[SeekHer]

You missed one heading in your poll--All of the Above--

I shoot matchlock, wheel lock & snaphance lock, dog lock, flintlock, percussion cap rifles and pistols from about the period of the 100 Years War to the settlement of Jamestown to F&I War to Rev War (BAR) to Napoleonic War & the War of 1812-14 to The Indian Wars to the American Civil War (N/SSA) to The Plains Indian Wars to the Zulu War and the Boer War to Custer's Demise and the Riel Rebellion...always on the side of the British (in some cases more than one unit) and always have the uniform of my opponent (in case I decide to desert to the other side)...went to one re-enactment and there was 150 or so Confederates and only 2 Union privates so me and about 40 others switched sides as we had the uniforms--so what if the accoutrements weren't exact--we and the audience (most important) had fun...I also have been involved in SCA with swords, pole weapons, archery and armour…

As the British supplied heavily, the Confederate States, I am either an officer advisor/reporter or a Reb (16th Miss) but do have Union clothing for the officer or the Rank & File...Of course the single most important and costly piece is your firearm, once you have that the rest is available in bits and pieces…leather goods, shirt, pants, shoes and coats can be purchased over time---avoids mistakes—and so long as you look good at 20 yds, the public will never know…whether your companions will allow you to play dress up is another matter entirely…

Being Caucasian, for the African Wars I can only portray the part of a British Soldier and as a scout/tracker for the Indian Wars and/or a Rifle brigade Sgt. Major. for the Riel Rebellion here in Canada...although I do have a complete Cavalry outfit of the ill fated 7th...and of course plains Indian regalia as I do Fur Trade (HBC or NWCo factor) and as a brigade or a free trapper… and I can dabble in Boer War with the straight pull Mauser rifles the Dutch Boers used…for every period I portray militarily, I have an opponent’s uniform(s) (sometimes their weaponry) and civilian attire for both rich and poor personas…it helps that both of us can sew, do leatherwork and are somewhat handy with the necessary period tools…I’m now including Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS) of the Single Actions Shooting Society (SASS) and National Congress of Old West Shootists (NCOWS) including Blackpowder Cartridge Rifle (BCPR) to my repertoire…

I sort of draw the line there for re-enactments (advent of smokeless powder) but collect weaponry from then to the Vietnam War (especially sniper rifles) and have a great grandparent's 1st War uniform and rifle which I couldn't wear even if I wanted to as I'm 8" taller and 100 Lbs heavier then he was and of course of the historical significance, so I donated it to one of the local historical museums along with a number of firearms (40), swords (30), knives (30), bayonets (20) and personal items like clothing, shoes and hygiene items...from the time periods represented...and about the same number amongst the other three museums in the vicinity...

I come from a very large family of consummate collectors that sort of stopped with my generation--my children enjoy it but the majority of the others children and even grandchildren won't have anything to do with it...Icky, old fart stuff...so I and some cousins have been acquiring a lot of firearms, edged & other weaponry and unique items from the estates of relatives and we sort them out amongst ourselves, well before hand (usually with the owner there), as to who acquires what...

Whenever we travel by car, we will always stop at most of the museums, forts and historic sites along the route and having such a diverse interest in historical time lines from pre-historic to ancient civilizations to medieval and finally to semi modern times, it doesn’t leave out many places to see and in Europe it can be quite costly, monetarily as we have allowed the time into our touring…