Hey everyone, I'm new here.  Ex-boyfriend was my plinky advisor and now I would love some advice to streamline my arsenal.  I'm looking to decrease the number of guns and increase my ammo stock and number of extra mags.  I prefer to stick to affordable ammo calibers that are readily available.  

Currently have:
Keltec PMR30 - want to sell because ammo is expensive and it gets dirty fast
Ruger LC9s - I like it but am not opposed to selling it
Beretta M9-22 - I want to keep this
Remington 870 - Nothing wrong with this but it kicks so hard I'm not opposed to selling it
Ma'adi AK47 - this is old but reliable as hell and 922r compliant. The resale value would be minimal though.  
DPMS AR-15 - brand new, never fired.  Looking to sell because I don't have the patience for the break in process.  It would be nice to have something that fires .223/.556 NATO, but brass case ammo is so expensive in this caliber that if I'm going to have something chambered in this size, I would prefer something that can run steel case.  

My ideal arsenal (within financial reason at the moment)
-Masterpiece Arms Mac 10 (35+1)
-Beretta M9-22
-Ma'adi AK OR mini draco
-Zastava M90
plus 1000 round cases of 9mm, 7.62x39, .22 LR, and possibly .223
plus extra mags for the guns I am keeping

Any suggestions of what to sell, what to keep, where to find these models affordably?

Glock 19

I'd switch the Mac 10 to a 9mm Glock like the 17 or 19 and get the 33 round mags for it.

Keep the Maadi instead of selling for a Mini Draco, and either get another full size AK or an affordable AR.  I'd at least try and see if the DPMS is ok with steel case ammo, it might run fine.  I've never had to break in an AR, they've all worked right out of the box.

CZ 75/SP-01
Glock 17

Like every thread about which guns to sell and which to keep, it depends on what you like.

Perhaps the first thing you need to decide is your primary interest or goal.  Do you want only firearms that serve a particular and practical purpose?  Or do you want some "fun" guns that are really just range toys?

For instance, you say that you want a MAC 10.  That sounds more like a range toy that you just want for fun.  Nothing wrong with that at all.  But, no one else can really tell you what types of guns to sell if your primary goal is stuff that you like.

One way to consider your situation is to think about which guns you would later regret having sold.  This website is full of posts where people lament the fact that they sold X gun because they wanted something else at the time.  That's why the "get both" mantra is actually a pretty good rule to live by.

A second part of the selling question is, why?  Do you want to sell some to get more money?  To free up safe or living space?  Or, just because you don't really use them all and want to streamline your collection?

If you don't need the money or the space, then don't sell it, even if you don't use it much -- especially if you won't get much out of the sale.  


Now, as for stocking up on ammo and mags, keep an eye on websites like palmettostatearmory.com, aimsurplus.com, joeboboutfitters.com, and slickguns.com for various prices and deals.

I believe you will find that you don't get much return when you sell a firearm.
Passage of time helps , buying used to begin with helps and trading or selling private helps.

Unless some firearm you have completely doesn't fit you or doesn't work properly there is no good reason to sell it off for what is likely to be half of what you paid for it new.

I also find my shooting interest changes over the years , Years back I got very interested in mil surplus stuff , bought a bunch , shot and compeated with lots of it fairly heavy for a while.
My interest changed more to modern pistols and I went heavy in that direction and the mil surps went into the back corner of the safe. I could have solf much of it at a profit because I bought at a good time but I didn't . Now several years later I find I am hauling some of them to the range now and then and haveing a blast with them . Most of my stuff is far out of my reach price wise or just unavailable and I would not be able to replace most of it if I had sold it off.


What others have said , G19 or G17 can be a great all around gun , easily found new or used and can be quite the blaster with 32 rd mags . A Ruger mark I or II can be found fairly reasonable in the used market and they last forever and are great fun at the range .

They are considered old school by many but I enjoy revolvers and lever guns a lot also . Pick any S&W 357 and you are good to go from 38sp target amo up through the hottest 357 loads.

Lever guns can be found from 22lr up through 45/70 and can be lots of fun and usefull for many different tasks

FAL, PTR, M1a, G19, 1911, Bren.....

Ditch the MAC idea, they are so painful to shoot, trigger slap. As already suggested, get a Glock, and some 33s for it.

Keep the Maddi, that is a fine AK example.

Not really sure what the heck you are talking about when referencing the DPMS???.

I'd also suggest a Ruger 10/22.

