The first step is admitting you have a problem.

I was going to title this Blog "What I look for when purchasing an air gun" when I reread it I decided to change the title.

The delivery of my Crosman 707 has been delayed until Monday. I have been thinking about why I purchase the type of  air guns that I do....
I did a mental count of the air guns I have purchased brand new in the box, that count is seven air guns since 2009. Make that 8 I forgot the QB57. That works out to 2 air guns a year. Four of those were purchased in the first year of this addiction, so that means I only purchase 1 new air gun a year. Right? It sounds a little better that way.
The other air guns I have owned were found at pawn shops, second hand stores and online auctions. I wont even try to count them, thanks to a box of 20 air guns purchased from an online auction that number is close to 40 used air guns. Probably actually closer to 50..... The first step is admitting you are an addict.
While I enjoy the unboxing of a brand new shooter as much as anyone I get much more enjoyment from purchasing  an old wood and metal shooter in need of some attention and bringing it back to life. I have been lucky and have been happy with most every "project" I have purchased. Every few months I take stock of my inventory of shooters and sell the finished projects that no longer interest me. I don't like having air guns sitting unused, if I am not going to shoot them I think they should go to a new home where they will be enjoyed. I rarely make money on these sales, if I break even I am happy. There are a couple exceptions I did find a Crosman Mark 1 pistol at an estate sale for $30 and It sold for double what I paid for it. Then there was the like new Benjamin 397 I found in a pawn shop for $40. I ended up trading that 397 for an old break barrel that is worth $40. I didn't think that trade through, but I did have a lot fun with that break barrel.
 A couple times a month I will stop in the local pawn shops and second hand stores, if they have anything it has to be the right price. The Antique shops seem to think that every Daisy BB gun made is worth $90???
My favorite place to find projects is online auctions, when I feel the need to start a new project I will search the auction listings. I normally just look through the listings until I see something that piques my interest, I bought a side lever springer because it was $40 and I had never owned a side lever before. That is what happened with my Crosman 707 purchase, it is a tap loader and I have never owned a tap loader before, (and it went cheap).
I rarely have an air gun in mind when I go in search of a project. There are two exceptions, my Crosman 101 and Daisy 853. I went searching for those air guns.  Normally I am an impulse buyer, I just look until I find something interesting.....
That is enough of my rambling for today.