Do you enjoy the process of getting a new rifle?

You order / pick up the rifle you wanted, inspect it thoroughly, more than most people do so the counter guy may be a little annoyed, but forget him it's your money.

Then fill out form, pay, take it home. More inspection, disassembly, clean out storage grease residue. Put sights on it or whatever, test mag fit.

Take to range to make sure it's not a total lemon. Get a basic zero.

If good start collecting parts you really want, but nothing major yet. Now go fire it more and see how it goes.

Still good? A few more accessory additions/alterations as you find what works.

Then another heavy shooting session. Still good? Start getting things together for the suppressor or can itself.

Then make sure it runs well with that. Check zero shift / rezero.

Now you're ready to have fun with your $1k rifle that has $750-$2k in accessories attached to it. Plus get more mags and ammo it likes.

About this time you might think...did I really need this rifle?
It's been alot of time and money. Maybe I'd like this other one more...

So you get it, try it out. So far so good. But it needs some alterations before you take it out next time...etc.

I've done this 3 times in the last year or two. Now I want something else.

Maybe just be happy and enjoy the process? Shoot more, spend less time on new "projects"?

Do you really enjoy this process?

Sometimes. Then I look at the 8 others I never shoot and try to come to my senses.

I recently have just been enjoying the same ACOG M4.. No light, No suppressors anymore. Just make some noise and bang steel as far as I can get hits with whatever wind is happening each week.

Well, I only have two centerfire rifles at the moment.
One .308, one 5.56.

Now I want another 5.56, .300 blk, or 7.62x39 and trying to find justification. I don't fire rifles much. About 6k pistol per year roughly. Maybe 8k. Rifle about 500. So about 7% of my shooting is rifle. I should fix that.


Yea, I know, buy what you want if it doesn't hurt. But if I did that it will hurt eventually. ;)

It's an election year. Now is the time to buy!

My process is:

1. Learn about it online for the first time.
2. Worry obsessively about the fact that I do not own one.
3. Thoroughly research everything about it so I "might" come to the conclusion I don't need one.
4. Decide I need one.
5. Continue to research and investigate all aspects of it for the 6-12 months it takes for my suppliers to actually get one in stock.
6. Purchase firearm and enough parts and accessories to equal the cost of the firearm.
7. Strip and clean.
8. Run dry fire and room drill in my house waiting on decent weather to get to the range.

And then after enough range trips and 1,500 rounds or so, I decide where the firearm will be in my rotation based upon performance and anticipated use.

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Originally Posted by markm

Sometimes. Then I look at the 8 others I never shoot and try to come to my senses.

I recently have just been enjoying the same ACOG M4.. No light, No suppressors anymore. Just make some noise and bang steel as far as I can get hits with whatever wind is happening each week.

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This. ^

I've found that I enjoy more simple things similar to that "bare bones" M4 + ACOG configuration (heck, even irons only on some guns). Since I made that realization I stopped chasing the rainbow... Not that I was ever a big rainbow chaser. ;)

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Originally Posted by Ron3

About this time you might think...did I really need this rifle?

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Here's the flaw in your logic. What's "need" got to do with it? Guns aren't women. You can have as many as you want and can afford. There's nothing wrong with having as may guns as you want so long as you meet your other obligations.

My good buddy and Gunn mentor who got me into AR’s had a good way of thinking about guns. The main thing is that guns come into flavors. The first is guns that you have a specific purpose for. Whether it be for concealed carry, or some kind of shooting sport event. It has a specific tied to it so that you use it for that. That is distinct from guns that you just take to the range and like to shoot. The second type of gun is one that you have rationalized and realized that it doesn’t suit a specific, purpose or activity, you just want it.

Both are valid reasons for owning a gun but don’t try to rationalize the second type of gun by saying it is the first.

He is also very rational that if the gun doesn’t fit into the first or second category, he will trade it for something that does, or sell it for when he can find something that fits the first or second scenario..


I have a thread in the forum in the other semi automatic rifles, section where I talk about my search for the second type of guns, considering that we are probably going to get an assault weapons ban here in Colorado.

No justification needed. It’s a hobby. Some men play golf. We shoot guns.

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Originally Posted by Bret

Here's the flaw in your logic. What's "need" got to do with it? Guns aren't women. You can have as many as you want and can afford. There's nothing wrong with having as may guns as you want so long as you meet your other obligations.

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You're right of course.

Maybe the real question is: "If I buy this thing I don't really need, will I soon wish I'd bought this other thing I don't really need, then have to buy it, too?

The Buddha wrote all about it. Craving creates suffering.

Truly, though, life is short. We should buy want we want to enjoy, as long as we aren't sacrificing what we need.

