(Login ZVP) Forum Owner from IP address 209.142.18.163
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Just being nosey on the subject here.
Looking around the den,I was pondering just how to organise my Air guns?
It seems there is a number of ways to view it all, and here is my sloppy and unresolved solution.
I first of all class all BB guns into the fun catagory, not expecting much, but fun and relaxation from them.
My pistols, This was a whole lot harder, First I tried to do it based on accuracy potential, then power potential, now they sit in a 20 gun rack, lined up by my favorites.
Rifles, I have 3 racks, Accuracy, Power, and a catch all of the lesser used ones.
Funny thing is that between all racks, the calibers are mixed and so are the brands.
Somehow,even though my usage times are brief, I still miss some or simply pass one by that "Would've been perfect for that days session.
I have different brands and models, in each rack, but am unsatisfied by my whole system still.
Sure was easier when I had only a .22 Hy Score Target pistol, the .177 Beeman 35 and the 5mm Blue Streak...
Pellets? Now here is a joke!
I carry a Rubbermade tote tray, with 3 calibers, many tins of each caliber's type, weight and brand, and then an Army Mine fuse box of spare full tins at home.
Ya need to love them all, and all the pretty pellets for them, but it seems to me, ones daily mood or shooting conditions bear the brunt of the choice, rather than any organised system...
Doggone-it, I can never make what ends up being the right choices to take out shooting. (at least one Diana is always in the days "batch"
Ya love em all or you wouldn't have kept em.
A fella can only transport and shoot only a few, before the days burnout occurs, duties, Honey-do's, or hunger calls!
Often thiese shooting sessions involve taking a 3 pistol briefcase, my shooting bag with 3 pistols in it, and at least 3 rifles. Then the nagging thought arises,"I shoulda brought the other one instead...
I have devoted a lot of time, trades, and purchase expense in narrowing my small collection of "shooters" to these specific air guns, just the ones that stir my own soul reguardless of brand.
How do you folks break your "pile" up?
ZVP
ZVP, I now have a goal, to get as distracting and difficult to organize collection of cool stuff pulling on my pantleg as you've got over there.
Needless to say we're talking about a gun ROOM, not a cabinet, over at your place, LOL.
My stuff is difficult to organize 'cause I'm using these Stack-On cabinets that are supposed to hold 12 guns but really hold 6 or 7 without having to back stocks going in and out, and I tend to just keep my favorites to the front.
But, I'm always pulling something out from the back...
I'll be putting a security door over a stair well opening in my garage so I can have a secure "semi-walk in area" to put my gun stuff, will leave the firearms in cabinets and have the pellet stuff more accessible.
Hey, then I can buy more! Just sell off the furniture, and there's the shoping money, right there...
You see Dave, my gunroom is my workshop, so I need to order them by size, the shorter ones taking up the wall space where I do not have lots of room and the long ones (the 350.- Marilyn) where they can fit!
I am blessed in that I do not have almost any pistols.
When I go out shooting I always know what "games" we are gonna play, so if it is Match, one gun comes out, if it s FT another comes out, if it is sniping, another comes out, I sledom carry more than 2 guns for myself, then the wife's and the kid's, and there is usually one repair gun either coming or going, so I usually go around with 5 rifles in the trunk.
Actually I need to spend about 3 months reorganizing my workshop and my library/den, which has now become a warehouse. But I'll get to it after retirement I hope/guess!
Dear ZVP,
I have the same problem with "real firearms" both revolvers and centerfire rifles. If you have many, you will end up in a position where you know no gun thoroughly. So I suggest to concentrate actual shooting on a few guns that cover your entire spectrum of shooting needs.
May I suggest ?
- model 24, or 25, or 27 (for general shooting and to love since these are my absolute favorites)
- model 34 for hunting and longer range, preferrably a .22
- a good target gun (75 or something in that class)
Diana 25 for open-sights pure fun @ 30m/yards plinking.
Diana 35 for long distance pleasure shots, scoped w/Leupold 3-9x33 EFR, but not for hunting.
Gamo Expo 2100 for experimentation / stock alterations and overall challenging airgunning trying out various components.
Feinwerkbau 601 for 10m competition (Gold Medal collection, mainly).
I have two rifle cases in the basement, one in the workshop, and one in the basement proper. In the workshop case, I keep the low and mid powered guns, since those are the ones I can shoot indoors or in the backyard. In the other case, I keep the higher powered guns, along with a couple I hardly ever shoot, but can't part with yet.
When I take a shooting trip to my buddy's farm, I mix things up a bit. One weekend, I'll take only one caliber, one weekend I'll take only one Mfgr, one weekend I'll take only CO2s, etc.
I've got this big toolbox/stepstool thing that has a tool tray in the top, with a slide-out drawer beneath it, and enough space in the bottom for large power tools. I've condensed most of my airgunning supplies to fit in this tote. In the top tray, I keep all the pellets I will need for the trip, along with lubes and cleaning supplies. In the pull-out drawer, I keep screwdrivers, allen wrenches, and any other tools I might need. In the big bottom compartment, I keep my Gamo knockdown squirrel, a jar of paintballs, a handful of plastic golfballs, a couple of packages of stick-on dots, and a brick of CO2 carts. There's also enough room in the bottom compartment for a pistol in a soft case. There's also a roll of blue painter's tape, and some random paper targets. The whole thing is about 16X24X24 with a latching lid. It doubles as a seat once I get where I'm going. It does get heavy sometimes.
I transport my rifles in softsided cases inside a plastic clamshell golfbag carrier. With proper loading technique, I can get at least 3 scoped rifles and 3 or 4 unscoped rifles in it at the same time, with nooks and crannies for stuffing a pistol or two. It has wheels on one end, which is good, since it gets heavy. The only thing I haven't figured out how to transport efficiently is my rest, a MTM Predator, which is a rather ungainly red plastic affair.
I have a 21 airgun rack that Pa made me about a year ago. Since they all stand, I just move them around from end to end and side to side (there's open slots).
I thought I was out of hand until I read this thread. I too carry three to five airguns with me most places. I also have these nylon cases that function to hold many many tins of pelllets and accessories.
Like you, a Diana is always with me. Most often its been my Diana 35, running in the mid sevens after Gary Steel of B&B Supply tuned it.
I read the original thread of ZVP again and lately I visited a collector of military rifles. He has a vast collection. Remembering your question, I asked how he organised them. He tried several ways but eventually ended up by organising them
1. by country of origin
2. then by brand
3. then by model (sometimes brand and model are inversed as by the 1911 pistol which was made by several manufacturers. In this case: model first, then by brand)
3. within the same model by lenght
4. If he has two or more guns of the same model and lenght, by year or by caliber, depending on what seems appropriate with that particular gun.
Handguns are organised the same way but not together with the long guns.
Organising itself seems fun also. It's a safe way of handling your guns.
As we are dealing with airguns: maybe you could organise them by power level, somehow?
1. magnum (e.g. M350 class, HW80) - then by country and brand
2. high power (34, 52, HW77) - then by country and brand
3. target guns (75, FW300) - then by country and brand
4. medium power (24, 27) - then by country and brand
5. low power and / or bb (20) - then by country and brand
6. antique guns (but what is antique ? Before 1970 ?)
Or by ... ?
Need any help ????
Joris
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model 24 .22
model 27 .177
model 34 .22
Feinwerkbau LP65match .177
Weihrauch 97K .177
