Whether you’re buying your first gun or deciding which pieces to add to your collection, there's always more to learn in the world of arms collecting. From matchlocks to military pistols and everything in between, we'll take a look at some of the absolute gun collection must haves that every determined firearms fan should own.

Featuring a host of examples from some of the most storied gun collections in the world, Rock Island Auction Company offers arms that cater to every level of the collecting pursuit. Click on the images throughout this article to learn more about each model.

Rock Island Auction Company features quality gun collection must haves from every firearm genre.

The M1911 Pistol

When you think of the most American guns, the M1911 probably ranks high on the list. And why shouldn't it? "Old Slabside" is the longest-serving sidearm in U.S. military history and the pistol that helped the United States become back to back World War champs. The 1911 genre is wildly popular, and every great gun collection should contain at least one original 1911.

One of the most collectible Colt 1911 pistols, a documented WW1 era U.S. Marine Corps shipped Colt Model 1911 pistol, a must have gun for any Colt or U.S. military collection.

After serving with distinction in WW1, the M1911 design pioneered by John Moses Browning underwent a series of small refinements intended to make the .45 ACP handgun even easier to shoot. These included a shortened trigger, extended hammer spurs, simplified checkered grips, an arched mainspring housing, a thicker front sight, and angled clearance cutouts.

Designated the M1911A1, no major changes were made to the 1911’s internals, testifying to the pistol’s exemplary performance record. As the most widely carried American pistol of WW2, the M1911A1 is a gun collection must have for any US military aficionado. The Union Switch and Signal pistol below represents one of the rarest and most desirable pieces in the gun collecting pursuit.

Union Switch and Signal produced 55,000 M1911A1 pistols during World War 2. This pistol was issued to B-17 co-pilot Arthur C. "Bud" Stipe of the legendary "Bloody Hundredth" 100th Bombardment Group, featured in "Masters of the Air" on Apple TV+.

The continued popularity of the 1911 pistol and its variants is reflected in the genre's impressive price growth in recent years. The commercial version of the platform, the Colt Government Model, would find equal success. The Government Model's famous blued finish makes it an outstanding canvas for engraving and the pistol has become one of the most popular firearms in modern gun collecting.

From top to bottom: A Colt Government Model, a Colt Combat Officer's ACP, and a Colt Mustang. From The Tom Selleck Collection.

Old West Revolvers

Everyone loves Old West guns, and RIAC's bounty of gun collection must haves includes a wide assortment of authentic Wild West sixshooters. Leading the lineup is the Colt Single Action Army revolver, a wheelgun on everyone's wishlist. The famous Peacemaker served as the choice sidearm for countless lawmen, desperados, homesteaders, and cowboys who braved the frontier, and RIAC's selection carries numerous examples of the storied revolver offered at attainable price points.

The Colt Single Action Army is a gun collection cornerstone.

Early percussion Colts like the Colt Dragoon are another gun collection cornerstone. Known by Sam Colt as the “Old Model Holster Pistol,” the Colt Dragoon is a familiar sight to fans of Westerns like 'True Grit' and 'The Cowboys'. The Dragoon was an improvement on the Colt Paterson and the Walker in several respects, with the Third Model being the final and most prevalent iteration of the American Dragoon revolver.

The Colt Dragoon is a must have gun for any antique arms collection.

While they're sometimes overshadowed by Colt, Smith & Wesson revolvers shares the same frontier legacy and are absolute must haves for any Old West gun collection. The Smith & Wesson Model 3 and its successors like the Russian, Schofield, and New Model 3 set the standard for the large-framed, top break, single action revolver of the 1870s and beyond, helping elevate Smith & Wesson to a global powerhouse.

Smith & Wesson produced some of the best classic revolvers in the collecting pursuit.

Winchester Lever Actions

Another genre of gun collection must haves would undoubtedly be Old West Winchester rifles. Vintage Winchester lever actions remain as popular as ever today with arms collectors, cowboy shooters, and fans of frontier history. The “Improved Henry,” or what would become known as the Winchester Model 1866, is often hailed as "the first cowboy rifle" and is also the first rifle to bear the fabled Winchester name.

A historic Winchester Model 1866 rifle featuring a presentation inscription to Panther Bill from Buffalo Bill in 1880.

As one of the archetypical Wild West guns, the Winchester 1873’s tough frame, stronger chambering, and wide-scale availability helped this legendary Winchester become the rifle that won the West. Ned Crossman, a prolific firearms writer in the early 20th century, wrote that the sturdy Model 1873 “put the name Winchester on the map of the West, trotting along with the equally formidable Colt gun at the belt of the frontiersman.”

