What's an accumulator vs. a collector?

[Kingspoke]

Collector vs Accumulator

Very interesting thread! I admire many of the beautiful & rare Smith revolver collections on this forum. Cheers to you guys!

I met my first accumulator a couple of days ago when I sold him one of my Smith revolvers. I was explaining the nuances of the particular revolver, when he abruptly told me it was going straight to his safe. He had an excel sheet on his phone with a few hundred Smith guns, some of which were triplicate versions!

I asked him, would he be interested trading or selling any of the xtra copy guns, and he gave me that "are you crazy" look, and resolutely stated, No! I actually got a laugh out of that, and he was not offended. He even offered to buy two other guns I had brought along with me.

A very nice gentleman and an unabashed accumulator. I, on the other hand, have a small eclectic collection of Smith revolvers from a 1917 to a 646, collect primarily N frames, and will sell any gun (with exception of the 646PC), to move up to a more desirable or collectible revolver. I shoot 90% of my guns, & just happen to have a few I consider too nice, to want to shoot.

I sold my few J frames, and with the exception of a couple of L frames, only seek out N frames. A distinction between a collector vs an accumulator, who buys what attracts them, with limited constraint on type/vintage/frame parameters, and will only add (vs sell/trade) to his/her acquisitions to upgrade.

Just my opinion, I've been know to be wrong, on rare occasions!

 

[bushmaster1313]

Easy
An accumulator is anyone who increases the number of guns they own with guns they don’t need but who does not meet the definition of a collector

 

[GypsmJim]

Lots of different reasons here, so let's list a few.

OK, say a guy (or girl) has what he (or she) considers a gun collection. And he like to go out every so often and buy another one. So he comes across an old model 10 S&W that has had the barrel cut down, has been cheaply chromed and is wearing goodyears. But its selling at a pawn shop real cheep! And because of the price he buys it for his "collection". He's an ACCUMULATOR.

OTOH, say a guy really wants a pre-27 or a 25-5 and he finally comes across a fine example, but it costs more than he can afford. So, he digs into the piggybank and buys it anyway. He's a COLLECTOR.

Or, he finds a pristeen Model 19 that is better than the one he already has, so he trades up to the better model. He's a COLLECTOR.

Or, he goes to a gun show and sees something that interests him, and he buys it just because. He's an ACCUMULATOR.

Or, he buys a brand new in box 50 year old classic that he puts in the safe to never be shot. He's neither an accumulator nor a collector, and is truly a poor investor besides.....LOL.

Interesting thread. Does it really matter? Last time my son came over and we went into the vault to view the "collection", he said: "OMG, where am I going to put all these guns?".

Maybe I need to thin the herd!

 

[RobertJ.]

As an accumulator and shooter myself, I have no problem selling original stocks or grips and replacing them with something that suits my needs and taste a little better, and even modifying the gun if need be.

Flame on, collectors!

 

[lkabug]

I have collections within my collection. Guess some would call me an accumulator.
Call them what you you will. I have 'em, I enjoy 'em.
Now, guess I will get that 3rd safe. I collect safes to protect my accumulation of S&W's. Or is it ...I accumulate safes to protect my collection of S&W's?

 

[Laketime]

Very interesting thread! I admire many of the beautiful & rare Smith revolver collections on this forum. Cheers to you guys!

I met my first accumulator a couple of days ago when I sold him one of my Smith revolvers. I was explaining the nuances of the particular revolver, when he abruptly told me it was going straight to his safe. He had an excel sheet on his phone with a few hundred Smith guns, some of which were triplicate versions!

I asked him, would he be interested trading or selling any of the xtra copy guns, and he gave me that "are you crazy" look, and resolutely stated, No! I actually got a laugh out of that, and he was not offended. He even offered to buy two other guns I had brought along with me.

A very nice gentleman and an unabashed accumulator. I, on the other hand, have a small eclectic collection of Smith revolvers from a 1917 to a 646, collect primarily N frames, and will sell any gun (with exception of the 646PC), to move up to a more desirable or collectible revolver. I shoot 90% of my guns, & just happen to have a few I consider too nice, to want to shoot.

I sold my few J frames, and with the exception of a couple of L frames, only seek out N frames. A distinction between a collector vs an accumulator, who buys what attracts them, with limited constraint on type/vintage/frame parameters, and will only add (vs sell/trade) to his/her acquisitions to upgrade.

Just my opinion, I've been know to be wrong, on rare occasions!

Do you honestly beleive the man you mention is an accumulator?

 

[BigBill]

A collector, or accumulator, or hoarder which one fits you?

I’m a borderline hoarder but with no rime or reason. If it goes bang count me in.

