Question of the Day: Do You Collect Guns? Which Ones and Why?

February 17, 2011

The auction house of James D. Julia will be holding a firearms auction on March 11. There are hundreds of primo pieces for purchase. Click here to peruse a vast array of historically significant guns, from Hemingway’s .557 Nitro shotgun to the 1861 Navy Rev. pistol purportedly belonging to Confederate vet and outlaw Cole Younger. There are also shotguns and rifles engraved within an inch of their life, celebrating the joys of fancy scroll work, field sports and the ability of certain canines to stand still for a VERY long time. And machine guns! The image above caught my eye: a Springfield Pattern Model 1842 Percussion Musket. The patina reminds me of Adrian Lima coming out of a bath. (Note to beloved wife: room key mixup.) I’ve yet to be bitten by the gun collecting bug, but I’m getting that itch. Have you succumbed? If so, what do you collect and why? (Confidentiality assured.)

10 COMMENTS

Lance February 17, 2011 At 09:59

Is Robert “Never Talk About Your Guns” Farago asking us to reveal our firearms collections? Scandalous. (I’m kidding Robert.)

I would say that I would have succumbed to the bug if I had the financial means to do so.
If I did have the money to do so, I would probably make sure I had a nice sampling of almost everything. Beyond that, anything that caught my interest really.
- Robert Farago February 17, 2011 At 10:14
  
  Can you be any more vague? Or alarmist?
TTACer February 17, 2011 At 12:57

I don’t collect them, but I don’t sell them either, so there has been some accumulation. No safe queens though.

Is that too specific?
Esteve February 17, 2011 At 12:58

I don’t collect so much as accumulate guns. My only true collectible is a S&W Russian Model top break. But I do have a few modern classics, ie. a near perfect Python, a High Power, a few nice S&W revolvers, etc. I guess collecting depends on the definition. As has been said by other gun nuts, I have more than I need but not as many as I want.
Ralph February 17, 2011 At 13:25

Just applied for my FFL Class 03 (C&R) to facilitate the collecting process and drain my bank account more efficiently. I’m focused on bolt action battle rifles of WW1 and WW2. I especially like the Carcanos — most of them were never fired and only dropped once.
John Fritz February 17, 2011 At 13:48

“There are also shotguns and rifles engraved within an inch of their life, …

I own a few guns myself (92FS Inox for one) that have been engraved to within an inch of their lives too. Although not with much of anything you would want to see.

I can’t tell you exactly what has been engraved though because that would be too specific.
miforest February 17, 2011 At 15:11

never collect, it costs to much and takes a lot of the fun out of owning guns. accumulation is OK though.
JOE MATAFOME February 17, 2011 At 21:57

The only gun I own that I haven’t shot is a cute lil 22 short belt buckle derringer which I inherited. You push a little button on the base of the buckle and the lil gun pops out. I shoot every other gun I own because it’s no fun to just have them in the safe’s. If any of you home invaders are here to find an easy target you can come to my house cuz I’m sure to catch you on anyone of the many video camera’s.
revjen45 February 18, 2011 At 11:43

Any guns I may or may not own may have been acquired or not simply because they may have appealed to me. It’s called gun lust.
a.n.moose February 18, 2011 At 14:08

I can neither confirm nor deny any collections of any such items. “I know I’m paranoid, but am I paranoid enough?”