Guns you will never shoot, what % of your collection?

[Peter M. Eick]

I am currently laid up for a bit with medical issues so I started doing some cleaning around the house and the safe. I was running out of room in my primary safe so I decided to move my "guns I would never shoot" from normal cases to bore-stores. What I found was that quickly I hand moved about 80% of my collection into bore-stores because I would never shoot them again. It surprised me how many guns I had that were essentially just dead steel and will never be sold (in my lifetime) and never fired either. Most were parked for reasons like they are too nice a finish to take to the range. Or they are too rare (4" 38/44 HBH's) too unique (5" McGivern 38/44 Clone) or I just have too many of the same model (38/44 post war Outdoorsman's). Or even some NIB guns like my 44 Automag md 180.

I was surprised when I looked at it and saw that 80% of my collection falls in this category and of my primary shooters there is really only about a dozen guns I shoot routinely and maybe another dozen that are say once every 4 to 5 years.

So do you all have a similar situation or setup and how does your mix of shooters vs. never to be shot guns run?

 

[robertrwalsh]

1%. I have one safe queen, everything else I shoot. Even some of the seriously odd stuff (i.e. 8mm Lebel revolver).

 

[bodyarmorguy]

I have about 54 guns in my collection. Some get shot/carried more than others, but right now only 2 that really "will not, or likely not be shot." A 1944 production Remington Rand 1911A1 in 96% condition, and a recently acquire LNIB S&W 659/5906 Transitional or Interim pistol. I just haven't brought myself to shoot that yet.

All of the other guns are ones that see occasion use/carry. So what does that work out to, like 4%?

 

[Eaglestroker]

Have some I haven't shot, have none I wouldn't. Different stroke for different folks

 

[ibewbull]

I had an AR180 which was never fired.
After completing cancer treatment I shot it.
It may going to fund some Smiths soon. Still think on that.

Some other safe queens are Colt BP signature series NIB.

I carry J and K frames daily.
So 1% or so.

 

[hangnoose]

ZERO i HAVE NOT OR WILL NOT SHOOT

Several don't get shot as much as I'd like, due to recoil & injury.

 

[Art Doc]

0...............

 

[Cpo1944]

This is interesting. I think I will unload my safe and actually see whats hiding in there .

 

[madmikeb]

I've got a bunch that I haven't gotten around to shooting yet, and a bunch more that have only been to the range once. Both are due to time constraints more than anything. I tend to grab my carry guns to practice with and I shoot bowling matches so those guns get shot. Everything is whenever I get to it!

I do have one safe queen, an unfired Keith M29. I have an Andy Cannon tuned 4" 629 that I will grab and take to the range before the Keith model so chances are that may never get shot.

 

[DGT]

I don't shoot flintlocks or percussion guns nor do I shoot cartridge guns designed for black power only. So, I guess about 15% of my collection will never be shot (by me).

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

I am currently laid up for a bit with medical issues so I started doing some cleaning around the house and the safe. I was running out of room in my primary safe so I decided to move my "guns I would never shoot" from normal cases to bore-stores. What I found was that quickly I hand moved about 80% of my collection into bore-stores because I would never shoot them again. It surprised me how many guns I had that were essentially just dead steel and will never be sold (in my lifetime) and never fired either. Most were parked for reasons like they are too nice a finish to take to the range. Or they are too rare (4" 38/44 HBH's) too unique (5" McGivern 38/44 Clone) or I just have too many of the same model (38/44 post war Outdoorsman's). Or even some NIB guns like my 44 Automag md 180.

I was surprised when I looked at it and saw that 80% of my collection falls in this category and of my primary shooters there is really only about a dozen guns I shoot routinely and maybe another dozen that are say once every 4 to 5 years.

So do you all have a similar situation or setup and how does your mix of shooters vs. never to be shot guns run?

Feel free to sell some Safe Queens to me,I am always taking on new additions...

