Am I done with S&Ws?

I hear ya. I'm at about the same point. I am considering getting back into long range precision. the problem is I got out of LR about 7 years ago and sold all my gear. now I feel the need to buy it all again and get back into it. talk about horrible financial planning. sad to say, this isn't the first time I felt the need to jump back into something I was previously invested in significantly. hot rods, guns, off road bikes, etc have all been on again off again past times. unfortunately I typically use the sale of one's gear to fund the next losing a bit every time.
remind me again of Einstein's definition of insanity was....
 
Wow, sorta find myself in a similar position. Since retiring from LE in '08, I worked at a couple of very busy LGS's and that enabled me to get several S&W's I'd never have had a chance at otherwise.
BUT - working at a GS places you in what I called an 'atmosphere of constant accumulation'. You may laugh, but that is the culture of LGS staff.
What did you just get? What are planning to get next? What are you going to get to go with that?, Etc., ad nauseum.
Since leaving that last year, cannot say that I've missed it.
Still enjoy messing with what I've got, and really can only get excited about very few other S&W's.
My current grail want is an affordable Heavy Duty, 4" or 5".
After that, not sure I'll have any real strong leanings...

Interesting thread.
 
I started collecting S&W's revolvers in the 1980's, but turned to Colt's (revolvers and a few autos) in the 1990's (just a personal preference, but I still have at least one example of all S&W frames I-N).

The inflated prices, and deflated economy, have kept me from ever reaching saturation with my Colt's, but I used to tell myself that if it ever did happen I would begin "laying off" some of my least favorite pieces and start acquiring some real museum-quality pieces.

But I have settled into the realization that I will never have that problem. However, I offer up the above solution as food for thought for SaxonPig & anyone else who may feel they are at the end of their journey with a certain brand.

Best of luck fellas. Enjoy the journey!
 
S.P. for once we are on the same page. I've got just about all the handguns I've really wanted. Again like you there are several I keep thinking about, but just won't spend the $$ when I see one for sale, and most of these are not overly expensive.
 
You guys aren't alone. My short list has been empty for some time, and it isn't just S&W. While I don't have a massive collection by any means, I have everything I want or need after over forty years of buying guns. I've actually been slowly unloading the ones I just don't shoot. Unless something desirable just falls into my lap at a great price, I'm done.

On the other hand, I shoot the heck out of my favorites now. There's a lot to be said for having the ability to shoot guns you spent years collecting and truly like. I find I appreciate them more as time goes on.
 
ben_g1 said:
You could sell all your shooter grade and start collecting safe queens. ;):D
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly.

Or you can do the reverse.

Sell off your safe queens, replace them with good solid shooters, and bank the difference.

I think I'd be more inclined towards the latter rather than the former.

The safe queens are the ones that will have appreciated and will fatten (rather than thin) your bank account, and they are the one's I would get the least pleasure out of. While it's nice to handle and admire them, having ones you can shoot without worrying about damaging them is a lot MORE fun. To me anyway...
 
I love my S&Ws, but acquiring guns is exciting no matter what make. I have both Colts and Rugers and a few Walthers.
Lately I've been buying single actions, a couple Ruger Single Sixes, three Ruger .357 Maximums (came into a great deal), and a Colt SAA in .44 spl.
I blame the new area I'm living for my freedoms to buy. :D
 
The H&R revolvers are neat in 22cal. There no s&w k22 but the cost is very affordable. Plus there great blinkers.
 
This hobby never ends. We hit highs were we buy and lows were we sit tight. I'm on a two year low. I went on a spree then let up(cancer). But I'm back with more interest than ever. My hunting guns and reloading stuff sat for around 25+ years. That was 40 years ago. I took time off to raise a family. I hunted once a year. Shot very little. Then I got the surplus military flu. The smell of cosmoline alone had me reaching for my plastic. I had it bad till the prices went out of sight. There fun to hold a piece of history and shoot them. Then my grandson came along. He was 3yo when he got his first k22. He has a collection of 22cal revolvers, single shot and pump rifles. I live for him now. I got him his first dirt bike. I hope I live long enough to hunt with him.

