I have quite a few guns but am definitely not a collector. Everything I buy gets shot. If I like shooting it, I'll hang on to it. If I don't, I'll probably trade it away for something else at some point if an opportunity comes along. The favorite brand thing was hard for me. I'm partial to Sigs but have more Glocks, HKs, and S&W revolvers than anything else.

quote:

Originally posted by esdunbar:
You don’t have CZ as a choice?!?!?!? Shame. Shame! SHAME!!!!

Agree^. I checked "Something Else" for CZ.

i shoot, hunt, carry, and have 6 kids -
when the time comes i want my children to have good hunting rifle, tactical rifle, shotgun and decent caliber handgun, along with a .22 caliber rifle and pistol for practicing
i am not a collector, but i do have a collection, but i still have a ways to go

I'm not a collector. I have various firearms that I purchased because they were too good a deal to pass up, or because I wanted to try them, or because I had one or two and another seemed like a good idea. I wasn't much into Glocks, but attended a shooting course and decided a second, identical Glock would be a good idea as a backup, which morphed into "let's try other Glocks," and soon there were a lot of Glocks.

I applied to a law enforcement job and picked up their carry weapon to start shooting. I didn't take the job, but soon found a few more.

There have been police surplus pistols that were too good to pass, and rifles, and shotguns. Lot of used firearms. Some have been given to the kids, the wife took a few. I carry. I began shooting steel and IDPA, and that needed backups. Tried something else and that became multiples in case one broke.

Bought S&W, pistol split (literally); S&W refused tho honor their warranty. I's a paperweight in a safe. There are some Kahrs in there that are similar; multiple trips back, Kahr couldn't get them running properly. One blew up when it came back. A Keltec that made trips back to Keltec, and finally crumbled into bits of plastic on it's first shot after returning from Keltec.

Various single action revolvers (and double action revolvers, because I like single action revolvers and listened to a lot of Lone Ranger as a kid. There weren't any options in the poll for guys who don't collect, but end up with miscellaneous stuff anyway, but I suspect I'm not alone.

I built a series of AR's for the kids. When P320's were the devil's stepchild, I bought a number of them for a good price, and ended up giving them to the kids, too. When my oldest son went in the USMC, I got him an AR and an M9, and a 1911. At some point, the kids will end up with all of them. Many were purchased with that in mind; a time when firearms may be hard to get, so stored up for a rainy day.

Not a collector but a person with a variety of needs ranging from wilderness backpacking to living in an urban anti-gun culture that has a significant amount of crime. Hence, I own and carry, depending on how I think my day may go. That breadth of "needs" mandates a variety of calibers, concealment options to cover situations.

My participation in SF has caused me to increase my inventory substantially.
Good thing I like Ramen.

I am not really a collector but I have a few handguns and rifles

When I lived in OH, I bought mostly surplus rifles and long guns but not a whole lot of handguns.

That switched when I moved to VA. It seemed like I was buying a gun every two weeks.

Now that I am in NC, and working more I hardly buy anything. There are a few things I want such as a new AR, a sub compact pistol, and a Benelli Shotgun..

After returning from AFG, I realized i just need the bare essentials and will be fine.

In the near future I am going to look at lever guns again.

Proud collector here. That's a part of the fun of gun ownership for me. Lately I have been paring down my collection since it's a great time to sell some of the guns I haven't shot in years.

I didn't vote on favorite brand because it depends on what category I am buying.

I have never heard of anyone talking about gun collecting as being something bad other than those who think all guns are bad. If you have half a brain you can buy guns and not lose your shirt.

If having 10 variations of the same gun is considered being a collector, then I'm a collector

Not a collector. I just accumulate guns. If I like it, I buy it.

To me, a collector, or collection has an emphasis or a particular focus in what you have.

By the standards posted I'm definitely a Master Collector which seems cool. I dont however find myself only collecting just one type of gun from just one maker. I generally find something I like for a time period I like, battle or war that fascinates me or uniqueness of design etc.