 

[Kingspoke]

Do you honestly beleive the man you mention is an accumulator?

Yes, I do, and hopefully I have not hit a nerve!

 

[Laketime]

Yes, I do, and hopefully I have not hit a nerve!

No nerve struck just total confusement on my part. You mentioned he had a ledger listing hundreds of revolvers , some in triplicat sitting in a safe. What made him a lowly accumulater, no boxes, no tools,no traditional theme, no framed factory letters.I am not trying to flame you so please don’t take this post the wrong way. And Merry Christmas to you as well.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

If you drive to a property out in the country and see 100 Studebakers,
WOW! A Studebaker Collector lives here.
If you see 100 old cars and 4 of them are Studebakers.
***! This guy accumulates old cars!

 

[Eddie Southgate]

A collector has a goal of owning one of each of whatever brand of the thing he is interested in or at least the rare ones . An accumulator (ME) has no goal and just buys what he sees that he likes and can afford .

Accumulators are more likely to shoot the snot out of their guns and not worry too much about normal wear and tear . Like me shooting Elmer Keith loads in my 1955 Blackhawk or my .44 2nd model .

Merry Christmas !

 

[peterGun]

An accumulator lacks the refinement of a collector, if the collection is the result of research and planning.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mm93]

A collector has a goal of owning one of each of whatever brand of the thing he is interested in or at least the rare ones .



Merry Christmas !

That's gotten me into trouble in the past. I started collecting a certain firearm, and thought I'd get one of each model. Then later thought I'd get one of each caliber, within the model. Then I think, what about different barrel lengths? Pretty soon I look around and see a dozen almost identical guns in different calibers, and barrel lengths, but the same model. Really should have stopped at one of each model

 

[Kingspoke]

No nerve struck just total confusement on my part. You mentioned he had a ledger listing hundreds of revolvers , some in triplicat sitting in a safe. What made him a lowly accumulater, no boxes, no tools,no traditional theme, no framed factory letters.I am not trying to flame you so please don’t take this post the wrong way. And Merry Christmas to you as well.

I don't think accumulators are lowly. Your words!

I see them as fortunate, to buy what they fancy, and having great appreciation for those items, but are reluctant to sell, trade, cull, from their accumulation. Accumulators may not have specific goals in mind for collecting a type, caliber, brand, series, of guns. They buy it because it appeals to them.

This gentleman, I referred to had pictures of display cases and boxes in his safes, all organized.

I think the goals between an accumulator vs a collector may differentiate by the upgrading and specificity of what is acquired, and the appreciation to sell and trade.

A large collection does not mean the person is an accumulator, in my opinion.

No offense taken!

Merry Christmas, to all you collectors, accumulators, and lurkers!

 

[wundudnee]

Semantics, accumulator/collector, pistols/revolvers, 9mm/45 it's all nonsense.

I am a collector of Winchester .22s and an accumulator of S&W revolvers.

Then I have a motley bunch of off breed, cross bred, shotguns, military and odd firearms. I even have a couple of safe queens. I support diversity.


I like nearly everything and everybody.

 

[rubiranch]

My brother was both.

I really don't consider myself as either one.

 

[Jetpilot007]

My wife likes to accumulate shoes/purses, I like to collect AND accumulate S&W products...

 

[Laketime]

Again I see an almost fear of calling someone’s gun collection anything other than the tag of accumulation,unless it is brand and model specific.And unless investment and profit are driving factors.No other collectibles of interest are driven by these criteria’s that I am aware of. Smith & Wesson and Colt revolvers monitory fall between Toys and low to mid priced Swiss watches. But require complete boxes and packaging in most cases to make it a serious item to collect.The standards to owning a gun collection appear to be unnecessarily narrow set by a few.I tend to agree more with Jim Supica’s view of standards.

 

[mm93]

Surprised to see several people refer to collectors as being driven by profit, or buying for investment purposes? I sure don't buy collector guns for profit, and most of the collectors I know don't either.
We may profit when we sell a gun, if we've had it long enough. But certainly don't buy based on investment. If investment was the reason to collect, then I'd be an antique firearms dealer, not a collector.

 

[runscott]

I find it interesting how many of you feel that a 'collector' does not shoot the guns in his collection.

I collect a LOT of different things, but one of my rules is that if I can't use it, I either don't acquire it, or I get rid of it as quickly as possible. Obviously that rule wouldn't apply to stamps or coins

Can I become a collector of 'excellent' quality 1950's .357 magnums that I shoot every now and then and keep well-preserved? I don't see any reason for my collection to maintain 100% of its value, but obviously acquiring a NM or NIB gun would be stupid as I would crush its value the day I received it.