It's like any other addiction, one needs to learn to control it and ask themselves if another rifle is truly necessary. Ray

And then buy it anyway!

Several interesting lines of thought. I think I'm torn between collecting and having more than I can afford to shoot. I have at least 16 and I think more than that. I don't need that many. I know I can't shoot that many. Honestly I'm not sure I really want that many. Probably half of them were given to me. I enjoy the process of finding one and then convincing myself how much I need it, researching it, and finally finding the best deal and getting it. But I also know how much time I have with a 2 and 3 year old. Just not sure where to draw the line.

But i thought u wernt married?

I owe you a fish slap.

I have only one. It is all I need and all I want. To fondle another weapon in a gun store is nice, but I always leave them there. If I decide I want a new one I will sell the one I have and then get the new one. Also I am 70 and retired so I cannot afford a bunch of guns anymore.

I just bought a second gun safe to house the muzzleloaders that were sitting in boxes and gun cases around the room. In time if I need to get another safe, I will. I could not possibly sell any of them. I am a gun owner, not a trader ar salesman. I just hope they all go to a good home and are well taken care of when I go. My very first Inline that I purchased is a Brolin Arms plunger style .50 caliber. I haven't shot it since I harvested a deer with it about 3 years ago. But you know what? I'm dying to get it out and try some of the new bullets and sabots I just got. The gun only cost me $90.00 brand new. I love the gun and the memories it holds and I could not, nor would not ever part with it.
And besides, overkill to me is shooting a 60 pound doe with a 555 grain maxi ball from a .58 cal. muzzleloader, and has nothing to do with how many guns you have.

I worked in the firearms industry for many years. so Iwas lucky and bought alot of rifles(for some pretty good prices). And I have a fantastic collection of quality collector firearms. However those are ina vault, and I consider them my retirement policy. But now that I am retired I have a little more money so I do not need to sell them. But they are there if I need them. And they will make a good inheritance.

However for my personal use I had a bunch of different rifles. Then I decided that it was time to upgrade what I have. So I can either shoot a Cooper or Kimber 22 LR, or a Savage or Remington?? So I decided I was going to upgrade myself to a few firearms of top notch quality, and get rid of all the medium qualtiy rifles in order to pay for the better rifles. And that is what I did.

I had dozens of MZ's. But I sold most and have taken myself down to just a few top quality rifles like my Long Range Hunter, and the rifle spoken of above-a custom TVM-FL.

Since I have cut my inventory down, and raised the quality level substantially, I have been happy with that decision.

So I think it is just stages you go through in life. And some poeple go through those stages differently. Personally I would rather have one top quality MZ over 10 $150 rifles. But that is just what I like to do. So it really depends on what you want to do.

And what other people think really does not enter into the equation. It really doesn't matter to me if a guy thinks I am nuts to pay $1500 for a custom MZ. That is my business, not his. Tom.

Going to have to agree with you HEAD. Better to have a few high quality rifles then alot of medium quality guns. Just a thing that is each to his own. Honestly if I could lower my collection down from eleven I would. BUT I just cant to it, the rest of my guns have too much personal attachement to.

At 50 yards or so, which is the distance the majority of my shots at deer are taken, I can harvest a deer with my $90.00 Brolin Arms .50 cal. as well as anyone can with a $1,500.00 muzzleloader. That's not to say I wouldn't like to have a $1,500.00 muzzleloader, there's just no way I could get myself to pay that much for a rifle. Here is one other point, when it's pouring down rain, am I going to take an expensive rifle out hunting, or am I going to take an inexpensive one? I think I'll take my $20.00 Bobcat, or if I want to use a scope, my $90.00 Brolin Arms and not worry, too much, about them getting soaking wet.