How diverse is your collection?

[Bartojc]

No collection here, more like an accumulation. I like a lot of different things, and depending on where we are and when you ask me it varies.
I love blued metal and nice wood. I have a couple rifles that fit that, and some of them I use to hunt with. I like lever actions, but prefer bolts, and I have a couple of both. I never had an AR but back during Obama I felt I should get one, now I have a couple. Never owned pistols until a dozen years ago, but now have a number of them. Semi auto plastic pistols, and beautiful single action revolvers I have a couple of each. Even have a couple shotguns to use for small game or a round of sporting clays. a few times a year. I buy what I like or whatever I am in to at the time. Nothing is extremely rare, but it is mine. An accumulation is all it is.

-Jeff

 

[reddog81]

My collection/accumulation is pretty diverse. I have S&W revolvers from every decade going back to the 1880's. I have a Colt handgun from just about every decade going back to the 1870's. I also have a spattering of 1911's, milsurp rifles, and a nice variety of 9mm's. I can appreciate a collection of all the variations on a specific model or other more focused areas, but that is too narrow to keep my interest.

 

[valnar]

"How diverse is your collection?"

I mean, I have black guns, brown wood stock guns and a couple stainless-steel guns. So I guess you can say I don't discriminate?

 

[Big44mag]

I don't concentrate on a specific platform, manufacturer or caliber, so I guess you could say I have collections within a collection. Some of those collections do have a tendency to overlap into other groups though. Some of the groups that fit multiple categories would be something like these,

Firearms in films
1911 styled pistols
Big bore handguns
Heavy hitting rifles
ARs
Harry Sanford designs
Dirty Harry guns
Oddities over the last 50 years
Long range shooters
Lever actions
Range toys
Large game hunting
Small game hunting

I hadn't thought about or counted it out in a long time, but it looks like I'm at about 66 manufacturers, 4 shotgun gauges, 1 black powder caliber, 23 pistol calibers and 31 rifle calibers. The calibers listed below perform double duty as well as having a rifle, pistol, and shotguns in 410.

22S
22L
22LR
22Mag
30 Carbine
410ga
44Mag
45LC
45/70
475 Wildey Mag

 

[citizenconn]

I don't concentrate on a specific platform, manufacturer or caliber, so I guess you could say I have collections within a collection. Some of those collections do have a tendency to overlap into other groups though. Some of the groups that fit multiple categories would be something like these,

Firearms in films
Mag

Firearms in films is intriguing. Did you set out to get them specifically because they were in films or was that a coincide or both? What films are represented in your collection, if I may ask.

 

[.38 Special]

Not very. My main interest is in big-bore revolvers, which pretty much means S&W and Ruger, along with a few "higher-end" custom or semi-custom percussion revolvers. That's the "core" collection.

The shotguns I keep around are more for business than pleasure.

That leaves a smattering of flintlocks, British-style hunting rifles, and a few leftovers from the "great sell-off" that I kept either for sentimental reasons or because I couldn't even give them away.

 

[Riomouse911]

I had to count on fingers, toes and popsicle sticks for this one…

I figure that as of today, 36 different firearms manufacturers are distributed across my diverse spectrum, representing 17 different cycle of operation/action types.

31 different cartridges and 5 shells are in my repertoire as well. (Since I don’t have a S or L only chambered rimfire, I am counting .22 S,L and LR as just the .22 LR .) I guess I had to balance the makers and chamberings number out I guess.

I agree and accept the “firearms accumulator” title described above as well. A “Collector” sounds far too limiting to describe me.

Stay safe.

 

[tuckerdog1]

Reading the replies, I have to agree, accumulation is a better description than collection for most of us.

 

[Reloadron]

How diverse is your collection?

I seem to gravitate to, but not locked into any one thing. I guess I like options.

I do gravitate to the Colt Series 70 1911 guns and have a pile of them with a few odd 1911s tossed in. Beyond that revolvers lean heavy on S&W with several Colt tossed in a a few odd revolvers included. I pretty much buy guns I like. Rifles include Remington, Marlin, Ruger and a few others all in assorted calibers and cartridges. Only one shotgun, a Remington Model 11 Shotgun 16 Gauge I inherited a few years ago when my uncle past away. Overall a pretty diverse bunch of guns. Never gave it much thought. Rifles I have a few Colt SP1 guns for nostalgic reasons and also an M1A for nostalgia.

Ron

 

[tark]

That’s why I don’t call mine a collection- to me that implies a theme. I prefer to call it an accumulation.

