Should YOU Join the S&W Collectors Association?

In this post Lee has shown many, many reasons why anyone interested in S&W guns should join the SWCA. I have only been a member for 4 years but have already attended 3 symposiums and had two displays. I will be displaying again in Tulsa this year. My collecting interest is in 1st and 2nd generation model 39's and based on the information I have learned during the symposiums, I have doubled the size of my collection. While I am interested in, but not a expert on revolvers, I have increased my knowledge a hundred fold thanks to many of the members that attend the symposiums or write about them in the journal. You will not find anywhere else more historic guns, engraved guns, one of a kind guns or variety of guns in one location at the same time than you will at a symposium. When I read the forum posts, it's obvious that there are some very knowledgeable and serious collectors as well as the layman collectors like me that that are not yet members. My question is this: Why Not?
 
I've delayed replying to this because I'm not entirely sure what to say.

The thing of it is that anyone who likes S&Ws at all should be a member. The benefits are an absolute bargain for the meager dues. The problem for me is how I relate how great the folks in the SWCA are? With too many words..that's how.

So first off, here's some pros/cons of joining as I see it:

Pros:
- The SWCA consists of incredibly nice people who will welcome you and share even the most esoteric information that you may need, the kind of information that other collecting communities jealously hoard and take with them to their death beds.

- The Symposium is an absurdly good time. I've only been able to attend one, and looking at the agenda I thought it would be dry and boring. I wasn't sure how I would get through the whole thing. Turns out I could have happily spent a whole week. The guns were one thing, but the people were what really made it.

- The secure forum is wonderful, again because of the people on there. Honestly the dues are worth just access to that forum.

- With S&Ws you can be keen on any number of collecting niches, and you are going to find other people in the SWCA that share your passion. When you are like me and your passion has become exceedingly niche, there aren't a lot of other people who even know what you are talking about, much less are excited about what you are excited about. With the SWCA you can get to know other like minded people, and it's just awesome.

Cons:
- You will be exposed to wonders that you didn't even know existed. Especially if you attend a symposium. This may do bad things to your pocketbook.

- The quarterly publication will show you things you didn't actually know you have always needed to own...also bad things to the pocket book.


Now if you feel like reading, I'll expound a lot more then anyone really needs;

Gun collecting can be a bit of a difficult thing for people to get into. Not because people won't give you a gun when you give them your money, but because so many people in guns are tight lipped when it comes to sharing information.

When I first started getting interested in old guns the "logical" guns to get into were Colts. For someone new to old guns they had all the broad cultural cachet. But I was very quickly confronted with an insular group that seemed to have little to no interest in welcoming anyone new into the group. Certainly not in sharing information with some random young guy from the internet. I've since met some pretty great Colt collectors, but honestly, to this day, when I try to engage with serious Colt collectors at gunshows I'm at a loss to engage them in enjoyable conversation as soon as they realize that I won't in fact be hauling out great grandpa's Indian Wars era SAA and selling it to them for $500.

The majority of Colt collectors I have found to be pleasant and enjoyable to engage with...turn out to be S&W collectors too...

I'm thankful that I found that Colt community to be so cold and uninviting, because even I, as stubborn as I am, didn't feel like trying to break that ice to get into Colts. Especially not when I found the community on the forums here, and ultimately within the SWCA to be so warm, inviting, and helpful.

Hell, since I am going to be typing a bit anyway, I have a Colt Collecting anecdote regarding a gun I bought. I bought it for a (relative) song because the auction house didn't know what it was exactly. They had a document describing the modifications to the gun which were actually done by Colt in 1920, and the modifications match near exactly the later famous Keith No. 5. Thing is this gun predates Keith's history, yet it *is* a "Keith No. 5". Apparently the collector of this gun, who had the ordinal factory work order, with the name of the Colt historian on the back of it, had taken his secret of this gun to his grave. Why? I can only speculate, but it seems to me to be a by product of how tight lipped that group can be about information.

