I have overflowed my 20 gun (rifle/longarm) cabinet by 9 more long arms. They are overflowed into my "man cave" sitting against a wall to the left of my computer. How did this happen? Well, I've been through my hopefully last surgery (courtesy of the US Army) and in the mean time buying rifles and a couple of shotguns. Now the question is whether to get another 20 rack cabinet or "downsize" to the current 20 limit.
So I look at each longarm and try to decide if I can spare it. The answer is no so far so I need help. Maybe psychiatric help?
Anyway I know I'll keep these:
1. Win 1886 .45-70
2. Rem 700 CDL .257 Weaterby
3. Rem 700 CDL 6mm Remington
4. Steyr Mannlicher .243 Win
5. Colt LE 6920
6. Bushmaster XM 15
7. Socom 16
8. Ruger No. 1 Tropical .458 Lott
9. Browning BLR .358 Win Take Down
10. Marlin 39A Annie Oakley
11. Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum Cowboy Limited
12. Marlin 336 .35 Remington
13. Win 1892 .44 Magnum
14. Paratrooper Kahr M1 Carbine
15. Kahr M1 Carbine
16. Rem 870 12 Guage Super Mag
17. Rem 11-87 Sportsman 20 Gauge
18. Beretta S/S 20 gauge Silverhawk
19. Win 9422M .22 Magnum
20. Win 9422 Tribute .22 LR
21. Rem 513 Matchmaster
22. USSR Vostok Ural 1 .22 LR Match Rifle
23. Thompson 1927 A5 .45 ACP
24. Anschutz .22 Hornet
25. Winchester "Wildcat" TOZ .22 LR
26. Savage 93R17 .17 HMR Classic
I'm still well over the 20 limit.....
When this happened to me I took all my bolt guns out and stuck them in my upstairs closet. I just put the bolts in the safe on the top shelf.
__________________ We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. -Aesop
My dad was a long-time bachelor and did not marry until he was 45. He was a target shooter and hunter, and had about 35 rifles and shotguns at the time of his marriage.
I guess his conscience wouldn't allow him to take family money for his annual hunting trips to British Columbia and Alaska. So every year he sold four or five of his guns, and used the $$$ to help pay for these trips.
Eventually, when he passed away, he still had six or eight of these fine weapons, which I inherited.
You reach a point, sometimes, where you just have so many rifles you don't have time to shoot them. I have rifles that have not been fired in 10 years. I should sell a few. I have three Winchester Model 12 shotguns, and never shoot any of them any more -- just for one example.
Of course, gun collecting can be a fun hobby too, and maybe that's where you are.
Selling or trading means taking a hit on any one of them. I've done that and won't do it again.
Which leaves me with them. Not a bad thing. I may never shoot one of them again but every one has a story and reason for being in my clutches!
If anything just keeping them to pull them out one at a time with the story to tell (whoever is interested) is enough at my age.
"You see this rifle (as I pull it out of the cabinet or man cave)?"
"Yes (the listener says whether out of boredom or kindness to me)."
"It came from the USSR during the Cold War. It is what their Olympic Shooters were shooting. Notice the 3 lug forward and one lug aft bolt in this hunk of steel; it's made super strong with a bore that is as straight and true as an Anschutz but it only cost me $299 at cdn. Used of course but used with history..."
"Now look at this rifle--Winchester stopped making them and finished their production of them with the Tribute here..."
"And this rifle, the caliber that started me reloading back in the early 70s to deal with coyotes marauding our livestock. I used to reload the 75gr Sierra HP over 48 grains of IMR 4350 to get a muzzle velocity of 3605 fps taken over a sky screen--I hit a coyote with this load at 250 yards and the bullet passed out the other side in three pieces leaving everything inside his rib cage red jello..."
"When I show you this rifle you must realize it took me all these years to appreciate one of the oldest cartridges and rifles in the grand lever action. It is a .45-70 in the 1886 Winchester--can you believe these are still selling today like hotcakes? I'll tell you why...."
"I got this rifle because I've always liked the M-14 since my time in ROTC. It's a chopped M-14 and I avoided getting one until a couple years ago or so. You know why I broke down and got this? I made the mistake of holding it and mounting it to my shoulder. It felt so right. At the range it felt even better and shoots like the blazes..."
"Ever since 'Band of Brothers' aired I looked again at the M1 Carbine. You know it really is a fine soldier's weapon being so light and so accurate. It doesn't have the strength of a Garand but it makes up for that in handiness with enough power for Easy Company to storm Normandy Beach and eventually take out 3 German artillery positions they did inland of Normandy beach. Did you see that movie series? Well here is the Carbine many carried and made excellent oppositional use of."
"How about this rifle...isn't it heavy and big--big as a sewer pipe? It's an Elephant Gun chambered for the .458 Lott. Let me tell you no one knows what it is like to fire a BIG rifle until they trip the trigger on one of these--the ground shakes and the trees rock with the blast this rifle makes."
"And these ARs--got a stray poodle that needs deep sixing? Apparently the US has a big problem with stray poodles because these ARs are one of the most popular rifles sold to date with all sorts of available modifications including lasers and optics. In fact some even BUILD them themselves they worship the things so much..."
"Ever see 'The St. Valentine's Day Massacre? No other gun in history looks like a 1927 Thompson and even those who don't know their guns recognize a Thompson..."
Nope OJH, I wasn't questioning your vocabulary. I was making a reference to what some of my friends who came back from Viet Nam in more or less one piece would say now and then. I guess it was a common term over there for a while whenever things were okay.
__________________ Teach
ALL who work for a living must vote to outvote those who vote for a living.
I'm thinking all I really need in a rifle is my 1886 Winchester in .45-70 and then my gun cabinet problem is over.
I can't tell you enough what this rifle has done for me at the range and the feel it gives me in my hands. I am ready to sell all my military rifles and .22s and Match Rifles and high powered scoped rifles to just have this one rifle and be free again. I feel free with my 1886 to do what a real rifle is supposed to do. It has become my love and it was first love type love at the range. I'll keep my handguns and shotguns and have one rifle to do it all.
Very nice collection..however I am a firm believer in the old saying, "beware of a man with one rifle..he likely knows how to use it." Not saying that you should only have one firearm, but you can only use one at a time for the intended purpose. I say it's time to list a few on gunbroker or pass a few on to your kids/grand kids who I bet would be very happy to have something from you that will remind them of you for the rest of their lives.
16Likes
AAAAHHHHH!!!!
The curse of the ever-expanding gun safes!!!! 
Teach
