Consolidation? Is it really possible?

[Calamity Jake]

I have three(3) safes the size of a fridg. there all full!!! enough said!!!

[dverna]

My "awakening" happened as I began to prepare for SHTF. I have sold over twenty guns and the stuff that went with them. More to go.

It is really very easy to do if you are analytical. Nothing wrong with keeping guns you like but understand they are not needed and plan accordingly.

Same with molds. I load the bulk of my pistol ammunition on a 1050 and some on a 550. I see no reason to worry about having the best load for every gun of the same caliber. I have 5 guns that shoot .38 Spl and one load works well in all of them. KISS But none are used for self defense. If I did, I would need 100 rounds a year and cycle them to keep them fresh.

I do that with the 9mm and .40. Cast bullets for practice are loaded on the 1050. I will change over for SD ammo, crank out 1-200 , then set it back up for cast. Load development boils down to finding a cast load that shoots to same POI as SD rounds. So far, so good.

[MT Gianni]

I cull the herd every so often. A few years ago I decided to consolidate down to four rifle calibers. I now cast and shoot for only 22, 7mm, 30 and 35 rifle calibers. I would be foolish were I to restrict my pistols to such at this stage of my life but I was OK with rifles. Now down to just 222, 223, 7x30, 7x57, 280, 7mm Rem Mag, 7.62x39, 30-30, 308, 30-06. 300 Win Mag, 357, 357 Max, 358, 35 Whelen and muzzleloaders. It seems more when I write them down. At age 63 this month I figure 22 more years of shooting max. At the halfway point it will be time for another major thinning. When I can no longer shoot and enjoy handguns as much as I currently do they will go as well. I witnessed my folks die with too much stuff.

[dragon813gt]

Yes, it's possible. But one has to actually make the decision. I could easily settle on 35 caliber for both handguns and rifles. They all use the same molds. And they work well for hunting and self defense. Just waiting for a viable 35cal wildcat for the AR15 platform. And by viable I mean you can actually buy barrels and dies.

[mold maker]

You guys use too much logic. I've spent a lifetime accumulating this hoard, and at just 75, I ain't done.
I'll be looking forward to the massive sales of your guns with all the support items.

[danmat]

I have had our disease since childhood. Fueled by outdoor writers and every biography of Boone,Crockett etc. in the elementary library. I remember like yesterday at 18 heading to the local gun shop where one of my friends mom worked and putting my first every thing rifle on lay away, Winchester mdl. 70 30.06 and new Weaver wide view 3x9 in redfield jr. mts., hey O Conner said.
So for the last couple years looking at my accumulation I decided I was tired of cleaning all this stuff I never used. I have always shot everything I bought at least once, sold a couple that were just to nice to keep shooting to collectors. I found myself regretting passing on all those nice oldies for the latest greatest flattest shooting this or that, did not have the budget for both most times. My son and grandkids have the bug also, I convinced him finally to spend the money on a nice safe. I talked to my wife and decide why wait till I am gone to enjoy the things I want them to have, He loves to bird hunt and I do not do much anymore, next time they were at the house said I got some things for you and the kids. I started unloading, first his maternal grandfathers guns who he was close to but passed when he was about 9, then my Browning auto 5 and doubles always his favorites, about 20 total. I had kept some back for my other Grandson, and rifles I still hunt with. Filled my large safe back up with the guns I had not had room for. I started selling those I had bought because it was a deal, or good investment, took that money putting it into fun stuff to shoot like case colored octagon lever actions in 22 and pistol cals. and single actions, kids love shooting them, all the things I liked but passed by when younger. I still have way to much stuff but im shooting them and enjoying them. I am not saying my way is best for everyone but when im gone I have a plan so there will be no chance for family problems for my wife to deal with over my stuff. I also have some more money for my new casting bug that you good folks lead me into, pun intended.

[JMax]

I am just on the south side of 70 and have started culling the heard. I now cast only with 4 rifle bullet molds, hundreds of # of bullet metal, have a life time supply of pistol bullets on hand, plenty of shot, wads and hulls so reloading is taken care of. I trimmed my M1 collection to one, my 03 collection to one, sold off the carbine and mini 14, several 22's, a number of handguns and am down to two safes full of guns. I started a list of my reloading tools, bullets, powder, primers plus my extensive collection of tools with suggested sale prices along with the firearms and their values. That way my wife and kids will get fair value when I pass. Otherwise I will keep my selection of firearms and enjoy them.

