Having 2nd thoughts about the .45cal Lancaster...

[Dave K]

You have to have a bucket list! You also need to keep going to that bucket to see what there is for you. If you find your bucket is empty, I guess it is time to "move on", are you ready for that? I make real sure that I will never ever see the bottom of that bucket, what is left for you, if you stop dreaming? It doesn't matter what you need at this stage in your life, it only matters what you want(and can afford). If it is not within your means, just trim back your "want", into something in your means.

 

[roundball]

You have to have a bucket list!

I have a pretty good sized 'bucket'...a lot in that 'bucket' has kept me very busy for the past 3 years making the wholesale transition from half stock Hawken styles to the current set of full stock long guns.
Tremendous amount of activity associated with all that selling, buying, building, load development, practicing, etc...it's been a challenge to get it all done before retirement (officially next month).
Now that all those 'bucket' transition activities are finished, they've been replaced with 'using' activities...should keep me busy for a while

 

[kbuck]

Wow! Roundball - you got me to thinking here.
I have often wondered if my two grown children and my grandchildren will have the same level of enthusiasm for Muzzleloaders when I'm gone as I do now. Will my collection just be some more of grandpa's old stuff that will need to be sold off to who knows where, or will they really think my ideas of fun (an investments) are sound? I never felt I had the right to impose my opinions on my progeny, always let them make their own minds and "own" their own lives. Thankfully, they are both gun owners and enjoy shooting their modern shotguns, pistols, and rifles. Maybe their children will learn to enjoy BP smoke and will engage M. Brooks, III, or others to build their guns. Who can tell?
I decided to make that transition to the one squirrel rifle. the one deer rifle, and the one fowler to keep my hunting life simple. I have kept my one modern Steyr and a couple of pistols, though. I have been selling off guns for a year or more. I also like the idea of keeping my safe and its contents uncluttered.

 

[roundball]

I decided to make that transition to the one squirrel rifle. the one deer rifle, and the one fowler to keep my hunting life simple.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell...

 

[Vaino]

Roundball...retirement is wonderful {I'm in my 18th yr} but a lot of time becomes available to think about things and one can get bored very easily. So....perhaps you'll again want some more LRs or...and this is a venture that would keep you very busy....buy a parts set {"kit"} and make one of your own. Read and study a couple of the "how to" books and go to it. You've got on hand some good examples of LRs and can "look" and just copy what has been done to them. Good idea?.....Fred

 

[roundball]

Good idea?.....Fred

That's a great IDEA Fred...for somebody I'm sure.

However, I'm looking forward to retirement from the rat race as a time of no-stress and I'm afraid my periodic walks to a dumpster to trash a half built stock would put me on blood pressure meds in no time...LOL.

 

[longrifle346]

Wait just a minute young man...I seem to recall your admonitions to me a couple of years ago...does the phrase "this is a serious addiction and that there are no 12 step programs for the cure" strike a chord?

Be gentle with me, let me get the coffee can stoked back up near full, and I'll try to help you out of your predicament.....doggone it. :wink:

"Please Brer Fox...please don't throw me into the briar patch!"

 

[roundball]

Yes, but I was flirting with that fine line between "maximus addiction-itis" and full out "OCD" ...pulled myself back from the edge just in time...LOL

 

[caddo]

I guess a man can reach a point where he has too many muzzleloaders but only he can make that call. Maybe you don't need that 45 Lancaster but I bet it would get used, I've read to many of your posts, you love to shoot and hunt and your good at both. I always enjoy reading about your hunts and to be honest they keep me a little fired up and get me in the woods more. I hope your still out there when your 80. By the way, Matt has built 3 rifles for me and I have another on the way from another builder so I think I may have a problem :grin:

 

[Swede50]

I decided to make that transition to the one squirrel rifle. the one deer rifle, and the one fowler to keep my hunting life simple.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell...

If I could only figure out what that one squirrel rifle is I would have Mat build it.

My Dad likes to shoot BP rifles.
My son that lives in Florida likes to shoot the TC Flintlock my other son dosen't care.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I decided to make that transition to the one squirrel rifle. the one deer rifle, and the one fowler to keep my hunting life simple.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell...

If I could only figure out what that one squirrel rifle is . . .

LOL. I'm in that same boat. I have my .54 deer rifle. My 16 bore fowler is in the final stages and, at some point, I'd like to have an ultra slim .32 flinter for squirrels & such.

 

[jbwilliams3]

Sounds like you made a good decision, at least in my opinion. From a practical standpoint, I can’t imagine getting to know that many guns as well as you could from one or two. You know, the whole “beware of the man with only one gun”¦” saying.

Now, if you’re simply collecting things, there’s nothing really practical about it (aside from the speculation that your collection may increase in value and become a positive investment), so there’s no practical argument to be made. I don’t think that’s what you were doing, but I think that psychologically there is much of the same thought process going on in the procurement of new things, “if I could just have ONE more”¦”

All of us have the propensity to - once we have the means - go after things that we don’t need. Things bring enjoyment (guns certainly do for me) but the pursuit of more and more will not ultimately bring us pleasure. We’ve probably all known folks who had many things we were envious of, but they themselves were not content. The point is, we can’t be content with “just one more.” I think you made a wise decision and you will probably enjoy the guns you have much more than continuing to add slightly different variances.

Enjoy!

 

[ryoung14]

The goal was a large & small caliber rifle, and a large & smaller gauge smoothbore. It was becoming clear to me that the addition of a separate .45cal would just be "more" without any real purpose that wasn't already covered, or couldn't be backup up by, other existing long guns...and I really won't need a .50cal either.

You're right. You don't need that .45. What you do need is a good .36 (or .32). Something with the heft and the balance of the old TC Seneca. They're a joy to carry and hunt with and they're all you need for squirrels and bunnies. All the fun of the bigger guns while using a fraction of the powder and lead. Might be just the thing for your rapidly approaching decrepitude. (I'm your age BTW).

Maybe with what you saved by cancelling the .45 you could pick up a Seneca on gunbroker.

 

[roundball]

"...you could pick up a Seneca on gunbroker..."

As attactive as I always thought the Seneca was, they're physically too small and not offered in Flint.
But getting your point over all, my 18 year chapter of T/C firearms is closed with the last T/C Hawken scheduled for pick-up in 2 weeks...I've switched to long guns in all cases.

And all my target / small caliber needs will be met with the .40cal Lancaster, so I'm in good shape...had simply come to the conclusion that I was getting excessive for no reason.
:wink:

 

[kbuck]

"Superfluous wealth can buy superfluities only, " says Henry David Thoreau.
Another reason to go to less guns is the logistics of ammunition and accoutrements. Simplify.
I agree on the Seneca - mine sports a .40 GM barrel.

 

[Birdman]

Roundball your speaking perfectly like the time you grew up in, ya didn't spend it if ya didn't have it etc, well yer at an age now that you can spend it if ya want to, as long as it isn't gonna hurt the budjet n ya want it THEN GO FOR IT, don't deny yourself pleasure by being all logical , rationalizing who what where etc. If yer thinking about what your gonna leave behind then the guns are the prize, cash money is here n gone through relatives fingers like water, something tangible like a fine weapon is something completely different, ya worked all your life, sweated n went without sleep to make ends meet, Now it the time YOU get to play, Ya can't enjoy it after yer dead so the heck with everybody else, GOHAVE FUN. --A CANCER SURVIVOR Just some thoughts YMHS Birdman

 

[woodse guy]

You could have sent it to me I would have gladly broke it in for you and sent it to you any time you wanted to take it out.