Maryland Arms Collector's Association Looking For New Members!

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  • MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    Hey Guys and Gal's

    I just joined the Maryland Arms Collector's Association back in January. You might be familiar with it as the group that puts on the huge Antique/C&R/Militaria show in Timonium every March. It's actually a pretty big club that holds monthly meetings in the Catonsville/Ellicot City area.

    One of the things that the club members are trying to do, is reach out to the younger generations of collectors, shooters and anyone else interested in military history or history in general and gain new members for the club. They want to keep the spirit of the club alive for future generations as it has for over 64 years now.

    Every month, members bring in interesting historical firearms or other militaria to trade, sell or display. Anything from Chinese Hand Cannons to the Present. Every meeting I've been to so far has something that's been in or should be in a Forgotten Weapons video.

    There are also guest speakers who give talks on a wide variety of topics, for example a couple weeks ago the guest gave a speech about the history of Breweries in Maryland from Colonial Times to Present, and the month before that was a lengthy talk about the Civil War.

    As for some of the benefits, as well as the process of joining the club...

    The benefits for Applicants are attendance at regular meetings and receipt of the monthly newsletter. Applicants pay $20.00 application fee plus one year's dues @ $40.00.

    For Conditional members, it is the same as Applicants plus you get attendance at the huge Crab Feast plus entering the show early at no cost. You must attend five meetings per year and pay annual dues of $40.00.

    Full Members: Same as Conditional Members plus ability to vote plus ability to hold elected office. Must attend five meetings per year (up through fifth year of membership including time as Conditional) and pay annual dues of $40.00.

    If you're interested in seeing what the club is about, or know anyone else who is interested. Please let me know. I added a link for some information about the club but there isn't an "in depth" website for it.

    I'm willing to bring anyone interested in as my guest and sponsor any of you myself.

    http://www.baltimoreshow.com/about-the-show/about-maryland-arms-collectors/
     

    StantonCree

    Watch your beer
    Jan 23, 2011
    23,932
    Im intrigued BUT i feel like i have nothing to offer the rest of the club.

    Honestly I’m not into military or older weapons like you C&R guys unless it’s a revolver. That being said i do enjoy learning.
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,690
    While I have more C&R stuff than is good for me, my interest is far from scholarly. My main reason for attending their wonderful shows each year is to find interesting ethnographic edged weapons. Exhibitors from all over the world bring great stuff for sale/display.

    I could be interested to see what goes down at their meetings. Crab feasts and early entry to the show are also quite tempting.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,881
    Interesting , but I wouldn't do much to lower the average age.

    Is Applicant a permanent status, or just temporary ? The dues would be do-able , but attending multiple meetings up north would be an issue .
     

    WeaponsCollector

    EXTREME GUN OWNER
    Mar 30, 2009
    12,120
    Southern MD
    I would've joined many years ago since I basically have a museum of antique weapons, but I live too far away and work full time so never joined. But their Baltimore show is definitely the best!
     

    MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    Im intrigued BUT i feel like i have nothing to offer the rest of the club.

    Honestly I’m not into military or older weapons like you C&R guys unless it’s a revolver. That being said i do enjoy learning.

    I wouldn’t worry about not having anything to offer. A big part of the club is trying to share the history of various items/events and teach others about them.

    Quite a few of the members there are big revolver collectors too.
     

    MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    While I have more C&R stuff than is good for me, my interest is far from scholarly. My main reason for attending their wonderful shows each year is to find interesting ethnographic edged weapons. Exhibitors from all over the world bring great stuff for sale/display.

    I could be interested to see what goes down at their meetings. Crab feasts and early entry to the show are also quite tempting.

    I’m not really into the “scholarly” part of it either. It is interesting when it deals with something I collect/enjoy. Some of the members bring various knife collections to them each meeting. Heck, one meeting a guy gave a talk about all the different kinds of knives made in Sheffield, England.

    The crab feast in August is supposedly pretty huge. One half of the building they have the crab feast, and on the other, they hold a flea market/gun show for the members
     

    MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    Interesting , but I wouldn't do much to lower the average age.

    Is Applicant a permanent status, or just temporary ? The dues would be do-able , but attending multiple meetings up north would be an issue .

    I wouldn’t worry about the age thing. They want to reach out to newer people so I offered to make a post here. Anyone can feel free to join.

    Applicant status is just temporary until you come to your 4th meeting. I got my Conditional membership a couple weeks ago at the last meeting.
     
    Last edited:

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,881
    I get it that they want a close knit Club , with a very active membership , and that can be a good thing .

    I'd potentially throw them support and dues , but it's too far a haul from SOMD to commit to making all the meetings . If they had a catagory for members that would allow to attend selected events, but not require it , I'm sure there would be plenty of intrested people from the further reaches of the State ( and neighboring states ). But it is entirely their right and privledges to desire a smaller , more involved membership vs larger , more impersonal.
     

    BeoBill

    Crank in the Third Row
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 3, 2013
    27,064
    南馬里蘭州鮑伊
    I get it that they want a close knit Club , with a very active membership , and that can be a good thing .

