What kind of Collector are You?

[trigger643]

What kind of collector are you and why? I mean, why do you collect what you collect and what exactly do you collect?

I consider myself a generalist. I like crisp, clean representative examples of historical military arms 1900-1970 that are better than 80%, but less than 100%, so that I don't feel guilty shooting them occasionally. My father and most of his peers were WWII Veterans. His father's brothers were WWI veterans, so these two conflicts hold specific interest. My brother was a SEAL and participated in Desert storm, Desert Shield and many other small conflicts of the '80s and '90s, so arms in this period also hold my attention. I'm also a tangent collector. I'm advanced enough now that I generally avoid junk, but still occasionally fall in with Gem or Turd.

As a Generalist collector, here are some examples from my collection: Military: HK91, HK93, USP Tactical, Type 56s and Colt SPII.

As a tangent collector, here are some examples: 1937 S/42 P.08, byf 43 P.38, C96 "red 9", Sig 226 (the tangent: all 9 mm German issue). I've had, and will have again a Radom and HP to round this out.

Threads like this run all through my collection, where relative pieces are tied together by my slimmest of whims. Sort of a 3 degrees of separation deal. But my attention span can be short and I can easily exhaust my interest in just one type of arm (as I did on Springfield '03s). I usually know just enough about something to start the conversation and rarely am I encyclopedic enough to finish one.

So what do you collect and why?

[Edward Tinker]

Glen, I decided a long time ago (3 or 4 years ago) to specialize in Lugers. However, I too pick up what strikes my fancy. In the last year, I picked up a early 32 ACP Savage and a CZ-52.

If something strikes me as interesting, then I am at least interested.

I like them with history, and if they are 80-95% I am happy, more is fine, but I really like one that has a bit of charector, not that a nice, pristine gun doesn't appeal to me. But the history of a piece fascinates me, as I love history and the weapons used in it. WW2 fascinated me the most growing up (that and the Civil War), but the nazi era doesn't thrill me as a collection, although I won't turn my nose down on your collection, or a piece that throws itself at me either!

Ed

[Ron Smith]

I collect Lugers due to their finely machined design and construction. And prefer unit marks for their traceable history. I like German made pistols in general , for much the same reason that I stated for Lugers. Their unique and finely machined design.


I like old single shot rifles. I have a Shilo Sharps in 45-70 and a Collathe German stalking rifle in 9.3 X 72R, for long range target shooting. I also like big bore bolt action hunting rifles. I have a custom Ruger short action flat bolt in .458 X 2" American that I love.


I really like and have collected 1903 Springfields, Krags, M-1s and M-1 carbines. Partly for the history and partly the design.


Also "accumulate" old lever guns. Winchester 1895 and Marlins.


If I could afford to, I would have a room full of Drillings.


I guess I like them all.

Ron

[pipeman45]

I just pick up what strikes my fancy at the time. Never know what you can't live without-until you see it.Most of my guns are just common hunting pieces or what most would call junk. I have a few AR'S a couple of 1911's a 1903 Springfield and a CMP M1 . Then I found a Luger I could afford. Now all hope for me is lost. So I guess I'm the poor mans answer to Tom, just kidding.

[bda]

I like to collect US, German, Yugo and Russian military firearms and my collection is split between WW II and modern military firearms. My favorite to collect will always be German WW II firearms though. Recently I went through a phase where I sold off some post war C&R's to finance some more WW II guns.

[Steinar]

My reason for this.. well..
When I was 8 years old when I got my first rifle, a .22cal that I used in biathlon. I remember it was a kinda "cool" thing to have At the same age, my grandmother told me that during (or after) WW2 she found a Luger under a three.
She gave it to my grandfather, and it was hidden somewhere on the farm.. It was very exciting to try to find it, but all I found was some 9mm bullets My dream was then to someday own one myself.
The search for the Luger has always been on my mind.. so later when my grandfather got cancer, I asked him if he still got it. By then his mind has become a bit "unclear". We searched the farm together, but the Luger was not to be found
(btw. my grandfather gave instead a revolver from around 1870, Montenegrin or a Belgian copy..)

Today I have taken over the small farm, and I'm quite sure the Luger is not there anymore. But sometimes, when fixing a floor etc, I take an extra look

I'm not very interested in firearms anymore.
Those I have are mostly for hunting, and not very expensive or interesting.
But the Luger is something special to me, the finely construction and beauty makes it more than just a firearm. My interests for Lugers have led me to other pistols and revolvers, but I kinda find them quite useless.. I donâ??t need them for self protection at home, and with the poor precision, they are almost just as fun as throwing darts..

My search for Lugers, their history and variations will probably always go on. It's a great hobby to have, and there is a lot of great people throughout the world sharing the same hobby

[John D.]

Great topic, trigger643..!!!! And terrific replies!!.....

