What's the largest collection you've ever heard of?

freenokia · October 1, 2012, 03:22 AM

I only ask because my cousin told me that his father in law has 2,000 guns...

And even though he's never been the kind to lie, i'm having a bit of difficulty believing him.

So what's the largest private gun collection you guys know of?

Salmoneye · October 1, 2012, 06:17 AM

When I was younger, there was a restaurant south of Burlington, VT that had the largest private collection of arms I have ever seen...

The restaurant was huge, and sprawling, and each room was a different theme...Started literally as a 'Hot Dog Stand', by a guy everyone called 'Doc White'...His collection of guns was added to by the fact that he opened the largest gun store in the area...It was physically connected to the restaurant...Also it helped that Doc was good friends with the Webbs, and in particular the ones that created the 'Shelburne Museum'...

The restaurant 'collection' included real skeletons, a Mummy case, suits of armor; a WWI water cooled machine gun sat on the piano in the piano bar...There were secret passage ways that the waiters would 'disappear' through...One room was all African weapons, spears, and shields...It was a dining 'experience'...

The guns were too numerous to count as a kid ...

A HUGE colt (3x normal size?) 'Peacemaker' (salesman sample?) boxed display was set into the wall on your way through the front door, complete with 6 scaled up ".45 Colt" cartridges...I would stare at it as a kid till my food was cold...

They had what they referred to as the 'Vatican Gun'...It was an extremely ornate pin mounted 16th(?) century 'cannon' that sat on the walls at the Vatican, and was fired to summon the Swiss Guard if attacked...

Hundreds of lever actions in racks...Same for flintlocks, caplocks, pinfire, Wall after wall of handguns from derringers to lugers...

I loved that place as a kid in the 60's...

It was torn down a couple of weeks ago...

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/a...arbor-Hideaway

BLUETIP · October 1, 2012, 08:02 AM

hey guys, this is my first post. just had to reply. i don't have a hard time believing that. i have a buddy of mine that has at least that in his personal collection. i've never counted tho but for instance he has 101 different variations of the M1 carbine. he also owns a ww2 gun store so he buys at a rite price.

geetarman · October 1, 2012, 08:08 AM

^^^^^ Does this place have a name and web site?

I would love to see it .

Chuckusaret · October 1, 2012, 09:32 AM

There are many reports that claim Charlton Heston had one of the bigger private collections and can be seen by googling Charlton Heston. True fact is that the collection shown to be Heston's actually belonged to a guy by the name of Stern. Bottom line it is a very large collection.

BlueTrain · October 1, 2012, 09:52 AM

The largest gun collection I think I've ever seen was in Buckingham Palace, though I suspect the Smithsonian may have more.

Master Blaster 2 · October 1, 2012, 02:36 PM

Mine is only over 275. Sure it is small.

aarondhgraham · October 1, 2012, 02:52 PM

J. M. Davis gun museum,,,

It was once a private collection,,,
Now the museum is open to the public,,,
You simply can not see all of the guns in one day.

Unless you never stop walking.

They bill it as the largest private collection in the world,,,
"The J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum houses over 13,000 firearms."

If you've never been there,,,
You owe it to yourself to make the trip.

Aarond

.

InigoMontoya · October 1, 2012, 09:03 PM

Meh... I'll guess and say on the order of 300 (not mine!).

Gunnut17 · October 1, 2012, 09:55 PM

Biggest collection I've seen first-hand was four.

ROGER4314 · October 2, 2012, 12:54 AM

JM Davis owned the hotel in Claremore, Oklahoma and over the years, hung guns on virtually every square inch of wall space in the hotel. I went there several times after Davis passed away and have never seen so many guns!

Unfortunately, they were all pretty dusty and dirty so it was good that Davis willed the collection to a museum trust that opened up not far from the hotel location. The hotel was pretty run down and I'm not sure it's still there but the collection is going great!

The collection branches out to beer steins, dolls, tobacco pipes, knives and an unbelievable array of interesting stuff. It has guns from famous outlaws and ropes used in executions. There's just no way to describe all that is to be found there!

Here's a link:
http://www.thegunmuseum.com/

Flash

10-96 · October 2, 2012, 04:11 AM

Had to think about that for just a second. I guess the largest collection of weapons I'd ever heard of is probably the Chinese Army. Those suckers are bound to have a bunch of 'em.

Sparks1957 · October 2, 2012, 04:28 AM

There was an old man a few miles from here that I knew, known as a good gunsmith in the area. He died a few years ago.

I remember going to his house one time, and every room was lined with gun cases. Must have numbered in the hundreds, at least. He had a passion for Winchester '94s, and had a bunch of them.

Biggest personal collection I've ever seen outside a museum. I have no idea what his son did with them after he died.

Rifleman1776 · October 2, 2012, 08:50 AM

I was going to mention the J.M. Davis collection also. Incredible.
I have two different friends who each own about 250 guns. One specializes in military arms, the other is a bench rest fanatic.

October 1, 2012, 03:22 AM	#1
freenokia Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2011 Posts: 142	What's the largest collection you've ever heard of? I only ask because my cousin told me that his father in law has 2,000 guns... And even though he's never been the kind to lie, i'm having a bit of difficulty believing him. So what's the largest private gun collection you guys know of?

