My New Year's Resolution

[TTSH]

No, it's not to exercise more and try to lose more weight, even though I could afford to lose almost enough weight to make up a whole second person! Well, almost!

I hereby resolve to finally take seriously my vow to dispose of one no-longer-wanted gun from the collection/accumulation for each new (to me) gun I buy for myself in 2018.

Yes, that was kinda/sorta last year's plan too, but it didn't quite work out mathematically or money-wise the way I had hoped. The collection/accumulation is still showing net growth, albeit at a much slower pace than in years past. But at my advanced age with so few "good years" left, that's not such a good thing.

I'm not yet ready to go into full disposal mode and probably won't be for some time to come, but I really do have all I'll ever need at this point... so a policy of zero net growth really does make good sense for several reasons, not the least of which are limited safe space and ever-increasing insurance costs.

Can I really discipline myself enough this year to achieve that lofty, elusive goal? Stay tuned.

 

[chuckster57]

My resolution is to not make any resolutions. That way I don't have to worry about breaking any.

 

[old bear]

As, I haven't been able to bring myself to sell some of my duplicate or unused guns. Instead I was on a buying spree during the last half of 2017. Finished off the last two weeks of the year buying two 2 ½" model 19's. Just what I needed

So, I've decided to tax myself at a sliding rate between 25% and 50% of the cost of every firearm purchase I make in 2018. I will use the proceeds from this tax to help fund my Foster granddaughter's college expenses. This money will be in addition to the performance plan I've set up for her.

Happy New Year all

 

[rwsmith]

My resolution......

My resolution is to work through the bad and enjoy the good. That seems to be a good formula for me. It just took 60+ years to arrive at it.

 

[Golddollar]

I hereby resolve to finally take seriously my vow to dispose of one no-longer-wanted gun from the collection/accumulation for each new (to me) gun I buy for myself in 2018.

Yes, that was kinda/sorta last year's plan too, but it didn't quite work out mathematically or money-wise the way I had hoped. The collection/accumulation is still showing net growth, albeit at a much slower pace than in years past. But at my advanced age with so few "good years" left, that's not such a good thing.

I'm not yet ready to go into full disposal mode and probably won't be for some time to come, but I really do have all I'll ever need at this point... so a policy of zero net growth really does make good sense for several reasons, not the least of which are limited safe space and ever-increasing insurance costs.

Can I really discipline myself enough this year to achieve that lofty, elusive goal? Stay tuned.

I don't know what an "advanced age" is, but I rather imagine for a lot of us baby boomers we have to contemplate what will happens to our respective collections when we are no longer around. Maybe what will make it easier is to think of our guns as assets, and that sometimes we decide to change the form of our assets. Use two guns to help finance the acquisition of that real classic gun you have wanted for years. Use four or five guns to make a good, healthy down payment on the car you've always wanted. Or make retirement a little easier by using the proceeds of disposition of half a dozen guns to buy some income producing stocks or bonds. Hopefully I'll start taking my own advice.

 

[crazyphil]

In 2017 I sold 5 and gave away 4 so I am quite proud of myself.
Meanwhile I didn't buy any more. But I did accumulate a bit more
leather.

 

[billwill]

Please send me (and the forum members) your list of disposal items you are planning for '18.
I'm sure we can all help reduce the size of your accumulation in a couple of days.

 

[Kurusu]

My New Year Resolution, back in 1987, was ndver again to make a New Year's Resolution.

It has worked like a charm since then.

 

[snuffy51]

Made it through last year just fine. Will continue to stay low and slow.

 

[misswired]

My same boring old resolution; try to make it till next New Years Day.

So far, so good... I haven't broken it yet!

 

[snubbyfan]

Not a resolution so much as planning on more fun stuff for the upcoming year.
Top of the list is to shoot more. I can't afford to accumulate more guns but I'd sure like to get out and shoot the ones I do have.
Get me and my wife to a local resort we know on a nice hot summer day and go play. They have a big lake, beach, paddle boats, horse back riding, hiking trails, camping, picnic areas and other fun stuff.
We'll probably go a few times.
Basically just get out and play more.
'Til then, we're gonna spend the rest of winter getting in "play shape" so we'll be ready when the warm weather gets here.

 

[TTSH]

I haven't been able to bring myself to sell some of my duplicate or unused guns. Instead, I was on a buying spree during the last half of 2017. Finished off the last two weeks of the year buying two 2 ½" model 19's. Just what I needed.

I, too, can attest to the fact that it's not easy to suddenly go cold turkey on gun collecting. The good news is that I've been able to cut down rather substantially over my 2013-2016 acquisition rate and hope to do even better in 2018 than I did in 2017. The bad news is that most of the remaining guns I want are substantially higher in cost than past purchases... so the one-for-one disposal rate should help, but not completely cover, my costs going forward.

