Question about who buys guns

[BourbonTrail]

Edit:
I truly hope that we never really know.
Those above guesses were for more rural households. Large City households, no idea.

The response to the OP’s question shows the Schrodinger’s Cat (gun/boat) nature of the question…

The guns/boats are simultaneously not at / at the bottom of a lake until you ask and find out.​

Occam’s razor dictates that the simplest solution (no one is going to give you a straight answer because it is none of your business), so I don’t think we will ever have an established number of firearms currently in circulation.

Long way to say: Don’t worry, we’ll never know

 

[kdenn]

I believe a lot of us are "above average" until boating season that is.

 

[BLJC30]

I guess that would explain the popularity of magnet fishing!

 

[WAB]

I understand the logic, of historical gun production, but guns also have life expectancy.
How many 100 year old guns have you seen in life - I mean seen, not found on internet?
Me?
Less then 5!
They rust, corrode, deteriorate, need refurbishing that costs, etc, then they just get dumped, or destroyed.

Its the same logic as cars.
How many have been mass produced in last 120 years?
And how many 50-100 year old cars have you actually seen on highways and streets?
Yes, if good, they have values, but in most cases they just get dumped.

Perhaps, but I still have my great grandfather’s guns, and many friends have their ancestors weapons as well. I would never ‘dump’ an old firearm, even if it was of no value. In fact, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of a gun being thrown in the trash. They just end up in the back of a closet somewhere.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Perhaps, but I still have my great grandfather’s guns, and many friends have their ancestors weapons as well. I would never ‘dump’ an old firearm, even if it was of no value. In fact, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of a gun being thrown in the trash. They just end up in the back of a closet somewhere.

The gun "buyback" and turn-in programs yield a few but they are quickly replaced with new ones. Somewhat OT, when I worked in the melt shop of a steel mill, once in a great while, a large container of firearms would be received for disposal. Most were old junk with parts missing but some of them were collectibles and would make a gun guy cry.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Uncounted are the so called unserialized "ghost" guns. These are the new target of Jittery Joe. Wonder what he'll do with regards to one of these. LOL

Zero Percent – Ghost Gunner

ghostgunner.net

 

[Jfet]

Always check to see if your drain plug has been properly installed before you launch your boat. Also, at the boat launch make sure you set your parking break before getting out of your truck.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Boat ramp in my area, guys are open carrying. Yep, it's a jungle out there.

 

[mark-hunter]

Perhaps, but I still have my great grandfather’s guns, and many friends have their ancestors weapons as well.

This is nice, a benefit of 2/a.

In my place, to paraphrase subject of this thread; who inherits the guns?
The answer is:
Our state.

If the legal heir is not hunter or registered target shooter (a status that takes time to make, can not be made overnight); then guns will be collected by police, the heir (if not certified as firearm owner) will have 6 months to sell them - by hastily bringing buyer to police station to take firearm, or if the 6 months has passed the state will take over the guns, without compensation. So, the state is biggest heir.
This in the long run, reduces the number of firearms in ciruclation (because, also to be noted, target shooter and hunters number are in decline), and it reduces the number of vintage firearms.

the value of the firearm is absolutely irrelevant in this procedure: it can be an old relic, worthy 300 USD, or it can be holland and holland, worth 100.000 USD, it will be taken care of by state, if the real heir is not certified to own. So, I sent my son to hunters exam, and later when the time comes, he will have true choice, either to keep them, or to sell them properly (with dignity).

 

[WAB]

Always check to see if your drain plug has been properly installed before you launch your boat. Also, at the boat launch make sure you set your parking break before getting out of your truck.

We were fishing halibut 17 miles offshore in my buddy’s Lund after a beach launch in Ninilchik. I asked about the water I heard running and he turned white, he’d forgotten the plug. We had to either head in or put the plug in. I held his legs and he went under and put it in. Would have been hilarious to watch if anyone was nearby.

As much fun as boat ramps are to watch, beach launching operations in the surf take it to an entirely different level of entertainment!

 

[calling4life]

I tend to be practical about the guns I have.

20 gauge over under is for ducks and geese
9mm is for personal protection in general public
500 S&W is for bear protection or anything else that may come along in home/woods/water environment
458 Lott is my only rifle, so it hunts everything, and of course could also be use for protection.

That's all I've got, everything has a different practical use and there isn't excess.