From James Stewart's Winchester '73 movie to Paramount's recent 1883 series, the rugged rifle remains one of the most well-known guns of Hollywood, and its real-life history is even more enduring. Needless to say, no frontier gun collection is complete without an antique Winchester Model 1873.

The Winchester Model 1873 is a gun collection must have, with elite examples like the famous Winchester Model 1873 One of One Thousand representing the pinnacle of the genre.

The Winchester Model 1894 emerged too late to claim the title “Gun That Won the West,” but it certainly kept Winchester’s frontier legacy alive. The Winchester 94’s balance and slim profile made it a favorite walking gun for hunters, ranchers, and law enforcement. The classic lever gun’s accuracy, simplicity, and rugged resilience added up to an ideal big-woods whitetail gun, and more than a century later the venerable rifle has become one of the most memorable pieces of Americana.

Two classic Winchester Model 94 options.

WW2 Guns

General George Patton once hailed the M1 Garand as, “the greatest battle implement ever devised." Fielded by millions of American GIs from 1936 to 1959, the M1 Garand served as the standard United States infantry rifle, and it continued to see use as late as the Vietnam War. Nearly a century after gun inventor John Garand first started developing the storied rifle, the M1 Garand is more popular than ever with shooters, collectors, and WW2 arms enthusiasts, and the rifle is an absolute must have gun in any U.S. military collection.

A consecutively serialized pair of U.S. Springfield M1C Garand sniper rifles with Lyman Alaskan scopes and matching numbered brackets.

The WW2 Model 1941 Johnson semi-automatic rifle was seriously considered by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps as an alternative to the M1 Garand in 1941. Although the Army never officially adopted the Johnson rifle, after the fall of the Dutch East Indies to Japan in 1942 some of the Dutch contract Johnson rifles were obtained by the Marine Corps and issued to the Marine Parachute and Raider Battalions for use in the early island hopping campaign in the South Pacific in 1943. With fewer than 21,500 manufactured, these scarce and intriguing rifles represent rare opportunities for WW2 gun collectors.

A WW2 U.S. Johnson Automatics Model 1941 rifle with an extra barrel, two bayonets, and a U.S.M.C. cartridge belt.

Rock Island Auction offers no shortage of options for gun collection builders looking to add some sniper rifles to the mix. From the Mosin Nagant, the Walther G41, the Kar98k, the Mauser 98, the British Lee-Enfield, and more. Sharpshooting rifles evolved in the late 19th century and WW1, with improvements to telescopic sights making their WW2 counterparts even deadlier.

The Mosin Nagant is a gun collection must have for bolt action enthusiasts, particullarly examples like this pre-war Soviet 91/30 sniper rifle fitted with a top mounted 4x PE sniper scope.

The Walther PPK, or "Polizeipistole Kriminalmodel," is a scaled-down variant of the Walther PP that has become an absolute gun collection must have. The PPK became the more popular model before, during, and in the years following WW2. One of the most collectible variants of the PPK is the "Party Leader" pistol, the "Honor Weapon of the Political Leaders" for the Nazi party. The one-piece wraparound "Party Leader" grip displays a large eagle clutching a swastika encircled by a wreath.

A documented Walther PPK with scarce "Party Leader" grips, Party Leader holster, presentation Case, extra magazine, and flag.

The Nambu line of Japanese semi-automatic pistols was created by their namesake Kijirō Nambu, a legendary gun inventor. Trying to compete with smaller, more compact pistols from Europe and America, the “Baby Nambu” was a scaled-down version of its two predecessors, the Grandpa and Papa Nambu pistols. Only 6,500 Baby Nambu were made, almost all of which were privately purchased by senior Japanese officers, making these rare sidearms a tempting item to add to any 20th century gun collection.

A striker fired Papa Nambu pistol, a must have gun for the WW2 buff.

WW1 Guns

The distinctive Luger is often called the most famous pistol in modern warfare. Manufactured in numerous variants, George Luger's creation was one of the most widely carried sidearms of WW1 and beyond. Captured Luger pistols were considered valuable war trophies for the Allies, and it's no surprise the desire to own one of history's iconic pistols continues today in the gun collecting community.

As one of the most recognizable pistols in history, the Luger is an absolute gun collection must have.

Trench guns have a larger-than-life reputation for their slam fire heroics in WW1, with the Winchester Model 1897 shotgun leading the charge for the United States. As America prepared to enter the Great War, General John Pershing recalled the effectiveness of the Winchester shotgun in the Philippines and envisioned how they could be wielded in the trenches of Western Europe. These incredible military shotguns lived up to their reputation on the battlefield and have become one of the gun collecting world's rising stars today.

Rock Island Auction Company offers some of the finest historic trench gun examples to upgrade your gun collection.

