He was able to assemble a pretty comprehensive collection or Arisakas and other Japanese arms without paying an arm and a leg because most folks just didn’t care much about them. Many years ago when my father started collecting guns, Japanese rifles were a great example of this niche. It’s all about supply and demand, so what we need to find are collecting niches where the supply (or perceived supply) is high and the general interest is low. I could sell my house and still not afford just this column of rifles (photo from the Bob Faris collection – click to enlarge)įortunately, there are still a bunch of opportunities for the collector on a budget. We all love seeing (and pawing through, when given the opportunity!) the fantastic collections built up by gun collectors who have had the twin resources of time and money on their side, but few of us can afford to invest in that sort of undertaking.