Can you pick one antique

[tark]

I was fortunate enough to acquire a few nice antiques before the internet came and made it possible for sellers to advertise to a much larger audience. I, too would definitely like to come across a nice Spencer carbine, though.

Spencer's are all over the place....if you've got lots of money. The Rock Island Auction Co always have a few listed in their Premier Auction cats.

And welcome to the monkey house. It's the best monkey house out there....

 

[hawg]

Too many to choose from to pick just one. Maybe an Iron framed Henry but I'd drive myself crazy trying to make ammo for it.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I already have one of my holy grails. Here are some pictures of my unfired C-96, when I first saw it, before I bought it from a friend. It was made in 1913 so it qualifies. Matching stock.

Sorry about the glare.

Stunning.....
I almost never agree with keeping old guns unfired, but thats the rare exception.

My Dad has a rather rough .30cal with a sewer pipe bore and a few missing parts. Someday Ill do a steampunk 9mm resto-conversion with it.

 

[hawg]

I do have an 1861 dated .577 Enfield with bayonet.

 

[bannockburn]

Come to think about it and I do have one antique in my collection: a Springfield Armory Model 1898 Krag Jorgensen. It was given to me by a good friend of my father, having been in the service of a local veteran's organization. All of the metal parts had been bright chrome plated while the wood stocks had a heavy coating of varnish on them. I managed to strip away most of the plated surfaces and parts by soaking them in Hoppe's No.9. I also lightly sanded the wood until I had removed the varnish and then stained it according to a formula my father's friend gave me. With all of the chrome removed I had the barreled action and metal parts sent out to have it blued. Unfortunately they screwed up my order and sent me back a finish that looked more like black wrought iron then bluing!

So I was going to have it reblued by another gunsmith when I hit upon the idea of trying Flitz on it to see if it would "polish" the bluing. And to my amazement it did! One of these days I'm going to have to get a proper period sling for it!

 

[Mosin77]

Hmm, I already own a number of antiques so choosing a favorite is difficult. Which kid do you like best?

One I’m most proud of is my 1867-made French Chassepot. I have a Snider made around the same time that’s pretty neat, and Martini-Henry’s are fun, too. The most practical is probably the trapdoor Springfield, just because there’s far more readily available information about loads (not to mention components) available.

But, I’ve always wanted a cannon. I think a 12lb Napoleon would do nicely.

 

[Steve Milbocker]

The Krag looks great Bannockburn! I killed my first deer with one

 

[MJD]

This is a great thread. Among many great suggestions and choices, I would have to go with a Pennsylvania (Kentucky) Long Rifle. Classic and svelte lines, good shooter, firm place in the history of our country. Make mine .45 or .50 caliber with a double set trigger.

 

[Gerd33]

As a Lever aficionado I'd like to acquire a Whitney-Kennedy lever rifle.
I have seen one sell at an auction but didn't have the funds.

 

[tark]

I almost never agree with keeping old guns unfired, but thats the rare exception.

I have a second, slightly beat up C-96 that I shoot. I have two other guns that were never fired after proof; A T series Hi-Power and a type 14 Nambu. Both are 99% guns. The Browning was bought new and subsequently sat in his safe for 50 years. It was given to me as a gift. The Nambu was made in 1935, before the war, and it is exquisitely fitted and finished. It will make your average Luger look ugly. The inside of the gun and magazine, like the C-96, is full of cosmoline. It has never been fired. None of the three will ever be fired...at least not by me.

 

[tark]

Come to think about it and I do have one antique in my collection: a Springfield Armory Model 1898 Krag Jorgensen.

"I regret that I have but one "like" to give for my forum"

I'D give that Krag about 8...maybe 9.

 

[Speedo66]

Come to think about it and I do have one antique in my collection: a Springfield Armory Model 1898 Krag Jorgensen. It was given to me by a good friend of my father, having been in the service of a local veteran's organization. All of the metal parts had been bright chrome plated while the wood stocks had a heavy coating of varnish on them. I managed to strip away most of the plated surfaces and parts by soaking them in Hoppe's No.9. I also lightly sanded the wood until I had removed the varnish and then stained it according to a formula my father's friend gave me. With all of the chrome removed I had the barreled action and metal parts sent out to have it blued. Unfortunately they screwed up my order and sent me back a finish that looked more like black wrought iron then bluing!

So I was going to have it reblued by another gunsmith when I hit upon the idea of trying Flitz on it to see if it would "polish" the bluing. And to my amazement it did! One of these days I'm going to have to get a proper period sling for it!
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Despite it’s original state, you created a thing of beauty.

Nice job!

First Krag I ever saw was in Macy’s in Manhattan, they sold guns back then.

