I have no safe queens......
Every gun I own is a shooter.
Every gun I own is a shooter.
So who is gonna shoot the safe queens?
- Thread starter Grimjaws
- Start date
I agree with "to nice to carry".
I have not(nor want to have) such a thing as to nice to shoot.
There are indeed guns that were made(finished mostly) more as status symbols than real weapons. I leave those for the ones who can afford them, and probably already have enough "plain Jane" versions of them to shoot without regrets.
I have not(nor want to have) such a thing as to nice to shoot.
There are indeed guns that were made(finished mostly) more as status symbols than real weapons. I leave those for the ones who can afford them, and probably already have enough "plain Jane" versions of them to shoot without regrets.
I've owned many safe queens in the past. Most were custom stocked guns that I spec'd out, assorted grades of Belgian Browning Auto 22s, etc. To me, they were art and examples of another interest:high end woodworking. I didn't need to shoot them, liked them to be 100%, and had more basic factory versions of the same to shoot.
Few Smiths fell into the safe queen category. I had a couple of NIB 41s for a while, but I also had one that I shot.
I had a couple of NIB 34s, but I also had a new 63 that I was fine with using.
My wonderful PC guns; 952-1, 17-8, 27-7, 27-8, all saw use.
I only own three guns now. One custom rifle that will remain a queen. The other two guns are probably the guns that have seen the most use of any that I've owned.
Few Smiths fell into the safe queen category. I had a couple of NIB 41s for a while, but I also had one that I shot.
I had a couple of NIB 34s, but I also had a new 63 that I was fine with using.
My wonderful PC guns; 952-1, 17-8, 27-7, 27-8, all saw use.
I only own three guns now. One custom rifle that will remain a queen. The other two guns are probably the guns that have seen the most use of any that I've owned.
memtb
Member
What's a "safe queen"?
While we have a few (OK, more than a few) that are used very infrequently, there are no queens around here! 
memtb41 Roadmaster
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I don't even own a safe. I have 31 handguns that hang in display cases. I enjoy them way too much to put them away where I can't see them. I also agree with Kalamazookid. I've shot everything I have bought, until I was disabled, but they have always been taken care of and except for the turn ring you can't tell them from new. I just don't see a reason to hand something down only to be shot and abused when I'm gone. I may just take them with me.
Grayfox
US Veteran
Years ago I bought an almost perfect 5" pre-27. Beautiful gun. Just couldn't bring myself to shoot it. 
After languishing in my safe for a few years, I finally decided why not? Honestly, I was shaking a little as I loaded it up. But after firing that first cylinder full, I realized I had been foolish to deny myself this experience. What a wonderful gun! 
I now have several guns that don't get shot much, but I do shoot everything I own. No safe queens here.
After languishing in my safe for a few years, I finally decided why not? Honestly, I was shaking a little as I loaded it up. But after firing that first cylinder full, I realized I had been foolish to deny myself this experience. What a wonderful gun! I now have several guns that don't get shot much, but I do shoot everything I own. No safe queens here.
No Safe Queens Here.
Perhaps with the exception of antique guns valued in the thousands, guns should be shot and enjoyed. As other posters have said here, you can't take them with you and others will ultimately enjoy your queens. Besides, having a gun in absolutely mint condition does not add a significant amount of value to the gun. Some, yes, but not enough to keep the gun in mothballs.
Besides, people also enjoy having guns, especially grandpa's or great grandpa's service revolver with all the holster wear, which provides a tangible history of the gun. Prospective gun buyers may try to chew down the price of a gun that shows wear. My suggestion is to be realistic on gun price. If that's not enough, show them to the door.
Perhaps with the exception of antique guns valued in the thousands, guns should be shot and enjoyed. As other posters have said here, you can't take them with you and others will ultimately enjoy your queens. Besides, having a gun in absolutely mint condition does not add a significant amount of value to the gun. Some, yes, but not enough to keep the gun in mothballs.
Besides, people also enjoy having guns, especially grandpa's or great grandpa's service revolver with all the holster wear, which provides a tangible history of the gun. Prospective gun buyers may try to chew down the price of a gun that shows wear. My suggestion is to be realistic on gun price. If that's not enough, show them to the door.
