Elements of a solid collection

22 Caliber - Pistol, revolver, semi-auto rifle, bolt action rifle, lever action rifle, pump action rifle
9 mm - Pistol, semi-auto rifle
45 acp - 1911
223 - Semi-auto rifle (AR), bolt action rifle, pistol if possible
12 Gauge - Pump action, semi-auto
357 - Revolver, Lever action rifle
7.62x39 - Semi-auto (Ak), pistol

18 is a good start...

 

A reliable handgun(revolver) in popular caliber, 12 ga pump shotgun, and 22lr rifle, IMHO is a darn good start.

 

Collections usually revolve around a type of firearm or caliber. I collect Mausers for rifles. My handguns are a mix, not really a collection. Now having a 10mm in a 1911, and a .45acp in a 1911, I could get a .38 super, 9x19, and .460 Rowland and have a collection.

 

I have all of those, cept my shotgun is a 20 and I traded my AK in for my wifes S&W

But I agree with that list to start. Then everything else is just more gravy on the biscut!

 

1911
9mm pistol
40 cal pistol
*Modern Sporting Rifle in 5.56
.22 rifle

 

Agree here,except sub the .40 for a shotgun

 

Not a collection of anything. Just some random firearms.

 

Long:
Rifle, any caliber using rifle cartridge
Shotgun 20 or 12ga

Short (handguns):
45 cal and/or 357mag
9mm and/or 40s&w
22lr

Needs to fulfill:
Rifle suitable for small game
Shotgun suitable for bird and home defense
Handgun suitable for home defense
Handgun suitable for cold weather carry
Handgun suitable for hot weather carry
Handgun for the car

I have all but the shotgun, not really a long gun person so I'm in no hurry at all to get one. My 22lr ar style rifle would do for small game if needed, but it won't be in my lifetime. It's more for plinking and I have a bow for if I really need food at some point.

 

I have long said I'm an accumulator, not a collector.

But what theme, period, or manufacturer you choose determines you sine qua non of firearms.

Say you collect Colt revolvers, then certainly you need to be searching for a pristine Paterson, or the military Dragoon.

For a Winchester collector, certainly a Model 66, and a "One of one Thousand" Model 73s.

Bob Wright

 

I think you need:

- a 12 Gauge shotgun
- a 30-30 Cowboy lever action rifle
- a bolt action rifle of some kind
- a .22 semi-auto target pistol
- a .45 ACP 1911
- a .357 revolver
- a 'battle rifle' of some kind (AR, FAL, AK)

From there I'd add:

- a 9mm semi-auto pistol
- a rifle with a scope for long range shooting

From there I'd add:

- a .380 semi-auto pistol
- a pistol caliber semi-auto carbine

From there it's just filling in calibers:

- a .38 Super Auto 1911
- something in .45 Long Colt

 

I would also think some might come at it from a 'guns that have some design or historical significance' approach. Say:

- an 1873 Winchester lever action
- a Colt Single Action Army
- a 'Dirty Harry' magnum revolver
- a WW2 era rifle (Mosin, Mauser, etc)
- a Colt 1911 in .45 ACP
- a 9mm Browning Hi Power
- a .380 Walther PPK
- an AK-47
- an AR-15
- a 12 GA. Winchester 1897 Trench Gun

From there maybe:

- Russian Makarov
- HK P7 Squeeze Cocker
- Colt Python
- .22 Hi Standard Pistol
- M1 Garand
- Dragunov sniper rifle
- Glock 17

 

Here's a road map I might suggest as a versatile "top 10 list" that would work well for many shooters...with plenty of room to customize the styles and calibers to your own wants and needs:

1) 12ga shotgun
2) 22lr rifle
3) 22-cal centerfire rifle, preferably semi-auto (5.56, 5.45, etc)
4) 30-cal centerfire rifle (30/30, 308, 7mm, 30-06, even 270win)
5) 22lr pistol
6) High capacity 9mm pistol
7) 357mag revolver
8) 45acp pistol, preferably 1911
9) Carry specific pistol that works for you
10) WILD CARD-- get what you like

And if you're on any kind of budget and without an elaborate reloading setup, common calibers and platforms are your friends. "Being different" can be quite an expensive habit, and may leave you lacking parts, accessories, or ammunition.

 

Ruger .22 pistol or other semi-auto .22 pistol
Ruger 10/22
1911 in .45acp
At least one high cap wonder 9 - Beretta 92, Glock 17, Sig P226, etc.
.38/.357 revolver
AR15 in 5.56
12 gauge pump - Rem 870 or Mossberg 590
A modern bolt action rifle...pick the caliber based on whatever you want to use it for.

On the list shortly after the above:
Single action revolver, pick your caliber

SKS, AKM, AK-74 or maybe even an SVT40 - some type of Soviet semi-auto military based rifle

Any of the more popular mil surplus bolt actions - an Enfield, a Mosin-Nagant, an Ishapore or the like --these can found in fully functional condition for little cash and are all sorts of fun to shoot - everyone should have at least one of them.

A lever action in .30-.30

A battle rifle. FN-FAL, HK91, any big luggin' semi-auto in 7.62NATO or 7.62x54R

That's a decent start on a fairly well-stocked gun safe.

 

I agree with this list the most

 

The fun part about collecting something is YOU get to define what the collection will be based on your whims. There's no set guidelines. there is also a lot of different reasons for collecting them. Mine are to collect an example of every basic type to cover most uses that may arise.

So far:

96 Beretta 40 S&W
P938 Sig, 9MM
Ruger Single Six 22LR/Mag
Ruger 77/22 22LR
Savage 93 22Mag
CZ 453 17HMR
Beretta CX4 40 S&W
Mossberg 500 Cruiser 410

OK, so I went a little off my own guidelines there with the rimfires......turns out I like rimfires. Also reconsidering the Mossberg 410, you can't get a full stock for it. Yet to come is an AR or similar, if the market ever loosens up, and a most likely Savage bolt in 308.

 

Mauser, nagant, enfield, garand, m1 carbine

 

A Basic Holding of Firearms

I collect .32 ACP pistols of the Art Deco period and "Cop Guns" which in my mind are double action revolvers of the 20th Century. I also have a number of Ruger single action revolvers (mostly in 3 screw format) and - ahem - several Government Models. However, for others, I am not so sure. It depends on what they plan on doing with their collection.

We may have some readers here who cannot carry a defensive gun out of the house, and possibly not IN the house, either. So it would be rather silly of me to suggest handguns of a defensive nature to such a person. The same applies to hunting; some venues are remarkably limited in hunting opportunities.

For a dedicated target shooter, one needs a top quality example of whatever firearm that performs the shooting one does. This may be a $35,000 over and under shotgun for trap or a bolt action .308 Win rifle or a single shot .22 long rifle free pistol.

Or for the person who likes simple and might want to do nearly anything, a pump action 12 guage shotgun with interchangeable choke tubes will come close.

As an American citizen and free man, I suggest one's firearm possessions include nothing less than:
* a dependable self-defense handgun in caliber .38 Special or greater;
* a hunting rifle suited for common game in one's area;
* a shotgun suited for hunting of birds or small game; and
* a .22 long rifle rifle, manually operated, for various small game and recreational shooting.

And, just for myself, the more the merrier!

 

I think a collection should revolve around a theme. For instance I would like to collect mostly WW2 firearms and expand into the 20th century military surplus.

 

That's the interesting part: Everyone's definition of "theme" will be different.