If it were me personally, based on what calibers you say you're wanting to shoot, I'd think about dumping both the AK and the AR-15, and turning them into a single one of the new 7.62x39 Molot AK-style VEPRs. It's a little pricier but it's far better built than your run-of-the-mill AKs; a very solid weapon for 7.62x39, and if you're familiar with an AK, you'll be familiar with the VEPR without much in the way of relearning. I come down on the AR side of the AR vs. AK argument, but I'll tip my hat to the VEPRs. Probably one of the few AKs you could reasonably call "accurate" while being serious.

The 870, if you want to keep a shotgun around I'd keep it. If not, get rid of it. There are Benellis that feel a good bit smoother than the 870 when firing 12-gauge, but you're also talking a shotgun that costs 2 to 3 times as much. Slugs and full power buck are going to kick hard, period. Personally I would always like to have a good reliable 12-gauge around, but that's your call.

Pistols, I'd get rid of all of them, replace them with an M9 Commercial with a .22LR conversion kit. That'll let you fire both 9mm and .22LR out of the same weapon, and it's a platform that's both exceptionally reliable and you're conveniently already familiar with it.

I'm going to support you on the masterpiece arms mac...   seems like you want one.  The new versions don't have trigger slap and they also feed off of glock 17 style mags.    Most people won't do this but I believe every collection has what appeals to the owner. My collection has a place for an mpa935dmg and I love it.

I agree.  Buy what you want, not what someone tells you what you should or shouldn't have.  If you want a MAC 10 get one.  I've wanted a real deal HK MP5K for many years, but price and availability have always been a major hurdle.  When HK announced the SP5K I knew I was going to have one.  Despite it being neutered to a certain degree, I knew I wouldn't be completely satisfied until I had one to call my own.  Yes, there are a # of clones and other licensed manufacturers I could've purchased from, but they were not HK (sounds silly I know).  It's about the only gun i own that doesn't have a practical purpose/ use for me.  But nevertheless I wanted it.  I made the necessary sacrifices, made my purchase and never looked back. No regrets.

If you could trade someone the Kel tec for a Glock, that might be a good idea.  26,19,17,34, take your pick.  I'm not a Glock fanboy.  I only have one.  But I think it's a good idea to have one.  I have a 26 and it's my primary carry gun and it shoots and carries better than anything in the category, FOR ME.  Although I haven't tried them all.  There are some others I think would fit that role well.  

Also, the 870, I have a few 12 gauges I don't really shoot that much either.  But I'm not sure I'd want to part with them.  And if you can get your hands on low recoil buck or slugs, I swear it feels like it cuts the recoil in half.  And a good 870 is just a really good gun.  If I were to do it all over again, I'd buy a 20 gauge.  I think I'd prefer it.  But even then I'd probably want low recoil rounds for it.  I'm not into recoil either.  

Now, the AR.  I don't get the comment about the break in process.  Buy some 5.56 and shoot it.  Some need some shooting to wear in and be reliable, but out of the 4 or 5 new uppers I've ever owned, it's never really been a "thing" to think much about.  You just shoot them.   Now if it's got some kind of super accurate barrel on it that you want to break in, I get that.  But even then, I have a precision rig and I never did any "break in" procedure and it is very accurate.  I've gotten sub MOA groups with it.  

I wouldn't sell an AR now.  Especially if it was the only one I had.  

Just MY thoughts.  Hope it helps.  

Agree or at least wait for the election, assuming hillary wins you will get a lot more for it.  

Glocks and a shit ton more AR's.

it makes sense to keep what you like and use, and get rid of what you don't. I'm a 3 gun competition, shoot steel, USPSA, carry, keep for the house, etc.

My goals are to get down to 22lr, 9mm, 45, 223, 12 gauge.

but I already have an LCP in 380 that I carry, a 38 my wife keeps in the car, etc. but I don't have to have lots of ammo for those. I'm down to 1911s and M&Ps for games and carry, since the grip angles are the same and the mags all work in each gun. in 223 I'm running all AR stuff. not because it's the best, but it's what I have and I'm familiar with it. Shotguns, I like an 870 but you may like a 20 gauge better.

I think the best thing to do is decide what you are going to accomplish, and then work back from there. If my collection was destroyed and I was starting from scratch, I would do get:
STI 2011 9mm- competition, HD, practice
Les Baer TRS- perfect 45 in my book
S&W shield or XDs 9mm. Small carry gun
SBR AR for HD and zombies, range fun. practice with a 22 conversion kit
Game AR 18" 223 for matches and hunting
semi auto shotgun

but I have a couple of heirloom things, and guns I'm tied to, and random crap. I'm not sure I could get much lower than I'm at now.

