New vs old

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Bfh_auto

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What do you like better about old guns than new ones of the same model.
For me, the old ones have nicer wood and better iron sights.
New ones of the same model have much tighter tolerances because of better machining. Accuracy is generally better because of this.
 
I have two Marlin 39A's. They are 31 years apart. 1950 and 1981. WOW what a difference. 1950 has better wood and the action is as smooth as a baby's butt. I don't shoot it much because I shot the newer one a lot and got very used to it before I got the older one. So, I can honestly say I like old and new.
Dean
 
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The old saying they don't make them like they used to comes to mind. And it's a true statement for something's. I prefer the older guns. Just has more personality to me and a story.
I do too. But try to find an inaccurate gun that was made recently.
I was thinking about this while carrying my Rossi 92 today. It feels so natural carrying it. It has a Williams foolproof and is a solid 2 moa rifle for me. But the stock is that featureless wood that is so common on newer wood stocked rifles.
 
Old is pretty relative. I used to never buy anything newer than the 80s and then 10 years later it was the 90s and now its pretty much nothing after 2010.

In 10 years I may start buying the new of today. I would like a Ruger 57 but I’ll wait to find one pre owned.

I’ve gotten over manufacturing and production differences between the eras. I generally buy older stuff because it is not made anymore or at least something significant has changed like safeties on Marlins and locks on S&Ws. Heck, I have even gotten over a lot of that.
 
My favorites are, and old varies;. Win 70 from 1952, Smith 29-2, Ruger Security Six, Colt Sport Woodsman, Ruger MkI, US Krag, Underwood M1 Carbine, M12 Skeet(1948). After that, an original H.Leman squirrel rifle from about 1850.
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Several years ago, I acquired a Marlin 1894 in .357 to go with my GP-100. The rifle was made ~1996 and was one of the "JM" stamped ones (pre-"Remlin"). It is a smooth handling rifle with only minor "character flaws" in the furniture to be expected on a 20 year old rifle.
I prefer wood to "plastic" although I realize it has its place and uses.
A few of my guns are inherited, one of which is no longer safe to fire, another is too expensive to fire, and a 3rd has a worn out barrel but still functions. Another was NIB - until I got it. :D And this one is the newest of the lot and it is over 50 years old. ;)
 
I do too. But try to find an inaccurate gun that was made recently.
I was thinking about this while carrying my Rossi 92 today. It feels so natural carrying it. It has a Williams foolproof and is a solid 2 moa rifle for me. But the stock is that featureless wood that is so common on newer wood stocked rifles.
I loved my Rossi 971 stainless.357 made in the 80s. That thing was a tank! Older Rossi's are gems. And getting harder to find.
 
What do you like better about old guns than new ones of the same model.

Nothing really.

For me, the old ones have nicer wood and better iron sights.

When you are looking through the sights can you see the wood? You must be talking about rifle sights.
The best (subjective) standard rifle sights I have looked through are A2 sights. No nice wood on an AR. I guess you could argue that A2’s are old.

New ones of the same model have much tighter tolerances because of better machining. Accuracy is generally better because of this.

And given two otherwise identical rifles that work well, I will take the most accurate one every time.
 
When you are looking through the sights can you see the wood? You must be talking about rifle sights.
And given two otherwise identical rifles that work well, I will take the most accurate one every time.
Only accurate rifles are interesting according to
Townsend Whelen.
I agree with you on accuracy over looks. That's why my primary hunting rifles aren't wood.
 
I'm 67 but I generally prefer newer for actually shooting. Newer is, on average, more accurate and a better value adjusted for inflation. I do own, and love the appearance of, blued steel and wood. However, many modern finishes and stainless will prove more durable with less care. Consider too that wood used to be the only material available for stocks and grips. Compared to many modern synthetics, wood is miserable stuff for this use. And if you do like the look of good wood (and I do), it's getting scarcer and more expensive. Also, look at the hassle of getting parts for older guns that you still shoot.
 
I can appreciate old guns, and there are some I don't have many issues with buying used (Ruger MK pistol series, Remington 870s), but these days I prefer new.

There's a lot of really great guns coming out these days.
 
I loved my Rossi 971 stainless.357 made in the 80s. That thing was a tank! Older Rossi's are gems. And getting harder to find.
Agree. I have an old Model 51 with six inch barrel, adjustable sights, pinned, recessed, and it links and shoots like my old K22. Even have original box and instructions.
 
When I look at my Springfield operator with the rail, sure fire light, and 10 round Wilson mag, I admire it for what an excellent and effective handgun it is. When I look at my US property marked Colt 1911 or Remington Rand 1911A1, I wonder where they have been and who was using them.
 
It is tough to say that a ...say, 1950s era firearm has the same new quality to a new production of the same...all the actions we have are seventy years old and we cant compare the new to new quality. Of course we know that most new production is CNC, and generally closer tolerances are possible and usually much fewer machine marks. I do like the quality /patina of the old walnut better than the new, but again it is tough to say what the color of the wood was new. That said, I still do prefer to shop used. The only new/ old model rifle I have bought in many years is a Henry single shot .308. Although the wood is wonderful, for some reason Henry still cant match the wood flush to the metal for crap, and I have to say, the trigger on the single shot is ...absolutely the worst trigger I have ever pulled, with no practical fix. I highly doubt the design would have flown if released fifty years or more ago.
 
I still prefer blued steel and quality wood on long guns and metal frames on handguns. Tolerances may be better now, but there's no way anyone can say a Remington 770 is a better made rifle than even a 788 from 40 years ago. Most every company makes different levels of quality from entry/budget to high end and has for years. High end stuff may not have changed much, but the budget lines aren't even in the same class quality wise as budget guns of 40, 60, 80 years ago.
If you think of it in terms of useage and maintenance, we now have so many ways of cleaning and caring for our firearms. For years most of the cheap guns were for the most part tools for putting meat on the table, eradicating pests, or protection. If the owner was proactive, they'd get some 3 in 1 oil occasionally and a patch through the bore. And yet, there are literally thousands of single shot shotguns and .22 rifles from the 30s-50s still available and functioning. With the best care available, what are the chances that Remington 597 or 770 or Ruger American will still be functional in 75 years?
 
Generally speaking I prefer older revolvers for their fit and finish, and their very fine actions. I find I prefer many modern semiauto pistols over older ones for their functional designs, but that’s highly dependent on model for me.

Don’t have much of an opinion on long guns.
 
I am not a collector. For long guns, I do like the classic lines of a 50s to 80s bolt action like a Remington 700 or Winchester 70. But modern manufacturing and cartridge design give the edge to newer production in my book. For me, guns are tools, and I judge them primarily by their function. This is not to suggest that I don't appreciate finely crafted firearms; I do. But they are not a high priority for me personally.
 
For me, it is the amount of hand-work that went into the manufacture of many old guns, even the simpler models. It is also for that reason that I similarly admire new guns that are clearly hand-wrought.
 
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