Guns are my hobby. I shoot them, I clean them, I modify them.
Collector--check
Armorer--check
Shooter--check

I happen to like HK P7's. I had some P7's in the 90's, then European Police surplus showed up in the US--so I picked up a few more. Same for Colt Python's--picked up a few before they became unobtainium. Same for S&W--both pre lock revolvers and metal auto's. Quality used guns at lower prices are my weakness.

Collectors have focus. I'm not a collector, I'm an accumulator. I checked "other" as I don't know which brand I have more of these days and which ever it is, it's not so intentional as happenstance.

Guns are not a hobby to me, they are a major part of my life. Fishing is a hobby to me for example, and as much as I love it, I may go years at a time without doing. I do firearm related things pretty much every day. It's also been my employment in two different ways in the past.


Collectors are good people to know. Whenever you start to think you own too many guns, they will set you straight. Oh, you collect brand ABC guns... you have 65 copies of model XXX and 32 of model YYY and 20 of FFF and 13 of HHH.... etc. etc. etc. "Maybe I don't own too many after all!"

I am not a collector but I like to have different handguns. I have a few 1911's. One used to be my USPSA gun. One because I had to try a Dan Wesson, one a Sig Stainless Super Target because of the reviews and BTW it shoots unbelievable and lastly a 9mm 1911 because I don't have one.

A Sig P226 is my oldest one and will be with me forever. A newish P365 because of the hype and the size to replace my Kahr.

As a fan I have a selection of H&K's in calibers, size, and trigger type.

I had one CZ, a Phantom but recently traded 3 guns for a CZ TSO which makes me think I am a great shooter.

Lastly a Ruger MK III Hunter .22 which is a fun gun and accurate as hell. I do not consider myself a collector. I shoot all the handguns at one time or another.

I'm a bit of a collector as well as accumulator. Though S&W revolvers are my main interest.

If something interests me I eventually get a few of them, shoot them, basically explore that brand or caliber.

I was a James Bond fan as a kid so had to get a Walther PPK. Highpowers and 1911's were another interest, did several of those. I shot NRA bullseye pistol so have a Smith 52, an array of Smith and High Standard .22 target auto's.

Some iconic firearms deserve a spot in the safe just to have an example as well as have one to shoot; CZ75, SIG X5,A Python, HK, Colt SAA, etc.

Over the years some brands or models NEVER interested me; Rugers,Glocks, S&W Model 10's, big calibers handguns like the Smith 460's and 500's.

I collect Colts and accumulate other firearms.

I have neither the wallet nor the desire to be a collector. I like quality machines that function well, but I do not need either the "best" or most rare. I do like unique, but not at the loss of functionality. All that said, I appreciate seeing the best, rare, and most unique, thus am thankful for the collector. Never a bad word for them.

As far as "amount", well, there's 50 or so at the bottom of the lake.

"Brand"? I don't really have a favorite brand. Started out with a P-226 in 9mm as my first duty weapon, then moved up to a P-220, then the DAK's came out and I bought one of those... Then our Department let us get Glocks, being a .45 fan, why not a G-21 and a G-30? I still need a 9mm, so the G-17 found its way into my safe... Can't have a -17 and not a G-19... Always loved the RTF-2 Glocks, one of the local S/F members happen to be selling one, and I snatched it up...
Off duty/back up, there's a Ruger LCP, and a 340pd. So there's 10...

I like 1911's, so there's a few more. Colt, Springfield, a nice custom build...

Got to have an AR, add a few more in that category.

Then there's the stuff that you just "Want" or "Need".

Next thing you know, you need another safe.

I like Walthers; the „classics„, p38, p5s! P88, PPs, etc. but I like Berettas for shooting and for the same reason CZs, H&Ks too; they are great shooters. As I collect Walthers, I also do Sigs, however lacking in the shooting quality of the aforementioned.
I do not classify myself as a collector, just a lover of the looks, itheir mechanics, and their utilitarian purpose.

I have always viewed a collector as someone who primarily "collects" guns and doesn't shoot them much. What I mean by that is someone who has Master Weapon Collector (your term) status, but only shoots a handful of them.

Some of us shoot ALL of them regularly. Therefore, don't really consider myself (or them) a collector. Nonetheless, I played along and answered based on your poll parameters.