How many of your guns are over 100?

[LoonWulf]

none. While I certainly enjoy history of military arms, and really appreciate skill it took to build some of the fine sporting arms of the day.
I don't buy into the old world craftsmanship or materials, actually being mechanically better than a modern version (or similar) of the same firearm.
Thus I'll spend the same, or less, on a modern firearm that I personally feel will serve me better with less heart ache of damaging an original part.

That's just my personal view, and it's changed some over the years. I used to love owning old guns, now I'd much rather hear other people talk about their old guns, and shoot modern stuff.

 

[stringnut]

Loonwulf, 90% of our firearms are modern, so IMHO, your post is on target. Modern manufacturing is absolutely amazing in many ways. It produces parts that are so precise that 100 years ago people could not have imagined it. The bottom line guns produced by major manufacturers are very good for the price point. There is still some guns ,and other things, that are not well made. This is do to poor materials, design, or execution .

Saying that all old stuff is better , because it was hand fit, just isn't true. There were companies out to make a fast buck just like today. In many ways it was worse as there was little to protect the consumer. There were some guns that when brand new were pretty iffy. Some of the break top revolvers would open upon firing. Wouldn't that be fun!

Any way we enjoy the few older guns we have. However they are not our main hunting tools. Big thing is to use what you want and to have fun. Having a few older pieces is owning a piece of history for me.

 

[RON in PA]

1917 Webley MK VI
1918 S&W model 1917
1867 S&W model 11/2 .32 rimfire
1877 S&W model 2 .38s&w
1913 Nagant

 

[jmace57]

1903 Colt (2) circa 1908 and 1912
S&W Model of 1902 November, 1902
S&W Model of 1905 (2) 1917 and 1919
S&W Model of 1917(2) Both 1918
S&W 2nd Model HE (2) 1914 and 1915
S&W Triple-Lock 1915
S&W Regulation Police 1918
Savage Model of 1915 1918 (I think)

 

[GBExpat]

Just thinking about how many guns i have that are 100 years old or older. ...

Glad that you expanded upon that @SUBJ.

Reading that @SUBJ had me briefly wondering if you were referring to 100 years old or how many more than a count of 100 we had ... so I just had to come in a see.

Some of my Colt and S&W .32-20 revolvers are over 100yo and also all of my 1903s and m1917s so, perhaps, 10-12?

 

[indy1919a4]

You Guys are bringing me down when you point out that guns made in the 1910s are a hundred years old.. My first reaction is "no its not"..
But ouch it is...

 

[tommy.duncan]

1918 SMLE No1 Mk3*
1937 Tula 91/30 Mosin
1942 Beretta M1934
1941 BYF KAR98K
1944 Winchester Garand
1944 Quality Hardware M1 Carbine
1954 Tula SKS

Most of my collection is newer. I actually have more antiques then I thought.

 

[WestKentucky]

1860's Belgian pin fire

• Zaydok Allen
• Oct 20, 2016

9mm

1860s ish Pinfire. Lets assume 1865. So 154 years old. No I don't shoot it. Can't find ammo, and it wouldn't be safe. It sits here.
View media item 1940
1892 French Ordinance Revolver in 8mm, built in 1912. Haven't shot it. It's in just too nice of condition, but more importantly I haven't ponied up money for ammo, because I enjoy shooting my other guns a lot. But I like having it behind glass, and when I finally do buy ammo, I will shoot it a little.

French Ordinance 1892, 8mm Lebel.

• Zaydok Allen
• Oct 20, 2016

Built in 1912

It sits here.

View media item 1939
S&W Regulation Police from 1923. So it's nearly 100 years old. Yes, I do shoot this one every now and then.

Regulation Police 1923

• Zaydok Allen
• Oct 20, 2016

It's lettered and sits here.
View media item 1938

Beautifully displayed and I like the fossils as well.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Beautifully displayed and I like the fossils as well.

Thanks man.

 

[JONWILL]

I have 3
A German 1888 Commission Rifle made in 1895
A GEW 98 Spandau 1910
A Commercial Luger that is close. 1920 Commercial model in 30 Luger

 

[Pete D.]

Just thinking about how many guns i have that are 100 years old or older. Did some quick math, 29% are over 100. About 15% are antiques. Some are very close to there 100th birthday to.

Id like to know what others have, and do you still shoot them,

Don’t understand your math. The standard measure for “antique-ness” is 100 years. If 29% are over 100, then 29% are antiques.
I have one antique shotgun...a 16 gauge SXS. I have a 1903 Springfield made in 1905. I have a half dozen or so Bulldog pistols that date from the late 19th century. I have a Trapdoor Carbine from 1873.

My favorite is the baby bulldog in the picture.
And....Yes....I shoot it.

 

[Pete D.]