    I'd potentially throw them support and dues , but it's too far a haul from SOMD to commit to making all the meetings . If they had a catagory for members that would allow to attend selected events, but not require it , I'm sure there would be plenty of intrested people from the further reaches of the State ( and neighboring states ). But it is entirely their right and privledges to desire a smaller , more involved membership vs larger , more impersonal.

    I'm in the same boat. I'd enjoy being with collectors, seeing items and learning the history associated with them, but the haul up to the other side of Baltimore monthly (probably during rush hour) is just too much for me.
     

    MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    I'm in the same boat. I'd enjoy being with collectors, seeing items and learning the history associated with them, but the haul up to the other side of Baltimore monthly (probably during rush hour) is just too much for me.

    That’s completely understandable guys. That also reminds me, I forgot to mention the meetings are at 7:00 p.m. on the second Friday of each month.
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,690
    Catonsville area is probably doable for me. Equivalent to a trip to Annapolis, which I've been doing a lot of late.

    Keep me in mind for this; I have company in town that might interfere with a May meeting, but maybe not.

    And thank you for the info, invite, and all.
     

    MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    Catonsville area is probably doable for me. Equivalent to a trip to Annapolis, which I've been doing a lot of late.

    Keep me in mind for this; I have company in town that might interfere with a May meeting, but maybe not.

    And thank you for the info, invite, and all.

    Thank you. Glad to see it’s of interest. If you can’t make the May meeting there’s always the next one in June. I’ll be happy to have you as my guest.

    The club board members are also working on a “Junior Membership” for younger people under 18 years old. I believe this will entail having less membership dues but the plans are not yet finalized. I’ll add more information when it becomes available.
     

    SmokeEaterPilot

    Active Member
    Jun 3, 2011
    524
    I think Dan really brings up a lot of valid points and I think this thread is a wonderful idea.

    I had a good friend who's an older collector. A wonderful 1903 collection, some examples and variants only found in Brophy's or a museum.

    He said he hopes the younger generation takes the helm and keeps the interest in this hobby alive because when his generation is gone, who will continue be curators of these examples of history.

    Thanks Dan, great thread!
     

    h2u

    Village Idiot
    Jul 8, 2007
    6,694
    South County
    I get it that they want a close knit Club , with a very active membership , and that can be a good thing .

    I'd potentially throw them support and dues , but it's too far a haul from SOMD to commit to making all the meetings . If they had a catagory for members that would allow to attend selected events, but not require it , I'm sure there would be plenty of intrested people from the further reaches of the State ( and neighboring states ). But it is entirely their right and privledges to desire a smaller , more involved membership vs larger , more impersonal.

    This is exactly me. VERY interested but logistics = no freakin' way...
    Tell them they should investigate regional meetings throughout the state a couple of times a year. They'd reach a far larger audience.

    They're stagnant due to it being the same (old) people in the same (old) place each month.
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,711
    I think Dan really brings up a lot of valid points and I think this thread is a wonderful idea.

    I had a good friend who's an older collector. A wonderful 1903 collection, some examples and variants only found in Brophy's or a museum.

    He said he hopes the younger generation takes the helm and keeps the interest in this hobby alive because when his generation is gone, who will continue be curators of these examples of history.

    Thanks Dan, great thread!

    Not only that, but these older, large & comprehensive collections are being broken up and scattered to the four winds so to speak.
    Witness Buxton, Sturgess, etc. collections lately...
     

    MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    Just wanted to put out a reminder that the next MACA meeting is next Friday Evening May 11th. If you’d like to attend as a guest, please feel free to let me know, I’d be happy to have you along.

    The next guest speaker seems like a pretty interesting one!

    “Mr. William Wheatley will be talking about his experiences as a fighter pilot in Vietnam and Cambodia during the Vietnam war. Shot down in western Vietnam into Cambodia, he will tell of his harrowing experience and rescue. He will follow up with some of his surveillance activities near the Ho Chi Minh trail.”
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,690
    Put me down as a strong "tentative", and thanks.
     

    Cruacious

    C&R Farmer
    Apr 29, 2015
    1,596
    Elkton
    I would but my schedule prohibits me from even considering it. I work weekdays all in the evenings and cannot spare any time whatsoever. Otherwise I would be all for it. However, I like the idea of opening local chapters. One in each county with adjustable meeting times would be a great way to expand membership without hopefully compromising the group's name or integrity.

    Maybe, at least once or twice a year, have a state-wide get together. Would be the best way for the new and old collectors to get together as most people can spare a day or two.

    Just my two cents.
     

    MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    I would but my schedule prohibits me from even considering it. I work weekdays all in the evenings and cannot spare any time whatsoever. Otherwise I would be all for it. However, I like the idea of opening local chapters. One in each county with adjustable meeting times would be a great way to expand membership without hopefully compromising the group's name or integrity.

    Maybe, at least once or twice a year, have a state-wide get together. Would be the best way for the new and old collectors to get together as most people can spare a day or two.

    Just my two cents.

    I think that is a wonderful idea and would help expand the club a ton. The next meeting I’m going to try to talk to the membership about setting up local chapters and see where it goes.

    Maryland isn’t a huge state, but it’s big enough where it would be a burden for people all over the state to meet in one specific area.
     

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