Welcome everyone. Here is where I can post and share my collection of WW1 and WW2 small arms that me and Dad, Kevin Baker collected over the years.

Here is my story…

Growing up I always knew my dad had firearms and was known to be crack shot. having won the western Australian state championship in Skeet shooting before I was born. His main sport was skeet shooting but having grew up in rural North Island New Zealand he had a interest in shooting. In fact, my dad’s mother and my Nanna Margaret Baker. Was once New Zealand champion in small bore rifle shooting. Shooting a BSA target 22LR.

I remember getting interested in shooting when I was around 15 years old. It was weird it was like a calling. I remember playing call of duty world at war on the PlayStation and I started to become curious in firearms, what there were, the history in them and how they were made. That’s when I remember my dad telling me more about the firearms he had and not long after that he took me shooting for the first time. It was cool I remember shooting some metallic silhouette targets and shooting his 30-06 rifle for the first time. I remember being hooked ever since. And always trying to compete against my dad in competition. It wasn’t easy trying to beat my dad in shooting comps. He was very good at his sport but lucky for me I had some of that Baker shooting talent passed down to me and it wasn’t long till I beat him. Although I will admit I think he beat me most of the time, but I always loved the way he would make me feel when I managed to get the better of him on a shooting day, always congratulating me and almost happier when I won against me.

I remember shooting for a couple years when we started to get interested in collecting some more firearms. Mainly because we only had the 12G shotgun for skeet and his Krico 30-06 hunting rifle. We were keen on a competition called practical hunting rifle which was new to western Australia, my dad helped his friend Jan start the new discipline in WA.

I remember going to gun stores after Tafe with my dad and talking with him about what we would collect next. I remember he got his collectors license, and we collected a lot of different bolt action war rifles and pistols. Some which I will post about individually.

It was such an awesome time. We would visit my dad’s family in New Zealand each year in April starting from 2009 to 2013. I remember going over the first year and going to a shooting competition in Rotorua with my dad’s old 308. Deer stalking rifle. My dad filmed it with his camcorder, we showed my uncle what we were doing and shared that we had started a small gun collection. Before long he too was right into collecting himself. We were sharing what we would get with each other, and it was just an awesome time to be alive.

Years went by and we both grew our collection. Some of my most cherished memories is hanging out with my dad as we talked and handled pieces of our collection talking about some of the stories of the rifles we had and about how we collected them. My uncle now has a really nice collection of American and British small arms and is still one of my favourite things to do with him when I visit my uncle.

All good things come to an end, unfortunately it’s a aprt of life, I really wish it wasn’t.

In 2024 my dad was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer and in December 2024 I had to say goodbye to him for the final time.

Honestly some days I still am in disbelief this has happened to our family. He was loved by many and was such an amazing dad. I miss him a lot.

He didn’t talk much about what would happen if the worst was to happen which it did..

He did speak to me about our collection though, he said if it’s too hard don’t worry about keeping them but if you can that would be awesome.

I’ve chosen to do the hard work and try and keep them.

I’m happy with my decision and I’ve taken on the challenge head on. We recently got new firearm laws in western Australia. The process has been extremely hard, especially while also grieving my dad. But not impossible. I’m almost there, and this can be a place where I share the continuation of the Baker collection. A new beginning. Following on from what me and my dad started.

I’ll finish by leaving this here, so its out there in the universe.

Dear Dad aka Kev dog. I’m sorry this has happened and I know we weren’t ready and weren’t planning for things to happen this way. Wherever you are now, know this, I want to make you a promise. Just as you said whenever you left to visit New Zealand. “Son you’re the man of the house now” I promise to look after our family in your absence. I promise to keep pushing myself to new limits in my career just as you encouraged me to do. I promise to keep seeking out life’s curiosities just as you did, collecting hobbies and talents, a trait of yours I’m proud to carry.

Put simply what I’m trying to say is I promise to live my life the best I can. This is my promise to you, Kevin Baker. The best dad anyone could have asked for.