Let's hear it from the long-time gun owners!

[Alan]

With our community growing every day, I’d love to collect some of the shared experiences we have.

For our seasoned owners and collectors, what advice would you offer your younger self when you first began this journey? Share your insights on storage methods, reliable sites, auctions, or anything else you wish you had known sooner.

 

[BarryinIN]

I would tell my younger self to seek training ASAP and don’t put it off.

Forego the next gun purchase and use the
money to take a class instead. You will get more out of it, and it will save you money and struggles in the long run.

I know you have reasons for not going now, but those reasons will only multiply as you wait. Not having enough money is the most common reason to delay. I’ve said that plenty of times, then a month later I’d buy a gun that cost more than a class.
Many times I delayed due to not thinking I could afford it. Later in life, I still didn’t have an abundance of money, and I also had more commitments to keep me from going.

Once the first kid came, I got serious about this whole self-defense thing. I wasn’t just watching out for myself then. So I played catch-up with even less available time than ever before. You don’t think I was wishing I had gone earlier?

Self, I say:
Go now. It’s easier to make happen now.

Aside from training, I would tell my younger self to attempt competition sooner. Don’t be afraid of not being good enough, or not having enough equipment, or not good enough equipment. Just go.

And furthermore, young self:
With whatever money you have left, buy those $240 Garands, the $139 M-1 Carbines, the $79 Enfields, and alllllllll of those cheap ex-police revolvers of the late 80s-90s.

 

[Frontiersman]

A good safe is a must. Back of the closet is no place to store your firearms. It is your responsibility to keep them safe and secure.

Rarely, if ever have I seen a gun go down in value.

I can think of any number of firearms I regret I didn’t buy, but can’t think of any I regret I paid too much.

A good gun club/range can be a great place to learn. People are more accountable for their words in person, not so much on the internet. Consider several sources whenever possible.

Your family’s needs come first. Hobbies and interests are much further down on the priority list.

 

[BarryinIN]

A good safe is a must. Back of the closet is no place to store your firearms. It is your responsibility to keep them safe and secure.

Rarely, if ever have I seen a gun go down in value.

I can think of any number of firearms I regret I didn’t buy, but can’t think of any I regret I paid too much.

A good gun club/range can be a great place to learn. People are more accountable for their words in person, not so much on the internet. Consider several sources whenever possible.

Your family’s needs come first. Hobbies and interests are much further down on the priority list.

Tacking onto that, buy a safe that’s bigger than you need right now. I know everyone says that, but I’m saying it again. Listen to us and do it.

Besides the inevitable expansion of your collection, safes don’t hold what the manufacturers say. A surprise, I know.

Plus more room is always good. It will help prevent dings that might annoy you from now on, but mostly it makes it easier to get out the gun you want. Moving 12 guns to access one is aggravating the first time you do it. It’s maddening after about a year. Decades of screwing with this causes you to hate everything.
That must be what did it.

Buying twice as big as you think you need would be a good start.

 

[Frontiersman]

Too true. Every scope takes up a space. You have to lean them, or they’ll fall over. So the front row is a no seating area. So a 50 gun safe, might be a 35 gun safe.

A friend lost his whole collection to a break in. He won’t admit how many he lost. Im not sure he knows. Dozens I would expect.

 

[Deleted member 152]

Buy once, cry once. Don't skimp on quality. You'll save $$ in the long run.