Questioning a gun collection size
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Ivan the Butcher
Member
#1 Do not leave them inside a gun safe!
#2 I used hard cases intended for 2 rifles with scopes. I placed bath towels in between the guns to avoid scratches and dings.
#3 If you have large/long cases for guitars or keyboards (or can borrow them) leave the guns in the padded cases and remove the then unnecessary foam pads.
#4 Handguns: I used cases intended for 4 handguns. Those have two
levels; I could get 4 large revolvers and as many a 9 small guns per level.
Note: The boxes florescent light and bulbs come in are around 48" long. They make great camouflage while moving gun or just getting more into the house.
Note for ammo: Milk crates are a very good size and stackable. But can easily become more than your back can stand. A two or 4 wheel cart is a great help! From the garage I would do 10 crates at a time in stages. From the garage to the top of the stairs, down the stairs, then on to the gun room. (then take a nap!)
Ivan
NFrameFred
Member
When I was still working and we were quite a few years younger we had some vague dreams of moving a little farther out with more room to breathe and a little more peace and quiet than our current abode. Then life happened and I find I've been in the same spot for forty six years. With tools, machinery, forty-six years of accumulated detritus from a full life, reloading set-up with its' own office and storage with gun safes . . . growing up as a hunter and shooting a lot of competition in my younger days . . . the very thought of having to move and start over gives me the heebie-jeebies. Unless Providence changes the plan, I guess I'm here to to stay until I move to my permanent abode.
In my case and my philosophy I tend to look at it like gambling with the life insurance companies - I'm betting (actually the wife and kids) I'm gonna cash in that policy sooner than later and the insurance folks are betting I'm gonna get even older and they're going to get to invest all my premiums long enough to beat the house. So far, they're winning.
I'm at the spot I know I should downsize and start the process now, knowing the mess I would leave behind that disposing of it would be for the family, but I'm vainly planning and hoping that I can enjoy the firearms and accoutrements for a few years more before I'm okay with letting them go. I understand but marvel at the guys whose tastes and fixations run towards collecting every specimen of one particular model, or action, or caliber or whatever . . . Mine runs to the enjoyment of the memories each one brings back as I pick it up to clean, admire, show off or occasionally shoot when I think of the times spent with it in the deer stand, or plinking cans and bottles at the old city dump with my dad over half a century ago with his guns that still reside in my safe . . . the hours spent with pards, some already gone home, on the range shooting Bullseye, PPC, action games or indulging in our abundance dressing up like our childhood matinee' heroes of the horse operas and showing off the '92 Winchester made in 1903 that still served me in the matches over a century hence.
The truth is, to have such abundance and be so blessed can seem ghastly to some when comparing it to so many in the world who have little or nothing. To us it can be a 'problem' at times. Sorry for heading off down that rabbit trail . . . I'm not criticizing anyone and I'm as guilty as the next guy for sometimes taking it all for granted. Have to keep reminding myself it's just "stuff" and one day it will go the way of all things. I'm just thankful for the life I've been blessed with, family, health, the ability to work, live and love . . . the freedom from want, and . . the freedom we have in this great nation. These threads always send me to this place - life here is short - I'm looking forward to even better eternally.
Forgive an old timer for rambling on . . . .
In my case and my philosophy I tend to look at it like gambling with the life insurance companies - I'm betting (actually the wife and kids) I'm gonna cash in that policy sooner than later and the insurance folks are betting I'm gonna get even older and they're going to get to invest all my premiums long enough to beat the house. So far, they're winning.
I'm at the spot I know I should downsize and start the process now, knowing the mess I would leave behind that disposing of it would be for the family, but I'm vainly planning and hoping that I can enjoy the firearms and accoutrements for a few years more before I'm okay with letting them go. I understand but marvel at the guys whose tastes and fixations run towards collecting every specimen of one particular model, or action, or caliber or whatever . . . Mine runs to the enjoyment of the memories each one brings back as I pick it up to clean, admire, show off or occasionally shoot when I think of the times spent with it in the deer stand, or plinking cans and bottles at the old city dump with my dad over half a century ago with his guns that still reside in my safe . . . the hours spent with pards, some already gone home, on the range shooting Bullseye, PPC, action games or indulging in our abundance dressing up like our childhood matinee' heroes of the horse operas and showing off the '92 Winchester made in 1903 that still served me in the matches over a century hence.
The truth is, to have such abundance and be so blessed can seem ghastly to some when comparing it to so many in the world who have little or nothing. To us it can be a 'problem' at times. Sorry for heading off down that rabbit trail . . . I'm not criticizing anyone and I'm as guilty as the next guy for sometimes taking it all for granted. Have to keep reminding myself it's just "stuff" and one day it will go the way of all things. I'm just thankful for the life I've been blessed with, family, health, the ability to work, live and love . . . the freedom from want, and . . the freedom we have in this great nation. These threads always send me to this place - life here is short - I'm looking forward to even better eternally.
Forgive an old timer for rambling on . . . .
BKLooney
Member
I have so many regrets of selling firearms in the past...
Move it all with you, if you still feel the need to downsize your collection after you're settled in do so with time on your side. If there's no real rush, don't rush.
Move it all with you, if you still feel the need to downsize your collection after you're settled in do so with time on your side. If there's no real rush, don't rush.
I've downsized a lot over the last few years due to rising costs and increasing annoyances of the gun hobby. If you feel the urge to downsize and have a few you really like that you want to keep, that's totally cool. You'll get good money out of the stuff you sell, have less to move (my last move was a great workout regimen between the safe and 50cal cans full of various ammo), and you'll get some nice decluttering done.