Other than a double rifle I can't really think of anything else I'd like, any other firearm would replace another, for example, I carried a 1911 up until about two months ago, sold it and bought my WCP 320 Carry that I now carry. And very likely, if I could get a double, that 458 lott would go bye bye so I'd be in the same situation.

A lot of people dreaming of owning and using some firearms that others have just sitting and rotting, tends to be a shame to me, suppose I would say the same with about anything, including vehicles. I'd rather see'em on the road, or a guy ticking off the USPSA crowd by running an old flintlock pistol and finishing first because everybody else had left as it's noon the next day before he finishes.

Go shoot some F-Open competition with your 416 Rigby, use the Sharps 4570 next, the 470NE double after that. Or think on selling the items to someone who'll use them, a lot of dreams being locked away in a safe.

But it's a free country here for now, so do as you wish ultimately.

 

[Fixfire]

I understand the logic, of historical gun production, but guns also have life expectancy.
How many 100 year old guns have you seen in life - I mean seen, not found on internet?
Me?
Less then 5!
They rust, corrode, deteriorate, need refurbishing that costs, etc, then they just get dumped, or destroyed.

Its the same logic as cars.
How many have been mass produced in last 120 years?
And how many 50-100 year old cars have you actually seen on highways and streets?
Yes, if good, they have values, but in most cases they just get dumped.

I alone have over 30 guns over 100 years old and have friends with double that. Most people in my circle have inherited grandpap’s stash and though never used, hang on to them for their grandkids. So yes, I believe there are MANY more guns in private collections that could ever be accounted for.
Remember the statement: If you know how many guns you have, you haven’t got enough!!

 

[Shootist43]

Mark Hunter, I chuckled when I read your comment about seeing a 100 year old gun. All of my Swedes, '03(s), Enfields and P-17(s) are over a hundred years old. BTW these rifles get used more than any other rifle I own.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Shootist43
@Fixfire
read carefully my above post no 29, who really inherits old guns. So, you will understand. ;-)

 

[TheSayHeyKid]

I too was out on Lake Kegonsa when I began taking on water. Wish I never would have taken my two gun safes fishing that day. What was I thinking???

 

[Shootist43]

Sorry Mark, I didn't read that far down the post. It wasn't my intention to "step on your toes." We have our own share of "silly laws" here in the States. Thankfully most gun collections are either sold or inherited. Folks that inherit guns but don't shoot or hunt usually sell them. This situation is often the case where /when "good deals" are to be had.

 

[charleslabounty]

I understand the logic, of historical gun production, but guns also have life expectancy.
How many 100 year old guns have you seen in life - I mean seen, not found on internet?
Me?
Less then 5!
They rust, corrode, deteriorate, need refurbishing that costs, etc, then they just get dumped, or destroyed.

Its the same logic as cars.
How many have been mass produced in last 120 years?
And how many 50-100 year old cars have you actually seen on highways and streets?
Yes, if good, they have values, but in most cases they just get dumped.

Hi Mark,
I have 3 over 100 years, couple that are 50-100. And all are operable.
I see many antiques at any gun show I attend.
Had a teacher/Scout Master in jr high that collected muzzle loaders - had some real collectable originals. They were all over 100 back in 1965. He had at least 30. Funny story, he brought one to school and demonstrated loading and shooting it out the back door of the classroom‘s fire escape - loaded with a paper wad, not a lead ball. And this was in New York State, of course that school had a pistol range in the basement.

 

[Fixfire]

Hi Mark,
I have 3 over 100 years, couple that are 50-100. And all are operable.
I see many antiques at any gun show I attend.
Had a teacher/Scout Master in jr high that collected muzzle loaders - had some real collectable originals. They were all over 100 back in 1965. He had at least 30. Funny story, he brought one to school and demonstrated loading and shooting it out the back door of the classroom‘s fire escape - loaded with a paper wad, not a lead ball. And this was in New York State, of course that school had a pistol range in the basement.

Being from Pa., my high school and many nearby all had ranges!! Some of my childhood friends had .22 ranges in their basements as well. Imagine that today!!!

 

[Randy F]

Uncounted are the so called unserialized "ghost" guns. These are the new target of Jittery Joe. Wonder what he'll do with regards to one of these. LOL

Zero Percent – Ghost Gunner

ghostgunner.net

I guess he’ll have to go diving.

 

[Cam Moon]

@Daggaboy375 >700?!?! And people think I have "too many"!
I'm a mere amateur!