I've been pondering this for well over a year. I probably have 3-5 I'll never shoot, but I haven't done anything about it. I should have sold when prices were high, but I'm glad I didn't do it just for that reason. There is no reason for me to take advantage of others during abnormal times. I'll probably gain the courage in the next few months, but for now I'll just enjoy pulling them out of the safe and admiring them. Like most others, I'll probably only be buying another to replace with something better. I think it's better to be a minimalist and have less to maintain and worry about than to "own them all".

I'm going through it right now as I start to look forward (eagerly) to retiring and moving out of state. I just don't want to have to move and store everything that I have now. Also my shooting activities have morphed over the years, and I have a number of guns I just don't shoot anymore. I mean, do I really need 5 plastic 9mm pistols? No! 4 of them, including my current EDC, will go away over the next year. Do I really need 4 stripped AR lowers? No. I have all the built ARs that I need, so all the unbuilt ones - including a couple of 80% ones that I never got around to finishing - will be going away. I have all the parts to build 2 more 16" AR carbines, but probably never will, so away they go. I have three of my Dad's long guns in my safe that I don't use. Bye-bye. Well, I may keep one of them to shoot trap with.

My shooting volume has decreased too. I've got 4 reloading presses, including 2 Dillon progressives. I'm planning to replace 3 of those presses with a single Rock Chucker.

Yeah, I'm downsizing. Seriously.

Not yet.

My guns are among my favorite possessions, so I don't want to see any of them go.
Maybe when I'm older (I'm 67 now), if I need money I'll sell some, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

I have more guns than I need. Maybe even more guns than I really want, as they need to be periodically tended to keep them in good condition.

Then I remember why I got them. Outside of the 5 milsurps I own, everything else has a purpose, or is a family heirloom that I want to leave to my kids.

I have a couple of guns my kids wanted for when they move out of Massachusetts. I have guns for training new shooters. I have hunting guns for when I have the time to get back into hunting. I have woods carry guns for both hunting and hiking. I have defensive carry pistols, and generally back-ups to the defensive carry pistols because of evidence confiscation after a defensive shooting, parts availability, malfunction, etc.

I also have multiple calibers because I've lived through two serious ammo shortages at this point, and at no point in the misery was NOTHING absolutely NOTHING available. I don't really feel like CC'ing a .44 magnum, but ammo was available, and I have two of 'em. Just saying...

So while I might like to simplify and downsize a bit, concentrating on those that I like to shoot the most, I'm just not ready to do so yet. Not because of sentiment, but because I remember why I have them in the first place.

I don't think I have too many guns but I have a couple that I shouldn't have bought. But I don't like to sell anything that I have. When I die, they will go to my nephew.

Heck, I've already pared down my Montblanc pens but I still have the yen to pick up one fountain pen with a fine nib. But I hardly write anymore except on Fridays in my Journal of Gratitude.

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My problem is all the parts/mags/holsters/etc. for each

That's the rub. Boxes of once- or never-used holsters; stocks for AR's; competition holsters and belts I have used almost exclusively for classes, as have never gotten into competition and doubt I will.

As for guns: some impulse buys from years ago that I have rarely or even never shot, I need to get rid of. The nice pistols are ones that I've shot quite a bit, have had custom action work done, and really enjoy shooting. Plus there are very pleasant memories associated with them: classes with Bruce Gray, Jerry Jones, Randy Lee, Flork....

Then there are the ones I bought because I had "always" wanted one...they stay.

I have two granddaughters. Will their Mom allow them to be taught to shoot? Don't know. Now the latest news is there is another grandchild on the way...I think I'll wait before starting a big purge.

I should sell several that once filled a need but got replaced by something else for that purpose and as a result rarely get shot. Every few years I think hmmmm I haven't shot that one for a while, so to the range it goes, then cleaned and back in the safe for another couple of years or so. But selling is a hassle to me, I'm not willing to trade them in or just sell to a LGS for way less than I see them listed for sale (I would take less but not WAY less than market value), and I don't really need to free up the money for anything so inertia sets back in. And they stay in the safe.

The only ones I just don't want to sell even though they rarely see the light of day are my 239 and 232.

Too many guns? Sadly, my problem is quite the opposite. I have room in my safe I've filled up with non-gun stuff just so the safe doesn't seem so empty. I have this longing to add more AR's in more interesting calibers, a few more SIG's, several Glocks, a couple of more shotguns. And threaded barrels, suppressors, perhaps even a full auto or two. Wisdom gained through hard won experience and the passage of time has taught me there is only one thing that can begin to satisfy these desires: Money. Unfortunately, I haven't enough of it to quench the thirst, or, more correctly, I find myself forced to squander the funds I have on such things as shelter and food.

I'm sure I'm not alone in this regard. I and others like me could be the beneficiaries of those who want to simplify and divest. Please post those items in the classified at bargain basement prices. Maybe take a zero off. The urge to downsize could be a blessing to another.

People say you can never have too many guns, but I disagree. If you have so many guns you have to begin putting them in a pile and the pile gets to be eighteen feet high and one day you're walking past the pile and a gun falls from the top of the pile and hits you in the head and kills you, you had too many guns.

I used to be in the “never sell, even if you never shoot it” camp. As life has changed from single and earning deployment pay to married and eventually with a kid, dogs, and mortgage, “fun” expenditures have dried up. So…in order to check those bucket list boxes, like owning NFA regulated items I couldn’t own in the last state I lived in, the collection got a tough evaluation and the items I didn’t even have ammo for went to other pastures. No regrets…I’m not 40 yet but being mindful of what I will keep for my kiddo (family guns, historical gems like the M1 Garland and Carbine, etc) the rest can go when I a) can no longer enjoy them or b) liquidate them to fund another checkbox!

