'm curious as to what the typical NES'er thinks about this video. The typical refrain here is that more guns is better, regardless of all other considerations. Quite frankly, I think this guy's general point is a very good one.

 
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i agree with his points, generally speaking but i buy whatever i want.

the majority of my collection is similar to what he describes, except i've bought a few guns that i just wanted w/o the intention of ever carrying them.

i don't think he is a "gun nut".... he's pro gun, but his personal pref. is to just own what he thinks he needs and that's cool.
 
I'm not a collector. I buy guns for practical purposes (as the video categorizes). I try to limit the collection of calibers I have to manage. For the guns I particularly like, I also tend to buy more than one: one to shoot, one to keep, a few more for my offspring, and in the off chance I have to arm the neighborhood, I can cut down the training curve. [smile]
 
Boghog1 said:
kind of what I was going with in this thread
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/135667-5-guns

I think 10 is a good number you have to have at least 1 revolver IMHO, and a lever gun for nostalgia not sure of what other is a must, and I would rather own fewer high quality firearms that many low quality ones
Click to expand...

10? Fewer? 1 revolver? 'a' lever gun?

Honestly. If you can sit there and remember all the guns you own from memory then you don't have enough. Nothing is better than 'finding' a gun in your safe. "oh crap. I forgot I had one of these. I love this thing"
 
wolf223 said:
i agree with his points, generally speaking but i buy whatever i want.

the majority of my collection is similar to what he describes, except i've bought a few guns that i just wanted w/o the intention of ever carrying them.

i don't think he is a "gun nut".... he's pro gun, but his personal pref. is to just own what he thinks he needs and that's cool.
Click to expand...

Yeah, he's definitely pro 2A. He's also trying to be financially sensible.

There's definitely an aspect of getting into guns that makes people get GAS. Perhaps I should mind my own business but sometimes it seems people who have this syndrome should probably follow this guy's advice and allocate the rest of their money towards greater financial stability.
 
Realtor MA said:
10? Fewer? 1 revolver? 'a' lever gun?

Honestly. If you can sit there and remember all the guns you own from memory then you don't have enough. Nothing is better than 'finding' a gun in your safe. "oh crap. I forgot I had one of these. I love this thing"
Click to expand...

the 7 he had plus at least a revolver and a lever action. still can't decide on the 10th one (these are the minimum IMHO) but buying just because. I could fill a safe with Lorcins and Highpoints and not be really pleased to find one of them that I had forgotten about
 
Don't buy into gun grabber terminology/talking points... there is no such thing as "need".

I (we), own guns because I (we), have a right to, and I (we), can.

No further explanation is necessary.
 
LoginName said:
Don't buy into gun grabber terminology/talking points... there is no such thing as "need".

I (we), own guns because I (we), have a right to, and I (we), can.

No further explanation is necessary.
Click to expand...
It's not gun grabber terminology at all. He is talking about the minimum number of guns that are needed to fill the maximum amount of rolls, as opposed to buying tons of guns just for the sake of having more guns. If you watch the video he says that he has tons of guns. He isn't telling people that these are all that they need, he is laying out he feels are the minimum must-haves.
 
LoginName said:
Don't buy into gun grabber terminology/talking points... there is no such thing as "need".

I (we), own guns because I (we), have a right to, and I (we), can.

No further explanation is necessary.
Click to expand...

Don't bring in gun grabbers to the discussion because they're not relevant to the point made in the video. You give them far too much attention by doing so.

If someone is buying so many guns they can't afford to pay their mortgage and put food on the table, "need" is a real factor. Shooting isn't cheap and many here have, quite rightly IMO, made the argument that it's better to buy reloading equipment instead of one more gun.

I don't own guns because I have a right to. I own guns because I want to and have a need for at least some. That I have a right enables me to do so. To further the point, I don't have a need for a .50BMG. If you have a need, or want one and have the means to buy it, rock on.
 
IMHO his video is kind of wandering- why is "collecting" OK but buying guns for the sake of having them is not? I don't really get that.

One point that he should have made which actually bears fruit is the greatest danger in having GAS is that some of your guns invariably can "suffer" at the hands of your "addiction." For example- that bolt action rifle you might have- that you could never afford the PROPER glass for, that sucks ass because you keep s**ty glass on it... that gun SUFFERS because you went out and bought something else you didn't really need. (been there, done that, got the "I am a retard" t-shirt) As a sufferer of GAS that's the problem I've run into the most. Having less guns + better goodies on them = winning. Having lots of poorly outfitted guns = fail. When the latter happens you end up having all this crap around you never want to take to the range.

I say this as being someone who suffered from a lot of GAS. I've bought and sold way too many guns over the years, and if I could have done it all over again, I would have saved a lot of money.

