Should YOU Join the S&W Collectors Association?

Hey guys. I currently only have 7 guns, either one of them being my beautiful and balanced smith & wesson m&p40 2.0. Despite how few I have, smith & wesson is my favorite manufacturer and I am in the market for more, but can never find the ones I'm looking for due to stupid covid shortages. Do you think it would still be beneficial for me to join the association? It definitely seems appealing, even though I'm(with a few exceptions) not s big fan of wheel guns. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Mike
 
Should You Join The Smith and Wesson Collectors Association

Mike,

Affirmative!

With the passage of time your fellow S&WCA members will be there every step of the way to help you build a larger, better collection!

Your membership and participation will facilitate a sharing of your knowledge and experience with all of the other members.

👍👍👍

Bill
 
Joined

I joined S&WCA and S&WHF.
Don't really consider myself a collector. Only have a few guns.
I joined because I want to support these organizations.
These are my reasons why you should join.
 
I have already posted a couple times here, but one more will not hurt. I find that the ability to get ship dates is important to me to keep records of my S&Ws ship dates. Contact with Roy Jinks is very valuable and once and awhile a great experience. Case in point is a 38 Military and Police Target I bought recently and asked for a ship date. The reply was quite exciting. Roy said that my revolver was a must letter gun. I immediately submitted a request for the letter, but could not stand it so I called him. He was very gracious and informed me that the gun was shipped to a very important historical figure, Ed McGivern!! Had I not been a member of the SWCA, I would have never found out. Well worth the price of admission. The ability to access such a treasure-trove of information is reason enough to join.
 
I had a similar experience to Gary, when I got a ship date from Roy he remarked "This is an interesting gun, you should letter it". of course I did and found it was a Special Order shipped to a foreign country Air Force as a test gun. A couple years later I later sold the gun for 50% more than I had paid for it, and bought a shooter. The 39 was too pristine to shoot.
 
My perspective: In some collector groups, knowledge is a closely guarded secret. Valuation can be plus or minus a fair amount. Here even if you only have interest in S&W, people will help you. Be it buying your first S&W, having just one or many, you are treated with respect in this collector group.

In my 10+ years on this forum and I believe 5 years or so as a member, I can say it is truly unique in the capacity that folks are willing to share their knowledge so readily.

While I don't know everyone personally, it doesn't matter. Each encounter has been with the utmost courtesy. Very rare to have such a fine collecting group. Network. Learn. Find something that is particularly fascinating to you and don't look back. Small price of admission is remarkable also, given the work, thought and consideration in the sharing of knowledge.
 
TheHobbyist said:
My perspective: In some collector groups, knowledge is a closely guarded secret. Valuation can be plus or minus a fair amount. Here even if you only have interest in S&W, people will help you. Be it buying your first S&W, having just one or many, you are treated with respect in this collector group.
Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth! I've only been a member here for a couple of years, but just to show the difference, I recently joined a very well known M1 Carbine website after purchasing my first Winchester, hoping to gain some level of knowledge, because I honestly knew almost nothing. After joining, I've learned very little if anything, other than which books to buy.

Don't misunderstand me, not everyone on that site is tight lipped, but it sure seems to be the rule and not the exception. To be sure, they aren't bashful about letting you know that their wealth of knowledge is not to be shared because 1) they worked so hard to gain said knowledge, so you should have to do the same, and 2) if they share it, the vendors who specialize in fake parts and supplies will almost certainly learn how to fleece you with even more efficiency. A sentiment which I personally believe is vastly overstated. Yes, fake parts are out there, but it's not at the epidemic level they would have you believe.

Not once, not ever, have I seen or read anyone on this forum act that way. In fact, usually within minutes, a wealth of information will be provided, along with some good natured humor. Just great folks willing to help in any way they can. The other firearm specific sites would do well to mimic this forum, they would be light years ahead of where they are now.
 
SWCA

I didn't know about the SWCA until I ran into a member in Dallas in the very early 90s. I had been muddling along buying this and that but when I joined things became a little clearer. The Journal alone is worth the price of joining. Since this forum has appeared my appreciation for the members knowledge and the opportunity to e-mail Roy directly with a question has been invaluable. I have been saved from buying bogus revolvers by asking Roy if they left the factory in the configuration that is shown by the seller. I have bought several firearms from the Forum and SWCA side that would have never shown up at local shops and gunshows. Love the symposiums, went to my first in '98 in San Antonio.
SWCA 892
 
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Greetings, All:

I have 17 new reasons to join the S&WCA. Our new Database is up, running and off to a great start at Smith & Wesson Collectors Association – The Collectors Resource for Historic Smith & Wesson Firearms . There are 17 Models featured and more will be coming. This new Database, containing many thousands of serials, ship dates and other important details, allows Members to search by serial, by word and it is sortable. This is a tremendous resource for collectors.

The Database (really, I should say Databases) currently includes the following models:

Tip-Up Revolvers
Model 1

Hand Ejector Revolvers
Chiefs Special
Chiefs Special Targets (pre 36 to 36-6)
Pre-war .357 Magnum
Post War .357 Magnum Transitionals (1946 – 1949)
Model of 1950 .44 Target
.44 Magnum

Hand Ejector Revolvers (Military Shipped)
Air Force Numbered Aircrewman (KA Frame, 6 Shot)
Air Force Numbered Baby Aircrewman (J Frame, 5 Shot)
S&W Aircrewman (K Frame, 6 Shot)
Pre-Victory and Victory Revolvers
Other 2″ (Military Shipped)
Model 56 (Military Shipped)

Semiautomatic Pistols
Models 39 and 52
Models 41 and 46

Rifles
1940 Light Rifle

So, if you have been on the fence about joining you now have 17 new reasons to say YES!

By the way, the next Symposium is scheduled to occur at the Renaissance Hotel in Glendale (Phoenix), AZ on June 21 - 25, 2023. You won't want to miss that one.

Regards,
Charlie
 
If you dont join, I'll club these baby seals.


it adds a whole other element to your collecting experience. lots of great people.
 
I joined a long time ago. Forgot my username and password. Never been on the site before.

and if you club those baby seals....:)
maybe we'll send mom and dad seal to visit you.

Never been on the Historical website. This forum has served me well for many years. Thanks, Lee.
 
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