Interesting themes on a gun collection

[warhwkbb]

I have a modest collection of John Browning's commercially produced guns, including Winchester, Colt and Remington's. I am about halfway there. But as a side-note, I started collecting Winchester rifles built after Browning's falling out with Winchester to include the Winchester 1907, 1910 semi-automatics and even the infamous "Widowmaker" shotgun, the Winchester model 1911.
To me, the various ways TC Johnson got around Browning's patents fascinates me to no end.

I love to bring out my Model 1910 (401 Win) and Remington Model 8 (35 Rem) to the range and point out the various ways Winchester got around the Browning patents to anyone interested in firearm history. The same goes for the A5 and the Widowmaker.
What are your odd or interesting Gun Collection Themes?

 

[earlthegoat2]

When I had a larger collection, I collected guns Earnest Hemingway had, John Pedersen designs, and pre lock S&Ws.

 

[Mullo98]

I mainly enjoy combloc and Yugo made firearms. Although I love to start a colt snake gun and classic smith and Wesson collection

 

[mavracer]

My collection is a collection of smaller representive collections.
Like Smith's

Or Levers

Or long range suppressed black guns

 

[FL-NC]

What I have/had going is a good start on US mil property marked rifles and handguns.

 

[Gladius]

Well, let's see what I have...
1. "Vintage" Smith & Wesson revolvers (Mainly K and N frames, with an occasional L and J for good measure)
2. WWII-era military firearms (focused on the ETO, with a "subcollection" of German handguns)
3. US Army small arms of the 20th century (small, but growing collection)
4. Walther pistols (older, metal-frame guns, again a small collection).

Obviously, some of these collections overlap (Walthers and WWII guns for example). None of these collections are what I would consider 'complete', but it's getting kind of expensive...

 

[PzGren]

I have a big general interest in firearms and the shooting sports but my themed collections were and still are Ratzeburg Korths and Anschutz 54 sporters. I spent a ridiculous amount of time researching Korths and 54 sporters.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I want to see a Collection of Saturday nigh Specials or late 80’s - early 90’s collection

 

[Howland937]

I would probably claim to no longer have a collection, so I currently have an assortment. I learned a long time ago that I can't be trusted to make sound financial decisions if my collection has a specific theme with specific holes to fill.

Long time ago, I wanted to have Ruger M77 in every caliber ever made. Got to having 20-some of them, then realized the lunacy. Full set of Remington 1100's, Full set of Ruger Red Labels...ultimately I gave up those endeavors, too.

Nowadays I just want guns that challenge me to be a better shooter and that I can enjoy shooting. Hard pressed to shoot past 100 yards, so center-fire rifles are back burnered. Out of production, heavy barrel .22 target rifles get most of my attention. 1911 variants get the rest.

 

[Old Dog]

Once upon a time, I collected 1911s. Lots and lots of 1911s. Long military deployments and one final move made me go through the proverbial "thinning of the herd;" ended up I funded a daughter's year of college abroad by selling off most of 'em ... Had since vowed to never sell another handgun, although I've slipped up a few times (offers I couldn't refuse) in the past few years. Thought I'd eventually get to owning a good representation of some of the best revolvers S&W and Colt ever made from 1900 on, but haven't won the Powerball yet...

Currently working on my collection of U.S. military service weapons from the 20th century (still need a Garand, likely will never own a full-auto Thompson, though).

 

[Mark_Mark]

Once upon a time, I collected 1911s. Lots and lots of 1911s. Long military deployments and one final move made me go through the proverbial "thinning of the herd;" ended up I funded a daughter's year of college abroad by selling off most of 'em ... Had since vowed to never sell another handgun, although I've slipped up a few times (offers I couldn't refuse) in the past few years. Thought I'd eventually get to owning a good representation of some of the best revolvers S&W and Colt ever made from 1900 on, but haven't won the Powerball yet...

Currently working on my collection of U.S. military service weapons from the 20th century (still need a Garand, likely will never own a full-auto Thompson, though).

Yeah, I’ve grown to really like Colt SAA. I just want to own a pair so I wear it to get togethers

 

[Rubone]

A little bit of interest to me in my collection is firearms made by companies that also made motorcycles, so FN, Enfield, CZ, Husqvarna, Iver Johnson, BSA, Izh, etc....

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

At one time I had a pretty deep collection of Pre1941 .32 and .380 pocket pistols, but most of them turned out to be hopeless jam-o-matics and I dumped them wholesale when the AR bug bit.

At the moment I have a collection of ARs, a collection of old revolvers, a collection of vintage .22 rifles, and a collection of European 9mm service pistols.....

