Collectors Legislation

[wrm]

i heard somewhere that they are quite sticky about using a "collection" or "competition" weapon for a different purpose that what it was issued for. In this case collection.

I heard somewhere the moon might be made of green cheese.

Like i said the why is that i have a keen interest in firearms.

That goes for everyone here and a lot of people not here.

What do i want to collect? Well i have a glock 9mm and would like a nice 1911 .45 as well as a revolver pref a .357.

Somewhere along the way, they came up with guidelines. I can't claim those guidelines are supported by either the Act or the Regulations, but, those are what we have.

Those guidelines say that a collector needs a Field of Interest.

Metannerwoorde, you want to collect the rifles used in the Anglo Boer war, or Smith and Wesson revolvers, or every model Glock ever made... those are valid Fields of Interest.

I have an old .303 but would like a new or modern .30-06 for hunting purposes. Also a o/u 12ga. These i can get without being a collector, but the handguns i will have to register for "collector status".

Yea well, getting a 30-06 for hunting is sort of at odds with being a collector. The handguns you will have to register for collector status? So you're saying you're not really a collector, you just want to pretend to be one so that you can licence the firearms?

I see hardship in your future.

I have thought about sport shooting status, but if you dont shoot regularly enough and keep your points and so forth you may not get your permits renewed under this status. I would like to go and shoot when it suits me and not when i "have to".

So speak to the people who wrote the act. We would all like to do what we want.

Unfortunately the Act tells you that you have to be an active member. Active sport shooter = shoot when you HAVE to. Active collector = attend meetings when you HAVE to.

Don't like it? Neither do I.

[GlockShooter]

Thank you Andy, info usefull info is what im after!

[GlockShooter]

Hi WRM,

Thx for your post. The firearms i mentioned were to start off, and i would like to collect. I just cant afford to go out and buy 10 guns, we all have to start somewhere. I am more than happy to attend collectors meetings and such but i was trying to figure out how much time is needed. One meeting a month, every two months etc.

Fields of interest would be along the lines of :
1911 pistols (the evolution of)
Glock Pistos
Taurus revolvers
Wepaons used by the south african special task force

Still working on these and as im able to afford more pieces of interest i will add to the list. Mainly looking for guidance.

Thx guys for all the info.
Much appreciated!

GS

[corriedewilde]

GlockShooter the guys are a little too agressive for me to, but there are a few important principles collectors have to adhere to. A collection is not just a group of firearms. There must be something (theme) that tie them together, eg. Rifles from WW2, Stainless steel Rugers or Mausers.

It is also important that you show that you are a person of standing, by regularly attending meetings/displays/shoots and show interest in firearm collection at the Ass. The principal is the Assosiation will stand in for you and state that you are a collector. But it will only take one bad apple to mess up the intergraty of such an organization and thousands of collectors will loose their firearms. Obviously these guys are paranoid. So if you are not passionate about firearms and willing to put time into your interest, collecting is not for you. It is not just an easy way to get more registered firearms.

[UltraMange]

A good rule for a collection is that it should be possible to fill the collection. Try to find a type of mechanism/design, a certain make, a certain country, a certain period, odd calibre, certain political connections. Do some research within your field and list all/most known guns and the relevant facts about those guns. It is much easier to convince people that you are a true collector if you can show that you have a real interest beyond owning the steel. Listing the litterature you own on your topic is another good thing to do. I probably spent a one hundred hours on research before applying for collector status, on the other hand, I never got a single verifying question about my dedication.

That said, I have seen some very wide collectors themes on this site so listen to the South African collectors before narrowing down too much.

[wrm]

Yargh, Re-reading my old post... yea, corriewilde, I was overly aggressive. I blame it on irritation with the Act, not with Glockshooter.

To be a collector, you have to do a lot of things. One of them is to become a collector. Might sound like zen, but while you can spin a story to the police, collectors are self-enforcing [1], you have to convince fellow collectors, many of whom are complete anoraks [2], that you are a collector. Otherwise, as I said, I see hardship.

Yes, collectors can have a helluva lot of guns. I'm aiming for a hundred before I'm fifty :-) [3] But it's not an "easy way to get guns".

W

[1] Sometimes a good thing, sometimes not.

[2] And I don't exclude myself from that.

[3] I have the same target for women. So far, my success has been... mixed [4]

[4] That's not an apartheid reference.

[corriedewilde]

Yes, collectors can have a helluva lot of guns. I'm aiming for a hundred before I'm fifty :-)

I am on my way to sixty, but I have hunderd and forty guns, so I must still be well on track.

GlockShooter, You can join most Collectors Ass. before you have a collection. Attend the information days/shoots/displays. That way they will get to know you and you need the guys to vouch for you as a collector. If a current collector want to upgrade the same rule apply, he need to show he is a responsible cat C collector for a reasonable period before the Ass will consider upgrading him to a cat B collector, for semi-auto rifles if needed.

But you will also see the people who are in the game now and why they protect their interest. AND it is great, IF you are really interested.