I am a dedicated accumulator. I have a lot of new or near new guns, some are classics some more pedestrian. Some are older than my 73 years. I only have a few what I would term "high end collectables." My .280 Ross is very rare...but not really worth all that much. It MIGHT fetch four figures on Gunbroker. but only because it is such a nice looking rifle, in the classic sense. I've never owned, or fired a Luger. My bad! Conversely I own one of the highest conditioned broom handled Mausers around. A 98% Remington model 81 in 300 Savage is probably in the same category.

Some of my most prized guns are old .22 rifles that I snagged in like new condition. A Remington 514 and a Winchester model 60 are two of my favorites. The model 60 is almost perfect. If I had a box I could almost call it N.I.B.
I got it for $200 at a gun show. The owner was honest and told me it wasn't accurate. He was right, It was a smoothbore!! And it was marked for short, long and long rifle! They were made as smoothbores but without that particular barrel marking. Some pics below. Pic #1 is the barrel markings. #2 is the butt plate. As new. They didn't stay that way very long. #s 3&4 show some of the near flawless stock. Those tiny pressure dents in the fore end in pic #4 are the only blemish. #s 5&6 show the right and left sides of the action. I love that little gun because it is so unique!

Odd and unique and different is a good way to describe a lot of my collection. Or should I say "accumulation."

 

[wiscoaster]

diverse and collection -- hmmmm -- two terms that need some reconciliation. I think maybe the way to go about that it to pluralize: collections.

Along those lines, I have multiple collections. Each collection is diverse from the other. So I think if you're asking about diversity and about collections, I think you need to be specific and drill down to a narrower focus: define your collection focus in terms of something firearm related: bolt action rifles? semi-auto handguns? police and law enforcement sidearms? 22 caliber target pistols? etc etc. Is that particular defined collection diverse in terms of its content?

It's OK to have multiple collections. It's OK to have diverse collections. It gets confusing when you try to combine the two.

 

[Big44mag]

Firearms in films is intriguing. Did you set out to get them specifically because they were in films or was that a coincide or both? What films are represented in your collection, if I may ask.

A lot of them I saw in films when I was younger and thought "wow, that's a cool toy, I MUST HAVE". Years later I have acquired several, but am still looking for more. I have found some random ones that ended up being featured in movies or shows, but that just happened to be a coincidence after the fact.

Some of the films that inspired specific purchases are below, some firearms also happen to be in multiple movies.

Dirty Harry - S&W 29-2 with the 6.5" barrel. Winchester model 70 in 458 Win Mag. Walther P-38 (the Walther purchase was not inspired by the film, just heavily featured due to Scorpio stealing it from the liquor store owner)
Magnum Force - 4" Colt Python
Sudden Impact - Auto Mag in 44AMP
Death Wish III - Wildey 10" in 475 Wildey Mag
The Getaway (Steve McQueen version) - High Standard K-1200 Riot (this was more the inspiration, but it was also used in Police Academy and I thought it was a good looking shotgun in that as well)
Police Academy - Another High Standard K-1200 Riot
Police Academy 2 - Detonics 45 Scoremaster
Army of Darkness - Stoeger Coach Gun (The stock of mine has been signed by Bruce Campbell)
Terminator - Franchi SPAS-12, AMT 45 Long Slide (I don't have the laser sight yet)
Jurassic Park - Franchi SPAS-12 (Terminator was the inspiration)
Taxi Driver - S&W 29-2 with the 8 & 3/8 barrel
The Gauntlet - S&W 66-1 2 & 1/2 barrel (supposedly Clint Eastwood's 66-1 was a square butt model, but it may have just had squared stocks on it)
Shakedown - LAR Grizzly in 45 Win Mag. I have conversions for this one in 357 Mag as well as 45ACP
Lethal Weapon - Beretta 92
Dr. No - Walther PPK
Tomorrow Never Dies - Walther P99
Gangster movies - 1927 Thompson with drum mags
Military movies - 1911, M1 Garand, M1A, Mauser k-98, 03 Springfield, Mosin Nagant, m1 Carbine
Several movies and shows - Cobray Streetsweeper (unfortunately they are not legal in my state, so I had to settle on the pistol version called the "Ladies Home Companion" I have 3 in 45/70, and one in 45LC/410). I just thought they were wild looking.

I'm still looking for several others, but a lot of the harder to find ones I've already purchased.

 

[citizenconn]

A lot of them I saw in films when I was younger and thought "wow, that's a cool toy, I MUST HAVE". Years later I have acquired several, but am still looking for more. I have found some random ones that ended up being featured in movies or shows, but that just happened to be a coincidence after the fact.

