When purchasing a new firearm for your collection do you impulse buy because you see something different, unique, or cool that you had never thought about and walked into a shop and it was there or base new purchase on logic (“I need a gun for this”, I need a gun that ballistically does this)?

Yeah, pretty much.

If your a collector you normally have a collection focus. For example I have a collection of USGI rifles spanning from Krags to Garands. A Swedish military rifle collection, A vintage sniper rifle collection, and a pre 1899 centerfire rifle collection and a couple other themes. I do have holes in those collections that may never be filled due to rarity and cost. A lot of collections are really just an accumulation with no real defined focus. And yes I do have a very large accumulation that does not fit into any of my "collections" that were impulse buys or at a cost I could not refuse or just fun to shoot. And I of course have a large hunting arsenal of long arms, but they are more like tools than they are part of a collection.

To answer your question If I buy a firearm today it is usually more hunting related, well thought out in advance, and specific to a kind of hunting I do or want to do. I am reaching an age where I realize I can't take them with me when I am gone, so more interested in something I will actively use rather than having to keep protected and hidden in a gun safe. And It can take several years or unlimited funds to fill a focused collection. My rifle collections for the most part are no longer growing and have simply become long hold investments now.

I tend to impulse buy, but with logic. I seek out the older rifles with wooden stocks. 1960's and 70's Remington 700's, 600's, Winchester Model 70's, Ruger Blackhawks from the same era. Extremely hard to find on used gun shelves. Last purchase walked into Gibsons in Weatherford and they had a newer mint condition CZ 527 Varmint in .223 with beautiful wooden stock. I bought it because I thought the mini-mauser action was cool so there's the impulse part. I have enough plastic stocked rifles so I seek out used wooden stocked ones. Even the wife who was with me at the time commented on how pretty the stock was. Hell I'm even replacing some of the plastic stocks with laminated wood (which just ain't the same, although technically "better").

I never use logic, it gets in the way.

I too probably combine impulse and purpose when buying a new firearm. As I try to do with any tool purchase, I think about how and in what setting it will be used and generally stay with calibers I already have to be more efficient with ammo. I also have a few that I seldom shoot because I see them more investment guns that I probably purchased for their notoriety. Still, I try to take at least one wild game animal with every new rifle.

me either

as yall know, I have NO logic. See what I want, sell what I don't want, buy what I do want.

Mines an addiction, I'm a very addictive person. Or crazy, either is fine for me.

I figure, when I croak, my daughter and her husband will want to shoot the heck out of whatever ends up in my safe at the time. OR, they can sell them.

I guarantee my custom rifles are worth more than a beater service gun. They would enjoy these much more the shooting an old Garand or 1911 "Old Rusty"

I'm very logic driven. If it doesn't have a specific purpose to me, I don't buy it.

I've always wanted a Barrett 50 BMG and a Desert Eagle and a few other over the top guns, but I'd never use them and they serve no purpose to me. I'm not a collector though, all of my guns have a purpose, if they don't serve that purpose anymore they're sold.

The only logic I use is "I want that.". It's the only logic that matters.

I use a bit of both. I have a list + I impulse buy

I buy by calibers, I only bought weapons in certain common calibers. Never wanted any of the new stuff that will or will not be available at local places.

If I'm buying or building something, 90% of the time, I have a job for it in mind.

But, that other 10% does sneak in from time to time. Last year, I bought a 45-70 from Kmon1. First reason, I didn't have a .45-70. Second reason, the 1895 I bought off him is the sister to my 336 .30-30 Dad gave me in 1997. Serial numbers of them put them being built 2 or 4 years apart, I'd have to look again.

Next on the list, is I'm on the hunt for a S & W 686 .357 Mag. Why? Classic pistol, discontinued, and I want one.

I only buy them if I can use it, or might use it, or use to use one like it, or wanted to use one like it, or knew someone that could maybe eventually use it someday.

For years I bought guns that interested me with little rhyme or reason. Funds are not what the were back them and I have only bought 2 in the last 8 years and still enjoy tquite a few that I still have. Others were mostly investments, There are guns in the safe that I have never shot and some I shoot when I can. I tend to get calibers orf less popularity as a reloader I am not really worried about factory ammo availability. As long as I can find brass or form another cartridge to that chamber no big deal.

^^I see what you did there.

Over quite some number of years I have thought of myself as a collector and enthusiast. The ebb and flow of finances has caused me to part with many a fine weapon. Now that the years have passed and I find myself more stable the firearms that I used to own are the ones that I desire now. They are expensive. Now I am a geezer. What would I do with them.

Both impulse and logical buyer.... but I usually logically sell stuff that I don’t use.