Double post. Sorry.

 

[tubeshooter]

Interesting question, so I thought about it with respect to what I have.

The only thing that might qualify would be a sporterized 1903 I bought. According to serial number searches it may qualify some time next year if it does not already.

I used to have reservations about shooting it, but it was used as a hunting rifle and if it was going to give way I feel it would have done so by now. That being said, I would not try to hotrod or stress the rifle out with hot loads in any way - that would just be stupid.

My grandma had an older M&P .38 Special that I am sure would have been 100 years old as of today. Same deal; I would shoot it with standard pressure .38 and not worry too much (she would ask me to shoot it occasionally).


Guns like both of these are why standard pressure factory ammo has to play it so safe pressure-wise.

 

[jar]

Don’t understand your math. The standard measure for “antique-ness” is 100 years. If 29% are over 100, then 29% are antiques.
I have one antique shotgun...a 16 gauge SXS. I have a 1903 Springfield made in 1905. I have a half dozen or so Bulldog pistols that date from the late 19th century.
My favorite is the baby bulldog in the picture.
And....Yes....I shoot it.

IIRC when it comes to firearms in the US the "Antique" designation only applies to handguns made before 1899. Not sure it that is also true for long guns.

 

[troy fairweather]

Don’t understand your math. The standard measure for “antique-ness” is 100 years. If 29% are over 100, then 29% are antiques.
I have one antique shotgun...a 16 gauge SXS. I have a 1903 Springfield made in 1905. I have a half dozen or so Bulldog pistols that date from the late 19th century.
My favorite is the baby bulldog in the picture.
And....Yes....I shoot it.

Anything made.before 1900 is a antique.

 

[1976B.L.Johns.]

A quick search showed me this..........

Firearms - Guides - Importation & Verification of Firearms - National Firearms Act Definitions - Antique Firearm


Firearms Verification
National Firearms Act Definitions
Antique Firearm
26 U.S.C. § 5845(G)

For the purposes of the National Firearms Act, the term “Antique Firearms” means any firearm not intended or redesigned for using rim fire or conventional center fire ignition with fixed ammunition and manufactured in or before 1898 (including any matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap or similar type of ignition system or replica thereof, whether actually manufactured before or after the year 1898) and also any firearm using fixed ammunition manufactured in or before 1898, for which ammunition is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.

 

[AlexanderA]

Anything made.before 1900 is a antique.

No, the general rule is that anything made before 1899 is an antique. But there's a special rule for NFA weapons (see the post above), so that pre-1899 weapons qualify as "modern" for NFA purposes if they use currently-manufactured ammunition.

Two other dates are important. First, anything made at least 50 years prior to the current date is a "curio or relic" and as such can be purchased across state lines by holders of an 03 "C&R" FFL. Second, anything purchased from a dealer more than 20 years ago is likely to fall through the cracks tracing-wise. That's because dealers can destroy their Forms 4473 and "bound books" after 20 years. And, if a dealer has gone out of business, his records have disappeared into the "purgatory" of an ATF warehouse, whose contents are prohibited by law from being digitized.

 

[Jessesky]

I have one that broke the 200 year old club from 1816

Other than that, 65% or so are older than 100.

 

[PapaG]

1903 Colt, S&W top break, Henry Leman percussion, Krag, Belgian double percussion, American Gun 410.

 

[jamesjames]

3 sporterized Rifle 30 cal, Model of 1917’s. One Remington, one eddy, one Winchester. The Remington was rechambered to 458 Lott.

 

[Pete D.]

My apology for the antique date mistake...which turns out to be mine.

Pete

 

[JTHunter]

Only one is over 100, an old .38 that we "guesstimate" to be 100-120 years old. Another is 97 now, another is about 75 while two others are 52 & 57 with the latter being the only long gun (a SxS 12 ga.) in the bunch. All the rest are less than 45 years old.

 

[jrmiddleton425]

I thought about this, and realized I have two rifles 100 or more years old: an 1898 Krag (February 1899); my guess is it was one of the Bannerman specials 1920-25, and a (January 1919) Eddystone M1917.

I recently found a 1919 penny, and put it in the cleaning kit trap of the Eddystone along with a 2019 penny.

 

[Tommygunn]

I have a Smith & Wesson revolver that was made in the early 1870s and a Colt Lightning I believe dates from 1909. Neither has been fired by me; the S&W because it's rim fire and no ammunition for it is available, the Colt because it's a rather complex, fragile mechanism, and while it works ..... I sorta don't really want to be the guy that kills it.
So, I have two.

Now ... guns designed 100+ years ago .... but that really wasn't the question...

 

[JTown]

Never thought about it before, had to check my records. Twenty seven over 100. Another 32 over 50 yrs.
Walt