Some of the films that inspired specific purchases are below, some firearms also happen to be in multiple movies.

Dirty Harry - S&W 29-2 with the 6.5" barrel. Winchester model 70 in 458 Win Mag. Walther P-38 (the Walther purchase was not inspired by the film, just heavily featured due to Scorpio stealing it from the liquor store owner)
Magnum Force - 4" Colt Python
Sudden Impact - Auto Mag in 44AMP
Death Wish III - Wildey 10" in 475 Wildey Mag
The Getaway (Steve McQueen version) - High Standard K-1200 Riot (this was more the inspiration, but it was also used in Police Academy and I thought it was a good looking shotgun in that as well)
Police Academy - Another High Standard K-1200 Riot
Police Academy 2 - Detonics 45 Scoremaster
Army of Darkness - Stoeger Coach Gun (The stock of mine has been signed by Bruce Campbell)
Terminator - Franchi SPAS-12, AMT 45 Long Slide (I don't have the laser sight yet)
Jurassic Park - Franchi SPAS-12 (Terminator was the inspiration)
Taxi Driver - S&W 29-2 with the 8 & 3/8 barrel
The Gauntlet - S&W 66-1 2 & 1/2 barrel (supposedly Clint Eastwood's 66-1 was a square butt model, but it may have just had squared stocks on it)
Shakedown - LAR Grizzly in 45 Win Mag. I have conversions for this one in 357 Mag as well as 45ACP
Lethal Weapon - Beretta 92
Dr. No - Walther PPK
Tomorrow Never Dies - Walther P99
Gangster movies - 1927 Thompson with drum mags
Military movies - 1911, M1 Garand, M1A, Mauser k-98, 03 Springfield, Mosin Nagant, m1 Carbine
Several movies and shows - Cobray Streetsweeper (unfortunately they are not legal in my state, so I had to settle on the pistol version called the "Ladies Home Companion" I have 3 in 45/70, and one in 45LC/410). I just thought they were wild looking.

I'm still looking for several others, but a lot of the harder to find ones I've already purchased.

That list makes me feel so inadequate.

 

[Big44mag]

That list makes me feel so inadequate.

It shouldn't. I have been looking for specific firearms for a long time. With a lot of patience and research, I have been able to locate several. If that is something that interests you, just take your time and you will find what you're looking for.

 

[stanley_white]

My collection is scenario driven.

-Stan

 

[SquidBubble]

I just have a mish-mash of things I like. From a black powder revolver to a suppressed sub gun, I'm all over the place. I'd have an ever more eclectic collection if money were no object.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

31 different manufacturers, 14 different cartridges.

 

[Ignition Override]

Reddish- Brown wood rifles, black polymer rifles.

Does the wink need to be explained?

.22LR, 7.62x39 (imported AKM + Czechpoint VZ-58) and .308 (PTR-91, HK clones).

I refuse to insult your intelligence by adding any prevalent use of the word 'boat'. Clicking on this topic (..diverse..) is a personal choice..

 

[Jeff olson]

48 different manufacturers. Right at 90 different cartridges.

 

[wiscoaster]

Reddish- Brown wood rifles, black polymer rifles.

Does the wink need to be explained?.

Noooooo .... except ...... this is NOT the rifle forum ..... so are your collections rifles only!?!?!

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

Not a collection but firearms I have picked up
27 Calibers many repeats
4 Gauges
19 different makes

 

[pharmer]

Maybe 20% long guns, .223, .308, 12 ga.
Maybe 30% autopistols, .22, 9mm, .45acp
Maybe 50% SW pre-lock revolvers, .22lr, .38/.357, .44mag, .45 Colt.

 

[AMraider]

Diverse= Yes

Theme= Older

 

[Gerd33]

I wanted to have military firearms as a central theme but I didn't start early enough for that to be affordable. While what I have seems to lean heavily toward 1960 - 70s Marlin lever actions I may pick up anything that I find interesting at a given moment.

 

[Ignition Override]

wiscoaster: You sir, are very correct. I had not considered the grip colors of my CZ PCR or Sig P225. "Your Honour, my client pleads no contest",

The title, having the word “diverse”, is connected to my first descriptions of the rifles' furniture. Trying not to be too obvious----

In these turbulent, unpleasant times, simply trying to add a bit of satire and subtle humor.
Quite frankly, I had never considered the standard 'color' for polymer furniture to look cool, until I bought both PTR-91s this spring.