Why is buying guns so addictive?

[WinerackHWModel]

I’ve have recently (in the last 12 months) got into shooting. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do but having made false assumptions about UK gun law, I had no idea until recently how accessible the world of airguns is! It’s something I do with my 12 year old son and it’s lead to some really quality father and son time!

However, since joining a club and purchasing my first rifle I have found that, increasingly, I want to buy more and more. I’m now up to 8 rifles and 10 pistols in less than 12 months (small by comparison to some on here) and I’m wondering whether that compulsive need to scratch the new gun itch ever goes away?! I have serious bits of kit and toys but there’s so much choice out there and so many well made guns that almost every time I go online I’m trawling through RFD websites and secondhand trading sites to add to the collection. It’s storage rather than money that’s becoming the issue.

Do I need help or is this quite common amongst the newly initiated?!

[C.V]

Yes. You need help (like most of us do).

However, there is no help / counselling / therapy available for this addiction. I believe this is quite common but resistance is futile!

As you stated, there is such a choice from fun and quirky airguns up to serious pieces of kit and sometimes temptation does make us make impulse buys.
However, its a great hobby. We can buy and sell our collections as time goes on to improve what we have or just if we fancy a change. Tuning and improving is another great aspect of our world.
Getting our kids involved is also a nice part of it too.

Storage can be a problem but remember that thinning out family members is always an option to provide extra space that shouldn't be overlooked.

Especially when (not naming names), she says "you do NOT need another airgun"!!

[where's it gone]

Acquiring another airgun often starts by the urge to change your present gun for another. It's when you try to sell your present gun and realise what you paid is nowhere near of what others want to pay that is when you become a 'collector'. All said, it's proberly a desease we suffer from !

[WinerackHWModel]

I knew I wasn’t alone! Thanks for the reassuring replies! I’ve already earmarked my daughter’s room as the armoury, she’ll be off to Uni soon.

I sold a Sig Sauer x-Five as I just couldn’t get on with it, other than that everything I’ve bought so far I wouldn’t want to part with!

[I. J.]

You have to learn to say 'No!'

[Alakar]

You have to learn to say 'No!'

Says the man with how many guns ?

Is that to the wife or to the collection?

[MikeHW45]

Its definitely addictive, ive bought several rifles and pistols since attending my first boinger bash a year and a half ago!!!

[Amac]

In my opinion you can never own too many airguns.

[Bruno27]

You have to ask yourself why you want to keep or have that gun, and there is always a 'because'

[Brimfire]

Perhaps (air)guns are to men as shoes are to women - you can never have enough.

[micky2]

Perhaps (air)guns are to men as shoes are to women - you can never have enough.

l like that answer.