"...if you could only keep one..." I'm finding out.

18DAI

18DAI

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Having retired last year I am embarking on a new life. And there is no room in it for my accumulation of firearms. I have no need for all the "back ups" and duplicates of the same model. All the "investment pieces" are gone. I've no one to leave them to.......so off they go.

I am keeping my three carry guns and two.....maybe three others that I have sentimental attachment to.

So, in winnowing down the herd I have been giving a lot of thought to that old gunboard conversation starter; "..if you could only keep one..".

At first, I thought that "one" would likely be a 4566 or a 4506-1. Nope. Then I thought well a 39XX series gun would pretty much do everything......nah.....but I will keep one.....or two..of those. ;)

I then figured a 4516 would be the one if I could only have one. Turns out it is a close second place.

The one, for me, is the early production 6-round rail free 4513TSW. That little gun gets carried all the time. It has rarely been off my hip since I got it several years back. A joy to carry. Light weight, perfectly sized....well....could be a little thinner through the slide. Easy enough to shoot and get accurate hits with. Fine for a nightstand or truck gun too.

So there you have it. I never thought I'd only own a few guns again. But it is time and I'm good with it. :) If I reduce down to one gun and one gun only, its not a revolver or ANY of the other models I love. It will be that little 45. The very last gun I'll own. Regards 18DAI
 
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The first year or so after I got my CHL I bought close to 20 handguns. They covered my bed when taking pics of them. I realized I had a collection going and the one bad thing about a gun collection is not getting to show it off much. Anyway my safe could not hold many more guns so I decided to sell off those I wasn't thrilled with or shot very little or didn't care for them as my carry gun.
I actually broke even or came out ahead on some. To funny as I have bought and sold some more since then.
I guess the one gun I would keep if only one would have to be my Kimber Ultra Carry II 1911 compact 45 with laser. I loved the gun when I first handled it at a gun show and still favor it.
 
Well, sorry to hear you had to part with them. I read the words that you're okay with it but I suspect if you had a better choice you wouldn't have.

Retiring's a double edge sword, I know. Hopefully you've got some interesting things in mind to do?

My "little big guns", 4516 & 4013, are among my favorite too. Beyond that, I'd rather not have to contemplate it. :p :D

Because you've reduced the herd doesn't get you off the hook from providing continued input here. We always enjoy hearing what you have to add, even if you don't post pictures. :)

Shoot what you got & enjoy!

.
 
Actually I really needed to let them go due to the fact that I don't shoot much anymore - by choice - and storing all of them was becoming a pain.

A year or so ago I went to a couple of local gunshows. When I saw what they were asking for the current production plastic junk, I was surprised. When I came across a few older models, just like examples I owned and saw those asking prices, I was astounded!

I decided then and there to liquidate a large portion of the herd and enjoy the proceeds. :)

My 4506-1 & 4566 duty guns are staying. So are my 39XX series guns and the 4516's. There is nothing as nice being made and I don't see any manufacturer doing so in the near future.

I still go to the local civilian range periodically - but now it is for fun as much as it is to maintain my skillset.

I also was appointed a Magistrate, so my carrying days are far from over. Magistrates in NC are armed, by statute. ;)

And as I enjoy reading about the 3rd gen guns, I will still be stopping by this site. And I have more time to do so now! Regards 18DAI
 
Can't say that I'm surprised by your choice. :) In my experience it's the perfect marriage of caliber, accuracy, capacity, concealability, reliability, and good looks (though I could live without the billboard ;)).

I like mine a lot. I just wish I could shoot it better.:o But I'm getting ready to test it against a 457S, and the winner will be my carry gun for the foreseeable future. Both will stay with me, though, and get plenty of range time.

You had a nice collection of pistols, 18. Perhaps you'll be willing to share what became of some of them, since I haven't seen any of them for sale here on the Forum. ;)

Not that I could have afforded some of them.....:D
 
18DAI said:
And as I enjoy reading about the 3rd gen guns, I will still be stopping by this site. And I have more time to do so now! Regards 18DAI
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Oh Lordy! :eek: I can't believe that one of my 3rd Gen heroes is selling off his collection (or at least big chunks of it). :( How depressing is that to read on this cold, wet Wednesday morning. :o

I think I better go back to bed and pull the blankets up over my head. :o Maybe it's all just a bad dream. ;)

I could never do that. As old & poor as I am with just 4 good years left (according to the infamous Bam-Bam formula), I'm hanging on to my beloved 3rd Gens for as long as possible. :) I'm even going to try to get them to bury the very best ones with me when I kick the bucket. :D

Anyway, I hope it works out for you. :( I have to look at the bright side. :) There will be more 3rd Gens out there in the marketplace as a result of your decision. :D So maybe it's not all bad news after all! :p
 
WOW.............................speechless....................

I'm with TTSH......................................................

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Edit: Rereading your posts; LOL....... it looks like "only one" is more like 7+ .......All 3 "sizes" of Smith's 3G .45s and more than one 3913/14........but you really need, IMHO, a hi-cap 9mm...... cus everyone needs a hi-cap 9mm.......

Maybe a 6906 with some +2mag collars so you can use both 12 and 15 rd magazines.......................


Not to blow up TTSH's morning more than it already has .......but ........I stopped "buying" about 2 years ago..........first because I don't need any more and secondly ..... haven't seen anything worth buying at anything like a reasonable price!!!!!

Maybe the NE Ohio Bunch meeting will change that......was a nice 639 last year but no way to transfer it...................

Even thought about selling some stuff off......... but I've got two boys who show some interest; so I'm keeping some to give to them after college........ at least a "starter set"...... 6" 17, 3913, 6906, 3" 66 and a 4" 686/685.......... and a Sig 220 and 245.

If I did thin the herd I'd favor keeping .22s , .357/.38s and 9mm.........along the lines of my boys "starter sets"
 
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18,

If you're willing to share-

Did you feel you got what you expected for the ones you chose to sell? Obviously, you had some higher-end stuff.

I have a handful of 3rd Gens that I've been contemplating selling (mostly because they're back-ups, or don't get used much), but I sometimes feel we over-value our own guns compared to how other people see them.
 
Fellas let me clarify two things. Im not getting out of the 3rd gen pistols. They are the best guns out there, for me. And I am not going down to one gun. But have been giving that old question some thought while sorting through what guns to sell first. I now know which one it will be.

vigil617 I am not placing any ads here. I did sell a couple to friends on the board who I knew would appreciate them and one to a fellow who had a WTB ad.

The others are being sold by two local dealers that I've done business with for years. The guns I didn't really care for went first. The target revolvers and some DAO semis. Then a couple of the "investment pieces"- guns I purchased years ago for not too much money that I surmised would be in demand within a decade or so. I guessed correctly. Those investments paid off much better than any stocks I've owned. ;)

The duplicstes are all moving out now. And perhaps a few more investment pieces as well. Later in the year I'll thin out the revolver half of the accumulation. :) Regards 18DAI
 
Congratulations on your retirement, and if you retired from law enforcement, thank you for your service and an extra congrats for staying safe. It sounds like your 4513 is like my favorite wristwatch, the one I've worn five days a week for over twenty years. Some things can't be beat. Hope you enjoy it for a long time to come.
 
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