Do you collect any rifles?

[The Grand Inquisitor]

I'm wondering if I am the only one crazy enough to search out certain firearms to buy to shoot, but also to collect.

Just for the record, I love Kalashnikov's and I have a desire to create a solid collection of a wide range of various Kalashnikov designs as well as regional AK's.

At this point I have a normal Romanian 47, and a milspec Romanian 74, and my precious new Norinco 86S AK bullpup, but I am slowly working on finding new items.

I'm hoping to fill in the collection with one of the nice AMD-65's, a *Russian* 47, a real semi auto Krinkov, and hopefully as much other stuff I can get my mitts on.

 

[SMLE]

Hello, my name is SMLE and I'm an Enfieldaholic

Lee Enfields. So far my collection goes from 1896 to 1956. I also have a 1910 MkIII Ross. If it's Enfield related, or shoots 303 ammo, I want one.

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

I've been waiting to find a specific Enfield that I was told about by a shop owner. He mentioned that sometime during the early 90's a few thousand Irish Enfields were dumped on the market that were perfectly new and very used and sat in storage for years and years without use.

Have you come across any of these?

 

[VG]

I usually have 3 to 5 M1 Garands at any one time. A WWII exemplar; an HRA; a shooter, and a "work in progress." I buy Rack Grade Garands from CMP, rebarrel them with good barrels, and sell them.

 

[Rembrandt]

Model 52's.....finest .22 ever made. Four and counting....

 

[ny32182]

I usually own more AR-15s at one time than anything else.

As for the AK collection, you might want to consider the addition of a VEPR... closest thing to an RPK you can get in the USA, I believe.

 

[Greg L]

I've got a good Mosin collection started. However that was mainly by accident, once the C&R arrived I went a little crazy with the thought of $50 centerfire rifles .

Greg

 

[DF357]

Here's a few items in my collection:

mod38 mosin, 98 Krag(1899), 98 Krag(1902), 1944 SA Garand, Nr4Mk1 Enfield

 

[Vitamin G]

Yes.. I collect any rifle

 

[swingcatt]

I like to think I collect good deals...but the wife disagrees.

 

[Mannlicher]

Would you believe Mannlicher-Schoenauer full stocked carbines?

 

[Okiecruffler]

Not really

Just a few dozen Mosins of different flavors, half a dozen Enfields, and a dozen Mausers that I'm not sure how they got here. then there's the family of Stevens 311's that live on my den wall. I would collect, but I don't have room.

 

[Feanaro]

I collect as many as I can afford!

 

[jefnvk]

If the thought of fireable pieces of history for under $100 excites you, you may be a gun nut

 

[wasrjoe]

While my collection only consists of one of each right now, I collect Mosin Nagants and Kalishnikovs.

 

[Gewehr98]

Nope. No rifles.

Nothing to see. Keep moving, thank you!

 

[Northwest Cajun]

I'm going for all US service weapons or variations of them.
so far;
1903Mk1 30-06
1917 Enfield .338-06 custom barrel but origional sights
M1
M1 Carbine
M1A
AR-15(Bushmaster )
1911 colt
next on the list
Trapdoor copy
98 Krag
Thompson M1

Cajun

 

[MinScout]

I have a modest milsurp collection. Right now I'm looking for a nice M39 Finnish Mosin to round it out.

 

[m14nut]

I like to think of myself as an accumulator of rifles, rather than a collector.
Before a show, or perhaps twice a month, I put the word out to all wayward rifles that i have a safe happy safe where they can mingle with other rifles and live out a sheltered care for life....

 

[Greg L]

Upon further reflection (& tinfoil beanie tightening) I must say that I have no idea who posted under my name up above. Why I have no rifles here. I do however have a very nice collection of long skinny cardboard boxes. I think however that the place that I get them from is taking advantage of me though . They must be cleaning up their warehouse as it seems recently whenever I order a new box for my collection they throw in a piece or two of scrap metal & lumber to drive up the shipping costs. Oh well, I guess I can always use the metal parts for tomato stakes out in the garden & the greasy wood makes excellent firestarters....

 

[Darkside852003]

I collect as many rifles as the credit cards can take.

Jeff

 

[Bullet Bob]

My idea of a collector is someone who has a large assortment of a model or series, but doesn't shoot them; they also invest considerable time and effort into gaining detailed knowledge of their passion.

So, I don't consider myself a collector; however, when it comes to rifles, I have way too many inexpensive .22 rifles from the 40's, 50's, and 60's. Pumps, autos and bolts, doesn't matter. Remington 141's, 510,511,512's and nylon 66's. Winchester 69's. Any Mossberg or High Standard. Still need a Savage and a Marlin bolt, but I want specific ones, keeps the interest going. Most of these can be found in great shape for $150.00 or under, and there are no guns that are more fun to shoot. I stay away form Winchester pumps, Marlin lever's and high end bolts because they're too much money for me (alright, I cheat a little, I have a Winchester 52D, but I'm talking about fun guns, not target guns, that's a whole different story!).

 

[Hkmp5sd]

Collect military issue firearms in their original configuration from all combatant countries in WWII.

 

[Ian]

My dad is exactly the sort of collector Bullet Bob describes. He collects Japanese WWII small arms, mainly Arisakas. Has about 5 dozen of them, and has only ever fired a few, and none on a regular basis (the most-used gun in his collection is a Type 14 Nambu pistol). Heck, aside from collectible WWII ammo, he's only got about 40 rounds total of 7.7 Jap and 6.5 Jap, and about a half box of handloaded 8mm Nambu.

One neat thing about having so many war-era rifles of just a few models is that you can see the changes in manufacturing over the course of the war. The Type 99s started off with receiver dust covers, monopod, range-adjustable sights with antiaircraft wings, protective wings on the front sight, fancily-patterned safeties, and nicely smoothed bolt handles. By the end of the war, the rear sights were fixed apertures, the front sight wings were gone, the monopods were gone, the safeties were ground flat, the bolt handles were just beveled cylinders, the top front handguards were gone, the buttplates were wooden, and so on.

 

[tex_n_cal]

well, four Ruger #1's, two 1885 replicas, one british single shot.