Guns as a hobby encourages hoarding like no other between the ammo (I'll get another 44-40 someday I'm sure of it! Better hold onto this 200rds of reloads I did!), grips, holsters, and, well the guns of course. I fish and bike a lot and when you have stuff you don't use, you dump it on craigslist or fb marketplace and make room without a second thought. For some reason guns have this hold where we'll yell at each other not to sell anything and that we'll regret every single one, and I just don't buy that.
Guns as a hobby encourages hoarding like no other between the ammo (I'll get another 44-40 someday I'm sure of it! Better hold onto this 200rds of reloads I did!), grips, holsters, and, well the guns of course. I fish and bike a lot and when you have stuff you don't use, you dump it on craigslist or fb marketplace and make room without a second thought. For some reason guns have this hold where we'll yell at each other not to sell anything and that we'll regret every single one, and I just don't buy that.
Before My move I sold almost 100 guns. Made several trips up here hauling reloading stuff and what guns I kept. Moving companies won't take firearms or powder or primers or ammo. All I contacted said 'no'. At My age (77), I really didn't want those guns anyway and haven't missed any of them. Have bought some new to Me though. Sell Your safes and buy new and better. Good Luck!
When I moved in 2009 guns were the least of my problems. The trip with my machine tools and blacksmithing stuff was way worse. Then in the middle of nowhere the rental truck breaks down. They sent out 2 husky guys a with the new truck Luckily I had some plate and angle to make a bridge from one to the other and several come alongs.
I was afraid we would be seeing something like this about my house. After the enhancement of my ambition and problem solving ability that I firmly believe is a blessing from my CPAP machine, I decided to totally organize my ammunition and component supplies. I bought a cabinet made of some sort of composite, assembled it and dedicated it for my .22 rimfire shells. All was good for several years, until I heard a CRASH down in the basement. One of the shelves in this cabinet broke in half. Luckily all of the .22 shells were firmly contained within the brick cartons and there was no mass spillage of .22 shells all over the basement floor. Out of curiosity, I counted the number of bricks of .22 shells from that shelf. Here is turned out that on the shelf that broke had been 9600 rounds of .22 Long Rifle. I now have a steel cabinet dedicated to .22 rimfire shells.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
After the movers were on the job for an hour They see the gun safe. They say "We are not allowed to move anything over 700 pounds!" I say great! The whole safe weighs 800 and the door is 1/3 and comes off! They actually had no trouble with it. The filing cabinets full of dies and presses weighed even more, and they had no problem there either. I think the guys were just trying to weasel out of some work! After they broke a piece of junk furniture, they told me they weren't responsible for "Composite" furniture.
Try and find out in advance.
In 1984 I bought the safe, and easily moved it to the basement. I 1986 my BFF and I moved it to the second floor. I knew I didn't want to try to move it in 2014! That's part of why I hired movers in the first place!
I gave them a small tip each and bought their lunch along with pop and bottled water at both ends of the move.
The company is called Two Men and a Truck. They started years ago in Dayton and are all over the Mid-West now. Actual cost is by the hour and Mileage from door to door, The free estimate was within $20. I didn't waste their time while I decided where to place things. I had a 4x6 inch Post-it on every piece of furniture and stack of boxes saying exactly where it went. The foreman said my labels saved me about $200 over the average move!
You are looking at about a 200 mile move. You may be thinking about doing it all yourself. Hire some strong backs for the unloading if nothing else!
Ivan
Try and find out in advance.
In 1984 I bought the safe, and easily moved it to the basement. I 1986 my BFF and I moved it to the second floor. I knew I didn't want to try to move it in 2014! That's part of why I hired movers in the first place!
I gave them a small tip each and bought their lunch along with pop and bottled water at both ends of the move.
The company is called Two Men and a Truck. They started years ago in Dayton and are all over the Mid-West now. Actual cost is by the hour and Mileage from door to door, The free estimate was within $20. I didn't waste their time while I decided where to place things. I had a 4x6 inch Post-it on every piece of furniture and stack of boxes saying exactly where it went. The foreman said my labels saved me about $200 over the average move!
You are looking at about a 200 mile move. You may be thinking about doing it all yourself. Hire some strong backs for the unloading if nothing else!
Ivan
Sandman4delta
Member
Well, at least it's not a car collection.
On a note of humor:
When I moved from Tx to Nv, they were still building the Dam bridge so you still had to cross the Dam.
But due to international tension, they had a checkpoint before you cross.
We had all the ammo on this trip.
After asking some other questions, destination, citizenship, etc,
The Homeland Security officer asked "Are you carrying more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition?"
I thought for a sec, and then started to visibly count on my fingers a couple times,
and I said, "No sir, I am not carrying more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition."
He smiled back and said "Have a nice day."
On a note of humor:
When I moved from Tx to Nv, they were still building the Dam bridge so you still had to cross the Dam.
But due to international tension, they had a checkpoint before you cross.
We had all the ammo on this trip.
After asking some other questions, destination, citizenship, etc,
The Homeland Security officer asked "Are you carrying more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition?"
I thought for a sec, and then started to visibly count on my fingers a couple times,
and I said, "No sir, I am not carrying more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition."
He smiled back and said "Have a nice day."
DUSTYDOGDAN
Member
My biggest problem is I also buy modern firearms. I collect S&W 3RD Gen Auto pistols from the 1990's and would never sell them but the modern stuff like the M&P FPC Carbine or Ruger Charger pistol I just had to have..but have never shot them along with many more would be easy to sell.
HOUSTON RICK
Member
Having lived in Akron for work, Ohio is fine for gun owners and there are adequate shops in the area and some good shows, but I would avoid Canton unless you like skiing to work. Nice in the brief summer. Even family could not get me there. We enjoyed Hartville Kitchen, A Taste of Bangkok, and the Cuyahoga Valley. Missed the sun from November through May.
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