With me it is more of an OCD thing and cleaning. Once I get a revolver perfectly clean I don't want to dirty it. Same with some rifles. I don't clean my 22 rifle hardly ever. Shoot it whenever the feeling hits me. My m36 Smith hasn't been shot in decades. LC9spro and LCP get shot a couple times a year, cleaned up and carried. I guess this makes some of them safe queens.
I had bought one safe queen several years ago and kept it virgin for 2+ years, then got to thinking about it and shot it. Since then, I've bought a few other pristine model 27-2's that were ANIB and have shot them too. I just decided I wasn't a safe queen keeper even before the virus.
I have a 3 1/2, 27-2, tools, box and receipt that was bought in 1980 and never fired until I bought it from the original owner about 5 or 8 yrs. ago. I shot it the first day I bought it and have been trying to wear it out. I can't shoot good enough now for a long barrel to be an advantage and that short barrel sure does carry better. Larry
Rastoff
US Veteran
I understand why someone might think this, but it really doesn't make any sense to me. I mean, guns were made to be shot, instruments were made to be played. Shoot them, play them, that's what they're for.
The only time anything should be kept unused is if it's so fragile that using it will damage or destroy it. Or using it for a purpose it wasn't intended for, like folding the Declaration of Independence into a paper airplane.
Heh!, Heh!, Heh!, you do have a way with words my friend, the pen is mightier than the sword?? nah, but you are one of my all time Smith and Wesson forum word smiths, when Rastoff speaks,,,, people listen!
I might have retained my collection if I could openly display it and enjoy every time that I walked past. Fact is, I'm legally required to keep handguns in a safe, and the idea of having valuable guns of all types not very secure, isn't for me. This point was driven home with me, when my house was burglarized. If handguns were out, they surely would have disappeared, and I'd be out many thousands and in trouble with the licensing bureau. The thief did have an op with a couple of .22 rifles that happened to be out of the safe, but passed in those.
The only gun items that I lost, were a loaded BHP magazine and an old holstered non working Crosman 130 air pistol.
I consciously seek out some guns that I know will never have collector value. I own a Luger and a British Enfield revolver that have been chromed or nickel plated that I deliberately purchased as shooters. Probably the only guns I will keep unfired are the Punxsutawney Commemoratives.
I don't have a lot of safe queens but I do own a few. The beauty is that I get to decide and it's fun to rationalize my thought process.
I have just two that have never been fired outside of the factory. A 6-inch Model 16-4 in it's original box and a early "Value Line" Model 915, 9mm. I will most definitely never shoot either of those because I already own shooter grade versions of each and I shoot them.
I have a no-dash 39 that is in high condition but not mint and it's been shot but not by me. Since I own two other 39-2's and a myriad of other 1-2-3rd Gens, I can't see any tangible reason to shoot this beautiful Model 39. I believe the serial number of 31xxx dates it to 1962 or 1963.
I have the revolver that my Grandfather bought in 1923. Roy Jinks tells me that it was shipped in 1921. I have shot it but shooting and cleaning it doesn't do the nickel finish any help so a number of years ago, I bought another one just like it, though a few years earlier. That's the one I shoot while the family heirloom enjoys retirement. Everyone in my family has been told that if they wish to shoot Grandpa's gun, the real deal, I will certainly make that happen. But I am happy to shoot the other one I picked up.
I've got a mint and gorgeous Performance Center 952-2 that just excretes beauty. The full kit as shipped, although I don't have the elusive outer carton with end label. This pistol has been shot a few times, but not by me. I have other PC 9mm pistols that are similar, including a 952-1 that I shoot a lot. In my mind, it makes no rational sense to shoot this 952-2 but I absolutely love owning this one.
Some folks get snippy when they roll out the tired phrase "bah, guns were made to be shot" and I deflect their emotional statement with one of fact, that indeed, the commercial guns that I own and love were specifically made for one reason -- they were made to be sold. I'm thoroughly addicted to the emotional side of this hobby/lifestyle but when it comes to discussions, emotion has it's place somewhere behind rational fact.