I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question. I understand all the words, but not when you put them together like that…

Seriously, though, I have slowed down over the last couple years or so. But there are still several I want. I’m resisting adding new calibers now, too. Lately I’ve just been tricking out a couple here and there instead of buying new guns. And I have 2 suppressors languishing in ATF purgatory. With ammo prices the way they are now, I’m more of a “collector” and less a “shooter”…

yep and I'm thinking of consolidating to just the 9mm and the ar15. I have guns I never shoot, the worst part is trying to sell them and dealing with the hassle of shipping it expensive with the transfer. considered taking them to my local dealer and trading the calibers I don't want any more for a more expensive gun I know I will shoot. I'm sure I will take a bath on them.

A couple of years ago I was working at a very high volume dealer. The owner had basically a large upstairs apartment on the property that was filled wall to wall, top to bottom with guns. Class III, antique, tens of copies of the same exact gun, everything. You could barely move. The whole shop was like that. We had to do an inventory audit, it took the better part of a week, with multiple two-man crews all day long. We came up short in the hundreds, just firearms on the books but unaccounted for. Crazy.

I’ve been in minimalist mode for a while. I used to have a bunch of various guns, including stuff like a Mosin, SKS, single action revolvers, vintage S&W autos and revolvers, etc. Various mags and support gear, a lot of inefficient redundancy in my modern semi auto guns. Then I began realizing that having all that stuff didn’t interest me. If it wasn’t functional and filling a need, I just didn’t want it anymore. I also had a decent collection of European swords, some mid-tier and a few high end. Same thing, they were beautiful weapons but I lost interest in anything not contemporary and functional, sold them all. Knives too.

Earlier this year I was down to a G26, G45, and two DDM4s between my wife and I. Also focused on acquiring a solid personally owned kit setup. Since then I’ve added a couple of HK DA/SA pistols, a G19, and a colt 11.5 upper on a pistol lower. And I feel like that’s too much. But that’s just me. Not knocking anyone who does it differently.

I have very few firearms. But as I look to retirement, I realize that I will have less opportunity to enjoy them. RV living, if what we end up doing for a few years, will mean the items will be unsupervised in storage. Secure, under alarmed storage, but unsupervised. I could be 2000 miles away, or more.

Each item has a purpose. But, I have multiples for each purchase. This FOR ME is the question...should I have only one for each purpose? Many speak of a concealed carry rotation. I enjoy this as well. But, would I manage with only one?

There are ancillary benefits. No longer would I need separate boxes for holsters, belts, etc. No longer would I need cabinets for boxes of several calibers.

And, the cash...I could put it towards other hobbies. I would like a motorcycle protective jacket with an airbag. That's about one handgun. I'd like a nice ham radio transceiver. That's about one rifle with scope.

One child would not think of having any of these in her home. One child would, as would her husband. So, a new home could be found, with some challenges of moving a safe up a steep driveway.

For now, I just let it alone. Decisions like these can always be made.

Not my problem…when I die my wife and kids will have to deal with it! It will be epic!

Pre-Covid I consolidated down to .45ACP and 9mm handguns. One year into Covid I was cleaning up and organizing ammo cans and found two 30 cal cans full of .40 S&W with some .357 Sig mixed in.

I now have a P229 in .40, Glock 23 and a Glock 27 again with .357 Sig barrels to go with them.

Covid taught me caliber variety is a good thing during times of ammo shortages.

Yes, I went through this a few years ago and sold off some guns. No regrets at all. In fact I've got the itch to do some more downsizing. I plan on retiring in the next 4 to 5 years so I'm thinking I'm going to spend some time the first year cleaning house. Not just guns but tools too. After having double hernia surgery and ongoing back problems there's just no upside to taking on big home or car projects anymore.

I am 68 and no...all of mine go to my 3 sons

Went through this last year. Downsized and consolidated calibers. Wasn't getting much range time other than to practice with my CCW. Bad part is (or not) after getting back into fishing, I now have 8 new fishing rods with the money I made from selling guns...

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
I have very few firearms. But as I look to retirement, I realize that I will have less opportunity to enjoy them. RV living, if what we end up doing for a few years, will mean the items will be unsupervised in storage. Secure, under alarmed storage, but unsupervised. I could be 2000 miles away, or more.

Each item has a purpose. But, I have multiples for each purchase. This FOR ME is the question...should I have only one for each purpose? Many speak of a concealed carry rotation. I enjoy this as well. But, would I manage with only one?

There are ancillary benefits. No longer would I need separate boxes for holsters, belts, etc. No longer would I need cabinets for boxes of several calibers.

And, the cash...I could put it towards other hobbies. I would like a motorcycle protective jacket with an airbag. That's about one handgun. I'd like a nice ham radio transceiver. That's about one rifle with scope.

One child would not think of having any of these in her home. One child would, as would her husband. So, a new home could be found, with some challenges of moving a safe up a steep driveway.

For now, I just let it alone. Decisions like these can always be made.

I have several friends who are doing RV retirements. Obviously you have to keep in mind what state you will be traveling to (try and avoid the commie states), but there are some very interesting ideas for secure firearm storage in RVs. One friend has a Bluebird bus and went with a long safe within the floor. (he is handy). Another went with the under-bed locker (One is called bedbunker). Obviously there is some compromise on safe weight/thickness, but it also gives you a place for documents/cash, etc. Some RVs have lots of potential space under the floor, depending on design.

In years past I had a sailboat and we wanted secure storage for long guns and handguns. We chose a section in the equipment area and converted a wall safe (framed lip) for one area. Obviously you could have cut it out with an electric saw or chainsaw, but you weren't going to easily gain access without noise.
Just sayin'