Had mine two years now. Safe is full, wallet is empty. DO NOT start collecting M39's
I posted this a few months ago but it might be a good review for new collectors:
A few tips from a successful C&R collector:
1) Get to know your UPS / Fedex drivers very well...and train them (see rule#2 below).
2) If you have a significant other, make sure the above drivers know to deliver exactly between the time that you get home and your significant other gets home.
3) Establish a safe place to hide all 5 foot long rifle boxes until said boxes can be taken out to the garbage...this should be done exactly between the time that your significant other leaves home and you leave home. Do not make the mistake of trying to hide these boxes in the house...anywhere. You will be caught. Remember, she can COUNT! Never give her the chance.
4) Buy a safe - buy a
BIG safe (you WILL need the room no matter what you think) -
do not give your significant other the combination.
NEVER let her see the inside of your safe! Tell her you're keeping her Christmas and birthday presents in it and you don't want her to see them...you will get bonus points for this. I've managed to keep this charade up for years and she still doesn't know the combination. Keep in mind, you will have to come through for her Christmas & Birthday (hey, it's only twice a year...skip the M44 supersale and buy her something nice!)
5) Collect the same model rifle/pistol - it's extremely difficult for your signifant other to tell the difference between the M39 you bought last year from the M39 that you got yesterday, or the M39 you got last week (or the M39 that's coming tomorrow). I have had great success with this and it will work for you too. The one caveat being do not let her see inside the safe when it's open...because rows and rows of rifles or pistols will be a dead giveaway (remember she can COUNT!...do not give her the opportunity). If she tries to peek, refer to rule #4.
6) If you are caught bringing a new C&R in the house see rule #5. I've been very successful using the statement "Oh no honey, this isn't a
new rifle. This is the one I bought last year on sale. I just picked it up from the gunsmith. It had some broken parts on it that needed to be fixed." You can use this two or three times before she becomes suspicious. Remember that they all look alike to her if you've followed rule #5 and you will have no problem getting away with this.
7) Have a stash of extra cash available - this is *very* important. Keep it in your safe. Do not spend it for 'regular purchases'. General rule #227 of C&R collecting says that as soon as you've blown the last of your 'disposable' income on your new M39, AimSurplus or Century or SOG will run a super sale...like 3 shooter grade SKS's for $69 each (wow!! what a deal!)...and you will be caught with your pants down with no cash to spend. Do not let this happen to you. It is ugly. You will read hundreds of posts and see numerous pictures on the boards about all the other collectors who got their '3 for $69 each deal' and you will be jealous and moody all week. Your significant other will sense this...and you do not want to have her mind probing you and asking questions - this will just make it all worse.
8) Cosmoline is your friend...and your enemy. It will protect your beautiful rifles & pistols forever and you will come to LOVE the smell of cosmoline. Also keep in mind that it's some very sticky and persistant crap and no matter how hard you try, there will be residue left on your body. Your significant other will also come to recognize this smell (along with Kerosene and Hoppe's). If you are not careful she will connect the dots and will KNOW that you bought a new rifle. General rule #317 of C&R collecting: Always keep a couple of your rifles in cosmoline. If you are caught, you can remove one from the safe (when she's not looking of course - see rule #4 above) and show her the rifle. Let her smell it...let her touch it. If you do this properly she will associate the smell of cosmoline with that nasty, old, smell, sticky rifle you have in the safe. [
I also employ a method of keeping one or two cosmoline soaked rifles under the bed. This process is still in the experimental stages, but I believe that by having her sleeping over cosmoline soaked rifles and breathing it all night I will eventually 'deaden' her sensitivity to the smell...I'll keep y'all posted on how it turns out]
9) No matter what you read on the boards DO NOT use any of 'her' appliances, utensils, or furniture to clean your rifles. DO NOT bake rifle stocks in the oven. DO NOT use the dishwasher to remove cosmoline from small rifle parts. DO NOT use her lingerie net for bore snakes or rags in the washing machine. DO NOT clean your rifles on her kitchen table. These are stupid pieces of advice, usually given by bachelor/divorced C&R collectors to mess with your mind. Think of it as a type of hazing, or a 'Welcome to the Club' kind of trick. Do not fall for it, you're smarter than that, and divorces are expensive!
10) Keep your bound book & records in your safe (see rule #4). Log all acquisitions and dispositions when she is asleep. NEVER leave your bound book laying out in the open...remember, she can READ (and COUNT). For those of you with computerized bound books, password protect the file. Remember that women are jealous creatures, and if she see's you sneaking around with a little 'black book' she will assume it contains addresses & phone numbers of your other women. Do not put yourself in the position of letting her inspect your records...this is the job of the BATFE, not your significant other.
11) Never pay for C&R purchases with a 'joint' credit card...if you must pay by CC, get your own CC account. Remember that she can READ and you will get caught. It is preferable to pay for your C&R purchases with cash, cashiers check, or postal money order (see rule #7). This will also help shield you from 'overspending' and running up enormous credit card debt during supersales.
This is by no means a complete list, but the above should get you started. Enjoy your C&R!