Anyone else know a 'collector' like this?

[DDadams]

I don't know how else to describe this guy. He has a lot more guns than I do, several suppressors and SBRs, but probably wouldn't call himself a collector more than an enthusiast.

What's the weird part you may ask?

He's never shot a gun. Not once according to what he told me quite some time ago.

I don't know a lot of firearm people outside of those I've met on here and my family was never into any when I was growing up but this can't be normal, can it?

I know there's probably a lot of Americans who own A gun that have never fired it and just "bought it for protection" thinking they'll magically be proficient should they ever have to use it. But we're talking mid double digit numbers of various firearms, double digit numbers of NFA stamps, and ammo surpluses I'm jealous of.

Has anyone encountered someone like this?

 

[Mij]

No

 

[Denny347]

I have 30ish C&R firearms and I've only fired a handful of them. I've owned them for 20 or so years and have no intention on shooting them. I have plenty of ammo for most of them, I just don't care to find a range and shoot them. One of the reasons I've decided to sell the collection off.

I know of guitar collectors who cannot play and have no plans on playing them.

 

[Twangbanger]

I have 30ish C&R firearms and I've only fired a handful of them. I've owned them for 20 or so years and have no intention on shooting them. I have plenty of ammo for most of them, I just don't care to find a range and shoot them. One of the reasons I've decided to sell the collection off.

I know of guitar collectors who cannot play and have no plans on playing them.

I bet if we ever heard Jim Irsay play guitar, it would bring tears to your ears.

 

[Mgderf]

Actually yes, I have encountered this exact scenario

I built a vault room for a customer some years back.
When we left after finishing the work, he had vertical stand spots for 270 long guns, and shelf after shelf, after shelf, for handguns in the boxes.
This man shot guns, and still does on occasion, but the majority of his pieces were museum quality and in new, unfired condition.
I got to hold a gold plated John Dillinger commemorative Thompson "Tommy Gun" from his collection.
He has since sold many of his guns, but still has a few, and still shoots them.

 

[model1994]

never shot a gun, or just the ones he collects? I have met a few collectors who only buy new - never used, and don’t shoot them. It’s just investments to them. But they have shot other guns at least.

maybe he has some kind of bad experience with shooting but still appreciates firearms. if what you’re describing wasn’t a sarcastic joke, you’d think he would have been asked “why” enough to give an explanation after telling long you.

there’s lots of interesting people out there though lol

 

[johntheplinker]

I have 30ish C&R firearms and I've only fired a handful of them. I've owned them for 20 or so years and have no intention on shooting them. I have plenty of ammo for most of them, I just don't care to find a range and shoot them. One of the reasons I've decided to sell the collection off.

I know of guitar collectors who cannot play and have no plans on playing them.

I've got somewhere in the vicinity of 75 C&Rs, I've shot maybe 10 of them at the most. Don't currently have any plans to sell any, tho, but also not actively looking either.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

@Denny347 @johntheplinker WTH is wrong with you guys?! I've got a few guns (Mostly C&R) that I haven't shot... yet! But all the rest get shot at least once if not more. And I have more than a few...

 

[Denny347]

@Denny347 @johntheplinker WTH is wrong with you guys?! I've got a few guns (Mostly C&R) that I haven't shot... yet! But all the rest get shot at least once if not more. And I have more than a few...

Too many hobbies to focus on. Narrowed down to BJJ, BMW, and guitars...lol.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Too many hobbies to focus on. Narrowed down to BJJ, BMW, and guitars...lol.

I hear ya. I just haven't made the time recently.

 

[johntheplinker]

@Denny347 @johntheplinker WTH is wrong with you guys?! I've got a few guns (Mostly C&R) that I haven't shot... yet! But all the rest get shot at least once if not more. And I have more than a few...

A few are in new condition and I WILL NOT shoot those. Most are duplicates of others with the exception of markings. If my collection was more diverse it might be a different story, but quite honestly there just isn't that much difference functionally from one Finn M39 or Swede 96 to another.

 

[WebSnyper]

I'd say it's strange if he's never shot any gun, and also suppressors would seem to be a losing proposition from an investment standpoint as would SBRs IMO.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

A few are in new condition and I WILL NOT shoot those. Most are duplicates of others with the exception of markings. If my collection was more diverse it might be a different story, but quite honestly there just isn't that much difference functionally from one Finn M39 or Swede 96 to another.

My collection is all over the place. No "new" ones like some of yours, and I can't say that I blame you for not shooting those. But because it's all over the place, that means I need to shoot them at least a few times.

 

[DDadams]

never shot a gun, or just the ones he collects? I have met a few collectors who only buy new - never used, and don’t shoot them. It’s just investments to them. But they have shot other guns at least.

maybe he has some kind of bad experience with shooting but still appreciates firearms. if what you’re describing wasn’t a sarcastic joke, you’d think he would have been asked “why” enough to give an explanation after telling long you.

there’s lots of interesting people out there though lol

Never shot ANY gun is what he said. Not once.

That's what was really mind blowing.

If they were all historical things I'd get it but none were.

 

[Sigblitz]

Take him to a shooting range.

 

[DDadams]

Take him to a shooting range.

Offered several times. He has a few guns I'd love to shoot.

Never taken me up on the offer.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

I knew a guy who collected stratocasters and had no interest in playing them.

 

[planedriver]

With deference. Those guys are everywhere.

DD, you just happened to be in the right place at the right time to see/hear about it. For some it’s not about the same values that you hold as respects ownership. Some folks have remarkable collections for a cadre of reasons, none of which involve shooting their possessions/trophys regularly if at all.

At the end of the day be glad some guys have multi million dollar collections at risk of confiscation per new legislation yet to be introduced. They have real skin in the game and the wherewithal to forge a path for us to keep our shooters.

What ever the reason we have the things we have is is a freedom and right. Make no mistake we must be as one in this.

That said. I got your question and understand. A vette and f150 work but a Bentley is better to show up at a fund raiser with.

Feel free to pm me.

 

[Nugget]

I always find it strange when i hear these kinds of stories. If i buy a gun, i want to know that it works, and i want to know how well it shoots.

The only gun I own that I've never shot is an unissued, unfired, pristine Polish Mosin m44. The only reason I haven't shot it yet is because I haven't gotten around to cleaning the cosmoline out of it. Some of the guys on gunbroker, armslist, gunboards, (here), etc would clutch their pearls and faint if they saw me shoot that "museum quality collectors piece", but it's gonna happen!

 

[Sigblaster]

That is rather odd, owning many guns, and never had fired one. I recently went some time between buying guns and firing them, but that was only due to a long term health issue with my wife followed by a long term health issue with myself. I did have a good day, and was able to get out and fire all of my new ones except one, so I've got that going for me. I'm not sure if I would ever buy a gun that I never intended to shoot. Even a rare or collector piece. I's have to at least get a few though it.