 

[old bear]

Zero, I don't want to own something, I can't use as it was intended to be used. I do though have two M 27-2 that don't get shot much, as both are in excellent condition.

 

[Arik]

It happens to me sometimes accidentally. If I find that I have a gun that I haven't bothered to pick up in at least 6 months then I obviously don't have a use for it so off to the gun store it goes.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[410bore]

I have several that I haven't shot and I don't plan to anytime soon. It just so happens that I have happened upon a few "shooter" grade guns of the same model as some of my non-shooters.

I wouldn't be against shooting some of these guns someday, but for now with 2 young kids on the go, I don't have enough free time to drag several of them to the range, shoot them, AND then immediately come home, sit down and clean and lube them as they should be. Until then, those guns will remain unfired by me.

 

[deadin]

I currently have about 50 guns and there are only 4 I will not shoot. 2 because of antique value. The other two are guns I don't consider safe to fire. One is basically a parts gun with a cracked frame and the other is an old muzzle loader with a loose breechplug.) So that's 8%

I also have another 17 that I haven't fired but plan to...some day. Several I'm still figuring out how to make ammo for (Odd chamberings) and the rest just due to lazyness. That's another 34%

(You may gather that I am more of a collector than a shooter seeing as how I've only shot a little over half of the guns I own).

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

-----0-----

 

[Photog]

I have only one...a 1981 vintage Colt DEA Commemorative Gold Cup that my dad bought me. May one day shoot it, or might just stay locked up in my safety deposit box. Can't say for sure. That is the only gun that I have not shot. I believe in shooting and using all my guns. Two of my favorite carry guns when I am out camping or hiking are a 5 screw pre 29 6.5" or a 4 screw pre 29 4". I had S&W rebuild the 4" back in the early 80's and had them put a partridge front blade on it. Probably my all time favorite outdoors carry gun.

 

[Simson-Suhl]

One, an absolute like new S&W model 520 NYSP complete with box and paperwork, no tools. I do not even cock the hammer on this one.
The stocks do not match, however they are in the proper serial number range.

 

[sw282]

Mike...Would you help a friend shoot his unfired ones ???

 

[mickeyblueyes]

I am really alone in this one, I don't believe in safe queens, but everyone can do what pleases them. If there was only one gun that I could own. I would be happy to own just one. The reason is I want that gun to be a part of my hand and arm ,I want it to feel the same every time I touch it, I want to know exactly what the recoil is. With multiple guns and calibers it all changes. I have had every caliber there likely is. I have some for sale now as a matter of fact. I am only keeping three.
A Sig 228, a SW 625 a SW340pd I am hoping to make the 228 my arm extension. the 340pd emergency back up, and the 625 fun steel ringing gun. So no , no non shooters.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I have dozens of guns. The ones that I know that I will never shoot make up at least ten percent of the collection. I have a number of pre-USRAC Model 94 Winchesters that I didn't buy to shoot. I want my grandsons to have them; they can shoot them if they want to. But I might sell them; I have plenty of guns for those boys.

I have a couple of pretty old .25 ACP pistols that I'll never shoot. I have a S&W 5903 SSV that is NIB that I'll never shoot, either.

There are a number of shotguns that I can't be bothered to shoot - including the ones that I leave loaded around the house. If I have to shoot those there's a serious social problem occurring.

I could get the number up to 20% if I include the ones I'm unlikely to shoot! Some .22s, rifles and handguns, and some other antiques That I can't be bothered with.

Yep, plenty of non-shooters lying around.

