# Any Gun Collectors Here at NODAK?



## FloridaFialaFan (Apr 27, 2006)

*I'm more collector than anything else*, due to age and poor health. I can still enjoy guns through collecting. Had to give up actively hunting game more than a decade ago. Now I only hunt interesting, older vintage guns.

Anyone else here interested in the older collectible firearms? If so, how about listing your own interests? There may be others who share your interests.

Here are my collecting parameters: older vintage, cheap in their day, .22rf, single-shot, made in U.S. or Canada. You'd be surprised how many odd, nearly unknown guns fit these parameters.

Here are just some of the brand names I've obtained at least one specimen of. How many of these names are you familiar with? Fiala; Hoban; Schall; S-M Sporter; WAMO Powermaster; Sheridan Knocabout; Tobin; Hamilton; Ross; Hartford Arms Co.; Quackenbush, and there are others.

Even BIG names like Colt, Smith & Wesson, and others have made single-shot guns in their long history. Some are very scarce and desirable.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Below is a picture of my screen name origin: the Fiala Model 1920.

*Best regards from The "Gunshine State" ~ ~ ~ FloridaFialaFan*


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

What a beautiful gun. I am jealous...


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## FloridaFialaFan (Apr 27, 2006)

*Hi Sasha and Abby.* Jealousy? NAH! Like all proud gun owners, we want to evoke *envy* in other gun collectors. However, many folks are strictly NOT interested in some of the older historical firearms - I hesitate to call them weapons. These folks are the hunters, LEOs, military personel, and paper punchers. To them, guns are tools to achieve an end. They need, or want, tools of the *most* current technology.

My thinking is that we collectors today are simply the current caretakers of TOOLS, of historical interest and value, on behalf of future generations. These old timers have been here longer than me, and they'll STILL be here when I'm gone. I'm only looking after them while they're in my possession.

Since I can no longer use them as a tool for hunting, I must enjoy them in some other way. Now, in my elderly years they're only a "tool" for personal defense, and I've got a bunch of 'em prepared for that instance, should it arise.

In return for their services to me, I try to give them a good home. The older guys are retired, I do NOT shoot the oldies (got plenty of hi-tech newbies for that). I just try to improve, protect, and learn more about each of them in order to help some future owner to better know and understand their firearms.

Example: I managed to obtain a little .22rf Mossberg Brownie which was the 212th gun to come out of Oscar Mossberg's little shop when he first started the O.F. Mossberg & Sons Co. - which is America's longest surviving family-owned firearms manufacturer. It is the earliest Brownie reported so far. Shouldn't THAT little guy be considered an historical artifact?

The success of the Brownie sales were what enabled Oscar to finance what his family still owns and operates today!!! Yet, I've found Mossberg collectors who've read this information and remarked that they were not aware Mossberg had EVER produced a pistol...

I've rambled enough. Thanks again for your comment. Here's a photo of one of the more recent orphans I've adopted to look after...

This little guy is marked STAR VEST POCKET on top of its barrel. Bill Goforth, author of the definitive books on Iver Johnson guns, says this is one of Iver's EARLIEST guns, probably less than 1,000 produced between 1870 and 1890. He also remarked that most of those early guns were NOT marked and believes this gun one of the most scarce. It still works, came from an online auction in Georgia a few months ago.










*Best regards from the "Gunshine State" ~ ~ ~ FFF*


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