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Guilty Pleasures/Collecting

1590 Views 23 Replies 19 Participants Last post by  RatBikeRod, 
RatBikeRod
Today, as I was rummaging around in my reloading closet/gun room (yes, my wife allows me a closet for my hobby, ain't she sweet. It's my son's old room and he is just happy I did not turn it into my naked closet), I realized how just how much "collecting" I have done.

I have soooo much gun stuff in that closet! It's kinda like my shed full of old Harley and car parts. I need to sell that stuff badly since I no longer have a Harley, or Corvette, or 57 Chevy or....

I really am not a collector as such, but I sure collect a lot in my non-collection way.

Anyhow, it made me think about my guns which I realized fall into three categories now;

- Combat weapons - those I carry or are for home protection
- Customs/Range - those that I have gunsmithed to death for range fun
- Collection - Stuff I really almost never shoot but can't seem to let go of

As a confirmed non-collector, who's theory of things as I get older is that they need to have a use and be used for said use; I have to ask myself why I have a third category?

Yes, I can afford them. No, I really don't necessarily need the money (although a new project is on the horizon...but there is always a new project on the horizon and those would fund my new projects quite well).

So do I liquidate my "collector" pieces. I am sure they would not last long, they are quite nice. But then I think, will I kick myself later (I am still quite sad that I let a Colt Custom Shop Python go for about $1000 years ago and they are now going for WAY more than that).

I am a hobbies though, not a collector. Even my collector items have some level of modification. They are not, necessarily, scarce items either. So its not like I have a WWII German Luger in there.

So, maybe I am just needing to talk to myself about just letting go and focusing on what I really prefer more ... the hobby aspect of my collection.

There I go again, ITS NOT A COLLECTION!
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Flash LB

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#2 ·
I tell people I'm not a collector, I'm an accumulator, and that's what I truly am.

I've got quite a few NIB SA colt revolvers that are worth some money and I can't bring myself to sell them as I just don't sell guns. Trade, sure, even give some away, but I don't sell. There have been 2 exceptions to that in my lifetime, one that was a factory defective gun and the other was sold to a friend who I owed a favor to, so I sold him a gun.

We've also got a bunch of other stuff around here that's worth a fortune, but the same thing is true. I see no reason to sell it, so we just keep it.

Original, working Edison light bulb, antique radios in excellent condition, an extensive coin collection and other miscellaneous stuff we picked up over the years.

The NRA can figure out what to do with it after we're gone, as we've left everything to them.
 
RatBikeRod

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Discussion Starter · #3 ·
Flash LB said:
I tell people I'm not a collector, I'm an accumulator, and that's what I truly am.

I've got quite a few NIB SA colt revolvers that are worth some money and I can't bring myself to sell them as I just don't sell guns. Trade, sure, even give some away, but I don't sell. There have been 2 exceptions to that in my lifetime, one that was a factory defective gun and the other was sold to a friend who I owed a favor to, so I sold him a gun.

We've also got a bunch of other stuff around here that's worth a fortune, but the same thing is true. I see no reason to sell it, so we just keep it.

Original, working Edison light bulb, antique radios in excellent condition, an extensive coin collection and other miscellaneous stuff we picked up over the years.

The NRA can figure out what to do with it after we're gone, as we've left everything to them.
Click to expand...

...and where in AZ are you exactly....:lol:
 
Mills

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#5 ·
Feel your pain.
Old guy thing.
Hunting guns, competition guns, family herlooms ,ect.
I don't hunt, compete, children live far away and don't care about them.
I seriously need to sell all but the few I punch paper with.

Same goes for the reloading gear.

But all that can wait until..tomorrow.
 
M

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#12 ·
I have three categories for guns: 1. HD/Carry/Personal Defense 2.Family Heirlooms 3.Fun

My carry guns do not change but could. I also include my **** and such in this category

The family heirlooms will go to my son and also fill the sporting category for me.

The fun segment is just things I buy to play with for awhile. Some have stayed for years and others less. I do not want more and more guns so this section stays static in number. It is fun since if I just want to own one to get it out of my system, I can. If something gets in my head, I'll sell one and buy it. I think it is fun having a non emotional segment. It is almost self funding as I sell one to buy one.

Otherwise I would have too many guns around that do not get used enough. I have a collecting habit so have to limit myself.
 
ray1970

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#13 ·
I'm blessed with a good sense of practicality. Typically if I find I really don't have a need or use for something I try to pass it along so that someone may enjoy it rather than it just sitting in the safe not being used.


Although, I do have a few items with some sentimental family value that I will not part with even though they might see the light of day about once every five or six years.
 
RatBikeRod

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Discussion Starter · #14 ·
ray1970 said:
I'm blessed with a good sense of practicality. Typically if I find I really don't have a need or use for something I try to pass it along so that someone may enjoy it rather than it just sitting in the safe not being used.


Although, I do have a few items with some sentimental family value that I will not part with even though they might see the light of day about once every five or six years.
Click to expand...
I need a dose of that sense of practicality. Maybe I am beginning to feel it, as I am very close to letting a few of my safe queens go.

Maybe like MMinSC noted they are just in my fun section. They are both pistols I picked up on trades and did a few mods to. Both are dead awesome shooters that I did some upgrade work too. I need to let go of the stuff that I am not actively using.

Just letting it sit there and look pretty is no fun. That is what I am here to do.
 
cgff

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#16 ·
I also was a collector, accumulator, with poor organizational skills (lol)
but a few years ago I came down with a dose of reality and thinned scaled back my accumulating/collecting. Long guns/shotguns total 4. Handguns just a couple more then a few. Nothing sits in the safe anymore just too sit. It gets shot or goes up the road, traded on something new.
 
ScrapRat

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#19 ·
I only have 8 long guns & 8 handguns, all but one could be replaced at any time if necessary. My grandfather passed away before I was born and his handgun sat on a dusty shelf in the back of the family business's stockroom for 30 years until my father, who isn't a gun person, told me to clean it up and hold on to it. I may shoot it but I'll never part with it during my lifetime, so it is the entirety of my firearm collection.
 
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