The 'How many guns' question

[88E30M50]

The other night, I was cleaning a couple of 1911s, Bersas and a Sig when my wife happened by. She has begun to go shooting with us and has a lot of fun shooting a P22, but is not really a gun person. It was actually a pretty good conversation with me and my 13 year old explaining the difference between a 9, 380 and 45 and letting her get the feel of each and talking about what she wants to try to shoot at the next range trip. Then, she asked that question that I always dread hearing. First, she looks at the table with 2 Kimbers, a couple of Bersa's and the Sig and observes 'You must have almost $2000 in guns' then asks 'So, how many handguns do you have?'.

The first statement was met with a simple 'Oh, I don't know... could be', but the question is a tough one to dodge. She was looking at a small portion of the handgun collection. So, how do you answer that question? If you hedge and say 'I don't know', you either sound irresponsible or like you're hiding something. If you give an accurate answer, you sleep on the couch that night. Or, do you do what I did and guess at the highest number she would find acceptable and rationalize the rest to yourself by not counting them for reasons like 'She shoots the P22, so I can't count that as my gun' or 'The Springfield 1911 will someday be given to one of the sons, so I might as well not count it now'.

Most of us have wives that support our indulgences, but I'm guessing that I'm not the only one that takes advantage of the fact that they look pretty much alike to keep building a collection.

 

[booey50]

it's good having a wife that takes an interest. it's also good she keep you in line...lol
if you didn't have her would you honestly not be broke??? I don't have your problem my wife knows what i have at all times, but i only buy a "few a year"

 

[DRob]

Married to a shooter

I'm extremely lucky to be married to a shooter. She is hooked on prairie doggin'. She knows approximately how many guns we have. She knows exactly which ones are hers. She has a distinct preference for three of them and is fairly ambivalent about others. She has a good idea of the total dollar value we have insured even though the line-up changes more often than State Farm likes.

There is nothing better than being married to your #1 shooting buddy.

 

[foxxie02]

oh this again..

My wife has finally quit asking, she finally figured out she doens't want to know that bad... I have told her there are more than she thinks or knows about and if she throws a little fit just compare to purses or books or any other junk she collects.. My wife knows that I could sell my guns and probably make money or at least hold there value if it came to it, not so for her stuff. She quit asking and I quit telling when a new one finds its way home .

 

[Prometheus]

The catch 22 of having a wife into guns. lol.

You shouldn't be hiding things from your spouse. You also shouldn't marry someone who hates guns or doesn't understand thats your "thing".

Back when I was dating I had women who thought I had too many guns or "enough". Plenty of fish in the sea to hook up with a anti or some who will cramp your purchases. Money issues are a legitimate reason. "you have enough" is b.s.

 

[HighStrung]

I'm pretty lucky in this dept as well. My wife knows "about" how many we have. Not because I'm hiding any of them from her, just because she isn't interested enough to keep track 100%. She knows that it's something I enjoy (and she is beginning to gain interest in), and I don't take $$ away from the family to support my habit. There's food on the table and clothes on the kids backs, so she's fine with my hobby, but I'm not purchasing a new gun every month either. She does a majority of the budget and bill paying so it's pretty simple, I tell her what I'm looking at and how much it's going to cost, she lets me know if we can afford it today or if I need to wait a couple weeks. If paying off a purchase we made for the house needs to happen immediatly and I have to wait for my next gun, then so be it.

 

[Liberty Sanders]

Some years back I was at an NRA member's banquet where Phill Gramm was the speaker. He got a big laugh and applause when he drawled, "I have more guns than I can shoot, but I don't have as many as I want."