On the one hand I love the gun, and I am glad that the auction house didn't know either what they had, nor connected the factory work order to the gun until they found it later (and being good folks mailed it to me). On the other hand, if the gun had been a S&W, I know one of the fine members of the SWCA who owned it would have willingly shared with others this really neat bit of history. So it wasn't lost. I fear that a lot of Colt knowledge may be lost as members of that community pass.

With S&Ws, I *know* the knowledge won't be lost because of how free members of the SWCA are with good, reliable information.

I have really enjoyed trying to use my luck and my stubborn doggedness when looking for interesting old gun stuff to add to some of the S&W knowledge that the members of the SWCA have been piling up over the years. It's a real joy to be able to dig weird things up and share them with people I know really appreciate seeing something they haven't seen often, or maybe never. And with old S&Ws there is just so much to find!


I should say though that I don't want to denigrate the Colt community. I've met many great guys from there over the years, but from my experience as a new collector the warmth of the people in the SWCA was just night and day different from any other group of collectors I have been around.

It's really the people in the SWCA that you should join for. And I am talking especially to younger collectors here when I say that you will not find a nicer, more knowledgeable group of people to help you find that bit of S&W collecting that you settle into and just love. I've made extremely good friends, which, I wish I wasn't separated from by so much danged geography.

I would like to thank the members of the SWCA, and especially the leadership of this community for doing such a wonderful job. I hope once this current phase of my life (early taking care of baby) is over I can go back to being more involved. It's certainly a goal of mine.
 
I'm very happy to be a part of the SWCA. I have not read through all of the responses, so I may duplicate. But here are a few reasons:
1. Journal.
2. Access to Mr. Roy Jinks and other knowledgeable folks.
3. Letter discount.
4. There are many other perks, any one of them, on its own, is worth $50/year.
 
As has already been posted, there are numerous reasons to to join the
S&W Collectors Association. But receiving the Journal and being able to ask Mr Roy Jinks questions about the history of your guns is worth more than the membership dues.
For those who frequent this great board and are not members, recommend you evaluate the benefits of joining. I think you will be pleased.
 
Where else will you have direct access to Mr. S&W?? What can I say about SWCA member #1? He is unquestionably the most knowledgeable person on the history of S&W, guns made by S&W, S&W patents, S&W Factory Accessories, etc., and ready to share this knowledge with other SWCA members. He provides direct answers to inquiries and ship dates for all SWCA members. His dedication to the generation of countless factory letters has benefited Forum members, SWCA members, and non-members as well.

There are many other great reasons to be a SWCA member, but interactions with Roy Jinks is right up there on top of that list for me.
 
I joined SWCA in 1985/86. I joined because I wanted to interact with other members and learn more about Smith & Wesson. At the time, I did not have a specific collecting area and just liked them all. After awhile, I decided to look around at what areas/guns were available to collect. I had a pre war heavy duty and looking on line and going to gun shows I found I could build a collection with them. Over the last 17 years I have learned a lot about 38/44 Heavy Duty's and have tried to share this knowledge with other members and members of the Forum. The Annual Meetings/Symposiums are great to see things you would never see anywhere else. Also, we have a great time at Tulsa twice a year. The Journals are also great places to learn about Smith & Wessons. I highly recommend the SWCA and feel like you can't go wrong. Hope to see you at the Tulsa Symposium in June!
Bill
 
I can't say anything about the SWCA that hasn't already been said, so I'll just post my personal experience.

Initially, my reason for joining was to attend the annual symposium. It remains a very valid reason for joining as you will see things there you may never see elsewhere. I saw things made by S&W that I didn't even know existed, plus I saw things I had only read or heard about. I got to meet the legendary Roy Jinks (and his lovely wife Jean) and it was like talking to anyone else you might encounter at your local gun store - except it's plain to see he's had the experience and know what he's talking about. Even if you're an introvert (like me) you'll meet people who share your interests and are friendly and eager to take the time make your acquaintance.

