I don’t think of myself as a collector, but I do have enough to qualify on this poll. But it’s because I never sell a gun. I buy one, thinking it is the best tool for the particular job (CC in summer, CC in winter, bedside, etc.

Then one of two things happens:

1) I find out I was wrong, it’s not as good as I thought, or

2) it’s great, I was right, I use it in its intended role for some period of time, till I think maybe there is a new tool that is better, and I start over with the new tool.

I am fortunate that I don’t have to sell the old one to finance the new one, so I don’t. Not because I’m so in love with the old one. By definition I’ve moved on to the new one, and I rarely (often never) take the old one out of the safe again. But, I figure the money is either going to be in an account somewhere or in my safe. Some day what’s in the safe may be more desireable than what’s in the account, so I just never sell one. If I ever change my mind I can probably sell it then for more than I could now, so why not let it sit in the safe?

Only exceptions were a couple of pistols that truly were bad, i.e. didn’t work. I don’t bother keeping those.

I think everyone has their favorites. I have several favorites. SIG, Glock and Smith and Wesson.

I have enough guns to qualify as a collector but I think that a collection ought to have a focus. I have some milsurps, some revolvers, some semi-auto's, some hunting guns, a couple of hunting shotguns, etc., but they are a collection of things I like to shoot, not a collection of WWII weapons, or a collection of S&W revolvers, or a collection of a particular SIG or what have you.

Perhaps I am a "hobbyist"...

If I were to collect, I think it would be Mauser action hunting rifles, and 1911s, but I don't have the space or disposable resources to be serious in either at the moment.

I'm more of an accumulator, not really a collector, but enough to be at the above average level.

as a collector, or accumulator, or just someone that buys the occasional firearm, here is my standard answer when asked how many I have,

(note, I did not click the poll)


I have more than some, less than others,


and that is a true , yet very vague answer


no real favorite brand, I have some of most listed,

I'm not a collector. I'm an accumulator/enthusiast. I have well over 30 firearms right now. Only a handful have any value to me beyond just being shooters. Mostly I own them for awhile, and when I get tired of them, I sell of trade them. And while I don't "collect," I do have some favorites I likely won't get rid of. It took me a long time to replace some guns I had when I was younger that I mostly regretted selling, and took too long to replace: my Ithaca 37s, my Remington 700s, my Marlin lever actions, some Ruger single actions, a Springfield Armory 1911A1 parkerized GI model, blued Colt Government .38 Super and .45 ACP. I can't see myself without those going forward. Same with my Ruger double action revolvers. They don't have much in terms of monetary value, but guns I loved that I took a long time to reacquire. The rest stay in my possession at my pleasure. Once that's gone, so is the gun.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

It seems like no one wants to be seen as a "gun collector" these days, like it's a bad thing.

No one? Proud collector, here. And shooter, too. There are simply no reasons to be one at the exclusion of the other.

Oh, and the so-called shooters should be thankful that there are collectors out there that kept their guns pristine all these years and subsequently sold their collection, so they (the shooters) can enjoy them.

Same, for me. HKs and Berettas. Duplicates of many just because. My only vice and a hell of a lot of fun.

What KHO said.

I'm not a collector by any means and use all of the guns I own. That said I would be hard pressed to downsize below a dozen or so.

1. 22 pistol
2. 22 rifle
3. 9mm carry pistol
4. 9mm home defense pistol
5. 38 special carry revolver
6. 380 pocket pistol
7. 308 hunting rifle
8. 223 varmint rifle
9. 12 gauge home defense shotgun
10. 12 gauge hunting shotgun
11. AR-15
12. backup AR-15

I am not a collector in that I don't have any guns that I don't shoot. However when I buy new guns to try I don't get rid of any older guns so I have a few....