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Posted: 1/10/2005 11:57:37 AM EDT
I am sure this has been beat to death, but I am struggling with this lately and wanted some opinions...
Is it better to have numerous firearms of various qualities or a just a rock solid minimum collection of great pieces? hmmmm..... Basically do I jump into C&R, AK's, SKS, etc... Or just finish the M4gery, the lookalike M40A1, the fully tricked 1911, and the ruger 10/22 that is begging to become the uber bullet hose? I an accessory whore! Too many financial obligations to do both  so would you prefer 1 ultimate or 2-3 decent firearms? EPOCH |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 12:04:56 PM EDT
[#1]
I buy quality but I do have some cheapies, a couple of MAK 90's, they're fun!
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Posted: 1/10/2005 12:10:54 PM EDT
[#2]
im more of a quantity guy myself, especially since i got into milsurps.
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Posted: 1/10/2005 12:11:05 PM EDT
[#3]
Q: More guns, or nicer guns?
A: Get a C&R license, and you'll GET BOTH!™ 
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Posted: 1/10/2005 12:13:54 PM EDT
[#4]
I buy quality, but when i started it was quantity. I have since sold some to buy better and keep with in 3 or 4 caliburs. I dont believe in never selling a gun. If you dont use it why keep it, unless your doing it for an investment.
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Posted: 1/10/2005 12:18:53 PM EDT
[#5]
I upgrade.
I have more money now so I am selling the Curio's and the SKS's and buying H&K's and other high end stuff. How many can you shoot per trip anyway? |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 12:19:13 PM EDT
[#6]
pretty sure C&R will be the death of some of my more expensive projects. Hard to justify adding that SIRS forend after being exposed to such bargains EPOCH |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 12:22:26 PM EDT
[#7]
Fewer but nicer is the way to go.
Learning to absolutly master one gun is tough enough. Plus your nicer guns will last longer. |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 12:28:23 PM EDT
[#8]
My experience has been that at first it's quanity while you get stuff you are interested in and buy/sell/trade. Then after you have had a lot of stuff you were intereted in you realize you can only shoot so many and you start selling two to buy one really nice one. If you are a real collector and just want one of everything from a historical period that's different. I think everybody finally gets to the point of having less guns of better quality. When you are younger and single you are shooting all the time wearing your Dillon out. Later on you are a van dad trying to scrape up the time to grab a three day deer hunt. As far as SHTF rifles you come to realize any AR or AK will do. |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 12:47:40 PM EDT
[#9]
Nicer guns. for the cost of my Les Baer 1911, I could have bought 3.5 Springfield 1911s, but I've only got two hands, and John Woo ain't my style.
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Posted: 1/10/2005 8:35:47 PM EDT
[#10]
+1 "Beware the man with only one gun, he might know how to use it." |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 8:38:23 PM EDT
[#11]
I got a good bit, a few of them are nice, but Im currently selling off stuff and going to go after a few diffrent things.
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Posted: 1/10/2005 8:38:37 PM EDT
[#12]
Nicer guns, over many cheaper guns.
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Posted: 1/10/2005 8:44:13 PM EDT
[#13]
Are you dissin' my gat? (Norinco SKS) Ben |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 8:52:13 PM EDT
[#14]
fewer better guns.
And don't pile every accesory ever made on your gun, I hate pimped out guns almost as much as I hate POS guns. |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 8:57:54 PM EDT
[#15]
I say go with quality. but you got to have one "cheap" fun gun like a 22/ak47 that won't break the bank and you can abuse.
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Posted: 1/10/2005 8:58:22 PM EDT
[#16]
Nicer guns.
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Posted: 1/10/2005 8:59:30 PM EDT
[#17]
If you think C&R's arent nice, you havent seen one.
My K31 or Mauser might not be all pretty and shiny like that fancy black stock on your AR, but the craftsmanship is easily on par, if not better IMO. |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 9:01:37 PM EDT
[#18]
Get your first rate service rifle and handgun first, accessorize as you feel it necessary and buy lots of ammo and use it until it's second nature.
Then get whatever you want. |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 9:09:46 PM EDT
[#19]
Nice guns.
