Why would anyone need more than one gun?

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  • Bikebreath

    R.I.P.
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 30, 2009
    14,836
    in the bowels of Baltimore
    Seems that some are missing the point of the post (or I’m missing the point of the replies). I’m NOT in any way challenging the idea of multiple guns or asking anyone to justify their choices. I’m simply curious what unique purchase reasons might be out there. Maybe one of your guns is best suited to shooting left handed while riding your unicycle...

    I understand 100% that no reason is needed.[/Well, I think we understood your post and then went off on our own rants.

    Well, I think we understood your post and then we went off on our own rants. Bigfoot44 did a pretty good job of answering your questions.
     

    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    This wasn’t intended to be a “pick x” discussion as much as an attempt to learn what some of the reasons for variety are. I hadn’t really thought about competitive shooting but I can see how that would make the guns pile up quickly!
    Yeah, USPSA, IDPA, 3GN, PRS, NRL22, etc. all have a bunch of divisions, and while there's sometimes overlap, it's not always as much as you'd think (especially if you want to be an effective competitor). I've always felt like educating legislators about the legitimate equipment requirements for sports shooting might actually be a more convincing way to fight some of these bans.
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,163
    The shooting sports are extremely diverse which is why there are so many different guns available in so many diverse chamberings and more are being designed all the time.

    The competitions range from 5 meter BB guns to 1,000 yard custom center fire rifles. There is hunting for food and sport of every conceivable type of game from rodents to elephants. There are diverse types of recreational shooting from dressing up like the old west to shooting fully automatic machine guns or even cannons just for the fun of it.

    So for reasons lets start breaking out some of the main divisions. There are handgun shooters they are generally broken into revolver (single action & double action) and pistol (semi auto & single shot); of course there are many other branches in both and there are bolt action handguns as well as break action. Then we have rifle shooters with more variations than you can shake a stick at; action type (https://www.pewpewtactical.com/guide-to-rifle-actions/ and that is only the common actions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_(firearms) ), barrel length, caliber (from .17 rimfire to .950 JDJ), stock type, sights (open, telescopic, holographic, laser). Then there are shotguns with single barrels, double barrels both side by site and one on top of the other and drillings which are hybrid rifles and shotguns.

    We could also divide many of the above by propellant type. Some are powered by springs, others by compressed gas (air, CO2, exotic gasses), others by smokeless powders (there are many type for different purposes, https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/burn-rate-color.pdf), and a whole group of guns and people who like to shoot Black Powder or its substitutes using ignition systems ranging from slow match through flint lock, percussion cap, to primer fired BP cartridges.

    Then we could look at the thousands of available cartridges, both standard and wildcat, that guns can be chambered for because the ballistics of a particular cartridge and gun combination may be just what you need for a specific purpose. This is in Spanish but is the most comprehensive site I know http://old.municion.org/

    And just like cars can be Yugo or a Rolls firearms come in all qualities.

    A few dozen bikes may cover your motorcycle needs but depending on your interests and the depth of your pockets you will find there is a reason they say when you buy your first gun safe get one at least twice as big as you think you need.

    Now to give you just one recommendation for a gun to buy one of my favorites because of its versatility is the Thompson Center Contender, it can be a pistol today and a rifle tomorrow or a muzzle loader for the weekend.

    T/C
    https://www.tcarms.com/firearms/interchangeable-platforms/g2-contender

    Some available custom barrels
    https://www.bullberry.com/oldcustom-contender-barrels

    How the system works
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Zq5Ltx8Wg
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    Yup, a lot of my guns are for various competitions, and backups of those guns. I've lost count of how many I have. Heck, I just bought a gun last week that is basically not something useful for anything under 800 lbs, but with the way the year has been going, it's better to have it on hand.

    And just in general, shooting is fun for me. So the more, the merrier.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    Why would anyone need more than one motorcycle? ;)
     
    Last edited:

    Nobody

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 15, 2009
    2,810
    I just had this discussion the other day with a fence sitter. I told them the same reason i have over 25 screwdrivers, one size does not fit all.

    Nobody
     

    CMOS

    One ragged donut hole
    Nov 13, 2009
    608
    MoCo
    Also, if the SHTF, you might not be able to get replacement parts for a broken gun. Has that been mentioned above? Or you might not be able to get certain ammo. Or you might “come across” a certain caliber ammo, but you don’t have that gun. So I’m a big fan of gun calibers and models that are fairly common. Having a 10mm gun or 357sig is fun at the range, but would not take to desert island/apocalypse situation. So you need a Glock a Sig and an HK all in 9mm, at a minimum, then some 45s as well, bc you definitely might find that caliber around, even if you don’t believe in 45 over 9. For rifles, get bunches of ARs. Because guns are guns, but they are also parts. Do you have three ARs? Or one AR and two extra barrels?