I guess - for me - I'm somewhere "in between" a fanatical collector of one specific variation - and a generalist? In short - I wanted to collect Lugers since I saw my first at a local hardware store - which did double-duty as the local gun store. It was probably in the mid-60's, and I still recall a glass case where the top shelf was only Lugers. My grand-dad and father used to go there to buy nails, tools and such - but I just pressed my nose against the glass case.

From there - I actually started collecting in the late '70s - and bought whatever I could afford at the time from my summer jobs and if I had anything left from work - which wasn't much. But, I assembled quite the Luger collection - mostly of "stuff", and not worth much collectors value - but I had a lot.... Then I bought my first HK in the early 80's.... Hmmm......

And here is that "short story"... To get my first HK - I traded in a lot of my "better Lugers". And guess what - since I knew nothing about Krieghoffs - I got "taken". It was a great counterfeit of a side-frame inscribed HK commercial. So - on a mission - I figured I'd learn as much as possible about that specific variation - and sold most of the rest of my Lugers at that time to "focus"....

Anyway - since then, I've been collecting/researching HKs as my specialized area since the early/mid 80s. Not in a big way - just learning, researching and picking up what I can when I can. But for that - I also enjoy all the variations, and would like to expand my fledging Imperial and WW2 era Luger collection someday...

As for other firearms? I dunno - I have one P 38 and 4 pre-war/WW2 Browning Hi-powers and a few Colts. I like them all - I just wish I had the money to buy examples in all my collecting interest areas, but since I don't play the lottery - that probably won't happen....

Best to you,

John D.

[Steve Richards]

My first guns were an FN Mauser for venezuela , an Astra 600 and Polish Vis(Radom, P-35). A friend had a commercial .30 Luger. I still have the rifle and the Astra. I currently have Astras and Lugers. Both are interesting designs. That is why I got a K-31 rifle a while back. The older designs are more interesting to me. I know that the modern designs are better jin most ways but they lack the charm of when people were experimenting with a variety of designs.

Steve

[welder6131]

What a thread!!
Just like everyone else here I started out just seeing something that caught my eye, bought it..... and then I was addicted. My fetishes probably started and remain with my Grandfather telling me stories of WWII and the "Greastest Generation". German firearms are by far the main topic of my interest ,Lugers, K98's etc. it doesn't matter. I have nothing against American firearms or anything else for that matter, but the quality and precsion of German firearms is amazing! On another note I find myself still facinated with any firearms of WWII. I just purchased a Savage No4 MKI* .303 about 2 weeks ago just because I had an itch for one. I would not call myself a collector, but more of an WWII enthusiast. I have everything from German helmets, flags, medals, Uniform items, knifes and, coins. I'm sure I could probably type for ever on my thoughts, but I have to go back to work (AHHHHHH)!

Semper-Fi
Josh

[The Virginian]

As my end line says:

[Russ]

I started out collecting Winchester Mod. 70's I had a lot of long guns. When my son was old enugh to start getting into stuff, It was eather buy 2 more safe's or sell all the long guns and collect hand guns. A frend collected lugers so I learned a lot from him. So thats how i GOT INTO lUGERS. I still have a few 70's But you can put a lot more lugers in a safe than Mod. 70's. And my luger collecting has made me more MONEY than the winchesters ever did Now if I can just keep them all

Russ

[The Virginian]

I hope I never have to sell anything in my C&R or modern gun collection. I am starting my C&R collection, so far I have 2 Lugers, 2 P38s, 4 S&W 1917s, 2 Colt 1917s , 2 Colt 1909s, one S&W 1905 and 3 Colt Police Positives. Not bad since I just got my C&R FFL in November 2004. The problem is I can't stop! I do like to take all of them out shooting, but only with hard cast or swaged lead bullet handloads to help preserve those old bores.

[AGE]

I'm not really a collector. I'm a shooter who likes a great variety of guns. Started out in high school on a rifle team shooting smallbore match guns. Switched to Mi Garand in college ROTC. Turned 21 and bought P-38 (cheapest centerfire gun available then, traded my old match rifle for it). Loved Lugers, Colt single actions, etc. but $$ weren't there. Made a few bucks and got a GI 1911. Liked it, got a Ruger .44 flattop (ruined my hearing but had fun doing that). Started in pistol matches and went through a variety of handguns--ended up with great ones (accurized 1911 .45, Gold Cup .38, Day .22 conversion on another 1911 frame). Shot the snot out of these guns for 25 years and finished off my hearing. Also acquired some long admired guns (M1 Garand, Win 94, Springfield, Colt Ar-15s, etc). Retired from competition so only have to listen to my own gun, preferably outdoors. Bought more neat 1911s, Colt SAAs and finally hooked on Lugers. Sad story but neat hardware and lots of fun trying to cure Lugeritis. My motto is they gotta be neat, gotta shoot great and it don't hurt if one of my movie heros used one of them. Don't mind refinishing if done well, accurizing is valuable, gotta be sighted in and gotta be reliable at all times.