The Springfield 1903 is another absolute gun collection must have for every military collector. Based on the German Mauser bolt action, the 1903 rifle became a cornerstone of accuracy and rugged resilience. Many early 20th-century rifles like the Springfield 1903 are still carried by hunters and shooters today, including thousands of sporterized examples, a testament to the character and craftsmanship of these timeless designs.

The Model 1903 rifle is a gun collecting cornerstone.

The Mauser C96 self-loading pistol is another unquestionable gun collection must have. Known as the Broomhandle, the Pistole 7.63, and many other slangs and designations, the C96’s unique silhouette makes it a standout sidearm with collectors and a favorite in Hollywood, featured onscreen in period dramas like Peaky Blinders and serving as the basis for Han Solo’s DL-44 Heavy Blaster, perhaps the most eminent of all Star Wars guns. Though a highly sought-after collectible, quality examples of the Mauser C96 can still be found at attainable prices.

A WW1 Imperial German Mauser Red 9 broomhandle pistol rig with a matching numbered shoulder stock.

Civil War Guns

Perhaps the most famous Civil War repeating rifle, the New Haven Arms Co. Henry rifle is a must have genre for Winchester fans, history lovers, and gun collection completionists. These trailblazing lever actions were chambered for the .44 Henry rimfire cartridge, 15 of which were kept within a tube magazine located under the barrel, offering an unprecedented rate of fire for the era.

Many other Henry rifles were acquired by individual soldiers during the Civil War, often veterans using a portion of their re-enlistment bonus to obtain the expensive firearm. With only roughly 13,000 Henry rifles manufactured, these historic guns are a hot commodity in the collecting world.

The Henry rifle, an icon of 19th century gun collecting.

The Colt Model 1851 Navy was one of the most prevalent sidearms of the Civil War and the most common revolver carried by the Confederate forces. Indeed, the 1851 Navy became the basis for numerous Confederate produced brass-frame revolver styles like the Griswold & Gunnison Revolver and the Leech & Rigdon revolvers.

Building off of the successful Colt 1849 Pocket percussion, the Colt 1851 Navy was a personal favorite of Samuel Colt and a preferred sidearm for Western legends like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody, and the sturdy sixgun continued to see widespread use long after the Civil War. Today, the Colt Model 1851 Navy is one of the most desirable gun collection must haves from the antique revolver genre.

A gun collecting cornerstone, the Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver.

Popularized recently by Quigley Down Under, the various Sharps rifle and carbine models manufactured from the Antebellum Era through the late-19th century were some of the most renowned firearms of the American frontier. Sharps were well-trusted for their accuracy and reliability during the Civil War, and the Union purchased approximately 80,000 Sharps carbines and almost 10,000 rifles.

Specially ordered Sharps rifles were fielded by the 1st and 2nd U.S. Sharpshooter Regiments (the Berdan’s Sharpshooters) to great effect. They were later produced for centerfire metallic cartridges and were manufactured in a dizzying array of configurations through the decades, becoming one of the most prominent buffalo guns in the post war era.

The Sharps rifle is another gun collection must have for lovers of frontier history.

Revolver? Shotgun? Why not two-in-one? Some of the coolest guns came out of the Civil War era, and this unique Confederate revolver was no exception. The LeMat revolver stored nine black powder pistol rounds with an additional smoothbore "grapeshot" barrel below.

This unconventional design offered the LeMat two distinct firing modes that could be alternated by toggling a movable firing pin on the hammer. Surviving LeMats are comparatively scarce due to their limited production run and heavy use during combat, making examples like the revolver below absolute gun collection must haves.

The LeMat revolvers for sale at RIAC cover numerous models, including (from left to right) a Civil War-era Second Model LeMat percussion revolver, a Belgian LeMat Patent SA centerfire revolver, a centerfire LeMat revolving carbine.

Combining a rolling breechblock with a seven-shot tubular magazine in the buttstock that was cycled with a lever action, the Spencer rifle and carbine offered an unprecedented level of firepower during the Civil War. Millions of Spencers went West following the war, becoming one of the favored longarms of frontier scouts, Indian fighters, and some of the Native American warriors they faced. The Spencer's rich history and innovation makes surviving examples of these fantastic weapons all the more desirable today and a must have gun for military collections.

A Civil War Spencer rifle, another absolute gun collection must have.

Classic Revolvers

The vaunted Smith & Wesson Registered Magnum was the first production gun to fire the .357 Magnum cartridge and was offered as a high-end, customizable revolver with a focus on quality. Each Registered Magnum came with a registration card that the buyer could mail back to Smith & Wesson to obtain a registration certificate, a guarantee of quality from S&W. Only 5,224 of these premium revolvers were offered. The model's rarity combined with its remarkable quality and power marks the Registered Magnum as a must have gun for every revolver collector.