 

[shibumiseeker]

In our family we have have joint and seperate finances. As long as we can meet the joint finances then money spent outside of that is not subject to scrutiny. Having said that, I sometimes buy a gun without telling, but not often, not because of any big secret though. We're all shooters so that isn't an issue, though I am the biggest gun nut in the family with far and away the most money invested in equipment and supplies, so new things tend to be lost in the noise

 

[pig957]

The other night, I was cleaning a couple of 1911s, Bersas and a Sig when my wife happened by. She has begun to go shooting with us and has a lot of fun shooting a P22, but is not really a gun person. It was actually a pretty good conversation with me and my 13 year old explaining the difference between a 9, 380 and 45 and letting her get the feel of each and talking about what she wants to try to shoot at the next range trip. Then, she asked that question that I always dread hearing. First, she looks at the table with 2 Kimbers, a couple of Bersa's and the Sig and observes 'You must have almost $2000 in guns' then asks 'So, how many handguns do you have?'.

The first statement was met with a simple 'Oh, I don't know... could be', but the question is a tough one to dodge. She was looking at a small portion of the handgun collection. So, how do you answer that question? If you hedge and say 'I don't know', you either sound irresponsible or like you're hiding something. If you give an accurate answer, you sleep on the couch that night. Or, do you do what I did and guess at the highest number she would find acceptable and rationalize the rest to yourself by not counting them for reasons like 'She shoots the P22, so I can't count that as my gun' or 'The Springfield 1911 will someday be given to one of the sons, so I might as well not count it now'.

Most of us have wives that support our indulgences, but I'm guessing that I'm not the only one that takes advantage of the fact that they look pretty much alike to keep building a collection.

88E30M50, I feel your pain. I pratice - don't ask, don't tell!!

 

[eldirector]

My wife is the money person in our family, so she knows exactly what we spend on firearms. We set aside "play money" to spend on hobbies. If I find something I like, and I can afford it, I buy it. Same for her and her hobbies. My only problem is that my hobbies are MUCH more expensive than hers (My Jeep and shooting vs. knitting and sewing). Luckily, she enjoys the Jeep and range trips with me!

Right now, my bigger problem is time. After work, taking care of the yard and house, husband and father duties, I'm left with 15 minutes of free time. I looked at my new shotgun the other day, but have yet to fire it :-(

 

[cosermann]

...You shouldn't be hiding things from your spouse. You also shouldn't marry someone who hates guns or doesn't understand thats your 'thing'. . .

Young men, listen up.

 

[loony1]

my wife doesn' ask, i thinks she is scared of the answer.

 

[shibumiseeker]

+1 Prometheus and cosermann.....Nothing ever bad comes from telling the truth!!!!

TRUTH!?

You can't HANDLE the TRUTH!

 

[451_Detonics]

A marriage that doesn't encompass trust will never last. Lying does not create trust. Tell the truth, doesn't mean you can't then justify the answer.

 

[nova512]

tell her guns to men are like shoes to women,you have to accessorize lol.my wife buys me guns she knows that ive always been into them so shes cool.but she has guns too.

 

[Mrmonte]

My wife has never asked me for a number. I honestly dont have an exact count on them myself but I do know exactly what I have. Does that make sense? If my wife wants a hard number, she knows where to look.

 

[Colt556]

"I used to have more"

 

[usaguy2006]

I sold a shotgun, a 9mm pistol, and two WASR 10 Aks in order to finance going back to school and get me a laptop and what not.. Makes me so sad.. Had to start my collection up again and now i only have 3 rifles and a pistol

 

[GhostofWinter]

After reading this I asked LadyGhost 'How many guns do I have?' She stopped and tried to recall how many and had to go and open the safe and COUNT how many just to see how many LOL I don't hide any of my gun purchased from her so she is well aware of how many as well as how much is spent on them. And like others have stated before this is one of my only hobbies so she let's me indulge. (it helps that she enjoys them too) BUT just like others have said I/we don't buy any new guns unless the bills are paid and we have the extra money to be able to.

Greg

 

[chef larry]

GhostofWinter, thats why there is lay-a-way, you just need to redirect the cigar money for a NEW ONE and let it do the smoking.