What should I add next to my gun collection?

P-38.

One more time, budget? Sort of hard to make suggestions without knowing a budget.

Ron

Service Makarov pistol from Russia, China, Bulgaria or DDR.

Here's my suggestion, since you want us to help spend your money. Use each as a starting point for a separate theme. With the Mosin, get a Nagant revolver, SKS pairs with a Tokarev, AR with a Beretta/Taurus M9 clone, and so on. Glock 19 joined by a 17 and 26, etc etc. One at a time, add to one line then another as your wallet, time, and opportunity dictates.

Spending a grand opens the door for any of several nice guns. That gets you into any of slightly used older S&W revolvers as well as some nice older Colt revolvers. That also opens the door to any of several nice slightly used rifles including a Garand or 03. A grand will also with some looking find a nice 1911 .45 ACP. So now it is a matter of what trips your trigger since it will be your gun to enjoy. Rifle, pistol, long gun or short becomes your call. Just take your time looking and make sure your ultimate choice is what you really want.

Ron

If you don’t really have a purpose in mind I would probably pick either an AK, a Garand, a vintage 1911, or a full size .357 from SW.

If you might want to carry this gun or want some practical application for it I’d get a Glock 43 or a quality semiauto 12ga. If a pump floats your boat go with a 500.

If it where me I would be looking for a grail gun like the S&W k-22 or the Colt snake guns, but right now I am pretty much a Ruger fan as I want one of each Ruger Stainless MK I or II target models. One of the collectors on here has one of each of the 22/45 Lite Ruger makes and it is an impressive collection.

CZ pistol
Colt 1911 or Dan Wesson 1911
Beretta 92x or 92F variant by Langdon tactical and Wilson combat
Benelli shotgun
Ar rifle
Ak 47
Springfield M1

bos19 said:

I'd say no more than $1000. Basically I'm looking for something higher-quality that I can be proud of.

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When the budget gets around a grand, I like to suggest a used Freedom Arms revolver. You'll probably need to be patient for one to come along, but they do. Almost for sure it'll be a field grade, but still something you can be proud to own.

Tuckerdog1

S&W .22 Victory

bos19 said:

I'd say no more than $1000. Basically I'm looking for something higher-quality that I can be proud of.

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In my area a nice vintage 1911’s are going for about $900. It seems crazy that you can get a new one for less than a used one. I guess they aren’t making old ones any more.

If you want a "collection" then focus on things like type, country, era, etc...
If you want "bunch" of firearms that are simply fun to shoot, that's a different kettle.

What I could see myself collecting:
Early 20th century US military rifles(1903/03A3/03A4, 1917 etc)
Expand that to include US military handguns of the same era (1911; the 1917s etc...)
Further expand into US military combat shotguns (1897; Model 12, etc...)
Good examples of these are too rich for my blood, but I could select more reasonably priced "themes" such as
WW2 vintage rifles from Finland, Brazilian martially marked DA revolvers and semi autos, or Mexican military Mausers.

What's fun shooting for me:
An accurate .22 target pistol
Full size large bore handguns (especially revolvers)
SxS shotguns
Anything that burns black powder

YMMV (and should) of course.

AlexanderA said:

The first thing you need to do is decide on a theme for your collection. Without a theme, all you have is a mere accumulation. Popular themes are U.S. military arms, Winchesters, Colts, etc. Don't make the mistake of spreading yourself too thin.

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I definitely fit the definition of accumulator

I like your idea of a "well rounded battery". I have 2-3 each of revolvers, shotguns, rifles, and semi-autos. None are safe queens. Each has a purpose (or potential purpose) such as home defense, EDC, hunting (large game,small game, wing shooting). I find all enjoyable to shoot. It's not a collection, but collections are out of my price range. I had an M1 Garand and a Mosin Nagant, but sold them when I needed cash. I wouldn't pass up a good deal, but I'm satisfied with what I have now.

