Am I a Civil War Gun collector?

[Barry Strickland]

Although my primary interest is flintlocks I do have some percussion arms. One thing that has always interested me is the variety of guns used in the Civil War.
Being a member of both NMLRA and NSSA I do shoot a variety of guns.
Attached is a picture of my CW arms.
The top rifle musket is a original P53 Enfield with a Whitacre replacement barrel, glass bedded and quite accurate.
The second one down is a early Italian reproduction P59 two band "Navy" rifle. It is almost new and I have never shot it.
The third one down is a Parker Hale P61 "Musketoon" that I have shot a lot, a fun little gun.
The fourth is a repro Maynard model 2 built in the early 1970's, another fun little gun to shoot.
The fifth is a repro Smith cavalry carbine, it had seen very little use before I bought it and I have not shot it either.
The sixth is another repro Smith Artillery carbine and it appears to have never been shot. I don't know if I will ever shoot it.

I mostly shoot the P53 and the Musketoon in the NSSA skirmishes and once in a while the Maynard.

So I guess if I don't shoot some of the guns I have does that make me a collector?

 

[64Springer]

In my opinion, only original pieces fall into the Collection category.

Replica pieces fall into the Accumulation category.

People who collect vintage Winchesters lever actions would never consider a 2020 Remlin lever gun as part of their Collection.

 

[Barry Strickland]

OK on your opinion.

I will still use the word Collection.

From Wikipedia
The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining items that are of interest to an individual collector. Collections differ in a wide variety of respects, most obviously in the nature and scope of the objects contained, but also in purpose, presentation, and so forth. The range of possible subjects for a collection is practically unlimited, and collectors have realised a vast number of these possibilities in practice, although some are much more popular than others.

In collections of manufactured items, the objects may be antique or simply collectable. Antiques are collectable items at least 100 years old, while other collectables are arbitrarily recent. The word vintage describes relatively old collectables that are not yet antiques.

 

[64Springer]

If Wikipedia says so, who am I to argue.

 

[hanshi]

mostly shoot the P53 and the Musketoon in the NSSA skirmishes and once in a while the Maynard.
So I guess if I don't shoot some of the guns I have does that make me a collector?

You ain't no collector of Yanky invasion guns lessen you got a gatlin gun.

 

[Keyhole]

I'm just a caretaker who is looking out for them for a while.

Can you imagine how many owners the original weapons must have had during their lifetime?

 

[Pete G]

If you collect guns you are a gun collector.

 

[dave951]

Guys- in the N-SSA, he's probably considered an amateur

 

[Conquerordie]

You are a collector of reproduction civil war firearms. Simple.

 

[Piquant]

Either way, I like your firearm collection. No such thing as too many.

 

[OldSmoky1967]

Although my primary interest is flintlocks I do have some percussion arms. One thing that has always interested me is the variety of guns used in the Civil War.
Being a member of both NMLRA and NSSA I do shoot a variety of guns.
Attached is a picture of my CW arms.
The top rifle musket is a original P53 Enfield with a Whitacre replacement barrel, glass bedded and quite accurate.
The second one down is a early Italian reproduction P59 two band "Navy" rifle. It is almost new and I have never shot it.
The third one down is a Parker Hale P61 "Musketoon" that I have shot a lot, a fun little gun.
The fourth is a repro Maynard model 2 built in the early 1970's, another fun little gun to shoot.
The fifth is a repro Smith cavalry carbine, it had seen very little use before I bought it and I have not shot it either.
The sixth is another repro Smith Artillery carbine and it appears to have never been shot. I don't know if I will ever shoot it.

I mostly shoot the P53 and the Musketoon in the NSSA skirmishes and once in a while the Maynard.

So I guess if I don't shoot some of the guns I have does that make me a collector?

I was unaware that you could use a glass bedded barrel in the NSSA?

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

It’s a collection. Plain and simple. If you just collected “stuff”, it would still be your collection of stuff. Don’t get hung up on hair splitting. Enjoy what you like and what you have.

 

[Steve Wagner]

You ain't no collector of Yanky invasion guns lessen you got a gatlin gun.

That's a metallic cartridge unmentionable hanshi. You know better....but where can I get one???
SW

 

[dave951]

I was unaware that you could use a glass bedded barrel in the NSSA?

Yes you can. Does it help? Yup, but bedding is only needed on the tang area to about 1/3 way up. Proper fit of barrel to wood is important and the tang area is critical.

 

[PathfinderNC]

Well, if you Identify as a collector then you must be a collector

 

[reddogge]

I you have more than one you are a collector.

 

[hanshi]

I you have more than one you are a collector.