This law enforcement shipped Registered Magnum, one of only 5,224 sold by S&W between 1935 and 1939, is a true gun collection must have for wheelgun fans.

As the “Rolls-Royce of Colt revolvers,” the Colt Python platform is a true gun collection must have that can still be acquired at attainable price points. From the 1970s ‘Starsky & Hutch’ to ‘The Walking Dead', the Python's Hollywood appeal is stronger than ever, and values for vintage examples of this classic handmade Colt revolver have been on an impressive rise in recent years.

A Python (top) and a Diamondback (bottom,) two Colt Snake guns that belong in ever gun collection.

The original S&W .44 Magnum, the Model 29 was a popular gun collection staple upon its release in 1955, but its depiction in 1971's 'Dirty Harry' film propelled the revolver to superstardom. Described by Eastwood as "the most powerful handgun in the world," the Model 29-2 saw its values soar. The Smith & Wesson Model 29 set off an arms race that continues today with revolvers chambered in titans like the .454 Casull, .460 S&W, .480 Ruger, .500 JRH, and .500 Linebaugh, but the original S&W Model 29 has been elevated to a must have gun for any revolver collector.

An excellent factory engraved Smith & Wesson Model 29-2 DA revolver with case.

The Colt Detective Special is one of the most famous early modern factory production snub nose revolvers. The wheelgun was made as a double action with the ability to function as single, used a swing-out frame for faster loading, and was specifically designed for the .38 Special. The classic snubbie is a must have gun for any collection thanks to its history with undercover cops and detectives, as well as Taxi drivers, store owners, and mobsters.

A pair of snub nose .38 revolvers. The Colt Detective Special is gun collection must have for any fan of wheelgun history.

Antique Muzzleloaders

When it comes to gun collection must haves, antique pistols make for some of the most impressive display pieces. Flintlock officer's pistols were often crafted as matching pairs that carried a higher level of prestige and embellishment compared to the more standard pistols of the lower ranks.

These pistols typically exhibit quality engraving and ornamentation, and surviving examples tend to be well preserved. Antique pistols that include their original box and accessories are particularly valued in the collecting community, and a number of intriguing examples can be found amid RIAC's extraordinary selection.

Both flintlock rifles and pistols are definite gun collection must haves for every firearm fan, and May's selection delivers some of the finest examples in the field.

Carried both on land and sea, the unique-looking blunderbuss belongs in any antique arms collection. Drawing its name from the Dutch word 'donderbus', or thunder pipe, the blunderbuss is a smoothbore short-barreled long gun with a flared muzzle that was especially useful for defending ships from boarders and carriages from highwaymen.

Much like a modern shotgun, the blunderbuss was designed to deliver a devastating blast of shot or buck and ball at close range. George Washington equipped them to his dragoons late in the Revolutionary War, and other militaries around the world issued the blunderbuss as cavalry weapons through the early 18th century.

A blunderbuss is a definite must have in any antique gun collection.

Want to get away from flint and steel ignition? Wheellocks are always unusual and attractive. There is a reason these high art examples are staples of fine arms and art collections in both Europe and the U.S.

A pair of chiseled Brescian wheellock pistols, a gun collection must have for the antique lover.

To build a truly ‘complete’ antique military arms collection, the matchlock is an absolute essential and a foundational stepping stone in arms development. Any given sale at Rock Island Auction Company may include matchlock firearms of varying ages from very early antiques to even modern made replicas and of varying designs from around the world.

Two Japanese matchlock pistols

Gun Collection Must Haves at Rock Island Auction Company

Aside from the joy of building a fantastic gun collection, firearms can be a rewarding investment, with gun prices seeing an impressive upswing across many genres as the hobby swells in popularity around the globe. From vintage to modern, from new-in-box pieces to guns marked with honest wear, Rock Island Auction Company’s offers a vast selection of gun collection must haves that truly span the centuries.

Two consecutively serialed exhibition quality engraved Winchester Deluxe Model 1886 rifles, a pair of gun collecting icons.

The essential genres featured here just scratch the surface of what the gun collection field has to offer, and we cover every model and genre in depth with gun blogs and gun videos in the Rock Island Auction newsletter. From engineering marvels like the  J. & J. Miller pill lock revolving rifle, the Collier revolver, and the Nock volley gun, antique icons like the Colt 1855, the Colt Lightning, the Remington 1875, the Colt Frontier, and the C93, 20th century firepower like the SKS, M1917, M1 Carbine, MP40, MG42, the Thompson machine gun, and the Uzi, to modern classics like the SIG Sauer Model P226, the Colt Model 30 PK, M17, and Beretta 92F, Rock Island Auction Company features history's most collectible guns.

Marlin lever action rifles belong in any complete 19th century gun collection.