Firearm Rabbit Holes You Just Don't Go Down Anymore

[Doc Safari]

If you'd known me 20 years ago, you'd say, "That guy will never truly love a high capacity semi-auto that's not an AK." I owned other tactical and battle rifles, but usually the AR's and other high capacity semi-autos were the first out the door when I needed something so that I always held onto the AK's.

I had a gun safe full of every configuration, color, stock material, pre-ban, post ban, you name it. I had Chicom, Egyptian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Romanian, etc.
My final acquisition in the late 2000's was to finish my Arsenal collection with their no-ban style SA M7R and SLR107FR.

Then one fateful day I watched one of the "shooting shows" on either Outdoor or Sportsman's Channel. The guy had an M4 and was showing off all the accessories for it. In a micro second I made the decision that, "Everybody needs at least one AR."

Over the following months, I ended up selling every last AK I owned to buy M4's and accessories. I've never looked back. My love for the AK went out the window with my love for building armor models, never to be reacquired.

I've occasionally picked up and looked at an AK at a gun show, but the desire to own one just isn't there anymore. I probably won't go down that rabbit hole ever again. I'm satisfied with my history and I can calmly say, "Been there. Done that."

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My other "rabbit hole" was precision bolt guns. I briefly dabbled with them in the 1990's. I bought a used heavy barrel Remington 700 that some incompetent boob had lapped the bolt lugs and changed the headspace. I paid to have the barrel set back and the chamber re-cut. The gunsmith told me he had really made the chamber precise and that I would love the accuracy. The gun would shoot quarter-sized groups from the prone at 100 yards with factory ammo!

I was spoiled. I was also naive. I thought every heavy barreled bolt gun would do that. I traded that 700 for a tacticool Savage and learned that the Savage, although accurate, just wouldn't do quarter-sized groups at 100 yards. I was extremely disappointed. I dabbled with a few more attempts at precision long-range shooting, but I found that I just didn't have the time or the money to sink into super accurate setups. I ended up letting that interest and skill die on the vine. I don't think I've shot prone since 1996. I don't know that I can even GET prone. LOL.


What are your firearms rabbit holes that you just don't go back to anymore?

[caporider]

FALs. Did a half dozen, including an Israeli with cool wood furniture. Now they remind me of old tractors -- solid as hell, but antiquated, especially when compared to modern ARs. I don't even do .308 anymore since I started shooting 6.5 Grendel.

[SteyrAUG]

From an investment standpoint, you'd have done well to hold onto those AKs, at least until the great Obama Gun Sale of 2008.

The one that scares me is I still need a Colt SAA (preferably in 45LC) and I'm trying to find the perfect example (less than mint, but still functional) because I know that is the only thing worse than select fire when it comes to cost. But I've got my Winchester 94 and original Remington derringer so I need my SAA for my "Wild, Wild West" collection.

[Doc Safari]

From an investment standpoint, you'd have done well to hold onto those AKs, at least until the great Obama Gun Sale of 2008.

Had I decided to remain a "collector", I'd say you're right. Another rabbit hole I don't go down anymore is the "collecting" rabbit hole. Right now I could care less about how rare or desirable a firearm is. My one "rare" firearm I own might be my Colt 6920 with factory Vietnam Tiger Stripe camo, but that's the exception.

The one that scares me is I still need a Colt SAA (preferably in 45LC) and I'm trying to find the perfect example (less than mint, but still functional) because I know that is the only thing worse than select fire when it comes to cost. But I've got my Winchester 94 and original Remington derringer so I need my SAA for my "Wild, Wild West" collection.

In the 1990s I hung around with a Sheriff's Deputy who had a friend that owned a real 1880's vintage Colt SAA. IIRC The guy had all the papers proving its age, etc. He showed us the papers and frankly I can't remember to this day what they said. Too bad the gun wasn't somehow "famous"--just verifiably antique. We took it out one Saturday. I should say "he" took it out and the rest of us watched him shoot it. He told us he carefully chose low-powered ammo, probably reloads, and fired a round through each chamber once. The gun worked perfectly. After that he wrapped it in a cloth, put it back in his hard-case, and told us he was going home carefully clean it and put it away forever. So my friend and I probably witnessed the final range session of a 100-year old antique.

[The_War_Wagon]

Firearm Rabbit Holes You Just Don't Go Down Anymore

"I need MORE AR mags."

I stopped counting after I got my 300th PMag (I have around 200 Okays/other metal mags), and I THINK I have over 400 now, but I've been clean & sober on PMag purchases for 6mos. now. I just delete PSA sales e-mails on sight these days.

[Doc Safari]

"I need MORE AR mags."

I stopped counting after I got my 300th PMag (I have around 200 Okays/other metal mags), and I THINK I have over 400 now, but I've been clean & sober on PMag purchases for 6mos. now. I just delete PSA sales e-mails on sight these days.

LOL. I'm making the journey back to 20-round Aluminum mags for my iron-sighted M4. There's just something sexy about a KISS rifle with NO doodads hanging from it and a simple, unassuming 20-round mag in the belly. If I could find a fixed carry handle Colt without having to amputate a major body part I'd have achieved enlightenment.

[OH58D]

I stay away from the rabbit holes, gopher holes or prairie dog holes...they're hard on horses. Regarding firearms, anything that sends lead downrange I like; AR's, AK's, M1 Carbines, Old West Colts and Smith & Wessons (especially top breaks), vintage Trapdoor Carbines, '73 Winchesters, Henrys.............................. The shooting world is too interesting to turn my back on one type or style of gun. I'd do something dumb and sell 'em, then regret it later on.

Variety is the Spice of Life.

[C-grunt]

For me the AK is a rabbit hole I go down every so often and always regret. Every few years I tell myself "You need an AK". Then Ill buy one and shoot it for a few months. Then I remember I don't really care for AKs and sell it. Then a few years later Ill start thinking "You need an AK"...... and so on and so on.

[FlyingHunter]

Chasing the latest caliber...Obama helped me recover from that. Pre OBummer, I thought every new caliber would be a monumental improvement over whatever my latest greatest.

[RetroRevolver77]

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