When I first started my journey into firearms, I began by purchasing one gun. It was a semi-automatic 9mm handgun with which I learned all of the fundamentals. Not having much extra money back then, it remained my only gun for quite some time as I put all of my spare “gun money” towards ammo and training.
Having only one gun, though, was not all that bad and did come with its own set of pros. It allowed me the time to get to know the ins and outs of that gun, fine-tune my accuracy with it, and build my confidence in protecting myself with it. I always recommend to new or existing gun owners that they learn each of their firearms like the back of their hands.
Now that I may or may not have more than one (I’ll keep the exact number to myself!), I definitely see the benefit of having multiple firearms to cover different scenarios and serve as back-up(s). But the question is, how many do you need to cover all these needs?
One is Better Than None
Before I go any further and run the risk of the trolls commenting before they even finish the article, let me say this … I am in no way, shape or form, insinuating that you cannot or should not own however many firearms you would like! This is America. If you want 999 and can afford it, go for it!
As I mentioned before, having only the one gun (based on a limited budget) was not the worst thing in the world. Given my personal living situation at the time (one-bedroom apartment, one entry-point, no children), it worked well serving as my home defense and EDC gun. I was able to protect myself, protect my home, and also train at the range to strengthen my fundamentals and shooting skills. I quickly caught the “itch” though, the shooting itch that is, and it wasn’t long before I acquired my second gun.
The Right Choice(s)?
So, if one is better than none, is two better than one? In my opinion, yes. But how many are too many? Is there a number?
While I don’t believe there is any number that equates to “too many”, I do think that — with the right selections — you can ensure your safety while still dealing with what might be a tight budget. Again, if you can afford a thousand of them and you want them, go for it! But if you have limited resources, make sure you select well-made firearms that fit your specific needs. And frankly, that’s just good advice!
Many people feel that every gun-owning household should have at least one pistol and one rifle … and I’m one of those people! A pistol can cover you for concealed carrying purposes and home defense, while a long gun like an AR-15 can help strengthen your home defense in case of multiple intruders or longer distance needs.
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With just these two firearms, you’re able to protect yourself at home or on the go, and at short or longer distances. Now, if you have multiple people who can contribute to your home defense strategy, increase the number of firearms accordingly. But, with a simple combo of a pistol and a rifle, you’re likely capable of handling almost any scenario on a reasonable budget.
Power Couple
The firearms you choose to protect yourself, your family and your home will need to be reliable, accurate and easy to get to quickly (and safely, of course). While there are plenty of guns that fit those criteria, two of my personal favorites combined make what I like to call a “power couple” … the Hellcat Pro and the SAINT Edge.
My Hellcat Pro goes most places with me. From the nightstand to the grocery store to even trips for work, it’s right there by my side. On the flip side, the SAINT Edge resides in a quick-access safe and provides a very capable back-up in my home. And, they’re both very fun range guns, too!
[Do not miss Massad Ayoob’s review of the Hellcat Pro for self-defense.]
One of the things I love about both of these guns is how well-equipped they come out of the box. I can run both of them completely stock without any concerns. I have added one or two accessories by choice, though. I’m a huge fan of weapon-mounted lights (WML) and optics, so I’ve added an Inforce WML on my Hellcat and a Holosun AEMS on my SAINT. Before I added the aforementioned accessories, I ran both guns completely stock with no complaints at all!
[Interested in learning more about the Springfield Armory SAINT Edge, read Scott Conditt’s review here.]
Final Thoughts
I hope if you made it this far in the article that you understand where I’m coming from. At the end of the day, if you want amass an “arsenal,” by all means do so! However, don’t feel like you’re ill-equipped just because your favorite Instagram influencer has a safe full of 105 guns and you only have five.
Have contingency plans in place, train with and become proficient with the guns you have, buy high-quality guns such as the Springfields I mentioned, and I think you’ll be surprised how prepared you really can be.
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