Since you are into history

Shotgun: Winchester 1897 Trench gun, outfitted with bayonet and vented heat shield, 20" barrel, Mossberg 500, Remington 870 Wingmaster
Revolver: S&W Model 27 (.357Mag), Ruger Single-Six Convertible (.22/.22mag), S&W Model 10, S&W Model 19/66, Ruger GP100, Colt Detective Special
Pistol (semi): 1911, Browning HiPower, CZ75, Walther PPK, Beretta 92, S&W 5906, Ruger MK series, German Luger
Bolt Rifle: 03A3, VZ24, K31, German K98, Mosin-Nagant, Lee-Enfield .303, MAS 36, Springfield .30-40 Krag,
Rifle (semi): HK 91, FN FAL, MAS 49/56, AR10, M1 Garand, M1A, AK47, HK MP5, Ruger 10/22, Marlin 60, PSL Dragonov,
Lever: Winchester 94, Winchester 1892/1894, Marlin 336, Marlin 1894, Savage 99

There are many more I have not listed as great guns for a collection.

A lot of your next option depends on budget, but a lot of good collector firearms are getting more expensive each year.

Higher quality training, or more often.
—-not just static, unrealistic targets.
The idea of another gun is often a way of avoiding/postponing better training.

This might not be your situation, but for other people it Certainly applies.

A lot of good ideas above. Part of it would be that you will have more flexibility if you reload. One of the key things that helps both in reloading and firing a rifle is to get a revolver and by sheer happenstance the K-Frame S&W in its various .38 SPC incarnations is both cheap and classic. The K-Frame is like the Model A Ford, endless versatile, well made, and a number of options in fitting it to your personal preferences.

.38 Special is one of the easiest cartridges to reload and inexpensive to boot. I've found that firing a revolver with a good trigger as K-Frames typically have, helps in firing a rifle due to the concentration on firing a trigger double action means controlling the trigger throughout the firing cycle instead of "trying to follow the link" variant in semi-autos. If you can control a 10-12 lb trigger in DA, then you can certainly tackle a 3-4 lb trigger in a bolt action.

bos19 said:

I just started building my collection in the last few years. Here’s what I have:

-Glock 19
-SKS
-S&W M&P 15 Sport 2 AR-15
-Mosin Nagant 91/30 (adding soon)


I’m not a hunter or anything like that-I am just a hobbyist who really appreciates the history of historical guns. Ideally, I’d like to buy a bunch of historical guns, but I want a well-rounded collection.I’ve been trying to decide between a .357 magnum, 1911, or AK as my next gun. I was also thinking about buying a .22 rifle, but those are so cheap I can buy one any time.

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One of the things that only you can answer is whether you want to see price appreciation in the future or would you prefer to buy shooter grade and fire them.

Shooter grade rifles and firearms are kinda like beater cars--as long as they function they retain some value but you won't get much if any price appreciation except over very long time frames. A lot of shooter grade milsurps rifles are right at around $400-500 per now which is about the value if you stripped one for parts which a fair amount of buyers do (just like old beater cars). If you really want to go for a shooter, you can always get a sportered version usually about half of the shooter grade milsurp in issue type condition.

Take a Lee Enfield for example. No. 1, Mk 3's are commonplace-- even well done sporterized versions abound at about $200-300, those in military condition with complete stocks, barrel bands, etc. are about $450-500 with a few variants bringing a bit more such as Lithgow mfg or WWI or WWII dated receivers. Have an apparently unissued one, over 1 K or greater depending on scarcity.

Collection pieces depend on condition, rarity, and market demand rather than function. A NIB is only that once and can't be restored if you choose to fire them. A pristine example's value is always at risk if you scratch it, ding it, etc. These are the ones that any change in its existing condition reduces its value often including even such vague things as removing patina (often encrusted dirt imho).

Shooter grade firearms derive their value from use, collection pieces derive theirs through condition, scarcity, and market. Figure out what you want and then the rest of the pieces in accumulating or collecting fall into place.