Almost gunless

[morsecode]

Two years of seasonal joblessness has left a huge hole in the gun room. It makes me sad to even walk in there, but I have to since that's where the TV is. No more Smiths, no Colts or Winchesters...not even a Ruger remains. Damn sad.

Well, at least I went ahead a landed a normal office job this Spring, which means I'm almost middle-class again. Yippie!

Here's what's left:

An Enfield No 1 w/ bayonet, mostly for decorative purposes. A 1200 defender with as many black attachments one could possibly affix to one gun, rendering it virtually useless as a weapon. It doesn't deserve to be called a Winchester anymore so I don't. A Bauer .25 - my first ever gun - which falls into the lethality scale somewhere between an aluminum bat and a Ninja throwing star. I would probably grab the bat first. There's an ancient single barrel 12 ga. with an ACME name on it. How can you not love something named ACME? And finally a 16" Puma large loop in 45 which I expect I'll become a lot more familiar with this summer.

Not looking for sympathy mind you...there are quite a few good shops hereabouts. New job = discretionary income = let the re-arming begin!

 

[trckdrvr]

Well...It happens.
I have always told my wife that the guns i purchase are an investment and a hobby, and if we ever need the money i will sell them...

Well,i have had to do that several times in our life together/marriage and i have kept my promise.......But,it's hard.
Good luck in your new job.

 

[Frizzman]

I have been there on that. I had a pretty extensive collection of battle rifles and other guns such as Colt SAA's and vintage S&W's. Then, in 2002, I had a stroke and had to retire early on disablilty. My income dropped considerably. I wound up selling most of it for living expenses when the savings ran out. I was very sad about it but it did help us get through a tough time without losing our home or starving. I have collected more in the years since and it doesn't bother me anymore. They are just "things" after all...Good Luck!

 

[Evil Dog]

Yes... been there, done that a couple times myself. Sort of an insurance policy... in more ways that one.

 

[4864]

The few you have still are very cool. Don't see a mix like that very much. Look at it this way: Better then nothing and you can get more again. Like you and the others I have just gotten a new job and before hand I had to let a few go. Not many but will get them back and some new ones soon. The are a good investment and always will be.

 

[Beauetienne]

I feel your regret but, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Like yourself and others here, I have made the same sacrifices when needed. I jokingly refer to my meager collection as my emergency fund.

Hope that things will turn around soon for you and you will be blessed with all the firearms you desire.

 

[crofoot629]

I think the first new one should be a 22 rimfire so you can always afford to shoot a bit.
jmho

Emory

 

[Crazy K38]

the one good thing about tattooing is I can go anywhere anytime and do it, but believe me the first few months the health department wants me BAD, but I can never bring myself to sell or even pawn one.

 

[7.62foryou]

Been down that road bro, damn sad is right. Took along time to correct it too. Hang in there and keep plugging you'll be back.

 

[NFrameFred]

Most all of us are just a pink slip away from finding ourselves in the same circumstances. Hang in there - show 'em what you're made of.

 

[Smith357]

I feel your pain, I'm currently down to just one handgun (m14-4) and one rifle (Kimber 22) and slowly saving up for a shotgun but the cost of reloading components is slowing that down to a trickle. Strange how a wife, children, and a mortgage can deplete my gun, guitar, watch, and motorcycle collections. The sad thing is it's going to cost me three times as much to replace the ones I sold to pay bills.

 

[patrick james]

A person can get by fine with 3 to 4 guns.A .22 rifle,shotgun,a S&W revolver and .270 or 30/06.I have many more than that but when I had less I seemed to enjoy them more.When I went shooting it didn't take me 15 minutes to figure out what I was going to shoot.

 

[armybass]

Same here, I have sold countless guns over the past few years to pay for silly things like insurance, food and electricity bills. I am finally getting to a place where I can keep them. But with that said, I think I have learned to buy what I can afford to buy as opposed to what I want. It will help me get to the day when I can afford to buy what I want. It is a gradual process.

 

[gunlovingirl]

I can relate. When I first moved to Nashville, to care for a friend with cancer, I had a few antique rifles, a shotgun, and a couple handguns. When my friend couldn't afford a medicine that was prescribed, I sold them all. I sure do miss those guns, but I miss my friend even more, and would do it again without a thought.

 

[alagreg5]

I feel your pain. I've been jobless since November and I've had to let some guns go that I wished would stay. We do what we have to do because that's the kind of folks we are and is the main difference between us and the "entitlement" people. I start a new job tomorrow and after the bills are caught up it'll be time to build the collection back up.

 

[dennis40x]

Originally posted by gunlovingirl:
When my friend couldn't afford a medicine that was prescribed, I sold them all. I sure do miss those guns, but I miss my friend even more, and would do it again without a thought.

You have my respect.

 

[Smokester653]

quote:
Originally posted by gunlovingirl:
When my friend couldn't afford a medicine that was prescribed, I sold them all. I sure do miss those guns, but I miss my friend even more, and would do it again without a thought.

We need more people like you in the world.

 

[sigp220.45]

I've been there, too. I held on to the absolute keepers (grandpa's Fox Sterlingworth, a few others) but anyone that could be replaced was on the block. Good luck - replacing them is fun, too.

 

[ElToro]

yep, been there myself as well. In my silly 20's i had a meager collection going and then sold off a several for fast cash. No family heirlooms, just stuff I thought I could replace fast. dont even get me started on ones i sold becuz i didn't need the money

Anybody see a Colt Delta for sale in calfiornia lately ? or a pre72 Sako Vixen in .223 ?

 

[dsoza2003]

Same here bud..In early 08' I had to sell quite a few of my babies...Was commission only for 8 years and had about 7500 a month in expenses. Since them got a great Salary postition a great company....Shaved down the living expenses to 3500 and am slowly starting the re-arm.

Guns Sold..

Bonelli Pump 12 gauge
A browning medalist(never been fired)
Browing .22 Lever Action
2 colt Frontiers in .22 with 2 cylinders one for .22 mag
2 colt troopers..1 in .357 and one in .22
AR- 15....
Ruger SuperRedHawk .44 mag

I can go on.....Damn it was a sad few months...Luckily I sold many to a gun collector friend who told me I could buy back all my weapons at the same price I sold em for....Slowly working on that...