What can you trim down to?

[Dave Schwaab]

I divested myself of most guns and all reloading supplies when my first child was born. Safes weren't as readily available and frequently used as they are today, and I just didn't want to chance an accident (or face my wife's ire).

Now, in retirement, I have gotten back into shooting on a weekly basis, but not reloading. I limited my armory to just my two favorite calibers of .22 Long Rifle and .45 Colt (I did grow up with TV and movie Westerns, after all). I have about a dozen guns between those two sets, almost all are Rugers, just in different configurations for different styles of shooting.

The only non-Ruger I shoot is my .45 Colt rifle, it is a custom barreled Contender. I assembled that when PCCs started to become a "thing", because I remembered how much I had liked my Super 14 pistol in .35 Remington, and the famous words of Captain McNelly.

 

[mogwai]

I could pare down to a 22 bolt rifle, a 30-30 lever gun, a 20 ga shotgun and a 44 Special revolver

 

[Ka6otm]

I need them all, so I'll keep them all.

 

[Goldstar225]

I've given it thought before. I could make do with five I guess:

.22 LR Rifle
12 gauge pump with two barrels (18" & 30" with screw in choke)
Marlin .30-30
9mm compact
.38 snub

Not ideal but would meet my needs for hunting and defense. Fortunately it's very unlikely that I will have to make that decision.

 

[Watertender]

Absolute total bare minimum would be this combination of a folding single barrel shotgun with a Chaszel 30-30 insert and probably a Henry AR7 .22 survival rifle. The shotgun is a Walmart $100 special that I worked over so it would fold tighter and be more compact. With the insert and rudimentary sights it can take a deer at moderate range. I hope that I don't have to go down to just this setup but it is minimalist for sure

 

[Mike J]

Maybe I'm wrong but I always thought that if I had a .30-06, a .22 rifle & a 12 gauge shotgun I could hunt pretty much any thing I cared to. I would say if I had those & a good centerfire handgun to carry for defense I could do anything I really need to. I wouldn't really care to be that limited though.

 

[jimbo1096]

I would have a lot more room in my house and in my little workshop if I got rid of most of the things I've accumulated . Including reloading and seldom used tools. What would I really miss? my 45 colt blackhawk, SR1911 and a handful of 10.22s.

 

[DGW1949]

As guns go, I don't keep anything that I have no real use for. As a result, I'm down to 5 calibers....or 4 plus 12-Ga shot shells, depending on how you want to put it.

DGW

 

[Watchman]

You'll shoot your eye out kid!!!

 

[turd]

You'll shoot your eye out kid!!!

Don't tell anyone, but we used to have BB gun fights in the shelter belts near our exurban neighborhood when I was a kid. Never shot anyone in the eye, but the posterior was fair game!

 

[irishjack]

I have quite a few guns and reload for quite a few calibers. This is one of my major hobbies in retirement so I have no intention of getting rid of any guns . My survivors can worry about disposal after I am gone. When I moved to central Utah from the Salt Lake area I made sure I got a house with plenty of room for gun safes and a reloading area. Where I live now I am just a few miles from any number of free shooting areas.

 

[gjgalligan]

I have quite a few guns and enjoy reloading. Since the area has adding more houses and I have a dog that goes crazy at the sound of gun fire I just don't get to shoot much anymore.
I quit reloading since selling reloading supplies will be easier then selling reloads down the road.

 

[KIR]

Calibers:
.22 Mag (I dislike .22 LR)
.380 Pocket Pistol
9mm EDC
.40 and .45 (because they both begin with a '4')
5.56
.30 WCF (cuz it's a Winchester!)
.308
12 Ga.

 

[freakindawgen]

22lr
22mag
9mm
45acp
45colt

30-30
308

12g
This was my down sizing. I had quite a few more calibers before this and sold all related to them.

 

[Hankus]

Let your kids sort it out!!!

I keep a spreadsheet in iCloud I have shared with my stepson that I update with every purchase or trade (I NEVER sell) … It includes purchase date, seller, price paid and approximate current "value" at time of purchase. He will receive it all, including the safes, and distribute to the grandkids as needed.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

I don't post what I have, but for handguns, I could work with .22LR, .380, and a .357 and consider myself covered for all needs. For long guns all I need is .22LR , .22/250, 410 and 20 gauge shotguns.
Again, that' just for my NEEDS- not just what I want

 

[WAYNO]

Marlin. Show me how to downsize. I just cannot do it, although I see the need. Most of my collection has either never been shot, and/or wont ever be shot again by me. I keep this stuff for display at the next display show, but even those have been elusive for my attendance. Seems something always takes priority.

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

My fear is that if we keep them long enough, we won't get a chance to decide what to do with them, the government will decide.
People talk about the government taking our guns but there aren't enough police, soldiers whatever to do it. I predict that won't happen anyway. What will happen is government will declare them illegal and you will a certain amount of time to turn them
in or risk one year in prison for every gun they find and you will be a felon.
Sell them now, or give them to family member (spread thinly) or turn them in. I have come to believe those will be the only options.

Wayno, I struggle like you as one's that I have weren't needs they were wants. I can come up with enough scenarios that many of those can become needs.
I guess I need to become more realistic.
Sell them, give them away, or turn them in.
If you decide to give some away, please, please call me first.

Bear in mind that even if they don't take them until after you pass, it will cause you to miss opportunities, to determine your preference.

Government has made it perfectly clear in the last few years, that they are adamant about controlling us. It's about control!!!

 

[Topfueler1]

All of my firearms are going with me when I leave this earth!

 

[KWend54]

I need all mine: lol
22 cal
22 mag
17 HMR
22 Hornet
221 Fireball
204 Ruger
220 Swift
222
223
22-250
308
6.5 Creedmoor
44 WCF
38-55
410
20 ga
16 ga
12 ga
.25
256wm
5.7x28
9 mm
380
38 special
38 wcf
357
40 S&W
44 mag