***GRJ***

 

[pharmer]

I have a few that probably won't be shot. I have a just about perfect 18-3 that I have shot once. I like it but I have a high mileage 17-3 that covers that niche. I have a NIB 5906, I carry a 6906 so these are favorite guns. I have other 9mm double stacks I shoot that do the same thing. I have a Colt Magpul version 6920 that I bought last year (at about $250 more than they are now), probably won't get shot because I have an earlier version that does get shot once in awhile. I have a 3 1/2" 27-2 that I got from a local member in Ocala that is just so nice and I have a 4" 28 that has lots of miles so why not leave it be. I am not saving these guns for my son, he'll sell them as soon as I reach room temperature so there's no real reason for this. Lots of things I do or don't do for no explainable reason. Joe

 

[KSDeputy]

Last year I did what you are doing. I sold all but a few that I won't routinely shoot, but have to keep for sentimental reasons. My Dad's Model 11 shotgun, my 597BDL, and my 1100.

 

[fat tom]

Probably 90% of the guns I own now have never been shot by me. Probably won't be to be honest about it. I once shot often but now my guns are simply another facet of my retirement portfolio. I do however receive a lot more pleasure from them than any of my monthly investment statements.
f.t.

 

[Grayfox]

---ZERO---

 

[pharmer]

Many of my guns are in the "I will probably never fire these guns, but I reserve to right to do so whenever I wish" category.

Well said. Joe

 

[ma deuce]

Interesting question that required some thought. I have guns I haven't shot, but can't say I never will. If I exclude them, then only about 12% - half a dozen Lugers that stay locked up except for when I check on them once a year.

 

[rburg]

Eh. I own more than enough guns. I've discovered I own plenty that I have no plans on ever shooting. Particularly the engraved guns. And then we move to the rare ones. There was a time, long ago, that I owned 36 K22s. Three dozen of the things, and I just didn't need that many. The prewar boxed guns just don't get fired, ever. Too nice and too valuable. In my headlng rush to sell of the hoard of K22s, I only kept one that I'd fired. Its the ratty old K155. I'll shoot it until it stops working, and then I'll fix it and make it run again. If it actually dies before I do, I'll just move up to K166 ( a much nicer example) and shoot it till one of us dies.

Some of the guns I own weren't bought to be shot. Its just that simple. Even the ones I bought intending to sometimes just haven't come up in the rotation. I have a Colt 32 in 32 Colt caliber. I know, you don't own one, nor do you have any ammo in that caliber. The tiny little bullets are only .299, sigificantly smaller than 32 S&W Longs every one owns. But my younger son demanded I go shooting with him a while back. Really he wanted to fire my P210 and P238. So I also took along the 32 Colt. The P210 is the only 9mm I still own, and I've shot it a bunch, including with the 22 kit. I've never shot that one with the .30 Luger barrel and spring. Ammo is too dear.

But the 32 got its initiation. And its a nice little gun. We date it to the 19-teens, maybe. And while I don't have a bunch of ammo, its a sweet little shooter. Much like a 22 with low velocity ammo. No recoil and no blast at all. Can be compared to a pellet gun. It'll get shot more now. A pleasant surprise, and its about time I shoot it having owned it for a few years now.

I tell this sordid tale because its not often I go shooting only to test a gun I haven't fired before. Usually its to shoot one specific gun. I've got enough really good ones I like to risk wasting a day shooting an unknown.

Other confessions: I've not currently got a .41 that I've fired! I've got a factory engraved M57 and a M357. If I can find and buy another nice M57, I'll take it shooting. But I don't really want to fire some of my guns. So I won't.

My inventory sheet (notice it doesn't contain numbers, and I really don't know how many guns I own) used to have a column for "S" or "NS" for shot or not shot. I dropped that for some reason. I also dropped my habit of taking a hands on physical inventory. I used to do that once a year, but just neglect it these days. I do need to start over because even a bagged gun, slathered in CLP Collector can have a problem. Oh, that an I've got 2 lost guns at this time. I haven't seen them since before Christmas 2009. I'd like to find them and sell them. I think I can remember firing one off the back porch. Like 5 years ago.

 

[kennyb]

I estimate 20% or so of my collection is in the safe unfired...

 

[vytoland]

ZERO %...............all my S&W revolvers are fun to shoot