So many people wrote me asking what 10mm is a good bet to not lose money on, I decided to put this append to the 10 info pages up. It actually applies to ALL firearms, but only 10-'s are listed here.

Here are some tips on gun collecting that keep me from losing money when I either invest in a firearm (to trade up to another one naturally) or, buy it to give it a test drive wanting to really give a firearm I like the concept of a good wringing out.

The few in my list are sensible, but difficult to get someone who REALLY fancies a firearm to READ and understand. Invariably, we make the mistake, and take it on the chin, so I'll say it once... I TOLD YOU SO!

Guns become collectible for a VERY few reasons. Also buying a collectible with a name like Ruger can have additional dangers. The main one being that since the manufacturer is still in business, they can always stoke up the assembly line, and churn out 50,000 NEW models killing the market for the old model. This happened with the Ruger Bearcat.

I think my list is the major reasons for making firearms collectible, there may be more, and if you know of one, drop me Email.

1. The manufacturer was FAR ahead of their time, far too late to have another generation of users to appreciate it and support the designs continued manufacture, or was overpriced.
   
   
   • The H&K P9S .45 fits this pretty well.
   
   
   
2. No body wanted the gun when it was in production, because it was either junk, was poorly designed, aesthetically unpalatable, or just plain useless.
   
   
   • Omega, Bren, Wyoming Arms, and the Ruger Hawkeye are right up there (you figure out which was which)
   
   
   
3. The manufacturer went belly up or stopped production BECAUSE it was a superior product, and they refused to compromise on quality till it was too late.
   
   
   • All the High Standards and perhaps the original Kimber come to mind as well as the ORIGINAL S&W 642.
   
   
   
4. The stuff is just OLD. Note not necessarily good.
   
   
   • WW1 and many military arms fit here. The best part about REALLY old guns like 19th century stuff is that FEW people will use them, and will NEVER know if it stinks.