Collecting, as we've discussed, can be whatever you want it to be. If you have more than one gun, you can consider yourself a collector. Doesn't have to be gold-inlayed, engraved guns in plush-lined wooden boxes replete with all the accoutrements either (although they ARE an awfully nice bit of eye candy..you gotta admit!) You can spring for a couple hunnert-dolla-brassers off Gunbroker, and
voila! You're a collector! Now, spring for one of those generic double-gun boxes and you can have yourself a home-made cased set. Add accessories to suit; rinse, lather and repeat. You, sir are a
collector!The coolest part of collecting is that once you buy them, you don't have to shoot them to enjoy. Take 'em out of the cage, polish, oil, whirr the cylinder through (you know you wanna!) twirl 'em on your finger (best done over a sofa cushion, speaking from practical experience) cock and point (but for cryin' out loud, don't dry-fire!.....and you DID make sure they were unloaded, right? Don't tell me you didn't). It's all part of the freebies now that you are a collector. Many times I've seen high-end Colts advertised as 'unfired'...I guess as an investment you might be forced into this. Some have been advertised as 'unturned'.....good Lord, who has THAT kind of will-power? That's just downright SICK, I tell ya! Twisted! Now, I have guns I've not fired.....YET. But I don't have any I haven't fondled and worked 'em through.
Now, me; I'd rather have a safe-full of Italian repros than one ultra-rare display gun. In fact, I do just that. Let's face it; the guns of yore were built to be the equivalent of a claw hammer. An implement to be worn on the hip to be used at the owner's discretion when you find an errant nail (or rattlesnake) sticking out somewhere. The dusty trailhand or soldier certainly had no use for fancy eye-candy guns. And truth be told, neither did most of the real gunfighters, lawmen or old west bandits. The fancy jobs we drool over were given as gifts by Col. Colt to heads of State or royalty. So, don't be embarrassed to start your meager collection on a budget (or the lack of one). Cheap is OK, as is 'used'. But one warning.....once you start, it's hard to stop. Just sayin'.....