    So then obviously you need to develop the appropriate tool kits, of roll punches, castle nut wrenches etc etc so that you can fix the stuff that might break and move parts around between guns as necessary.
     

    Lane Meyer

    Active Member
    Jul 20, 2020
    212
    Cecil County
    The shooting sports are extremely diverse which is why there are so many different guns available in so many diverse chamberings and more are being designed all the time.

    The competitions range from 5 meter BB guns to 1,000 yard custom center fire rifles. There is hunting for food and sport of every conceivable type of game from rodents to elephants. There are diverse types of recreational shooting from dressing up like the old west to shooting fully automatic machine guns or even cannons just for the fun of it.

    So for reasons lets start breaking out some of the main divisions. There are handgun shooters they are generally broken into revolver (single action & double action) and pistol (semi auto & single shot); of course there are many other branches in both and there are bolt action handguns as well as break action. Then we have rifle shooters with more variations than you can shake a stick at; action type (https://www.pewpewtactical.com/guide-to-rifle-actions/ and that is only the common actions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_(firearms) ), barrel length, caliber (from .17 rimfire to .950 JDJ), stock type, sights (open, telescopic, holographic, laser). Then there are shotguns with single barrels, double barrels both side by site and one on top of the other and drillings which are hybrid rifles and shotguns.

    We could also divide many of the above by propellant type. Some are powered by springs, others by compressed gas (air, CO2, exotic gasses), others by smokeless powders (there are many type for different purposes, https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/burn-rate-color.pdf), and a whole group of guns and people who like to shoot Black Powder or its substitutes using ignition systems ranging from slow match through flint lock, percussion cap, to primer fired BP cartridges.

    Then we could look at the thousands of available cartridges, both standard and wildcat, that guns can be chambered for because the ballistics of a particular cartridge and gun combination may be just what you need for a specific purpose. This is in Spanish but is the most comprehensive site I know http://old.municion.org/

    And just like cars can be Yugo or a Rolls firearms come in all qualities.

    A few dozen bikes may cover your motorcycle needs but depending on your interests and the depth of your pockets you will find there is a reason they say when you buy your first gun safe get one at least twice as big as you think you need.

    Now to give you just one recommendation for a gun to buy one of my favorites because of its versatility is the Thompson Center Contender, it can be a pistol today and a rifle tomorrow or a muzzle loader for the weekend.

    T/C
    https://www.tcarms.com/firearms/interchangeable-platforms/g2-contender

    Some available custom barrels
    https://www.bullberry.com/oldcustom-contender-barrels

    How the system works
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Zq5Ltx8Wg

    Thanks! I appreciate the time spent on that reply - and all the other replies as well.
     

    photoracer

    Competition Shooter
    Oct 22, 2010
    3,318
    West Virginia
    There are currently 13 firearm divisions in Steel Challenge. I shoot 7 of them but I have enough to shoot all 13 just for the sake of it if I mounted both red dot or iron sights on each of the pistols and rimfire and PCC rifles I have. I actually have 4 rimfire competition rifles and 3 rimfire pistols mainly to shoot only 2-4 divisions depending on configurations. Some function as backups. Sometimes I just build them because I can or to experiment. I have built rifles to shoot in competitions I don't even have time to shoot in. Not even counting my HD or carry guns which are a separate group.
     

    Rockzilla

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 6, 2010
    4,516
    55.751244 / 37.618423
    If I still had them....
    Investments...
    Fun....
    Relaxing...
    Protection / Defense more so with current lack...(you fill in blank)
    "If Man Count Man No Have Enuff"
    "Man No Count Have Enuff"

    To see what a 50BMG does to Varmints....

    -Rock
     

    sixspeedshift

    Member
    Jul 6, 2020
    54
    If I ever owned any:
    1. handgun for home defense and carry/vehicle defense
    2. shotgun for home defense
    3. long barrel shotgun for shooting clays/shooting sport
    4. AR type rifle, or basically some larger rifle, for SHTF scenarios and civil unrest
    5. Fun/"home defense to justify the purchase" type things like an ar-pistol
     

    traveller

    The one with two L
    Nov 26, 2010
    18,266
    variable
    how many do you actually own and how do you hide their existence from her? asking for a friend ;)

    I had a separate apartment for work. So all she knew was about what we had at the family home. At some point , I changed jobs and had to give up the second home. During the move she wondered why I was wheeling a safe upstairs...... But if she asks, the answer remains the same :-)
     

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