"Must have" gun for collection?

[zzzippper]

I've read that the model 19 is the definitive gun for a collection. A collector who is getting out of the business says ever collection needs a model 10. Right now I have:

Lemon squeezer .32 S&W
Model 57 .41 mag
629 Mountain Gun .44 mag
34 .22LR 2" barrel
10 .38 faux ivory grips with medallion
37 .38 Chief's Special airweight
28-2 .357 mag
oops, and a 642 (I believe) .357 w/laser
oops again, I just remembered a 625 .45 ACP

At what point will I have a "collection"?

 

[bob42]

You have a nice start on a collection. Probably, you'll never think you have a complete collection.

 

[colt_saa]

A collection is one or more of something that has a theme.

You have stated your theme as "must have guns"

I think you have a collection

 

[arjay]

I started with smiths,collected some colts,went back to smiths and this was after collecting needed hunting and clay bird guns and before my interest in old ruger 22s.There is no end.

 

[rwsmith]

My theme....

A collection is one or more of something that has a theme.

You have stated your theme as "must have guns"

I think you have a collection

I've started a collection with the theme "guns I can afford"

 

[lamarw]

I accumulate antique clocks along with my accumulation of firearms. I have well over 100 clocks many close to two hundred years old. My firearms vary from various pistols and revolvers to rifles and shotguns.

To a true clock collector my accumulation is not a collection since it is too varied. To a true firearm collector my accumulation is too varied and not rare enough. My faults are that I am not single minded and not disciplined enough to be a true collector.

 

[zzzippper]

Unfortunately, they are all too often guns I can't afford. I have Colts, Rugers, Berettas, S&W autos, long guns and short guns, fat guns and skinny guns. But when I got my model 57 and experienced the sweetest trigger, single action, and double action that i've ever used I fell in love all over again with S&W revolvers. That is an area I want to concentrate on and build a "real" collection instead of a bunch of guns.

I've started a collection with the theme "guns I can afford"

 

[colt_saa]

I accumulate antique clocks along with my accumulation of firearms. I have well over 100 clocks many close to two hundred years old. My firearms vary from various pistols and revolvers to rifles and shotguns.

To a true clock collector my accumulation is not a collection since it is too varied. To a true firearm collector my accumulation is too varied and not rare enough. My faults are that I am not single minded and not disciplined enough to be a true collector.

I disagree

You are just seeking the "Complete Collection".........one of each

as opposed to a specialized collection of just clocks from Forestville Mfg or only 357 magnums, etc

 

[shouldazagged]

To the OP, you can call it a collection, an assortment, or a mini-arsenal. But whatever you call it, I admire your selection. Those are some very fine guns.

 

[wlp624]

"Doctor, the patient keeps muttering about his 'collection' of Smith & Wessons."

"Yes, nurse, I was afraid of that. His addiction appears hopeless now."

 

[murphydog]

Two separate questions, yes?

Only you can determine what is your "must have" gun. Opinions vary from a Model 1/1st/1st to a 10.5" Model 500 .

Also, you can define a collection in whatever way you like. By some definitions you already have one; some might define it as concentrating on one type of item, but S & W is the type, right? Some call their collection an "accumulation" and vice versa.

To me, the important thing is to enjoy the search.

 

[Nframecollector]

Right now my collection is mostly N frame Smiths and 1911's.

 

[DWalt]

There is a difference between a "Collection" and an "Accumulation." A serious collection must have a theme. For example, I was formerly a collector of early U. S. Pocket Pistols (.32 and .380). In that area, there are approximately 25 different examples from 6 different manufacturers (Savage, Colt, Remington, S&W, H&R, and Davis-Warner) which would largely cover the field. I acquired most of them but never could fill it out completely, as there were a few rarities I could never find at a price I could afford. I eventually liquidated most of them. I kept some Savages and Remingtons, as I liked them best.

Whatever your theme is, you must stick to it (just having S&W stamped on it is not a theme), and avoid anything which does not fit if you truly want a good collection. Study and knowledge development is very important, and you just can't study everything. What I now have is better styled as an "Accumulation" of a large number of miscellaneous S&Ws and Colts (I love them equally) mainly because I can't pass up a good deal.

If you like S&Ws, there's no shortage of themes available to you.

 

[zzzippper]

My first inclination was to get one of every caliber of S&W but then you get into barrel lengths and models. Lord, how many models did they put out in .38 Spl? And there are models (lemon squeezer) and frame sizes (I) that I never heard of until I came here.

 

[lamarw]

DWalt, You said it better than my post.

 

[loeman]

Well said DWalt, "there is a difference between a collection and an accumulation." I was born with some kind of collector/accumulator DNA. I don't know why but I MUST collect/accumulate stuff. Prehistoric North American archaeological artifacts are my focus and my collection. I study, I reserch I focus, I COLLECT. However I can't begin to tell you about my accumulations which have ranged from S&W guns and guns in general to cameras, and even Aceliner Staplers. OK did you ever own one? The Aceliner stapler is a MUST for any desk. Stapling a couple of pages together with anything other than an Aceliner is like shooting with a (you name it).

 

[zzzippper]

Yes, I've run the gamut. First it was guns, then I moved to Kuwait and couldn't have them so I collected knives. It was back to guns until I moved to Japan and couldn't have them. I couldn't have my guns or knives there but I didn't collect anything because I spent so much time TDY to the Philippines that the girls kept my mind off collecting. Back to the US and married now it was back to guns, mostly WWII military. Then Korea where I couldn't have my guns so I collected die cast models. Back to the US and back to guns where I've been bitten by the S&W revolver flu.

I guess my question was, is there a DEFINITIVE S&W revolver? Model 10? Model 19? Dirty Harry model 27? Something un-named?

Well said DWalt, "there is a difference between a collection and an accumulation." I was born with some kind of collector/accumulator DNA. I don't know why but I MUST collect/accumulate stuff. Prehistoric North American archaeological artifacts are my focus and my collection. I study, I reserch I focus, I COLLECT. However I can't begin to tell you about my accumulations which have ranged from S&W guns and guns in general to cameras, and even Aceliner Staplers. OK did you ever own one? The Aceliner stapler is a MUST for any desk. Stapling a couple of pages together with anything other than an Aceliner is like shooting with a (you name it).

 

[dlbx2]

Question? Is this a "collection" of opinions, or an "accumulation" of opinions? Good Night All! DLB

 

[armybass]

To me a collection must have....

M10
M13
M17
M19
M27
M28
M29
M36
M65

M586
M686

At least for me...that is what I am working on at the moment.

 

[HUMONGO]

Mine all seem to be K frames. Several are 19s, a couple 10s. Most of them are K frames.