The Holy Grail and other Highly Held Guns

I have a few grail safe queens, if they are ones that I'd like to shoot I find another one in used condition.

Top of my list to find right now are a LNIB S&W 66 No dash with stainless rear and a 95%+ in box 1930s Colt 1911-A1 (I get just as much joy out of some pristine guns as do with favored shooters.. just knowing that I'm a curator for that item)

ooh, dont forget the pre-27s!

I look at most of my collection as a retirement egg in another basket- Guns with family history and my half dozen or so personal favorites will be passed out among family. Some certainly have honest wear- (I too think descendants will appreciate that)

Guns have been good investments, best of those are milsurps that are imported in limited supply, for example the Hakim rifle I bought for 80 bucks 20 years ago. Heck, they don't have to be limited. My two Norinco SKSs, a Paratrooper and a standard rifle, set me back 115 bucks and 75 bucks respectively. I see Norincos in the 400 dollar range now days.

My handguns are all shooters, but I don't really have anything THAT expensive. I really prefer revolvers and shun 1911s. I don't own any Meteba or Korth or Pfeifer-Zeliska or such, just Ruger, Taurus, Smith and Wesson, NAA, Pietta, Rossi. They are all good shooters and have held up well, but they're not really investments, though they've all gone up in value except maybe the Piettas and not so much my little M85 Taurus that I bought new 15 years ago and is worth about what I gave for it then. But, I bought that for carry, not investment.

I do have one Ruger Blackhawk that I've put some money in, ain't worth the investment except maybe for the grips, which I gave 70 bucks for, that are Sanbar stags. Last ones I saw available were 300 bucks and now I can't find any. I don't think Sanbar is being imported anymore. I spent 250 bucks on engraving on that gun, though, and it has been personalized with my initials on it, so obviously, it's not something I intend to sell. AND, it is a working gun, an outdoor carry. It's a very accurate, great shooter.

Heck, though, if I had a Korth, I'd shoot the snot out of it if I liked it. I wouldn't carry it concealed, hate to have the cops take an expensive gun like that away during in investigation after a shooting. I do have multiple carries which are all solid, accurate, but affordable guns.

Speaking of shotguns, I would NEVER take a nice wood/blue expensive shotgun into the salt marsh or on the bay for ducks. I have a camo Mossy 500 for that which I've been using HARD for 20 years, now. I'd hunt dove with it, though, pretty sterile environment.

My grail guns are all shooters too, a newer Hi-Power and a S&W Model 10, neither are so rare you can't shoot them but they are fine shooting irons......
I also own a pair of Ishapore 2A in 7.62/308 those have quadrupled in value since I bought them.

I have nothing against nice guns, but if I don't carry it, or at least shoot it somewhat regularly, I sell it.

Life is too short, and money is not that plentiful. I recently sold one pricey 1911 that was a safe queen. Bought an SC 1911 E-series to put in my holster and put the remainder in the bank.

Great Question on the deep end!

I am in agreeance, you see these unfired guns with all the everything up for sale, and in the end, what is gained? "The dollar went farther, then" only goes so far, 'cuz it was harder to earn too.

Same with the "soul of the gun"... like the owner of that #1 serialed colt "missing link", an in-betweener model, probably one of a kind, but all it was was a boxed treasure, stashed away, for as long as he could remember, and he had it for some time, then found out it was worth so much, so he kept it in a safe... finally he realized that there was no point to keep this family heirloom for ...what? to pass down and they keep it hidden... well, he decided it was worth more to just get money, and let the world see his gun....


Ohh wait, probably everyone read that already lol,

Anyone else starting to fee there is something WRONG with being a curator of fine guns that will just get sold

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Not me, some guns are more like art than tools, and deserve to be treated a little different.

I think my descendents might even enjoy the fact that I actually USED a particular gun

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It's a nice thought, but the more likely scenario is your heirs take it to the antiques roadshow in 2050. The guy gives them a big speech about how rare and valuable the gun is, if only it didn't have that big scratch across the engraving on the slide, or the big stain on the French Gray finish. They won't be talking so good about grandpa then.

Now I'm talking about truly special guns, not an overpriced modern 1911 for $3-4k, that is always just a shooting gun with nothing special about it. But a Renaissance Grade Hipower in mint condition is a joy to behold, a fine example of the engravers art. And it has value, the better the condition the higher the value.

The Holy Grail, my 1938 Colt Woodsman, is on my hip whenever I'm out in the woods (and for the record, I live in the woods.) I have a few guns that are too old and creaky to shoot much -- but I do shoot them now and then.

I have some that are on my list, but I plan to shoot them all. I've sold some highly collectible guns that were too fragile to shoot. I would rather buy a 90% example and shoot it, than buy a mint in box model that sits in a safe.

I have a couple S&W Registered Magnums. One has been refinished at the factory back in the 50's and one is well worn orignal. They have both been shot by me. Buying a pristine RM is not in my budget, so, I would not have to make a decision on shooting one in high 95%'s original condition.

If I came across one, at a great price that was like new, I would not shoot it. It would shoot just like every other N frame .357 Magnum I own, but, it would cost too much, value wise, every time I pulled the trigger. I would either sell it at a profit, or wrap it and store it allowing its value to grow.