I'm so sorry to tell you, but 6 firearms on this site is not an arsenal,it's the basic starer kit.

If that was my gun list id ditch the keltec, ruger and m9-22. Id get a midsize 9mm like a g19,mp 9 or even a beretta 92 and a known reliable 22 like a ruger  22. As for the 870 12ga. Sell it and get a 870 20ga that you might find easier to handle. I suggest a 870 compact jr and add a plus 2 extention. It makes it a 7shot 20ga that ain't getting any shorter without a tax stamp!

Nothing wrong with the ak or AR you have. Keep em, shoot em.

What "break in process" is there in a basic AR15 like your DPMS?  It's not like it has a precision stainless match barrel.  Just shoot it. Most run steel just fine.

I would trade the kel tec, ruger, and 870 for a M9

Sell the AR in a month

Buy 762, 9mm, and 22

HK P30 or VP9

Steyr aug for .223/5.56

PTR91 pistol sbr'd for semi auto .308

benelli semi auto shotgun $$$$ though

For starters.

Glock 9mm and 5.56 AR-15 are an effective combination.

I don't think I like your ex.  I think he gave you mostly bad advice.

Anything Keltec, Taurus or Hi-Point are fine for range toys, but shouldn't be considered for anything where your life would be at stake.

The Ruger is whatever.  I don't know the reasons you bought, but I suspect he pushed a small gun because you're female.  If you like it, keep it.  Does it have a role for you?

The Beretta isn't my cup of tea, but I won't argue it.  However, yours is a .22.  Again, something is better than nothing, but that's just a range toy.

The 870 is a venerable shotgun.  No issues here.

The Maadi is fine.  

The DPMS...this is where I really dislike your ex.  Break-in (for the most part) is BS.  Just shoot the damned thing.  Brass really isn't that expensive (buy online), but there's no reason it couldn't run steel.  

When you have such a limited number of firearms, each should have a role/purpose and have been selected because its features fit the designated role.  You have a viable carry option in the LC9, even though I would recommend looking at a double stack compact rather than a subcompact size.  I don't see a nightstand gun.  What I'm really seeing is you have a bunch of range toys.  Which is fine, if that's all you want.  If shooting to you is just having fun going to the range, go buy whatever makes you smile like that MAC-10.  If you actually plan on defending yourself, take some training classes (both armed and unarmed), figure out what features you want in a firearm (size, weight, capacity, trigger action, manual safety, ergonomics, etc.), rent some guns that match your preferences and buy what you shoot the best.

Well not sure what your shooting activities are so its hard to say much without a clear path.

Plinking, IPSC, home defense,  carry guns.  


I like having .22 handguns to play and practice with.  So keep what is fun.

Carry gun.  Lots of compact and sub compacts.  New designs too.  I am. It a S&W auto fan but those shields fit my hand well.  I have a Kahr mk40 for a compact.  I love the trigger.  Only thing I would do different is felt it in 9mm.

Glock or CZ for a game gun.

Keep the 870 or trade for a 20 gauge.  They dont give up much and are as cheep to shoot As 12.

For the most basic of a "collection" that would cover most needs:

CCW:   A lot will depend on your hand size, but a G19, or maybe a 43 if you have really small hands.

Keep the AR, upgrade after the elections (if possible) to a Colt 6720

For fundamentals practice/plinking and just plain fun, a high quality .22 semi auto handgun is almost mandatory.

Ruger MK 2, 3, 4 whatever, Browning Buckmark, old Colt Woodsman, High Standard, etc. Skip the plastic POS Walthers and pot metal guns.

.22 rifle: Lots will say 10-22, but there are tons to choose from, and 10-22s in stock form are ok as a plinker, but generally speaking not the most accurate. A nice Marlin Model 39 is never a bad choice. Customizing 10-22s can create insanely accurate rifles, but much like ARs, can be money pits.

Shotgun: Your 870 is fine.

Your AK: If you like it, roll with it.

A good J Frame should be in almost everyone's basic battery if they are dedicated handgun carriers. They are gun to carry when you don't feel like carrying a gun. I have been packing a 442 Centennial model for 16+ years now, and it slides into my off side front pocket every morning.

Lots of other guns to add later, especially if you ever decide to become a hunter"ess" rather than a gatherer.  But that could be a subject for another time.