October 1, 2012, 08:08 AM	#4
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	^^^^^ Does this place have a name and web site? I would love to see it . __________________ Geetarman Carpe Cerveza

October 1, 2012, 09:32 AM	#5
Chuckusaret Junior member Join Date: December 5, 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 708	There are many reports that claim Charlton Heston had one of the bigger private collections and can be seen by googling Charlton Heston. True fact is that the collection shown to be Heston's actually belonged to a guy by the name of Stern. Bottom line it is a very large collection. Last edited by Chuckusaret; October 1, 2012 at 09:42 AM.

October 1, 2012, 09:52 AM	#6
BlueTrain Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 6,141	The largest gun collection I think I've ever seen was in Buckingham Palace, though I suspect the Smithsonian may have more. __________________ Shoot low, sheriff. They're riding Shetlands! Underneath the starry flag, civilize 'em with a Krag, and return us to our own beloved homes! Buy War Bonds.

October 1, 2012, 02:36 PM	#7
Master Blaster 2 Junior member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Posts: 895	Mine is only over 275. Sure it is small. Last edited by Master Blaster 2; October 1, 2012 at 02:43 PM.

October 1, 2012, 06:17 AM	#2
Salmoneye Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 2,076	When I was younger, there was a restaurant south of Burlington, VT that had the largest private collection of arms I have ever seen... The restaurant was huge, and sprawling, and each room was a different theme...Started literally as a 'Hot Dog Stand', by a guy everyone called 'Doc White'...His collection of guns was added to by the fact that he opened the largest gun store in the area...It was physically connected to the restaurant...Also it helped that Doc was good friends with the Webbs, and in particular the ones that created the 'Shelburne Museum'... The restaurant 'collection' included real skeletons, a Mummy case, suits of armor; a WWI water cooled machine gun sat on the piano in the piano bar...There were secret passage ways that the waiters would 'disappear' through...One room was all African weapons, spears, and shields...It was a dining 'experience'... The guns were too numerous to count as a kid ... A HUGE colt (3x normal size?) 'Peacemaker' (salesman sample?) boxed display was set into the wall on your way through the front door, complete with 6 scaled up ".45 Colt" cartridges...I would stare at it as a kid till my food was cold... They had what they referred to as the 'Vatican Gun'...It was an extremely ornate pin mounted 16th(?) century 'cannon' that sat on the walls at the Vatican, and was fired to summon the Swiss Guard if attacked... Hundreds of lever actions in racks...Same for flintlocks, caplocks, pinfire, Wall after wall of handguns from derringers to lugers... I loved that place as a kid in the 60's... It was torn down a couple of weeks ago... http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/a...arbor-Hideaway

October 1, 2012, 08:02 AM	#3
BLUETIP Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2012 Location: tennessee Posts: 119	hey guys, this is my first post. just had to reply. i don't have a hard time believing that. i have a buddy of mine that has at least that in his personal collection. i've never counted tho but for instance he has 101 different variations of the M1 carbine. he also owns a ww2 gun store so he buys at a rite price.

October 1, 2012, 02:52 PM	#8
aarondhgraham Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Location: Stillwater, OKlahoma Posts: 8,638	J. M. Davis gun museum,,, J. M. Davis gun museum,,, It was once a private collection,,, Now the museum is open to the public,,, You simply can not see all of the guns in one day. Unless you never stop walking. They bill it as the largest private collection in the world,,, "The J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum houses over 13,000 firearms." If you've never been there,,, You owe it to yourself to make the trip. Aarond . __________________ Never ever give an enemy the advantage of a verbal threat. Caje: The coward dies a thousand times, the brave only once. Kirby: That's about all it takes, ain't it? Aarond is good,,, Aarond is wise,,, Always trust Aarond! (most of the time)

October 1, 2012, 09:03 PM	#9
InigoMontoya Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2007 Location: Ridgecrest, CA Posts: 229	Meh... I'll guess and say on the order of 300 (not mine!).

October 1, 2012, 09:55 PM	#10
Gunnut17 Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2012 Location: Kitsap County, WA, USA Posts: 445	Biggest collection I've seen first-hand was four.

October 2, 2012, 12:54 AM	#11
ROGER4314 Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2009 Location: East Houston Posts: 257	JM Davis owned the hotel in Claremore, Oklahoma and over the years, hung guns on virtually every square inch of wall space in the hotel. I went there several times after Davis passed away and have never seen so many guns! Unfortunately, they were all pretty dusty and dirty so it was good that Davis willed the collection to a museum trust that opened up not far from the hotel location. The hotel was pretty run down and I'm not sure it's still there but the collection is going great! The collection branches out to beer steins, dolls, tobacco pipes, knives and an unbelievable array of interesting stuff. It has guns from famous outlaws and ropes used in executions. There's just no way to describe all that is to be found there! Here's a link: http://www.thegunmuseum.com/ Flash

October 2, 2012, 04:11 AM	#12
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	Had to think about that for just a second. I guess the largest collection of weapons I'd ever heard of is probably the Chinese Army. Those suckers are bound to have a bunch of 'em. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

October 2, 2012, 04:28 AM	#13
Sparks1957 Senior Member Join Date: September 4, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,552	There was an old man a few miles from here that I knew, known as a good gunsmith in the area. He died a few years ago. I remember going to his house one time, and every room was lined with gun cases. Must have numbered in the hundreds, at least. He had a passion for Winchester '94s, and had a bunch of them. Biggest personal collection I've ever seen outside a museum. I have no idea what his son did with them after he died.

October 2, 2012, 08:50 AM	#14
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	I was going to mention the J.M. Davis collection also. Incredible. I have two different friends who each own about 250 guns. One specializes in military arms, the other is a bench rest fanatic.

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