Variety vs Proficiency

[plinker202020]

[CoopsDad]

Different guns to fill different roles. Have fun with all 5. Get proficient with all of them.

[XDJYo]

There is no 'should' when it comes to guns (aside from the 4 rules of gun safety).

Pick and buy what you like. Shoot what you like to shoot. Enjoy it. Over time, you'll gravitate to one or another or keep buying and shooting more and more guns. You might find yourself totally digging revolvers or black powder or get into shotguns or rifles etc. Who knows? Only you will find out by trying it.

The wonderful thing about guns is that you can usually make most of your money back if you wind up needing or wanting to sell it later on. I know I've sold several guns and not lost any money on them.

You may even get into collecting older guns or reloading and enjoying that more than shooting.

Whatever you do, enjoy it. It's a journey that is yours and yours alone.

Happy shooting and be safe.

[CWL]

Collect whatever you want, however many you want.

Train with one or two as if your life depended on it.

[ACfixer]

No such thing as overdoing it.

I have eight 9mm handguns, four of them are Glocks, they all shoot a tad differently but I am proficient with them all. Some better than others, but not by much.

I train most with the gun I carry most, a G19, but I don't need five of them.

Train with one or two as if your life depended on it.

Agreed.

[rodralig]

About a year back...

• Home Defense - HK USP Expert 45
• Home Defense from the Study - Glock 19
• Carry outside California - M&P Shield 9
• Competition - Glock 34
• Range Fun - 1911 MCO, CZ, Walther, other Glocks, etc.

Now?

• Home Defense - Glock 21SF
• Home Defense from the Study - Glock 19
• Carry outside California - Glock 26
• Competition - Glock 34
• Range Fun - 1911 MCO, HK, CZ, Walther, Shield, other Glocks, etc.

I practice with the Glock 99% of the time (I have four Glock 34s - dry practice, match iron sights, its backup, and one carry optics)...If you are proficient in one pistol - there shouldn't be an issue in "carrying" over the skills to another pistol. You should be able to pick any pistol and perform comparatively as your primary.

BUT then - I am still WAY better in the Glock platform because it is the most time/effort that I spend on simply because it is my pistol of choice for the use cases that mattered.


_

[Tarmy]

[Imageview]

I own lots of shotguns. I practice with the one I am focusing on getting better at. This changes from time to time, and the others do come out of the safe to play once in a while, but it's a similar pattern with rifles and pistols.

For me improvement is fun, so I focus on improving rather than shooting everything frequently.

[steelrain82]

I am in a somewhat similar boat to you. Ive been buying and buying ARs, and now I feel like I should just get proficient with one and or two of them. So I have been liquidating consolidating. I am also planning on simplifying my handguns to one where there is more parts availability (Glock).

[The War Wagon]

I’m starting to think I overdid it with variety of handguns.

I did when I was younger. Handguns are exciting in your 20's. .40 & 10mm were brand new when I was in my mid-20's, and it was BEFORE KLIN - TON I and the AWB - when guns, mags, and ammo were cheap.

I was 34 on 9/11 - that's when I decided to standardize on the 1911 in .45, and the AR15 in 5.56. $#!+bama, and the now the looming SlowJoe Insurrection have not made me regret those moves.

Have I missed out on things, like, Glocks, the 5.7 cartridge, & AR's in various .30 flavors? Perhaps. But even with astigmatism, decades of practice HAVE me nominally proficient with what I DO have.

[jeremiah12]

There is no one right answer. When I first started, I bought several guns in several calibers. I still own every one.

The only one I have not really shot much is my Glock G30. I have a G29 and the 10mm, in my opinion fills the same role as the .45 and is capable of more. The 10mm is so much more versatile and it saves me from having to stock .45. I should sell it but I have not gotten around to it yet.

I like my 9mm and 10mm guns. I have one .380 for CCW when I am wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Then I have my fun to shoot .22s. I seem to keep finding new toys to bring home. I also have a variety of rifles that I shoot for fun and plan to add a new one soon.

I have no plans to try a 5.7, it would add another caliber. I am trying to keep the calibers I use down.

Some of mine stay in the safe a year or two then I take them out and enjoy them and put them back. Some I take out regularly. Buy what you enjoy. Most will never drop in value and some will increase in value.

[WWDHD?]

I've thought about this from time to time and this is what makes sense for me: If I was a LEO or carried a gun for my job- my life would depend on me being the best possible with it so I probably would not tinker with any other systems besides what I carry/use every day.
Since that's not the case for me- I'm into pretty much everything. Expert with none but very familiar with most firearm types. Lucky for me it's a hobby and I have the freedom to play with whatever shinny objects that interests me.

[igs]

Find something you like and buy two of them.

[Mr. Blue]

Did you watch that John Lovell video about collector vs. protector? Basically covers the same questions. I think you should collect whatever you want, as someone previously mentioned. Designate which guns you want to utilize if you should need them, and train with those.

[tabascoz28]

Sounds like OP had a goal of buying guns for one purpose, in which case I would say I agree that there are differences for each firearm that makes them good or bad depending on your requirements. I have a collection of many different guns and like them all for different reasons. But would I bug out with my flintlock or daily carry my Casull? To each their own.