[kidvett]

To me versatility is the word as I'm a shooter, hunter & a Collector.........

Started shooting & hunting at a young age & ever did since......Over the years I've developped fancy tastes like most of us. I use High Grade O/Us for upland Hunting & I'm into Big Bore rifles for game hunting ( 416 Rigby's & 458 Winch class....) I'm getting a 404 Jeffery custom built for next year...
I hope one day I'll get a nice double either in 450/400 or 470........

I shoot modern handguns. I do have favorites like 1911s, M29s, Glocks, S&W 357s, 380 PPk, etc.......I do mostly long range shooting as I teach & practice ``defensive shooting`` on a weekly basis. Best ever long range shooter is........a LUGER !! 1 1/2 inches at 100 yds........( Built 5 in 30 Cal Shooter ) Shooting is part of every week of the year........

The Collector: Been collecting for 25 years........First ``real `` Collection was SAAs........2nd & 3rd Gen. A nice set up of 15-20 pieces including Buntline, Sherrif's Models & Storekeeper 45s.......Sold them all ( we all do mistakes ! )

Next were modern Military Rifles / SMGs........a few years later & walls displaying 30-40 of those.......Canadian Laws got in the way ( 5 rds mag cap max on ALL AR & SMGs ?? ) I sold the whole Collection........Nice memories includes : MACs, Galil ARM, G3s, XM177s, RPKs...

Then I got into German Lugers......which are still my main area of collecting even if I expanded to include other Military pistols of German manufacture. Design, fit & finish, historical importance & lots of variations & proofmarks to get / research & discuss........Some C96s, 7.65mm III Reich pistols, Mauser P38s and Lugers are included in the family. My favorite category of Lugers is III Reich but I have others including a nice Erfurt set....

Sure enough I have others as I will always appreciate nice firearms.......Like an Pre War Commercial 1911, an Irwin Pedersen Carbine or a Winch 92.........

Friends say to me that ``firearms have always been an important part of my life`` .........I tend to agree...

MARC

[byf43]

I started out as a sport shooter. But since I've always been fascinated by the P08 & P38 designs I quickly turned my attention to WWII weapons.

So I'm mostly into German WWII weapons, but like the occasional Russian and American weapons as well (planning on getting a Garand soon).

I want my WWII weapons as original and good condition as possible, but still shoot with them once in a while. However I do have a K98k that I won't shoot. It's too perfect so I just keep it for "owner's pleasure".

[Luke]

Started out buying everything I could afford, but it didn't take long for me to realize that I did not have enough money to collect everything . . . . nor did I have enough time.

Settled on WW-I DWMs and am selling off the other odds-and-ends.

My greatest collection goal is . . . someday . . . to obtain an authentic 1908 or 1914 DWM Commercial-Army in good condition.

Luke

[Don M]

I haven't yet reached the first anniversary of my affliction with this madness, so I probably don't qualify as a "collector." I inherited a Luger rig from my uncle's estate last summer and became fascinated with Weimar police unit marks. I now have a database of over 650 marks and have begun using it to research various topics about the Weimar police. So far, I have analyzed Prussian police school marks, H.P. marks and Landj�¤gerei marks. Next on my list is Berlin Schutzpolizei marks.

To avoid financial ruin and a possible divorce, I have vowed to limit my collecting to one example of each of my research topics (max.). So far, I have one Luger with a police school mark, one with a Landj�¤gerei mark and one with a Berlin Schutzpolizei mark. I'm looking for a Luger or Mauser M1914 marked H.P.

[DougT]

Having been a shooter and gun enthusiast for 30 years, I bought my first genuine Luger in 2003 (a 1917 Erfurt P.08). I'm up to three Lugers now, and I made the decision to build my collection from Thor restored guns. I'll be trying to get one each of the basic different types of Lugers, and plan to have them restored as I obtain them. I maintain the guns in shootable condition, but I find that shooting them is the least of my concerns. What I really enjoy is taking friends to the range and letting them shoot my Lugers. For me the restored guns have added value because they are in "new" condition--just as they were when they were issued or purchased for the first time. I appreciate all quality firearms (old or modern), but the Lugers have far and away more appeal for me than any other type of gun. Maybe it's the elegant design, or the place in history they occupy or the "Luger mystique." But whatever it is, I know that I have never wanted to collect any other type of gun until now.
DougT

[Luke]

DougT -

Very interesting and realistic approach. I have 4 Lugers restored by Thor and three of them look like new guns. The 4th is a genuine 1917 Navy which had been crudely and severely buffed and then salt blued all over. No one could have made that one look "new," but Thor did a great job anyway. Even though the Navy doesn't have the sharp, crisp edges and well formed markings, I don't have to wonder if it was produced by some "mechanic" in the MidWest or elsewhere from parts. No one would have deliberately created the abused chunk of hardware that I sent to Thor.

I like your approach.

Luke