[dverna]

JMax makes a good point. Those of you who do not have kids in the sport need to prepare so your family can realize the value of your stuff when you pass. I have been asked by my friend to help his wife...they have no children, brothers or sisters.

It takes a lot of effort and time to sell everything off. Bear that in mind. My buddy wants me to have his Silver Sietz but I will sell it and give the money to his wife.

[BAGTIC]

Does anyone remember who said "Beware the man with one gun"? Whelen"

How about "Beware the man with one gun".

[RogerDat]

JMax makes a good point. Those of you who do not have kids in the sport need to prepare so your family can realize the value of your stuff when you pass. I have been asked by my friend to help his wife...they have no children, brothers or sisters.

It takes a lot of effort and time to sell everything off. Bear that in mind. My buddy wants me to have his Silver Sietz but I will sell it and give the money to his wife.

I have enough kids and grandkids to pass on the firearms but lead and alloys not much chance they will use it. When I had to go in for surgery recently I reached out to a couple of members here that I have been lucky enough to call friends to ask if they would assist my wife in disposing of casting material if things went badly. They didn't want to take anything either, I pointed out it wasn't a commission it was a bequest, be good to know friends are getting some use out of that lead and tin I scrounged. And considering I know there is over a ton to dispose of that sure qualifies as enough work to make me want to see them go home with some goodies. Without help my wife wouldn't know the difference in value between 30# of pewter and 30# of COWW's in a bucket. But then I can't bake worth a darn so it evens out I guess.

I'm still adding "stuff" but the older I get the fewer "projects" I am up for dealing with. More and more if I can't use it right now or could use it if I fixed it up I'm just not going there. I have enough "projects to do" on shelves or in corners that I'll have to live forever just to get them organized let alone done. I'm getting good at restraining myself too. Drove right on past an estate sale last weekend, think it might have caused my wife to worry I had early onset dementia.

[dverna]

RogerDat,
I did the same thing. Tons of garage sales during the long weekend and never stopped at one.

I can barely move around in my shop or garage. I cannot find things I know I have. I have "lost" two guns in the junk. Nearly filed a police report on one. I am not putting up another building to store stuff I will never use

At 66, I have 10-15 years left to enjoy this affliction. Another reason I started culling the herd.

[lmfd20]

358 yeti works well in the ar15 platform. Lots of power. Easy to make brass. Dies available from whidden and barrels from mad dog weapons

[Four-Sixty]

I got into casting to shoot more, for less money.

Consolidation is the way to go. I sold four guns this year cause I did not want to take them out to the range much, or figure out a load for them. They just did not draw my attention. I took the usual suspects out this past Saturday and was buoyant from that trip to the range into Monday. I had so much fun!

If I had to start over, I'd shoot and reload 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 35 Remington and 45 ACP and be happy with just that.

[Harter66]

My problem is that I bought a rifle, pistol and shotgun for each of 4 kids . 1 is in Washington ,1 in CA , 2 in KY 1 in legal owner limbo and 1 in the service . I'm raising 2 grands so you know they need to have a set .
I'm relocating from the land of 300 yd zeros above the tree line 3-5 miles back to the truck to I parked the truck in the barn an walked 100 yd to the stand to shoot a 150 yd max clear cut . From a 5 duck ,3/3 goose limit on big water (I'm talking 600,000 surface acres) to a field set with no limits on snow geese . So I'm crossing over from an 06' as a minimum cartridge to a 30-30/35 Remington is plenty and a 3 shot mag extension on 3 guns is a good start when an old beater double has wanted for a 3rd shot about 6 times in 20 yr .

I made a serious effort to par the moulds down to 2-3 per cal . Thats not easy when you have 380,38NP,38 Special,357 and 358 Win . I sure like shooting that LBT 403 175 but the Lee 401-175 casts 3x as many bullets and actually only shoots about 1/4" bigger at 25 and less than an inch more at 50 yd ..... Which 1 would you let go ?
The 45s should be easy right ? All in revolvers so the 454424 is a no brainier except at some point I needed companion rifles and the OAL is a little fussy in a ACP rifle but no problem in Colts or Schofield . What possession took over when I bought a 45-70 I have no idea but the pigs are possibly huge and a bear might want the gut piles before I'm done with them in Arkansas so that's probably it . So there's 6-7 moulds .
30 cal ? Just rifles but bores run from 300x308 to 305x3165 , I have a 308291 to paper for the fat bore in the SKS and Arisaka from broke guy under market . The 301618 is nice for go fast and shoots well in all but 1 but is no good for game the way it shoots best and the bullet that makes a great game bullet in the 1-8.5 06' doesn't shoot for beans in the 308 or 30-30 .

