Cleaning the Herd Yes / No?

[Trooper224]

Non-operator warning: Even as a long time afficianado of the 1911 (or maybe especially because of that), the whole notion of "a pair and a spare" for a civilian defensive gun seems pretty strange to me. And most of my 1911s are pretty blue collar so allegedly they should be about ready to burst into a cloud or MIM dust.

I just don't think I'll be burning any of my guns out with my 12-15k rounds of ammo per year so I probably don't need a "practice gun and a carry gun and a gun that I can use if the police confiscate the carry gun."

Like damn dude I gotta buy food and pay car bills and buy the fiancee nice stuff too, shit.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

To each his own, but I prefer the, "pair and a spare" philosophy and follow it with whatever gun I'm carrying on the regular. I don't think it's mandatory, but it does give me peace of mind on several fronts.

[JAH 3rd]

Buying/selling anything is am emotional issue.......it's just a matter of the % of emotional involvement. Speaking from experience, I've lamented the S&W and Colt revolvers I have bought and traded over the years. Probably my biggest regret was getting rid of my S&W model 27, nickel, 8 3/8" barrel, partridge front/white outline rear sights. Came with presentation box. Had a blue Colt Python. For unknown reasons I sold my very first handgun purchase. A blue S&W model 19 2.5" barrel.

If you have another purchase in mind and have firearms you don't shoot, then getting rid of the firearms you don't shoot should be easy. Buy something you will shoot. You still might doubt selling something you don't shoot, but hopefully a new firearm will fill that void.

Oh lordy, I want my 19 back!

[M2CattleCo]

I say get rid of anything that you don’t regularly use.

A good friend of mine is an FFL and I’ve helped divest a bunch of gun collections from estates.

Pro tip: There’s no such thing as a gun collection. It’s just a bunch of random rabble that’s a PITA to get rid of when you die.

[Sig_Fiend]

Just my opinion but, I think everyone should own at least 1 gen 3 G17 or G19. With the parts compatibility from gen 1-3 and some of gen 4, you can acquire a few spare parts and at least know you are pretty much set for life with that gun.

In what world would owning multiples of the same gun make sense? I'd say in a world where industry, media, culture, and government are being weaponized towards an end goal of banning all firearm ownership. I'll be able to rest a little easier when I have one or a couple of my ideal models (probably G17.5 and P30 LEM) + 10x identically-configured spares of each.

[Nephrology]

I have at least a close-enough duplicate of any gun I use for concealed carry.

[CCT125US]

Speaking to the pair and a spare line of thinking. Certainly sound advice, pick a solid gun, get good, which usually involves lots of rounds and possibly trips back to the factory. In which case, a spare is a great idea.

Currently, I'm carrying a P2000sk, and do not have a copy in 9mm. I do have a .357 Sig SK, and several P2000s, several P30s, and several USP compacts. They are all very similar, but each has it's own fleas. I've carried each anywhere from 2-5 years, and while I may not have recency on one, I have a depth of familiarity that very quickly comes back.

[Borderland]

I have two identical pistols. I can't really see a reason for more than two. I like to experience different models so something I don't shoot doesn't stay around very long.

Magazines and ammo, that's different.

I've been buying 8 and 10 rd magazines for awhile now before there's a yuge run on those.

[Caballoflaco]

I say get rid of anything that you don’t regularly use.

A good friend of mine is an FFL and I’ve helped divest a bunch of gun collections from estates.

Pro tip: There’s no such thing as a gun collection. It’s just a bunch of random rabble that’s a PITA to get rid of when you die.

And nobody will ever care about it as much as you did.

Also, even if you were a beloved family member, I’m either gonna keep it or price it to move quickly, not to get top dollar, because I ain’t got time for that shit. And if you were one of those people who were planning on making money off of a bunch of “rare guns” that were mass produced in a factory you’ll be spinning so fast in your grave you self-cremate.

[ST911]

I've seen friends and families left to sort through the collections of a loved one, and learned a few things from that. I have some docs in my "open when I'm dead" file with helpful dispo instructions for my stuff. It includes which serials go to whom, what is significant or not - and why, and everything else is just stuff. There are also trusted POCs to call for help. Less work and burden for those that go on.

[M2CattleCo]

All of mine are just stuff.

I have a few 9mm Glocks for handgun things. I have 4 ARs for AR things. A couple single actions and lever guns that are generational hand me downs.

An unhealthy amount of Glock and AR mags and an ammo can full of AR parts and tools.

It’s all contained in one small closet. It’s all always in the process of being streamlined and downsized.

I’ve told wife and kids that they don’t mean anything to me, if they want anything, keep it, if not interested, take it down to gunshop and take what they offer and don’t think about it. I had fun playing with the stuff so any money generated from selling it is a windfall at that point.