What is the ideal number of guns to own?

Reviews & Opinions
1

Wondering what you all think the ideal number of guns to own would be. Not asking how many you have (none of anybody’s business to know that, but you). You can, if you want, split out your answer by #shotguns, #rifles, #handguns, and #nonspecific firearms.

Let’s see if there are any common answers!

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2

one more then what you already have

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3

Personally, I think the ideal numbers depend on:

age; size of storage area(s), wealth or income, whether you hunt, or not, and what (all) do you hunt, as well as any gun-related competition you are involved in, etcetera.

I put my ideal as being at least 50 and maybe as much as 60 total, with half of it being handguns, and the other half being equally divided between rifles and shotguns. However, I don’t have that many guns and not sure I ever will in the future, even though I would like to (in another life?). Anything much past those numbers would (for me), be too hard to manage and maintain, as well as being way too expensive to buy and buy ammo for.

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4

@srdiver

Thereby, always needing to buy “one” more gun?

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5

and a bigger storage device, or more storage devices…

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6

At least two.

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7

@Belt-Fed

Why (at least) two?

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8

well if’n yer gonna have the least amount you need a shotgun and a rifle. A shotgun will do about anything a person could need, self protection, put food on the table.

Can selct the ammo to hunt specific game, everything from squirrels to deer.

Next would be a rifle of the choosing, some would want a 22 and others different calibers. But as a gun enthusiast or anyone on this site for that matter, who has just 2 guns? i’d venture to say nobody.

So i’m goin with Tim on this one…One more than you already have.

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9

Too many variables to narrow it down . You can go as low as four to skys the limit . A shotgun a twenty two rifle a larger caliber rifle for larger game and a self defence handgun. But in my family we dont sell guns we pass them down to our kids and grand kids . I got twenty somefrom my father and my kids will get over fifty from me.

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10

I only got one and he shot at me with it.

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11

We have all felt that way about you at times too. :rofl:

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12

Ideally? At least one of each model.

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13

I learned watching the news that if anybody defensively uses a gun, that gun is going to be taken in as evidence. Best to have redundancy for all your defensive guns.

For handguns, I like having a regular carry and a more comfortable smaller one, plus 22lr versions of those for training cheap. An extra handgun for testing new sights, lights, and other upgrades without changing the known-good regular carry guns.

For rifles, I like having a folder for the backpack, a shorty for in the house, a duty rifle for militia use, and a long-range one that can defeat level III would be a nice set. Plus extra uppers or full rifles to train each platform with cheaper ammo, and one for experimenting with accessories and upgrades. Then, one that can defeat level IV and do ELR would be an excellent extension to our capabilities.

Then, aside from my personal ideal handgun and rifle platforms, I want exemplars of other popular platforms. This way, if I encounter them on my team (or from the enemy) I’m familiar with them.

And a few shotguns with different manuals of arms.

So that’s like 20-25 guns minimum.

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14

Minimum. That maybe the easier question to answer, what is the minimum :thinking:

  1. Full size semi auto pistol in 9mm.
  2. Self defense shotgun 12ga.
  3. 22LR semi auto rifle.
  4. 5.56 AR pattern rifle or other DBM semi.
  5. 308 rifle bolt action, or lever action.

IMO those cover virtually every purpose for most folks, and are the 5 most available and inexpensive ammunition cartridges even in times of panic.

As for ideal number, for me? What I have plus one more…

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15

As many as you want

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16

Guns scare me

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17

Seems Ideal would be zero, no need, Nirvana, Shangri-La etc

After that ideal would be one, a single firearm that fulfills all need.

Good answer, after all, how can you determine ideal if you’ve not had one of each?

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18

22 rifle
12 or 20 gauge shotgun
Carry handgun and a backup handgun
Center-fire rifle.

After that yeah I need something else different than what I already have.

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19

The ideal would be one of each.

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20

We are close on our minimum. I really feel like a semiauto light defensive rifle is important too. I was more specific about cartridges because of availability and commonality in a civil/national minuteman type of emergency.

But yep yer right, once the minimum is covered that’s where the real fun begins. Antimateriel, long range life takers, goose guns, pretty wood, night vision, grenade launchers, revolvers, black powder, gatling, or even full auto>>> good times!

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