 

[Blkhrt13]

I can’t say I have a theme. If there is one it’s a combination of things I always wanted and things I got a fairly good deal on. Most of them are just practical tools. Things to defend my family and put food on the table.

 

[cc-hangfire]

I started my firearms addiction by assembling shooters representing iconic semi autos (but most in 9mm & .380acp so I can shoot them more):
1911 (RIA GI model 9mm, Springfield.45acp too)
Walther PPK/S (.380acp)
Tokarev TT33 design (modern Zastava 9mm)
FN HP35
Makarov - commercial Imez (.380acp)
Walther P38 (post WWII commercial)
S&W 59 (& a couple other gen2 & gen3)
CZ75
Sig P226
Beretta FS92

and a couple of not-quite-icons like:
Beretta Model51
Star Model B and Star Super B

It’s fun to shoot a couple of them together at one range trip to compare them.

 

[tinhorn]

Not sure how it happened but I've become possessed by 1858 Remingtons and their variants:

*Revolving Carbine .44 (Uberti)
--don't have a 12" Bison yet--
*8" .44 revolver w/ .45 LC conversion cylinder (New Model Army, Uberti)
*6-1/2" .36 w/ .22 LR conversion cylinder (New Model Navy, Pietta)
*5-1/2" .44 Sheriff (Uberti)
*1863 .31 Pocket Remington (Pietta, steel, not brass, so I need a .32 S&W conversion cylinder for it)
*NAA "The Earl" 4" .22 LR w/ WMR cylinder (scored it just today)
*NAA "The Earl" 3" .22 LR/WMR

I think the 1858 Remington is the prettiest revolver ever except for maybe the Whitney Wolverine, which is styled a lot like a space-age Remington.

 

[Gerd33]

I've been on a Marlin Levermatic kick for about the last two years.

Marlin 57 (.22) and 57M (.22 Mag)




Western Auto (Revelation Mod 116) Branded 57M



Just need the JC Higgins version of the 57M for the full set.

 

[Mars5l]

I'd like to own one of everything

 

[PzGren]

At one time I had a pretty deep collection of Pre1941 .32 and .380 pocket pistols, but most of them turned out to be hopeless jam-o-matics and I dumped them wholesale when the AR bug bit.

At the moment I have a collection of ARs, a collection of old revolvers, a collection of vintage .22 rifles, and a collection of European 9mm service pistols.....

I had a small collection of German Third Reich military handguns with some .32s in it, too. I have long sold them and do not miss them, instead I have post war Walther PPs in three calibers.

 

[bannockburn]

tinhorn

I think the 1858 Remington is the prettiest revolver ever except for maybe the Whitney Wolverine, which is styled a lot like a space-age Remington.

I will agree with you in that the styling of the Remington New Model Army is very pleasing to the eye and relatively timeless; but I have to go with the Colt Model 1860 as being the most handsome and stylish revolver of all time.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I had a small collection of German Third Reich military handguns with some .32s in it, too. I have long sold them and do not miss them, instead I have post war Walther PPs in three calibers.

View attachment 1068959

Yup, I had the HsC, 2xPP, a Walther Model 4, Rheinmetal Dreyse, Savage 1910, Colt 1903 and 1908, Gabilondo Ruby, and Remington 51. I kept the 51 Remington and Dad kept the Ruby, but the rest would hardly make it through a full magazine without a stoppage.

 

[PzGren]

Nightlord,

all of mine were working reliably but the FN 1910/1922s were war time guns and very loose with terrible accuracy, the HSC had a heavy and creepy trigger and the very late WWII PP ejected the extractor every few rounds. I had two CZ27s and both had tight tolerances and a fairly good trigger but the ergonomics did not suit me very well.
The Ratzeburg Korths and Anschutz rifles have been a better experience.

 

[entropy]

I guess lately it would be Trap guns. I have some milsurps, a couple cap n ball revolvers, most everything else are range toys or CCW/HD .

 

[kennedy]

16 ga shotguns make me go crazy

 

[bangswitch]

I have liked S&W revolvers since I carried one (a M65) as a NC Correctional Officer back in the late 1970's. I had two K frames back then, a M19-2 that I kept only a short while and traded for a M66, and used it to shoot PPC courses with the prison's pistol team. Kept the M66 until around 2003 and sold it, before I realized its collectability.

So, I started over, with a M19-3. I decided to look for K and N frame magnums, made between around 1960 and 1982. Why those years? I had a budget, and guns older than 1960 were generally out of reach financially. Before 1982, they were still pinned and recessed, features I liked. There are still a few I'd like to find, most notably a M520, but also a M65 and a M13 of some series, earlier the better.