This hobby never ends, if you say it's over your lying to yourself. Don't let the higher cost drive u away. Get out there and browse there is still great buys out there. I'm not stopping yet. I browse, the hunt is were the fun is. But riding home with your newly found treasure makes us feel like a kid on Christmas morning.

If you think it's over open your safe and wipe each one down and oil it up. You need to recharge your desire.

My life isn't over till I say it's over. Get another hobby for a while take a break. Then come back to it.
 
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I'm in the same position as many others here. As I'm getting older and have had some health issues I've been selling off many of my safe queens. When you see many of your old friends passing it's a wake up call. My feeling now is if I'm not shooting it, or carrying it I would rather let someone else enjoy it. Also the last thing I want to happen is that if something happens to me my wife has a safe full of guns that she has no idea of what they are worth. So now I'm down to my carry gun and some 22's I shoot every week.
 
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Look at all these models!
GlockModels_zps3d9a964e.jpg


It'll take a minute to collect them all. :cool:
 
SP, you have just lost your focus. Find a model that you really like and specialize in that model. I was a broad spectrum collector and always wondered when folks would say that eventually you will land on one model that you will specialize in. I never thought it would happen but it did. Of the last 20 guns that I have acquired I would estimate that 75% are .22/32 HFT's.

They have become my passion and I spend hours looking for different variations exhibiting various feature changes over the years. A couple years ago I started a database on this model and now have over 2,000 guns represented. I have done extensive research on the originator of this interesting gun and continue to look for anything related to the .22/32's.

The passion for me is the search and the learning and adding an occasional new example.

It never gets old. ;)
 
It's the circle of life. Sometimes it's Nestle, sometimes it's Dove, sometimes Ghiridelli. Sometimes it's Ford, sometimes it's Toyota. Sometimes it's Miller, sometimes it's Guinness. Sometimes it's blonde, sometimes it's redhead. Sometimes it's Smith, sometimes it's Colt.
 
I've told myself "I'm done" and I am. Since the "Newtown incident" and the aftermath acrimony, I have acquired a 2" 34-1, a 4" 64 tapered bbl, a 4" 29-2 in nickel only because I actually like making a "deal" with Khalid the local "wizard of the arms bazaar", and a Colt 6920 because CDNN had a 1 day sale that created an "on my table" price of $815. I'm really done.
I like JSRIII's comment about focus. I once saw a display of Browning P35's (HiPowers) with 140 variants. I told the owner "Must be nice to have all of them." He replied: "Not even close."
Another time a gent had a single Colt SAA in a fancy display case with tons of accouterments( this was at least 25 years ago so I don't remember any of the story). He told me he traded his entire collection for it. I asked why would he do that. He said it would appreciate in value faster than the other guns, it was easier to tote to shows,and he kept it in a safe deposit box at the bank allowing him to sleep easier.
So I guess focus is really the issue whatever we do. Joe
 
Everyone start posting pictures. Surely something will pique his interest.
 
Jim1392 said:
Also the last thing I want to happen is that if something happens to me my wife has a safe full of guns that she has no idea of what they are worth.
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I had the pleasure of knowing the late Dick Eades. Dick was a retired Army officer and writer for several of the gun mags.

His collection was enormous. I don't know for sure, but I think the estimate was around 500 guns. His gun room had several glass display cases. I guess it was a converted bedroom, because I once saw a walk-in closet with all four walls stacked four to five-deep with long guns.

Dick was the go-to guy for widows of old friends to liquidate their collections. I got invited to his home a couple of times to look them over. During one visit his wife Jean said "every time one of Dicks friends die, we get stuck with a bunch more damn guns!"
Needless to say, Dick wasn't always diligent when it came to selling them off[emoji6]

BTW: I once asked him why he didn't have all those guns locked away in safes. He replied he was insured out the wazoo.
 
No interest in hijacking the thread, but how does one oil & maintain that many guns, or even 140 Browning Hi-Powers? I never had such ambition, at least when it came to inanimate objects.

Mel Torme had 40+ Colt's SAA's back in the 60's, a gorgeous & fabulous collection of real history...but 140 of the same weapon?? And 500 plus of rifles & handguns...I can sorta see the appeal but not the maintenance.

I do however love the idea of glass display cases, I could enjoy a few of those & a spare room to keep them in.
 
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