I don't begrudge anyone doing what they want and what they enjoy with their guns. And that includes the folks that alter them to their taste. I'm really all for everyone enjoying these as they see fit, as long as it isn't reckless or potentially damaging to to our collective position as gun enthusiasts.
Nothing I have experienced recently has made me alter my position on my "safe queens."
I have just two that have never been fired outside of the factory. A 6-inch Model 16-4 in it's original box and a early "Value Line" Model 915, 9mm. I will most definitely never shoot either of those because I already own shooter grade versions of each and I shoot them.
I have a no-dash 39 that is in high condition but not mint and it's been shot but not by me. Since I own two other 39-2's and a myriad of other 1-2-3rd Gens, I can't see any tangible reason to shoot this beautiful Model 39. I believe the serial number of 31xxx dates it to 1962 or 1963.
I have the revolver that my Grandfather bought in 1923. Roy Jinks tells me that it was shipped in 1921. I have shot it but shooting and cleaning it doesn't do the nickel finish any help so a number of years ago, I bought another one just like it, though a few years earlier. That's the one I shoot while the family heirloom enjoys retirement. Everyone in my family has been told that if they wish to shoot Grandpa's gun, the real deal, I will certainly make that happen. But I am happy to shoot the other one I picked up.
I've got a mint and gorgeous Performance Center 952-2 that just excretes beauty. The full kit as shipped, although I don't have the elusive outer carton with end label. This pistol has been shot a few times, but not by me. I have other PC 9mm pistols that are similar, including a 952-1 that I shoot a lot. In my mind, it makes no rational sense to shoot this 952-2 but I absolutely love owning this one.
Some folks get snippy when they roll out the tired phrase "bah, guns were made to be shot" and I deflect their emotional statement with one of fact, that indeed, the commercial guns that I own and love were specifically made for one reason -- they were made to be sold. I'm thoroughly addicted to the emotional side of this hobby/lifestyle but when it comes to discussions, emotion has it's place somewhere behind rational fact.
I don't begrudge anyone doing what they want and what they enjoy with their guns. And that includes the folks that alter them to their taste. I'm really all for everyone enjoying these as they see fit, as long as it isn't reckless or potentially damaging to to our collective position as gun enthusiasts.
Nothing I have experienced recently has made me alter my position on my "safe queens."
I have no safe queens..........They all get shot.
Don't get me wrong here, I did have some nice guns. My favorite was my Lew Horton N frame .44spl. But ALL of my guns except for a couple of sentimental favs like my dad Colt 1903 and my grandfather top break (1885) .38 S&W, had to work for a livin'. I rotated all my carry pieces and even though the 4 Glocks were primary carry they all got plenty of range time.
I got where I didn't like to take the Lew Horton to the range as often because I would sometimes have a crowd gather around when I was on the firing line with it.
I just never could get the concept of the term "safe queen".
I got where I didn't like to take the Lew Horton to the range as often because I would sometimes have a crowd gather around when I was on the firing line with it.
I just never could get the concept of the term "safe queen".
misswired
Absent Comrade
Funny you should mention Safe Queens. I bought this P220 a year ago, and it's still unfired. Even tried to sell it a few times because I didn't want another Caliber, but was unwilling to take a loss on it. Not as handsome as a fine revolver, but I do like my Sigs.
Today UPS delivered the first rounds this one will see...as soon as the Governor lets us open our Ranges. Underwood 10mm 200 XTP.
Even though you haven't fired it....I see handling smudges all over that pistol.
Remember, if you open the cylinder or rack the slide more than three times without shooting......You're just playing with it!
rkittine
Member
I have at least 7 firearms that I own and have not shot. Two of these are Collectors pieces, that are old inventory but never shot except for proof firing. If I get through these times OK, all of them are going to go BANG many times.
Bob
Bob
Even though you haven't fired it....I see handling smudges all over that pistol.
Remember, if you open the cylinder or rack the slide more than three times without shooting......You're just playing with it!
I thought you were gonna say... You'll go blind.
