Collector or Accumulator? What made you go down the rabbit hole?

[Fargolimo]

I know that I strive to be a "real" collector, but I am not. I am only successful at being an aggressive and over the top accumulator, because you know that being a real collector requires extreme knowledge. I had been accumulating everything but Ruger's for 50 years. My first handgun was a Beretta 1935 with Nazi markings that my father brought home from WW 2, and is and always will be special to me.

I started with Winchester and Colt and still have all of them, and there are many. Then it was the pocket auto's timeframe, I had to buy 2 old revolving jewelry cases to hold them, of course I still have them because I am totally defective in letting go of "stuff". There are 17 individual 32" trays in each case and they are full of these little beauties. Then it morphed to Browning Rennaissance and Gold line engraved 1950's pistols, only to be taken over by Browning SA-22 wheel sights from 1956 to 1962 in all 3 grades, of course I still have at least 30 of them on the wall. Marlin 39's, several dozen, Winchester 9422's several dozen. Colt commemoratives, Remington lightweights and Nylon's, Colt Woodsman, Huntsman, etc., and a real weakness for the Hi Standard Space Gun's and all of the target stuff back to their predecessor Hartford Arms. Of course being a trapshooter for many years you need the Perazzi Combo sets, TM 1's, MX8's, MX 2000's, (Anyone want a beautiful MX-2,000, I am finally letting go of something!

Now back to the point of being a RUGER collector or Accumulator. I was quite content going to Tulsa every 6 months and buying all the cool stuff I could that I felt represented a great value for several years. Then a funny thing happened at a November Tulsa show 3 years ago, I met the Potato farmer when I was admiring the Ruger display's and thought, man these are some really cool looking arms that I know little about, and the people here seemed interested in answering my uneducated questions about them. Terry introduced me to Don Findley who was sitting in front of these really neat books on Ruger, of course I bought what was available and actually stayed up until early hours of the morning that very night trying to learn about this crazy company. I remember reading on the jacket cover where Mr. Findley noted that "rare guns will always be at the top of the collectors want list, but common guns will always be common, and that the only regrets were about the guns I DIDN't buy!

At that show I stopped buying anything but obvious tremendous values that I couldn't pass up, except for the Ruger's. I soon met Steve Adamson, who was extremely fair with me and sold me a White Box Super, a Long Frame Super in Mahogony box, and a few other items. Then it was on to the best looking display at the show with Bill Hamm, and I bought more of the same. Of course Terry helped me "find" a few Red Eagles at the next show and I made up my mind what I would be "hunting" from then on as I remembered that Bill Ruger's 22 Pistol book from Don. The only reason I started with Ruger was the people, they were willing to spend time without making me feel like the uneducated accumulator that I actually was, and I have never forgot that.

I have strayed little from this path, other than the Amber rifle I found in Tulsa a while ago, and several items that Terry or Frank Winn have turned me on to lately. I have been fortunate to find well curated actual collections lately that I was lucky to be able to purchase, lucky is not even close to how fortunate I have been in locating these items, or having them located by my new friends in the ROCS group, I have been blessed beyond belief in this area. How many collecting forums are you able to spend hours with those that wrote the books on something like this. I cherish the hours I have spent with these folks, and even at the Tulsa show was fortunate enough to spend hours with one of them in their own environment, more resembling a museum than a gun room!

Sorry this got so long, but I have been accumulating Ruger stuff for just over 3 years, or about 7 Tulsa shows. There are so many of these folks that I want to thank for their fellowship and advice, but don't want to leave anyone out! So, Terry, Don, Steve, Bill H., Dan and Laura, Mike G., John D., Chad H.,Frank W., THANK YOU for your friendship, advice, and the items you have allowed me to hold close for the time I am allowed to be their curator. I plan on sharing all of the Auto's in my 16' display in November, and hope I make all of you proud with the "collection" I have been able to put together, for without your help I would just be a normal "accumulator"! Bill, God bless you all!

[contender]

While the above post may seem long,, it's a great one.

KUDOS!!!! You have met several of the truly nicest gentlemen (and ladies) in this fun little disease we call "Rugeritis!"

You need to visit the OGCA/ROCS show in August in Ohio. There are also good folks there,, and often,, items not seen elsewhere, including at Tulsa!