Whats the point in having somthing if its not going to be the best you can afford? My ex wife settles for shit things just so she can say that she has it, rather then save up and buy a quality version from the git go. The drawback to this is that she always replaces somthing multiple times as the shit version breaks, until she ends up buying the good version in the end and in the process, she spends about 6 times more then she would have is she had just bought the quality model in the first place. Don't settle for second best just because you can get lots of them. Get quality in the beginning and you won't regret it. Chris P.S. in some cases, you can get quality stuff cheap (as many pointed out some C&R stuff) and if the situation presents itself, jump on it. Otherwise, go with the quality always. |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 9:14:09 PM EDT
[#20]
Cheap guns. After the inevitable boating accident you will thank me.  |
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Posted: 1/10/2005 9:17:00 PM EDT
[#21]
I also started out cheaply [sks and norinco 1911] and graduated to nicer [Para LDA and RRA AR] I have been tempted to pimp guns, but shooting alot of competition has made me realize the cheapest part of the equasion is the gun itself.. Every gun I currently own has fired many times it's own worth of ammo [some MANY TIMES over], so find a gun that youlike, buy it and do whatever modifications you require to make it "fit" you as a shooter, then leave it alone. My latest endeavor has been to amass a stock of spare parts [springs and pins and such] for my guns, as well as the obligatory gobs of ammo.
One of the hardest decisions I have made lately is to talk myself out of wanting a SU-16 and a BAR-10. I had the $$ saved and everything. The flaw in my theory is that both guns were a solution looking for a problem. I like my AR's and my FAL, and have no real need to replace any of them, and when it comes down to it, those are the guns I shoot, all of the time. If I bought either the su-16 or the BAR-10 I would bask in their coolness and fawn over them for a time, but when it came time to go to the match, they would be at home in the safe... that's wasted $$ - not wasted form the perspective of value, but from the perspective of use. Anything that sits in the safe without a purpose is wasted $$ to me. If I had all the $$ in the world, it would be different. Just my $.02 and it's probably worth less... |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 12:40:32 AM EDT
[#22]
QUALITY is more important than quantity. It usually takes most folks a while to figure that out, though. Mst folks convince themselves that their $50 scope in $10 rings on their low-end rifle is fine, and for a little while, it may be. But soon the problems start to become apparent, and eventually, most folks come to accept that there ARE important differences between the cheap guns & gear and the "good stuff", and that the "good stuff" really IS worth the money.
-Troy |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 12:42:21 AM EDT
[#23]
my collection so far is quality not quantity.....
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Posted: 1/11/2005 12:47:01 AM EDT
[#24]
the C&R has brought the gun count up considerably since i got it.
there are alot of nice 03 guns to be had. just because they are older and cheaper doesnt mean they are ""cheap guns" by any means. |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 12:55:43 AM EDT
[#25]
Trade up, you won't regret it. I have fewer guns than I did a couple years ago but the quality is way better.
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Posted: 1/11/2005 7:13:50 AM EDT
[#26]
Definately buy the nicer guns.
So far I traded; 1.Feather AT-9 for my Bushmaster many years ago now. 2.Norinco 84S for a Gordentech (I don`t like .223 AK`s at least I don`t now) 3.Hesse 91 for above Norinco 4.Garand and Ruger Super Blackhawk for a FMPG3S (Bad move cause I wish I had the Garand and the FMPG3S didn`t work right) BTW the FMPG3Sis a Portugese HK91 5.Best trade up I ever did, traded that FMP for a real deal HK91A3! 6.SAR1 for a Bulgarian SLR101 I learned the hard way. And I miss the Garand. |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 9:35:17 AM EDT
[#27]
Cheap guns can be cached for later. And even the cheapest guns seem to appreciate in value, like those $25 Turk Mausers that were around about 4 years ago now go for $50-60.
GunLvr |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 9:39:05 AM EDT
[#28]
a few high quality "keepers" is better than a bunch of junk.....
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Posted: 1/11/2005 9:45:12 AM EDT
[#29]
Well, I definitely like nicer firearms, but it will really depend upon the use, whether or not I get a high dollar compared to a more 'economical' model.
Take my 1911 for example. I have a SA Milspec Parkerized. It does what I need it to do, the trigger is OK, and I like the form factor (I H8 front slide serrations on 1911s). Milspec parts (hammer, grip safety) don't bite or bother me, so I don't need the fancy upgrades. OTOH, I could shell out a couple grand for a nice, custom, tricked out peice, but my $450 SA does what I need it to. Then there's my big Boomstick. My Pedersoli 1874 Sharps. I intend to use it in NRA BPCR Silhouette and Long Range competition. That would put me shooting at ranges from 200 to 1000 yards. A cheap rifle likely wouldn't do well, so I don't feel bad about the $1500 I have in that rifle. I could have spent more on a custom or higher end repro (Shiloh, C. Sharps, Axtell..) but read that the manufacturer of my rifle is a good one, and should be capable of great accuracy. To attain the best accuracy, I use fire formed cases that are not resized, hand measured black powder charges drop tubed, press compressed with (soon to be) bullets moulded by yours truly. With the right load, bullet, charge, and conditions... It should shoot 1MOA all the way out to 1k. Even with being so hands on and expensive with that rifle, I love my > $200 SKS, and my $150 Star BM pistols. I think it's all about what you want to do with it, and then deciding what level of quality will get the job done to a satisfactory level for you. |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 9:47:40 AM EDT
[#30]
Get both. Buy more nicer guns.