I am first and foremost a shooter, an accumulator/collector second, but, I have to be realistic about adding wear and depreciation to a true collector gun.

Like some other amassers and collectors, I appreciate the work which went into the older revolvers. For S&W's the "pinned and recessed" era seems to hold a bit more of my attention. I have several revolvers from 1982, and forward; and they're great pieces of work. It's difficult to achieve the same repeatability without modern machinery and computers.

I compared my pre-Model 27 made in 1953, to my Model 27-2, made in 1969, and there are subtle differences in the two, even just sixteen years apart. Blueing is slightly different; the stocks don't really evenly exchange between the two, showing that hand fitting was indeed, part of the manufacturing process.

I love my Pythons, and neither are safe queens. My 1978 doesn't get as much trigger time as my recently rebuilt 1973 model, but that's true for all my guns, since the time at the range, or on my hip, gets spread out among more guns. And there are only so many hours in the day and week.

I do understand how some folks treat their guns as museum pieces, but that's their choice. Mine all have to have ammo run through them, because that's why Messrs. Colt, Smith, Wesson, Browning, and Rugewr designed and built them. I fall somewhere between the utilitarian and the collector.

My father used to collect firearms for retirement envestment. As well as antiques he collected Colt and Winchester commemoratives. These loose value if you just look a them hard. I vowed that I would never own a gun that I wouldn't shoot. Some of his have become shooters because they haven't encreased in value beyound the same standard production model. Example Colt Goldcup NRA 100 year anniversary 1971. It books at $100.00 less than a std production. Same gun just limited run with different engraving.

I've become partial to consecutive sn guns and engraved guns. I shoot all of them.

Cheers,

ts

I see nothing wrong with having a few safe queens around. My problem is that I can't afford to own the safe queens and the guns I like to shoot at the same time.

So the shooters get the nod. If I ever become rich and famous (or at least just rich), I will probably go crazy and buy all sorts pretty guns just to be able pull them out and stare at them once in a while.

But for now, considering my limited budget, all my firearms are shooters.

I don't have any safe queens nor do I want any. I respect everyone's point of view, but I don't want to own anything I can't use as it was Intended to be used.

My "holy grail" is a Black Army Colt 1911. Yes, I'd shoot it. I'd probably carry it too, at least once in awhile.

Well I got my first gun a 22 single shot rifle when I was 10 years old so that would 55 years ago. Since then I've owned from none for 2 years to 1 or 2 at a time until about 10 years ago. Now I actually own more guns at one time than any time in my life. None are safe queens as if I don't shoot them within 6 months they are pretty much sold. At the moment I carry a RIA 1911 CS or a Taurus PT 111 pro. My wife owns a Taurus PT911 or carries my PT 111 pro so it is kind of a family gun. Aside from that I keep a Stoeger Coach length 20 ga in the house for SD. Now for my pure fun guns I have an ASM 4.5" barrel, Uberti 5.5" and Cimarron 1873 model SAA as well as a Rossi 92 all of which are 45 Colt. I also have a 12 ga Liberty (now re-branded as a CZ) 24" barrel SxS, double hammer/ trigger setup. Last is my favorite target gun a Taurus PT 92 which I also have a Ciener 22 LR conversion for. I have recently sold a Springfield loaded and Armscor MAPP1 MS 9mm.

45ACP Luger

I've got several guns that no one has ever shot but me, but I shoot every one I own.

Guns are property. Do with them what you will. I understand buying a gun,watch, car,or real estate as an investment. However, my Holy Grail was a Colt Python. I found a NIB 1963 blued 6" Snake a few years ago and coughed up the money. I shoot the heck out of it. Major factor every time at the range.

I understand (I think) The rationale for collecting and not shooting something like an unfired S&W 27 from a value standpoint.
As far as taking a gun into field I always thought guns were made to be used and designed to remain in good condition when used correctly.
Some of the men in my Dad's generation carried some beautiful examples of weaponry on bird hunts. These shotguns got wet, and dirty. When the hunting ended the guns were promptly cleaned, inspected, oiled as needed and put away. They were in most cases handed down to the next generation.
I guess my point is, when used for designed purposes and properly maintained the guns were usable and retained their value

Just wondering why we all seek, and buy if we can, beautiful, fine, highly crafted guns, and then keep them only for fondling, and putting back in the safe.

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I would guess it's pride of ownership but I wouldn't know. To buy classic handguns because they don't make'm anymore makes sense but why feel guilty if you don't carry them? shoot them fondle and brag about them but unless they're some majic wand in your hand carry a cheap plastic one.

I have some firearms I don't fire because of their historical value - in all cases they are scarce or unique military weapons that would be difficult or impossible to replace at any price, simply because so few of them exist.

I can't really get into the fancy commercial guns though, commemoratives and such. Just don't see the point. They're pretty, but they have no historical significance. It is nice that there exist pristine examples of older, once-common commercial guns - one of the LGS's here recently had a gorgeous 1929 Colt Super .38 that I admired from a safe distance because of the $6000 price tag - but I can't afford to play in that league.