What are the “must haves” in a handgun collection?

[CapnMac]

What about a derringer?

If you find one that interests you, that captures the imagination, then yes.

And, that's the trick of it in my book. Own what interests you, what captivates your imagination--own anything lese and you'll be bored with it, possibly in short order.

I could make an argument that everyone ought have a BP revolver for at least a while. Feeding and lighting off a Walker will make a person appreciate a 27 or 29 all the more.

There's an excellent argument to be made for a T/C, other than you wind up buying accessories by the truckload (long eye relief scopes, especially). Or an XP-100 just to get the single-shot urges out of a person.

Your Mileage May Vary.

 

[huntsman]

You asked why. There are plenty of wrong-handed people who have used a 1911. Ones in the military for example. Mine has as the ambi safety… The .357 is often considered the rock-bottom of handgun hunting calibers for deer-sized game. Snubbies because of concealability and the challenge of shooting one well.
I’ve owned jeeps most of my adult life. Started with a Willies Overland truck. The classics make you appreciate the modern ones more. I own micro pistols, but once I became proficient with the snubbie I but them in the back of the safe. To each his own. There are no wrong answers.

Thanks for replying and I by no means was being judgmental, just when I see these types of threads I want the newbie to think for himself and not accept status quo.

when I wanted a steel .45 auto I went with a 4566 because it was more practical for me.

My experience with a KGP-141 was I shot way more .38spl as I suspect other .357 owners do also, that gun was too heavy just for .38spl

The snubbie time has passed with the LCP max and Shield plus.

I suppose some still need nostalgia in their lives, I get that to some extent but my 1976 CJ7 was deficient compared any Wrangler I’ve owned over the last 25 years.

 

[Spats McGee]

Let me start by saying that I am a awful collector. If my collection has a theme, it's "Stuff I Like to Shoot." I don't buy guns to let them sit in the safe, hoping that they'll appreciate in value. I buy them for a variety of purposes, the main one being converting money into recoil. With that said, it seems to me that the basics of "a collection" include:

• 1911 -- for historical value & because a nice one is a dream to shoot
• .22 pistols -- revolver or semi, does not really matter, but both if you can afford it.
  
• A centerfire revolver -- mine's an LCR. (I think that counts.)
• A home defense gun.
• A CC gun.

Note that the last two may be one in the same, and may overlap with other categories. For several years, a 1911 was my home defense gun and my CC gun.

 

[JR24]

Utility, id be fine with one Glock.

But of my guns that any "collector" should have.
Id say

colt Single action

a Smith or Colt double Action.

A 1911

a High power

A Sig 226/220

A Beretta 92/96

A Buckmark/mk series ruger or victory/champion/woodsman etc etc


And a Glock for when it matters.

Sounds about right. Usually I like a second copy of my carry gun, just in case. Also to dry fire with so I don’t have to constantly unload my EDC

 

[wiscoaster]

.... If my collection has a theme, it's "Stuff I Like to Shoot." ....I buy them for a variety of purposes, the main one being converting money into recoil. ...

Nothing wrong with that!!

 

[lsudave]

Wow. We must be of a similar generation indeed! I have almost every handgun on your list (no Hi-Standard, SW39, or Daewoo). My High Power is even an FEG clone. I'm 56.

53

We came before Glock took over. I don't have one, don't want one. I'm sure they are reliable (that's a given at this point), but I don't see them as a 'must have' for a collection, unless you are collecting police handguns past and present.
Overall, it's hard to put many guns in a list, unless you further define what your collection is of. A 1911 in 45acp is probably the only one that goes across almost all definitions.

 

[Mosin77]

1. 1911 in .45acp (if you like it you’ll probably want them in 9mm, and various sizes)

2. Some kind of wonder9 with “high capacity” and a double action or striker-fired trigger.

3. A really small polymer semi-auto in 380 or 9mm for concealment

4. A Smith & Wesson K or L frame revolver.

5. A semi-auto full size .22 pistol

6. An all steel blowback .32 or .380

I think these basically get you a feel for everything out there, at least roughly.

 

[crestoncowboy]

Sounds about right. Usually I like a second copy of my carry gun, just in case. Also to dry fire with so I don’t have to constantly unload my EDC

Yeah. I have 3 Glock 27, 2 USP 40, 2 226 .40, and 2 Glock 22. Lol. Cheap trade ins back a couple year ago. I paid about the same for 2 Glock 27, 2 USP and 2 Glock 22 that I did for my first USP MK 23. Lol. Excellent deals on those .40 for a few years.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

"Collection" is subjective. Too many options. However, personally, no collection is satisfactory without a Browning hi power and a Colt python.

Agreed...I have an I-frame Trooper, but its only a bit of salve on the Python rash- the itch is still there.

 

[czhen]

A tad late to the opinions.
Browning 32 acp
BHP 9mm
CZ75
Smith & Wesson model 10/17
Smith & Wesson III gen (5906-3913-6906) or better yet II gen
Beretta 92 (FS/S) or similar
SIG 210 Swiss made, 225, 226, 230
22cal
Ruger Mark (pick up any I/II/III or even IV)
Colt woodsman
High Standard
Walter Olympic
Domino
Browning from camper to any but preferable Belgian made.
Single Action Revolver (from Colt, Uberti, Ruger etc.)
Try to avoid generic plastic, sorry polymer guns.
Read first the whole forum suggestions before buying, we have very acknowledged members (sadly, we lost some) that will help you to save money.
Lastly, post pictures is mandatory for newbies for the next two years of membership.