I'm trying not to have too many guns, and I do sell them when I tire of them. The goal is to have the guns & ammo I want in retirement. (Should I live long enough) It's helpful if those items are valuable for trade. No junk.

Did this get moved from another form?

I do, but not in the same way as you do. My satisfaction is in the process of taking an idea hat only exists in my head, and working the process to select components and turn that idea into a tangible object with my own two hands and some specialized help for the tasks I lack facilities to do myself.

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Originally Posted by SteyrAUG

My process is:

1. Learn about it online for the first time.
2. Worry obsessively about the fact that I do not own one.
3. Thoroughly research everything about it so I "might" come to the conclusion I don't need one.
4. Decide I need one.
5. Continue to research and investigate all aspects of it for the 6-12 months it takes for my suppliers to actually get one in stock.
6. Purchase firearm and enough parts and accessories to equal the cost of the firearm.
7. Strip and clean.
8. Run dry fire and room drill in my house waiting on decent weather to get to the range.

And then after enough range trips and 1,500 rounds or so, I decide where the firearm will be in my rotation based upon performance and anticipated use.

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I think you pretty much nailed exactly my process. After each purchase, I say OK I won’t purchase one for a little while now. Then, something else catches my eye, and. . . .

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Originally Posted by PNorris

I think you pretty much nailed exactly my process. After each purchase, I say OK I won’t purchase one for a little while now. Then, something else catches my eye, and. . . .

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I think I'm close to two dozen AR pattern rifles but probably 8 of them are set up for very specialized applications. I have four primary "go to" rifles depending upon what kind of fookery I think I will be dealing with. Some are just updates of the same setup (lightweight Centurion rail vs monolithic quad rail).

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Do you enjoy the process of getting a new rifle?

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If you don't you are unmurican.

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Originally Posted by m4brian

If you don't you are unmurican.

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Good point.

Guns are the only thing left from America 1.0.

Well, that and we're permitted to leave.

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Originally Posted by SteyrAUG

My process is:

1. Learn about it online for the first time.
2. Worry obsessively about the fact that I do not own one.
3. Thoroughly research everything about it so I "might" come to the conclusion I don't need one.
4. Decide I need one.
5. Continue to research and investigate all aspects of it for the 6-12 months it takes for my suppliers to actually get one in stock.
6. Purchase firearm and enough parts and accessories to equal the cost of the firearm.
7. Strip and clean.
8. Run dry fire and room drill in my house waiting on decent weather to get to the range.

And then after enough range trips and 1,500 rounds or so, I decide where the firearm will be in my rotation based upon performance and anticipated use.

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^^^This is amazingly accurate.

Have you ever gotten rid of a gun and regretted it? I have. You may think it’s easily replaceable today but you never know about tomorrow. My interest in something comes and goes so much I’ve just started letting it sit and fought the urge to replace it with something else. So far I’ve come back to every single one sooner or later.

I don't do a lot of alterations to my guns, pretty much just use them the way I bought them. I like simplicity.

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Originally Posted by artoter

I don't do a lot of alterations to my guns, pretty much just use them the way I bought them. I like simplicity.

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It's rare a gun is "just fine" as new.

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Originally Posted by Waylander

Have you ever gotten rid of a gun and regretted it? I have. You may think it’s easily replaceable today but you never know about tomorrow. My interest in something comes and goes so much I’ve just started letting it sit and fought the urge to replace it with something else. So far I’ve come back to every single one sooner or later.

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A few times, but not often.

The problem is I don't want to keep all of them & become a curator.

And some are hard to replace or have increased in value enough I wouldn't spend that much to get another, so they get kept. I have a Vz61 that was $500, now they're $750. I wouldn't spend that much for one, but still enjoy the one I have. So while I don't need it and have other fun guns to shoot, if I sell it & regret it I'm not buying another, I'd just be out, so I'll keep it for now.

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Originally Posted by Ron3

It's rare a gun is "just fine" as new.

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Nearly everything I bought 70s to 90s is stock out of the box.

I did something new with two new rifle purchases that I wanted for a long time: I ordered them complete with almost everything I wanted. Optic, stock, grips,sling,mags, even a case, soup to nuts, A to Z, “turn key set up”, etc. etc. In the past, as probably a lot of us do, I always just bought the base gun and added stuff as I had funds for things like optics, slings etc. It took a while to “complete” the particular rifle. This one time, I said “F… IT!!”! I had sold a bunch of non firearm stuff to fund the new purchases and realized at one point that I had more than enough for the guns themselves and for all the accessories to go with it. My LGS was pleasantly surprised when I added a ACOG, Vortex’s, Surefires, Magpul etc.etc. Both are Colts: an M5 (originally I wanted a 6920 but the new M5 filled my long term want!)along with a NOS 901 that a buddy had found for me. Taking them out to my car & heading home felt great! I spent every cent I had set aside for them and maybe a bit more but nothing that raised the concern with minister of finance (wife)! This big purchase should suffice for a while. I pretty much didn’t “need” either rifle but purchasing them the way I did was an awesome experience! Maybe a fully tricked Ruger PC 9 is in my future, we shall see…now where are those old Camaro rims that gotta go!