Just quit wasting money on ammo and optics.
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Posted: 1/11/2005 9:47:56 AM EDT
[#31]
I started my collection cheap but over the years are building it into quality. Once or twice I've traded something good for a few of less quality (1 for 2 or 3, thus increasing quantity) but usually trade up. There's only so much room in the safe so I have to be careful.
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Posted: 1/11/2005 9:56:14 AM EDT
[#32]
I much prefer fewer quality guns to a quantity of shitty crap that doesn't interest me.
But that's just me. SG |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 10:02:21 AM EDT
[#33]
I say a mixture, but leaning more towards nicer, quality guns. It's always fun to have a few cheap 10/22s, SKSs, AKs, etc that you really just don't care about and can abusively shoot the shit out of. But nothing can duplicate the feeling of appreciating a finely crafted and cared for firearm, either.
Forced with the choice, I'd rather have one Colt AR of known quality than say two Oly Plinkers of dubious quality. And as has been said, how many guns can you shoot at once? Or want to clean at the end of the day? |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 10:05:25 AM EDT
[#34]
Quality guns are for keeping. Cheap guns are for bartering.
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Posted: 1/11/2005 10:07:47 AM EDT
[#35]
Your title is a bit off. Seems like you're choosing between cheap stuff of quantity and gizmos/stuff for a few rifles. I like high quality. A nice C&R bolt rifle would be fun, I just never got around to buying one. But I'd rather, if finances dictated, get actual firearms over gilding the lilly, but that's just me. If finances are your weakness now, get the weapons, and fix them up later. That said, don't buy junk. Plan your purchases. Sure, you're going to see somehting that catches your eye and you buy on impulse--for me, that was the SR9TC I picked up. But for the most part, get a complete battery- Centerfire rifle, 12g shotty (dual purpose if finances so dictate), service pistol, plinking pistol, etc. Decide what you want to end up with and set aobut getting it. If you see a killer deal, change your purchase plans, but only to get something YOU WANT, but maybe out of the order you planned. |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 10:18:01 AM EDT
[#36]
C&R plus Century's 5 for $125 equal quantity. They do look nice from a distance on the wall. I do look for nice guns but it is hard to pass up a deal.
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Posted: 1/11/2005 10:30:45 AM EDT
[#37]
I definitely have less guns now than I did at one point. The up side is that I do not have to buy THAT many different calibers of ammunition anymore (THANKFULLY), and I shoot better with what I have. I have also limited the number of different manuals of arms that I have to deal with.
shooter |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 10:45:08 AM EDT
[#38]
Fixed.  |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 10:54:37 AM EDT
[#39]
quality is a must. You have a lifetime to add to your collection. A well built gun might cost a little more initially but it will last you a lifetime.
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Posted: 1/11/2005 11:06:58 AM EDT
[#40]
quality first
quantity second |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 11:07:12 AM EDT
[#41]
Calibers, forms, and character all factor. I avg about 2-3x as many guns as calibers on hand. Good deals on duplicates get turned over time, and neat new stuff comes out.
When in doubt, I prefer more ammo. The only way to really save money is to not visit the gun show 
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Posted: 1/11/2005 11:08:13 AM EDT
[#42]
Exactly what I was getting at
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Posted: 1/11/2005 11:14:46 AM EDT
[#43]
+1 |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 12:43:24 PM EDT
[#44]
Nicer.
This should be a poll. |
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Posted: 1/11/2005 1:15:57 PM EDT
[#45]
Go for quality.
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Posted: 1/11/2005 1:25:24 PM EDT
[#46]
For me it has to be a nice balance of both... though most would argue I lean toward the "quantity" extreme.
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Posted: 1/11/2005 1:27:03 PM EDT
[#47]
I go after quality over quanity. But I will buy other guns to use as trade material. I have a core collection and the rest can be used for barter.
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Posted: 1/11/2005 1:33:49 PM EDT
[#48]
quality is better than quantitty
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Posted: 1/11/2005 1:50:37 PM EDT
[#49]
That seems to be the overwhelming general concensus here, for sure - but I don't think I'd state it as such an absolute statement of fact for all situations. For example... Let's say you have five adults in the house who are qualified/capable of using firearms to defend life, limb, and home. Are you better off with one or two "ultimate" firearms or a half-dozen adequate firearms?... 
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Posted: 1/11/2005 1:58:21 PM EDT
[#50]
Quality over quantity any day.
Over time...quality will turn into quantity...and you will be most happy with happy yourself for taking the high road. |
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