 

[Gus Chiggins]

A black powder pistol and a Gibson Firebird.

 

[balin]

All the ones I can afford.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Admittedly, I haven't read every post-I'm late to the game. I see a lot of "collections of guns" ideas, but I don't see any "gun collection" ideas. A mishmash of guns you shoot regularly isn't a gun collection. I propose you choose a theme and build on that.

Examples of gun collection themes: military handguns of the 19th or 20th century. Military handguns of a particular nation. Military handguns of a particular conflict (all sides). Handguns of particular criminals and lawmen (not the actual gun-too much money/too rare) but samples thereof (Colt SAA of Billy the Kid fame, Buntline Special of Wyatt Earp fame, etc.) Choose a specific era: 19th or 20th century. I suggested a book titled Arming The West as a starting point for ideas.

Be careful not to pick a theme too broad; it may have so many samples that it might be cost prohibitive to complete. Narrow your focus on a topic you're interested in, already know at least something about, but is not so obscure that it is difficult to find information about.

Without a clear focus, you'll just end up with a bunch of guns. Not necessarily a bad thing unto itself.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Addenda to my previous post. You could also choose a theme based on mechanism, technology, or inventor/designer. For example: all DA/SA guns. All SA autoloaders. All SA revolvers. All handguns designed by [insert name of designer who intrigues you].

 

[AzShooter1]

Smith & Wesson 617 revolver with 10 shots. It's the only gun I have that I didn't sell when I had to get rid of my collection a few years ago do to almost moving into a retirement community that didn't allow guns. We decided not to move after I sold all my guns or gave them to my son.
I now shoot .22s and I'm having a blast especially with the 617.

 

[tark]

It depends on how much money you have to spend! Collecting Lugers is a bit more expensive than collecting High Standards. What do you want to collect? Are you thinking various models from one manufacture or perhaps just a collection of, say, autoloaders from different manufacturers ?I have a friend that has everything from trapdoor Springfields to C-96 Mausers to Colt SAAs. They all have one thing in common. They are all graded at 95% or higher condition. He wont consider anything that is below 95%.

As for myself, I have a few high conditioned guns and a Hodge podge of shooters.

 

[czhen]

I have this topic with a collector who is fan of Beretta, we debated in his beginning about 30 years ago. How to collect I suggested something like that: you can follow brands, actions, caliber, historical event where a firearm was relevant or just a model through its production.
Spendy game for sure, the learning curve is shorter when is backed up by good books and fair forums.
Visiting museums around the country is an amazing trip to do with family. British museums and Le Invalid in Paris are a must, many others to name.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Visiting museums around the country is an amazing trip to do with family. British museums and Le Invalid in Paris are a must, many others to name.

I'll second that. The Imperial War Museum in London and Les Invalids (it's actually the plural form) in Paris. I would add also Springfield National Historic Site, in Springfield, Mass., and the Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of The West in Cody, Wyo.

 

[mcb66]

Everybody needs a Single Six.

 

[czhen]

I'll second that. The Imperial War Museum in London and Les Invalids (it's actually the plural
form) in Paris. I would add also Springfield National Historic Site, in Springfield, Mass., and the Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of The West in Cody, Wyo.

Thy for correcting my poor French, I have those places in my list of asap to go, I wonder if FN has a museum would be interesting to visit.

 

[Ed4032]

I’m not a collector. I’m an accumulator. So everything fits just fine.

 

[lightman]

This is purely personal but I like the classics. So my list would be something like this;

Browning Hipower
Colt Woodsman Match Target
Colt SAA
Colt 1911
Colt Python
Glock 17 or 19
H&K P7
High Standard Victor (or any one of their target pistols)
Luger P08 (matching numbers would be nice)
Ruger Blackhawk
Smith and Wesson 39
Smith and Wesson 41
Smith and Wesson "K" frame (10, 15, 19, 66 ect)
Smith and Wesson "N" frame ( 25, 27, 28, 29, 57 ect)
Thompson Center Contender

And the list goes on

 

[BJung]

My older brother owns a .22 Ruger revolver with interchangeable cylinders. And it's accurate.

 

[cfullgraf]

Here is an example of collecting that I have done.

I decided I wanted an example of each commonly available barrel length for each S&W K-frame, adjustable sight, blued finish, revolvers. I've done fairly well getting all the required examples for Model 14 (38 Special), Model 15 (38 Special), Model 17 (22 RF), Model 18 (22 RF), and Model 19 (357 Mag) revolvers. I need to work on Model 48 (22 magnum) revolvers as I forgot about them at first.

Model 16 and/or K-32 revolvers (32 S&WL) will be the most difficult to fill out the collection. I have a 6" Model 16-4 (32 H&R Mag) but the 8-3/8" M16-4's and any of the 32 S&WL versions are like finding hen's teeth. If one finds one, they are expensive. It might be a forlone hope, but I'll keep looking.

So, one can choose a particular series of guns and collect an example of the various varieties that were offered. It is a personnel preference on what range of guns the individual collects.

There are some iconic guns that an individual might like to have an example of, but that is his choice based on his desires and wants.

 

[MI2600]

Now, I'm confused. All this time I thought I had a widely-varied "collection". If it inspired me, I bought it. After reading all the posts thus far, I find I just have a big piles of guns...and I treasure every one.