Advice for the newbies just starting out. It’s confusing at first reading the s&w guru posts here not having a clue. I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed. Here’s how it went for me.

My online dealer had a s&w k22/6 masterpiece target. I’m thinking about the new grandson. For $695 it sounded good at the time. Never owned a smith before. Once I seen the quality I wanted more but what do I buy? We want something decent yet a shooter and maybe a collectable right?

I found a s&w pre 14 6” Target masterpiece 38spec. Nice action, great gun.

My quest continued found a s&w pre 15 combat masterpiece 4” 38 spec. Another quality piece.

Next came the N frames and the rest is history. My point is not sure what to buy do your research and go slow. Enjoy the journey.

One last point I try to get the best condition I can afford too.

Any more advice guys? Gals?

Always remember that they made more than one.

And get a big safe..I started out with a 64 gun safe mostly filled with long guns...now most of the long guns are gone and the darn thing is full of S&W revolvers...

Earl

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Earl Battey

I can't say as I could give advice that is somehow across the board the same for everyone. I know when I started out in the late 1960's my funds didn't allow me to be too particular as to quality or collectability. SO I couldn't tell someone to start out with high end minty guns, and have them look at me like I was elitist.
I would say that if the collector bug bites you, you should at least make sure you buy original, unmodified guns, as a worn original is always a better investment than a nice restored gun, or a bubba'd gun.
I'd also recommend that anyone interested in collecting ANY type of gun needs to make good gun reference books their first priority. I got that advice when I was probably 20-21 from a local gun dealer who I asked lots of questions of. It's the best advice I've ever gotten, and my gun library is several hundred books today. I rarely look at some, while others are ragged, but don't regret buying any of them.

Buy what pleases you,while trying to be selective quality wise, and forget the investment notion.
Don't assume that you're going to instill your gun interest into the next or subsequent generation.

That right there ^^^

I think it is a mistake to buy guns for your kids, grandkids, etc. They will get their own if they are interested. I have a nephew who I really like and is into guns, so when I die, he is going to get some of what is left (and I have already given him some). I don't have any kids of my own and I'm not married, so everything else I own will be going to my sister.

Oh, and some really good advice is to get a will made.

The Standard Catalog of Smith&Wesson 4th edition

This is a must have if someone really has interest in S&W guns.

Also buy a subscription to the forum. It will greatly help navigate this forum quicker without the ads. You will easily save the cost of both from the advise and knowledge to be found on here.

You might even make a few friends

Don't be afraid to ask questions.
A 10 dollar gun is a 10 dollar gun with or without the story.
Buy the gun for the gun, not the story.

Great topic!

Read all the rules here, first!

Read more than you write. Ask for others' thoughts here. Read their answers to your questions and all the other folks' questions, too.

Learn to do your own research. Get the current edition of the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. Make notes in the book -- it won't do you any good if it looks brand new five years from now.

Understand that your tastes in models or styles might change as you travel the path. Let that be okay.

Don't take yourself or anyone else too seriously.

Learn to give back. After you've learned the value of this forum consider making a contribution to keep it going for tomorrow.

Remember: every thread benefits from a photo.

Enjoy yourself.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

I purchased hunting rifles for my sons as they were born 40 years ago. A marlin 444s was $135. I figured I’d save the kids $$.

I'd direct brand new shooters to focus on handguns rather than rifles, as feeding handguns is cheaper and easier and finding a place to shoot them is far easier. Then I would advise they get rolling with two quality handguns-- a rimfire and a center fire and rather than "growing their collection", spend time & money on ammo and even handloading.

Next step? When it comes time to buy more guns... get quality and put the kind of thought and care in to the purchase as if you intend to own them forever -- don't get the idea that you'll sell one to fund another.

But that's just how I would do it, doesn't necessarily make it "right."

Never buy anything that you are unsure of the price on, that you can't look at and say:

"I know I overpaid for this, but I just don't care."

Impulse buys can be fine, and you won't regret them, if you just like the gun so much that you won't be selling it any time soon.

The only way you really get into trouble is when you buy "investment grade" guns. Or guns that are sold that way. Unless you really know what you are looking at you can burn yourself very easily with such guns. Especially "NIB" and "Minty" guns.

Learn what you are doing with guns that are cheap, wrong, and worn.

They're Habit Forming....Welcome to the addiction.

Never sell a gun you like .

Don't be afraid to buy some nice grips that catch your eye.....the gun will come along later !

Gary

Yes sometimes the gun is secondary.
Just buy it for the grips.

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

Getting a will made is indeed very good advice. But the last time we had ours updated I mentioned having a large gun collection to our attorney, and she told me I should document each gun's serial number, and description. Then she said she would add the list to our will, with instructions of how they should be distributed.
I asked her if she kept a copy of our will in her files, or on her computers, and she said she keeps both. I decided at that time that I would most certainly not be giving all that info to her to be kept as a hard copy, and on her computer. Seems too dangerous, and much too likely in this day that a computer hack could end up with my info being sold to someone who might be interested in my collection for themselves.
I'll simply have the will state that a list is in my safe, and instructions on how it's to be distributed.