Upon joining the forum, I found that people there treat you like you'd been there forever, not like a "newbie". If you ask a question that been asked before, they don't ignore you or belittle you, they give you a straight up answer. I've also used the forum to get letters and shipping dates. Getting letters as a SWCA member results in savings that helps defray the cost of membership. The beautifully done quarterly magazine is not only a great source of information, it also acts a platform for those members who wish to share their specific knowledge with other collectors because the association is always looking for contributing articles.

When first considering the $60 cost of membership, many may hesitate, because all they see "on the surface" is access to another forum. That is a very myopic view however and once one considers all the 'extras' that comes with membership, $60 is really a bargain. When my first year was up and it was time to renew, I went for the 5 year renewal which almost results in a "free year" savings. And yes, at my age, 5 years is a bit optimistic. :p
 
I've been a member for about 10 years.
Joined initially because some of the guys that sold things in the Classifieds were members and we became friends after a few transactions.
They were so helpful and knowledgeable to a guy building a "collection" of revolvers, grips & boxes with limited knowledge of the subjects.:)
That was the beginning but after that the Journal, SWCA members forum and the occasional symposium is why I stay. AND I still learn from these guys!

You don't have to have a lot of S&W's and you don't have to have a lot of money to fit in.
I didn't when I joined (still don't) but have built a small collection of nice guns with the knowledge I've gained.
If you do join (and I hope you do) ask questions and participate in threads on what your interested in.
It's a opportunity to be part of the history of S&W that is not available anywhere else.
 
I joined, attended the get together in Richardson, Tex

The first time I've smiled in years !!!

Elmer-Keith-s-1950-44-Special2.jpg


It'll put a smile on you too !!!

.
 
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So, I am a very, very new member. Why did I join? I have loved Smith and Wesson revolvers for many years. I have been collecting them for years now (my kids say I am hoarding them). I don't have an enormous number of them, but they are a significant percentage of the total number of firearms I own.

I want to meet other folks who have the same passion for these engineering gems I so love. I am really looking forward to attending the symposium in Tulsa and am eagerly waiting for my invite to it.

In my short time being a member of the forum, I have learned a lot. I expect that I will learn even more as a member of the SWCA.

And bonus for those that may be hesitating to join. This is the 50th anniversary of the SWCA. And they have very cool patches to commemorate that! (Ok, that's pretty trivial, but the patch is still cool.)

So, join already.
 
I have been lurking for about a year, reading the messages, trying to digest all of the information available.

I have always marveled at the innovation, engineering and genius that has gone into all of rifle and pistols along with the stories that go along with them.

I decided to join the SWCA to expand my knowledge and to get some of these lesser known stories about the S&W family of firearms and the people associated with them.

My application went out 2/19 and received my membership card and magazine a week later.

Included with the magazine was a real nice 50 Year commemorative patch. My next thought after the 'cool patch' was 'I wonder how I can get the other 49'. The collector bug has bitten me.
 
The SWCA and SWHF are both worthy endeavors. The Journal alone is worth the membership fee. Plus you have relatively easy access to Roy Jinks through the forum.
 
I think I joined the S&WCA back around 2012, and my only regret is that I didn't join a decade earlier. I attended my first symposium in 2016, and my gun safe has continued to shrink since then.

Lee has outlined some of the excellent reasons to join. To this, I can only add that I've made some lifelong friends here; truly superb people that I would give the shirt off of my back to. Being welcomed into this community is an expression of trust rarely found in this world, and I consider myself lucky to get to associate with so many superb people.

When I was writing my history thesis (on Smith & Wesson) some years back, I was humbled by the generosity of some people on this forum, who sent me envelopes full of information. Several members hand-picked guns that they felt should be in my collection, and they were most generous in holding them for me while I saved up my lunch money.

I recommend this group only if you want to make some good friends and forge memories that will last a lifetime.

Mike
 
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