PS they both are accurate, reliable feel very comfortable to shoot!

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Originally Posted by Bret

Here's the flaw in your logic. What's "need" got to do with it? Guns aren't women. You can have as many as you want and can afford. There's nothing wrong with having as may guns as you want so long as you meet your other obligations.

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Quote from one of my gun dealers, "I don't sell needs, I sell wants." Pretty much the end of the story! ARs are not a big deal for me anymore, I have all I want, although I have enough parts, lowers/uppers to build a few more. Most anything I ever needed was always a want, back in the day I needed hunting rifles but then that turned into other wants. For me, that's pretty much my outlook on most firearms.

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Originally Posted by m1a_scoutguy

Quote from one of my gun dealers, "I don't sell needs, I sell wants." Pretty much the end of the story! ARs are not a big deal for me anymore, I have all I want, although I have enough parts, lowers/uppers to build a few more. Most anything I ever needed was always a want, back in the day I needed hunting rifles but then that turned into other wants. For me, that's pretty much my outlook on most firearms.

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I disagree. I saw Die Hard during my formative years so I very much NEEDED a MP5. Thankfully I eventually got one. I needed a MP5 like some people need insulin.

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Originally Posted by SteyrAUG

I disagree. I saw Die Hard during my formative years so I very much NEEDED a MP5. Thankfully I eventually got one. I needed a MP5 like some people need insulin.

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LOL,I get it SteyrAUG for sure.I can honestly say there have been a few guns through the years that I really felt I needed. I guess my namesake can relate, my name "m1a_scoutguy"came from that NEED! That turned into a need for my 1st M1a "Scout Rifle" and then a NM M1a with Kreiger HVY BBL along with half a dozen other M1a rifles that have come and gone. I guess because I have everything I need it has turned into stuff I want.;)

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Originally Posted by Ron3

It's rare a gun is "just fine" as new.

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I must have a lot of rare guns then.

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Originally Posted by artoter

I must have a lot of rare guns then.

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Like what?

Gonna take the unpopular/atypical answer, but not really. I own rifles that cover the use cases that I can imagine for myself; so anytime I get something new it's basically a minor improvement or variation of what I'm using now. In fact, I think it's been a multiple years now since I invested in any entirely new platform. If I was to decide that I wanted something new, I'd probably have to get rid of something I currently have because I've gotten to a point where I don't care so much for clutter. While there's a couple collectible items out there I might be interested in, for the most part I've found that I like shooting the stuff I have more than I like tinkering with it or spending more money on accessories just to see if they're going to work for me or not.

So, to answer OP question...I like new toys, but going through the process of getting them where I want feels a lot more like a chore, when I'd rather just get better with the stuff I have.

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Originally Posted by nick84

Gonna take the unpopular/atypical answer, but not really. I own rifles that cover the use cases that I can imagine for myself; so anytime I get something new it's basically a minor improvement or variation of what I'm using now. In fact, I think it's been a multiple years now since I invested in any entirely new platform. If I was to decide that I wanted something new, I'd probably have to get rid of something I currently have because I've gotten to a point where I don't care so much for clutter. While there's a couple collectible items out there I might be interested in, for the most part I've found that I like shooting the stuff I have more than I like tinkering with it or spending more money on accessories just to see if they're going to work for me or not.

So, to answer OP question...I like new toys, but going through the process of getting them where I want feels a lot more like a chore, when I'd rather just get better with the stuff I have.

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I get that.

I've been trying to standardize many of my guns to help maintain familiarity. That's still several different types of guns. But I shoot them pretty often. Except the rifles, I'm working on that. Suppressors help.

I spend most time shooting the carry guns, then the oddball "fun" guns, then the rifles. It's a constant struggle not to buy "fun" guns that take away from my training / familiarization with the carry guns.

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Originally Posted by Ron3

Like what?

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I think you could hand most people on this forum a stock AK, AR, HK, FAL, etc. and they could manage just fine with it. We'd might prefer RDS, weapon lights, slick slings and such but we could fight without them if we had to.

