“Am I the Only One?” By Michael Allen

“Am I the Only One?”

By Michael Allen

Am I the only one?  Or do you walk into your firearms cave and wonder?  Where did they all come from? I look around and I can lay my hands on so many firearms my ancestors would cringe.  A gun is but a tool.  No need for more than three – tops!  A man needs a deer rifle, a shotgun, and a 22 rifle.  Anything more is just showing off.  I can’t discount the logic and the sentiment of that statement.  I can disagree, at least in part.  One doesn’t need to be a showoff to enjoy owning firearms for the sake of owning firearms.  They can also be a good place to park value.  The hard part is who wants to sell them?

When my current gun pile started, so did my pile o’ brass.  Now I have so much brass, so many primers, so many bullets, so much lead… some question my sanity.  Hey, it’s a great hobby.  And don’t forget the hardware – wow.  Presses, dies, priming tools, decapping tools, tumblers wet and dry, calipers, scales, melting pots, trimmers, and so much more, fill benches and shelves.  And who doesn’t like gunpowder?

I have, on occasion, reconsidered this hobby/addiction.  Do I need more than three guns?  Yes.  No really.  Do I hunt any longer?  Not right now.  Do I shoot enough to keep the number of guns I have?  Nope.  Many areas where I used to shoot are now full of cul-de-sacs and Cadillacs.  Depressing.  I used to be a country boy.  I could shoot in nearly any direction in complete safety.  Oh, for the good old days.  I do go to a shooting range semi-frequently.  The fun factor is lower than long range pinecone shooting but suffices for a fix.  So, what to do?

Sell everything, even nearly everything. I could pay some things off and put some money in the bank.  That makes sense. Then again, guns are like money in the bank, and more. The ability to use all the tools in the firearms cave is a great value. Making bullets from lead alloy and handloading rounds is fulfilling.  Teaching others those same skills, even more so. Holding onto traditional values of self-sufficiency, shooting skills, and the downright fun of firearms and the culture is huge.

Once upon a time I sold all my firearms and goodies that went along with them.  I needed the money more than the guns, or so I thought.  I owned no firearms for a few too many years. When I got back into the hobby, I promised myself I wouldn’t do that again.  And I got back in with abandon.  Now, if I sell anything it is after much thought and never will it be the last one again.

As I look at my family and the generations therein, I realize how important firearms were and remain.  My children and grandchildren are excited by firearms and their proper usage.  The history behind them is fun.  The unique American experience with firearms should be celebrated.  My guns and all the cool stuff that goes along with them aren’t going anywhere ‘til after I do.  I can’t be the only one.