Collectable Air Rifle

[harry mac]

From now on, air rifles becoming collectable is purely academic. As we speak Scottish policemen are probably being told not to ascribe crime numbers to airgun confiscations/incidents unless absolutely necessary, so that in a year or so it can be "shown" that airgun licensing has worked. Then it will move South of the border. Will "collecting" be seen as good reason? Will having 83 HW35s, "all different" be seen as reasonable?
You might think I'm being overly sceptical, but my local force employed similar tactics to "prove" that the introduction of PCSOs had had a "marked effect" on low level crime.

[Geezer]

My definition of collectable is something that people want to own more for the sake of of owning it, rather than using it.

Me, if I can't shoot it (apart from a couple of things I bought needing a rebuild), I am not interested. I have looked at mint, boxed, unfired guns, and I can see the appeal, but not enough to spend money on a gun I would not shoot. On the other hand, I have bought less than perfect examples of guns because I actively wanted to experience how they handled and shot.

So I'm a shooter who collects things to shoot. Others are collectors who collect things to collect, and sometimes shoot them.

Of course, there is a grey area. Most collectors shoot their stuff occasionally. Most of us who shoot our collections still have items in them that aren't great to shoot, but are nice because they have particular features or provenance that make them attractive to us.

[cinedux]

I'm well aware most folk I know consider my 'collection' to be a load of old tat. Same folk will never experience the sense of fulfillment I derive from being surrounded by my 'loved ones'. The ability to reach out and caress any one of a dozen lovelies is a privilege I'd not yield lightly. I've never aquired a gun with a view to selling it. Just don't think that sort of thinking really crosses the mind of a true collector. Looking back on life I think I aspired to become a 'true collector'. Realistically,I didn't make the grade -but it has been fun trying. Oh,and what's 'collectable'? anything that takes one's fancy,i think.

[Garvin]

I think I would agree with Trev's relaxed view of what a collectable is - it's whatever somebody finds interesting enough to accumulate, even if others would consider it rubbish!

I know of collectors who are driven, serious, competitive, and not very complimentary about the airguns that excite less discerning collectors. I've discovered over the years that I'm not really like this, although I admire their tenacity and successes.

I have very occasionally bought an airgun without intending to hang on to it, mainly because I'm curious to see it 'in the flesh'. An example of this was an ERMA underlever-cocking rifle. I was impressed, but since it's not my cup of tea, I moved it on quickly.