 

[TTSH]

Use two guns to help finance the acquisition of that real classic gun you have wanted for years.

That is a great concept in principle, but it never seems to work out for me due to the vagaries of opportunity vs. cash flow. The biggest problem is that I don't often have enough spare cash on hand to cover the time between the new purchase and the sell off of the guns to finance the new purchase. I prefer the consignment approach, but it can sometimes take months.

 

[TTSH]

Please send me (and the forum members) your list of disposal items you are planning for '18.
I'm sure we can all help reduce the size of your accumulation in a couple of days.

Ha! The truth is that there are only 4 Smith & Wessons (all semi-autos) on my current "Willing to Sell or Trade" list and none of them considered particularly desirable or appropriate for forum sale.

However, when the time comes to blow out the really good stuff, believe me... you'll know it.

 

[GaryS]

I more or less, mostly more, adopted this a couple of years ago. I've been pretty successful, although not entirely so. This year, I plan to sell of one of my two AR15s, am still trying to sell one of my 3913s, and have been eying a couple of other guns that I don't use.

Last year I sold four guns and only acquired three. I also thinned out the ammo locker of loadings that I don't shoot.

As to losing weight and exercising more. Those are the two things that will do the most to improve your health. Even if you "only" lose 10% of your weight and if "only" exercise 30-35 minutes per day, you'll find that you will feel much, much, better. The problem most people have is that they try to lose weight and increase exercise too fast and the only thing they lose is interest in dieting and exercising.

No, it's not to exercise more and try to lose more weight, even though I could afford to lose almost enough weight to make up a whole second person! Well, almost!

I hereby resolve to finally take seriously my vow to dispose of one no-longer-wanted gun from the collection/accumulation for each new (to me) gun I buy for myself in 2018.

 

[TTSH]

Top of the list is to shoot more. I can't afford to accumulate more guns but I'd sure like to get out and shoot the ones I do have.

I think that's on the top of the list for a lot of us. My problem is that I really need an outdoor range. My damaged, failing hearing just can't take indoor ranges anymore unless I am lucky enough to be shooting alone or at least without the magnum and shotgun crowd right next door to me... and that's with BOTH plugs and muffs (the best ones money can buy).

 

[JohnHL]

Ha! The truth is that there are only 4 Smith & Wessons (all semi-autos) on my current "Willing to Sell or Trade" list and none of them considered particularly desirable or appropriate for forum sale.

Pray tell.

What would make a S&W semi-auto not "appropriate for forum sale" ?

Did you acquire them unlawfully?

John?

 

[TTSH]

I more or less, mostly more, adopted this a couple of years ago. I've been pretty successful, although not entirely so. This year, I plan to sell of one of my two AR15s, am still trying to sell one of my 3913s, and have been eying a couple of other guns that I don't use.

Last year I sold four guns and only acquired three. I also thinned out the ammo locker of loadings that I don't shoot.

Your discipline and success are enviable. I have no set goal on number of acquisitions for the coming year (other than the one-for-one trade-off thang) and my Want List is not very long... but we all know that interesting opportunities have a way of popping up out of the blue and sometimes they can be very hard to pass up.

I think I was pretty good about it in 2017 even if I didn't meet my sell-off goal or even close, but I feel good about 2018. This will be the year I get this expensive hobby fully under control.

As to losing weight and exercising more. Those are the two things that will do the most to improve your health. Even if you "only" lose 10% of your weight and if "only" exercise 30-35 minutes per day, you'll find that you will feel much, much, better. The problem most people have is that they try to lose weight and increase exercise too fast and the only thing they lose is interest in dieting and exercising.

I may have mentioned it elsewhere, but there is suspicion that I have an underactive thyroid messing me up. It would be great if my inability to lose weight (even with serious dieting) were as simple as that since it can be corrected. Just had another blood test last week and am dying to find out the results.

 

[snubbyfan]

I think that's on the top of the list for a lot of us. My problem is that I really need an outdoor range. My damaged, failing hearing just can't take indoor ranges anymore unless I am lucky enough to be shooting alone or at least without the magnum and shotgun crowd right next door to me... and that's with BOTH plugs and muffs (the best ones money can buy).

That's the thing our local (out here within' 30 miles is considered local) range is an outdoor range and during the week it's usually pretty much deserted. We just gotta make time to go there.

 

[pharmer]

Flip the coin: One side says "Don't take yourself so seriously", the other says "Judge not." I'll be busy all year. Joe