I have a master plan for rebuilding my collection. I want a representative assortment of Smith models, types and barrel lengths, but I have to stay within a budget. So I have decided to stay with .38 special and .357 magnum calibers (that way I'll only have to keep one box of ammo around the house :-).

So I want blue, nickel and stainless guns; N, K and J frames; 6", 5", 4", 3", 2" barrels; target and magna stocks; diamond and modern stocks; round and square butt; pinned, pinned & recessed and non-pinned; 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's.

Finally, because I am a Smith nut (and I don't believe in an overly foolish consistency), I will also find another Model 25-5 blue 6" (my favorite to shoot, and because it says Colt on the barrel) and I've already found a like new Model 59 9mm (because it was one of Smith's true innovations).

That's my collecting manifesto, for now at least. Discounting the last two, I can pull it off with just five or six guns. For the 3" I'm hoping to find a Model 13 round butt "FBI" gun, but a Model 65 3" round butt or a Model 36 3" square butt would work. I already have a Model 640-1 from 1996 (I wanted a 1990's gun).

Does anyone else have a collecting "theme" or strategy that they're working on?