If they learned the basics in the beginning, I could probably give most people here a S&W combat magnum and they'd still rip ass on 99% of home invaders.

The only one that would give me concern is trying to do a long double barrel shotgun. Really hard to bet the farm on two rounds, break...reload...close and shoot.

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Originally Posted by SteyrAUG

I think you could hand most people on this forum a stock AK, AR, HK, FAL, etc. and they could manage just fine with it. We'd might prefer RDS, weapon lights, slick slings and such but we could fight without them if we had to.

If they learned the basics in the beginning, I could probably give most people here a S&W combat magnum and they'd still rip ass on 99% of home invaders.

The only one that would give me concern is trying to do a long double barrel shotgun. Really hard to bet the farm on two rounds, break...reload...close and shoot.

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I agree with you about not really needing to heavily mod guns. But it sure is nice to be able to do so.

As for the double, 18-22 inch barrels are handier. The two shots backed up by a handgun are going to be enough in typical scenarios. 4 extra shells on the gun wouldn't hurt. A mounted light certainly desirable, and a sling..see?..already modding.

I carry a PX4 .40. It needed the following mods:

1. Change selector to de-cock only
2. Talon grips
3. 11 lb hammer spring
4. Color front sight

#1). Read reviews online
#2). If it is good you consider the item
#3). Angels and Devils on your shoulder
#4). Do I really need another item.
#5). What about the other items I have not even finished putting together
#6). Yes you have the scope and rings but what about the other accessories
#VII).Hi honey. I picked up another new toy

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Originally Posted by ralfabco

#1). Read reviews online
#2). If it is good you consider the item
#3). Angels and Devils on your shoulder
#4). Do I really need another item.
#5). What about the other items I have not even finished putting together
#6). Yes you have the scope and rings but what about the other accessories
#VII).Hi honey. I picked up another new toy

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Actually step seven should be. Sneak rifle in house late at night when wife is not looking and quietly tuck it away in the gun safe :cool:

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Originally Posted by PNorris

Actually step seven should be. Sneak rifle in house late at night when wife is not looking and quietly tuck it away in the gun safe :cool:

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While I agree with this 110% If that doesn't work then "I sold XYZ so I could afford this also works well"! At most I'll just get an eye roll out of that one,LOL.

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Originally Posted by m1a_scoutguy

While I agree with this 110% If that doesn't work then "I sold XYZ so I could afford this also works well"! At most I'll just get an eye roll out of that one,LOL.

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Similar.

I often talk about what guns are going to be sold when acquiring a new one. And I follow through. I really don't want a huge collection of guns.

The Matriarchy shows itself in this thread, which is fine. ;) It's awesome when it's a good woman.

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Originally Posted by Ron3

I really don't want a huge collection of guns.

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Me either. I just want one of each made. 😁. If your collection gets too big, send the extras to me.

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The Matriarchy shows itself in this thread, which is fine. ;) It's awesome when it's a good woman.

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A good woman won’t require or even want you to ask her permission. A good man knows when he’s met his obligations to his family, so he knows if it’s ok to buy a new gun or whatever else he desires.

Frankly, I hate buying a new rifle. Then I have to buy optics, sling, light, etc. and make numerous range trips to zero, confirm zero, and confirm reliability. I'll just run what I have.

Sometimes I open my safe and I’m disgusted with myself. I wish I was the man with one well-worn gun. I have completed my collection. I have sold all guns that I don’t shoot or bring me no joy.

Mission dictates equipment and I have not had a mission that dictated new equipment in a very long time.

I do not enjoy buying new guns. The excitement is short lived. I enjoy shooting and competing with the guns I do have.

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Originally Posted by HCrum87hc

Frankly, I hate buying a new rifle. Then I have to buy optics, sling, light, etc. and make numerous range trips to zero, confirm zero, and confirm reliability. I'll just run what I have.

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And now that my ears appreciate a suppressor on a rifle, do I buy a mount so two rifles can share the suppressor I have or buy another suppressor? $100 vs $1000.

I could buy ammo or some other gun, invest short term towards the next car or get more I-Bonds with the money saved.

Or enjoy having a back up suppressor should one get damaged.

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Originally Posted by CPM

Sometimes I open my safe and I’m disgusted with myself. I wish I was the man with one well-worn gun. I have completed my collection. I have sold all guns that I don’t shoot or bring me no joy.

Mission dictates equipment and I have not had a mission that dictated new equipment in a very long time.

I do not enjoy buying new guns. The excitement is short lived. I enjoy shooting and competing with the guns I do have.

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I'm at the other end of the spectrum trying to build the reference collection. If I had something close to the Reed Knight collection, I'd almost be done.