I find nowadays I make a LOT less impulse buys than I used to. Almost none. If I had any advice to a new shooter, it would be to try lots of other peoples stuff (or go somewhere and rent it) and see what you like before you actually commit to a purchase. You'll save a s**tload of money that way. The other piece of advice is you don't get something for nothing. If you buy a cheap $125 scope from the chinese optics guy at the gun show, because you don't want to spend $300-$1000+ on a real scope, it WILL be a piece of shit. Don't pretend, or delude yourself into believing that it's not going to be. It will fail or be miserable and it will mock you every time you take it to the range. If you sack up, and buy the good stuff you will generally cry only once. The same goes for guns, too. If it looks/seems ghetto, it probably is. If you have this burning desire to buy junk, just take the money you were going to spend and buy ammo instead. You'll be better off. If you have this vacuous burning desire to buy some random gun just for the hell of it... don't do it... buy ammunition instead.

I realize I'm sounding like a party pooper, but you'll thank me later.

-Mike
 
I get what he's saying, but of course his list certainly doesn't fit everyone's "needs", or even "wants" for that matter. There is definitely certain guns that I will never have a real "need" to own, but still want them "just because". Personally speaking, I would have to say that I would want to have a representative of both long range, and short range rifles, defensive shotgun, a decent compact for carry, and maybe a full size handgun, and those would be bare minimum with everything after that being icing, or fluff, or whatever you want to call it.[wink]
 
PaulD said:
Shooting isn't cheap and many here have, quite rightly IMO, made the argument that it's better to buy reloading equipment instead of one more gun.
Click to expand...

+1....

This too. I said "ammunition" in my last post but that can also be "reloading materials". Or a press/setup to start reloading.

-Mike
 
He addresses the collecting aspect a bit by talking about having an interest in a particular type or model of firearm. However, I agree that he hasn't really thought that aspect through very well.

I totally agree with what you're saying here though, and I've had a bit of GAS myself.

drgrant said:
IMHO his video is kind of wandering- why is "collecting" OK but buying guns for the sake of having them is not? I don't really get that.

One point that he should have made which actually bears fruit is the greatest danger in having GAS is that some of your guns invariably can "suffer" at the hands of your "addiction." For example- that bolt action rifle you might have- that you could never afford the PROPER glass for, that sucks ass because you keep s**ty glass on it... that gun SUFFERS because you went out and bought something else you didn't really need. (been there, done that, got the "I am a retard" t-shirt) As a sufferer of GAS that's the problem I've run into the most. Having less guns + better goodies on them = winning. Having lots of poorly outfitted guns = fail. When the latter happens you end up having all this crap around you never want to take to the range.

I say this as being someone who suffered from a lot of GAS. I've bought and sold way too many guns over the years, and if I could have done it all over again, I would have saved a lot of money.

I find nowadays I make a LOT less impulse buys than I used to. Almost none. If I had any advice to a new shooter, it would be to try lots of other peoples stuff (or go somewhere and rent it) and see what you like before you actually commit to a purchase. You'll save a s**tload of money that way. The other piece of advice is you don't get something for nothing. If you buy a cheap $125 scope from the chinese optics guy at the gun show, because you don't want to spend $300-$1000+ on a real scope, it WILL be a piece of shit. Don't pretend, or delude yourself into believing that it's not going to be. It will fail or be miserable and it will mock you every time you take it to the range. If you sack up, and buy the good stuff you will generally cry only once. The same goes for guns, too. If it looks/seems ghetto, it probably is. If you have this burning desire to buy junk, just take the money you were going to spend and buy ammo instead. You'll be better off. If you have this vacuous burning desire to buy some random gun just for the hell of it... don't do it... buy ammunition instead.

I realize I'm sounding like a party pooper, but you'll thank me later.

-Mike
Click to expand...
 
drgrant wrote:
Having less guns + better goodies on them = winning. Having lots of poorly outfitted guns = fail. When the latter happens you end up having all this crap around you never want to take to the range.
Click to expand...

What drgrant says here makes a lot of sense. Having your firearms setup the way you really like is very satisfying, and investing in plenty of ammo and sufficient reloading supplies vs just simply acquiring more hardware is sage advice.
 
The video's author puts forth a pretty good minimum collection of guns. I've made some purchasing mistakes in the past, no doubt, but I wouldn't only have one carry piece. I view my collection as a toolbox, you need different tools for different jobs. And then, on occasion, you just need something fun and completely impractical.
 
I really think I'll be good after 3-4 more.

I just need the Spikes lower to finish my second AR.
A pump shotgun maybe a Mossberg 590A1 or a Remington 870 Express Tactical A-Tacs camo.
A Glock 17 to compliment my Kel Tec Sub2000.
Then possibly an AK or variant in the .223 caliber so I wont have to stock pile a bunch of different types of ammo.

With what I have now I'm pretty sure I would be good for a bit.

Charles.
 

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