I did sell a rifle a month or so ago but I saved​ it from a bubba hack and put it in the hands of someone that can appreciate it and tripled my money in just 10 yr . I couldn't hind the happy place anyway ,I don't think it liked me .

I'm 50 but I've seen 100 people younger than me go that I knew well . Ms has a good handle on what things actually cost and what they are worth . The kids know what is for who and have some idea what things are worth . Note books with receipts too .

I do have it beat down to 4 powders from 380 and 222 to 45 Colts and 45-70 with a Win mag in the middle.

[dragon813gt]

358 yeti works well in the ar15 platform. Lots of power. Easy to make brass. Dies available from whidden and barrels from mad dog weapons

Every time I go to buy either of them they are out of stock. That's the exact cartridge I want to use.

[halodub]

As I'm a somewhat "new" gun owner, I only have a few calibers as it is, but consolidation has been one thing I have focused on from the start. For SD handgun, I use a 357Sig, and my lady uses 9mm, so thankfully we use the same caliber boolit and casting will not be an issue. I am looking into 9x25 Dillon as a home defense weapon, and 357Mag/38Spl revolvers for my first wheel gun purchases.

As far as rifles go, I am in the process of building a 6.8SPC competition rifle, as I really like the .277 projectile. I can use said projectile in .277WLV (same concept as 300BO but with a .277 boolit instead of .308), and in 270Win for when I finally get a bolt gun.

Sticking with these calibers will allow me to stock up on just two calibers, and probably only two to three boolit weights per caliber. I guess it makes it easier not having access to several other caliber weapons currently to keep myself in this frame of mind, but I'm sure as I get older, I will stray from this ideology.

[GhostHawk]

Screw consolidation. He who dies with the most toys wins!

I don't expect to win that contest. But I have no desire to thin the herd either.

Somebody is going to be happy. Who that somebody is remains to be seen.

Big ticket items will go to my Grandchildren. It is what I can do.

As for the rest, we'll see how long I last, and what happens.

I do tend to when I find a combination of cast boolit and load that works well, gives acceptable accuracy to quit looking for that caliber.

Then again sometimes you find a mold that fills a need that you did not really know you had. I have been shooting my last Lee 6 cavity in several calibers including 9mm. And it has worked well. And if it goes through less lead, and is "flexible" well why not?

Its my money, I earned it. Why shouldn't I enjoy it?

When I am gone will I care what happens to it all? Somehow I doubt it.

[Jack Stanley]

My little brother passed several years ago and I got tagged to sell his (ahem) "modest" accumulation . Since his pile was smaller than mine I've been slimming things down since then . I figure it's easier this way than my wife having to fool with something she knows nothing about . When I get so old I won't be able to cast the lead either from a gun or a melting furnace . I should be down to just the ones that have sentimental value or I have kept to give someone . Hopefully I will have a big pile of empty brass at the same time .

Jack

[Whitespider]

Screw consolidation. He who dies with the most toys wins!

Every time I see/hear/read that statement I ask the same question...
Wins what?? And, more importantly, how do you collect it once you've died??

The rest of you guys need to quit selling yourselves short... my Dad is 81 (soon to turn 82), and he's still buying, selling, trading, and (yes) shooting. Sure... he ain't as "sharp" as he used to be... but he's still shooting just for the sake of shooting. He's still bouncing beer cans with his son and grandson... and he'll even make the occasional bet on the next shot when he's feeling like he's having an "on day".
*

[danmat]

Every time I see/hear/read that statement I ask the same question...
Wins what?? And, more importantly, how do you collect it once you've died??

The rest of you guys need to quit selling yourselves short... my Dad is 81 (soon to turn 82), and he's still buying, selling, trading, and (yes) shooting. Sure... he ain't as "sharp" as he used to be... but he's still shooting just for the sake of shooting. He's still bouncing beer cans with his son and grandson... and he'll even make the occasional bet on the next shot when he's feeling like he's having an "on day".
*

That's awesome your dad is still going strong, In my case I am in excellent health and plan on being around a long time also.
I always expect the best but try to plan for the worst, as for the most toys I never really understood that thinking either but as I have grown older "things" don't seem as important as they use to be and consolidation and downsizing, having less worries is moving up the list.