I'm Greg Cook, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, former U.S. Army Unit Armorer, CPA, and the person behind GunCollectorsClub.com. What began in 2006 as a simple hobby website has grown into one of the web's largest independent resources devoted to historic firearms, serial numbers, collector research, and original photography.
How a Hobby Became a Reference Library
When I registered this domain, I expected it to become another discussion forum. After looking around, I realized collectors already had plenty of places to talk. What seemed to be disappearing instead was well-organized reference material. I decided to build the kind of website I wished had existed when I started collecting.
Instead of chasing breaking news, I focused on documenting firearms, photographing them, researching factory records, and writing practical collector guides. Twenty years later, that decision has resulted in hundreds of articles that now help thousands of collectors every day identify, date, and better understand the firearms they own.
An Unexpected Education
The website's growth created an unexpected challenge. Prospective tax clients searching for Greg Cook were increasingly finding my firearms website instead of my CPA practice. Solving that problem introduced me to search engine optimization, website architecture, image optimization, structured data, Core Web Vitals, Cloudflare caching, and modern web publishing.
I never set out to become a student of website performance, but today I enjoy improving the site almost as much as researching old firearms. Every faster page, better photograph, and clearer article helps preserve information that might otherwise disappear.
Why I Continue
Some photographs on this website were taken nearly forty years ago on film. Others were captured with modern digital cameras only days before publication. Together they document not only the firearms themselves, but also my own journey as a collector. Looking back through thousands of images reminds me that collecting has never really been about owning guns—it has always been about preserving history.
None of the guns on Gun Collectors Club are offered for sale. The site exists to share historical information, serial-number research, identification guides, original photography, and personal observations from one collector to another. If an article helps someone identify an old Colt, date a Browning shotgun, or appreciate the craftsmanship of a classic Smith & Wesson, then this project has accomplished exactly what I hoped it would.
Questions or Comments?
If you have a question about firearms history, serial number research, collector resources, or would like to get in touch with Greg Cook, please visit the Contact page.
About Greg Cook
Greg Cook writes about firearms collecting, personal history, and the stories behind interesting guns. His Army MOS was 76Y, Unit Armorer, and he brings that practical background to his collector articles.
I’m Greg Cook — a lifelong firearms enthusiast, Army-trained armorer, and the guy behind GunCollectorsClub.com. I started this site in 2006 to document old guns, share stories, and preserve the craftsmanship of American firearms history.