Choosing antiques

H Wally

H Wally

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If you were trading off/buying an antique handgun, which would you choose?

I'm looking for something affordable, that is still shootable (brass at least in existance, if not easily available).

What's out there, what should I expect to pay, and what would be your first antique choise?

Thanks!
 
I'm a sucker for anything in .44 Russian...easy to trim 44 spl brass and the Russian is a descent shooter round.
I'll leave the rest of your questions for the more experienced folks to answer.
 
Tough call ---- 44 russian and 45 schofield are handy calibers because loading is simple. I am not enamoured of the .41 colt because it is a heeled bullet and a nuisance to load for. In general you want to look for bullet diameters that molds are common for. To some extent there is a trade off in caliber size. The larger calibers move the gongs better but they also have more recoil than the small calibers and recoil potentially affects your accuracy.
If availble, single actions are easier to repair but the Colt SAA is extremely expensive. Will probably hold its value better but if part of the equation is affordability, they are not a good choice. An early Webley (double action) is probably as good a choice as any as well as single shots if you can find them.

cheers mooncoon
 
Well Affordble is the Key word. I agree with everything Mooncoon said.
But if your trying to stay under say $1000 then its gona be some cartridge thats not so Easy to Load.
I like 44 Russian 45 Schofield 44 Sp capable guns.
Im listing a Remington 1875 soon Antique that shoots both 455 Domion Factory ammo and 45 Schofield loaded to 45 Colt factory veloictys.
But Afordable thats a Hard call. ;)

What do you want it for? just a plinker or a knock down caliber !
The RF Adaptor guns are good for up close stuff.

44 Russian 455 Webleys or 45 Schofield are great power house guns in the antique world. Anyone says there not wont get out in front of one i garrentee that! :D

Frist gun a 455 Webley MKI or MKII would hook you for life, did me :) well mine was a Enfeild NWMP MKII in 455 but my second gun was a Sweet MKI in 455.
Buy some cheep 32 RF and you could be turned off. Buy a good Quality RF gun tho and you should be Happy.
38 RF is still got a kick to it loaded in Dixie cases with the 22 Acron caps and a full load of BP.
You can buy a 38 RF gun for under $1000 easy to get them Dixie cases and 22 Blanks and 38 Cal lead wad cutters.

Hope this helps theres lots to choose from eh.
 
the 1892 french Lebel revolver is a fun little gun you can pic them up in the US for $500.00 dies can be had from buffalo arms brass can be made from 32-20 buffalo arms sells it bullets can be got from Tallman here on CGN.
But ease of reloading goes to the 455 A Webley RIC can still be had for a reasonable price Lee 455 webley dies are cheep and can be got from wholesale sports or strait from LEE Hornady brass can be bought from Buffalo Arms .
It realy depends on what you mean by reasonable price ?
 
Demand has really driven up the prices of quality revolvers in easier to obtain calibres.
Among the less exotic readily shootable ones are .450 RICs, Italian 10.35mms, 11mm Reichs Revolvers.
 
A lot of the choices in caliber depend on the person and their abilities and the equipment they have available to them. I am under the impression that you have access to a lathe and that tremendously opens up your choices. It is not that hard to make your own loading dies using D bit reamers and you can make your own molds from smaller caliber second hand molds that you pick up in a gun show for $15. Cartridges of the Word is a good reference for what you can make obsolete cartridges from. As long as the base diameter is correct and the parent shell is long enough, most/many shells can be made from something that is currently made.

cheers mooncoon
 
Well hit some shows surf the net antique gun sites ETC. and you will get a feel for the market visit gun broker. and guns america buy the current Flaydermans guide to antique gun values also when dealing with antiques value is what you are willing to pay and what someone is willing to sell it for on a given day Have I paid too much ? answer yes but have also got a couple as well for a very low price you need to decide what you like and set your goel from this point .I tend to like them all but usually try for better peices
not just shooters . Buy the best you can afford even if it takes a little bit to collect the money and you won't have regrets .I agree with dingus stay away from the rim fires for your first antique as they can be a bit frustrating and a bit pathetic and loading the cartridges from Dixie gun works is a pain in the rump.
I have met new people since I bought my first antique a Snider . that got me hooked on black powder about 10 years ago and now run the local black powder club and own a collection that sometimes surprizes me when I think about it and gives the wife nightmares:D
But it has been very rewarding .
 
Hmmmmm

I'll do some more looking, but how difficult is it to get antiques out of the states?

Also - some or all 455 webleys can take 45 auto rds when the chamber has been shaved down. Is that as simple as putting a modified cylinder into the gun, or are there specific guns or other modifications that are needed?
 
H Wally said:
Hmmmmm

I'll do some more looking, but how difficult is it to get antiques out of the states?
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It is not hard at all. Sometimes Americans will only ship to a US address, just because they don't want the hassel of shipping internationally. You could ship it to a border shop and pick it up and drive it accross yourself if thats the case. Perfectly legal to do that, just comply with state laws on transport.
 
So no messing about with questar etc?

And if the value is over the duty free amount, you'd have to declare it because of that right?

I'd assume you should declare it, but at the same time I'd assume that they'd have a bug in their butt if you did mention it.

Heck, won't both sets of customs officials give you a hard time?
Is it possible to get an RCMP antique paper for it beforehand, and do customs care if you have it?
 
H Wally said:
So no messing about with questar etc?

And if the value is over the duty free amount, you'd have to declare it because of that right?

I'd assume you should declare it, but at the same time I'd assume that they'd have a bug in their butt if you did mention it.

Heck, won't both sets of customs officials give you a hard time?
Is it possible to get an RCMP antique paper for it beforehand, and do customs care if you have it?
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You need to Read more in this BP Section all the Questions you asked have been answered lots of times and there stickys at the top with alot of good info.

Yes you have to Declare it unless you want it seized for not Declareing it!
Yes you have to pay Taxes but no Duty if its a NA made firearm its duty free.
Tho i never been charged duty Ever on any Antique firearm even if it was french English Russian Argintine ect.
But both Taxes gst and pst and a service charge of $5 is normal.
Just depends where or which customs it comes into canada sometimes you get no taxes no fees its hit and miss.
Vancouver Customs is the Worst for Taxes if your in B.C they get me everytime and with both taxes and there fee.
There good to deal with tho. they treat me very good so i cant complain.
Back East has more volume so i asume thats why less parcels are taxed just the Amount if they stoped and taxed every parcel the mail would back up for months.
 
john@ said:
Also you can still buy MkII .455 Webley from Fiocci + others, about a 1$ per round, but reloadable.
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I would not run the Fiocci MkII .455 webley ammo through an antique revolver.
That stuff is hot. It works well in a 1917 smith but it just may challenge 120+ year old metalurgy.
 
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