I must have been 12 or so and was fascinated by the loading gate. Still like that.

 

[film495]

no, but maybe I can get a bit more direction on it here. probably something that shoots 30-06 from around the era when 30-06 was invented. although, the idea of loading and shooting 30-40 Krag also seems appealing to me.

 

[valnar]

I always thought a interesting topic would be "What's the most modern antique gun you want or own?". This topic is close, but not quite.
eg. What's the one gun you'd want on your side if we were only allowed to own <1899 antiques?

I'm going to stick with a Swedish Mauser.

 

[MacAR]

This Winchester 1897 was made in 1913, so I 'spose it qualifes:

I'd really like to have a First Gen Colt SAA to go with it, in 38-40 I think, and a matching 1892 Winchester rifle. But I'd not turn down another Sharps 50 caliber, either. I've always had a desire to own something like a Lee-Speed sporter from the Boer War era, or a Mannlicher Schoenauer from that time period. Too many books about tiger hunting, I guess. Of course, a matched set of Greener 10 gauges would be mighty nice to have too, or an LC Smith or Parker 8 gauge, or even an old Remington 1894 12 gauge for that matter. Like someone else said, I might have a list....

Mac

 

[bannockburn]

Speedo66

While working on the Krag I contemplated converting it into a carbine model. Always wanted one as I thought they looked so handy to have around with the shorter barrel and stock. I even found an ad in Shotgun News where someone had a complete Krag stock for one and it was very reasonably priced. But the more I handled the rifle the more I came to being accustomed to it's length and the way it handled. So I left in it's original configuration.

And yes, the loading gate is a neat device and is surprisingly quick into action once the magazine cut-off lever has been switched over. Of course that smooth, slick bolt action helps speed things up a bit too!

 

[Armored farmer]

I would choose something from the Corp of Discovery .
There is a little controversy over what was actually supplied to them . I think the consensus is 1803 Harper's Ferry rifle, but there is conflicting information.
Some experts think there were a number of .49 caliber Pennsylvania long rifles contracted and built for the Corp by Lancaster, Penn gunsmiths.

 

[Legionnaire]

In the long gun category, think I'd like an 1800 Baker Rifle. Even a replica would be cool.

 

[Armored farmer]

I would be pretty happy with a Medino or Bridger Hawken.
I'm talking replicas.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

In the long gun category, think I'd like an 1800 Baker Rifle. Even a replica would be cool.

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Once had one, a repro made in India. Metallurgy was fine, lockplate was not; just be warned. Stick to custom kit rifles if you're going this route, look to spend over a grand.

 

[Terry G]

These two I grabbed up during "The Golden Age of C&R". WWI and WWII SMLE's. Really jumped in price especially the MKIII*.

 

[Mike OTDP]

In the long gun category, think I'd like an 1800 Baker Rifle. Even a replica would be cool.

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Pedersoli is reputed to have one in the pipeline. First mention probably at IWA Nuremberg this year.

 

[Mike OTDP]

Hmm...I've got most of what I want. But I'd dearly love a case of flintlock duellers...but not over .50 caliber, preferably smaller. Heavy-barreled ones from the 1810-1830 era.

 

[Johnm1]

For my part, the most iconic "antique" would be the M1861 Springfield rifle-musket.

These are not out of the range of the normal collector. Not cheap but doable. There were a lot of them made for the war and quite a few survived. Surprisingly they can be had for around $1,000.00. Condition being the driving force for the price. I have both an 1861 Springfield made in 1862 and an 1842 Springfield made in 1852 and both were under $1,000.00. My story is that the 1861 had to have fought in the war and the 1842 probably did. The 1842 would have been in the armory when hostilities started and the US government handed out what they had at the start of the war. In 1862 they were issuing new rifles as quick as they could to the front lines. Both could have spent the war on guard duty. But I like to dream otherwise.

Me, I'd give anything for a verifiable firearm used in the revolution. But I'm not made out of money and we didn't have an armory at the time and no real records from the time exist. I'm stuck with a martial firearm that was made in the right time frame and is in the United States now. Consider that firearms were either purchased from overseas, made in relatively small shops or supplied by the soldier.

So maybe a martial musket made in France say between 1760 and 1780 or so. The small shop made rifles could have been made any time before or after the hostilities. Unless you know for sure who the maker was and when they were making firearms, a long rifle might or might not have fought in the war for independence. Whatever it is will be a compromise and the story will have to be entirely from the deep recess' of my mind. I couldn't afford any firearm that has provenance to the revolution.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Mine is very attainable for a modest price.
I'd like an early 1st gen SAA in good shootable condition.