Antique Handgun - What Would You Reccomend?

moogles

moogles

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I'm rather new to the world of antique handguns. I've done a little perusing of the stickies and the EE, however, this topic is very foreign to me.

What is your preference of caliber(s)? What makes/models are regarded as higher quality and reliability? How important is it to have papers for it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
There are lots of options, that being said, One has to ask what thier interest is for one. If I wanted one to shoot, I would just buy something more modern, 1898 is a long time ago. Materials were not like they are now. To each thier own though. For me, you are buying history. My best example to what im saying is a peice that I bought years ago, It is frozen in time, seized up solid with bent barrel. There is a story behind it that I will never know. The grips are missing and it looks like it was run over and left in the ground or found behind some old wall. Thats what collecting is about. History
 
Thank you for the reply. While I can, and will, appreciate an antique for it's history, the major appeal is the ability fire it outside a range. I'm primarily looking for a shooter that will get used a lot.
 
moogles said:
Thank you for the reply. While I can, and will, appreciate an antique for it's history, the major appeal is the ability fire it outside a range. I'm primarily looking for a shooter that will get used a lot.
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no antique should be used a lot most antique handguns will need you to reload for them especially ones in modern calibers(like .45 acped webleys .45 acp is almost twice the service load and quite a bit over the proof load of a webley) they had their life of use and abuse while I shoot some now and then the ones I shoot most often are some of the strongest made back then and even then a handful of times a year. if you are looking for something to shoot all the time look for a modern handgun
 
antiqueguy: is the inability to use the firearm frequently a function of it previously being used thoroughly, or purely it's age? If the former, would looking for one in superb, rather "un used," condition change this?
 
IMHO - Best bets are Webleys, Colt SAA, French 1892, French 1811. Some of the German revolvers are supposed to be good solid ones too.

Regardless with what you chose, reloading and black powder are the norm.
 
I went through the same questions a while back, and ended up with a S&W New model no3 in 44 Russian. Learning how to cast and reload your own soft lead bullets should be part of the deal for you - these old guns need lighter loads with soft lead.

After owning and enjoying it for a good while, I sold it. Having 2.5K tied up in one gun was too much.
 
moogles said:
antiqueguy: is the inability to use the firearm frequently a function of it previously being used thoroughly, or purely it's age? If the former, would looking for one in superb, rather "un used," condition change this?
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if you are looking to spend a lot of money yes but most everything old is used but age plays a factor loading with soft lead(20 to 1 lad/tin is good) and black powder(real stuff preferably with pyrodex coming second never use 777 in a antique) you could shoot something like a Colt SAA(need deep pockets) more often but they are still not something you would want to take out in the bush every weekend to plink with
 
The first recommendation I have is to spend time reading and researching yourself, and don't base any decision on a few casual remarks from anonymous people on a gun forum. Otherwise you will be disappointed, and you will deserve to be. Half assed effort gets half assed results. There are lots of sources of information now days.

The other recommendation i have is that if you are going to get into antique cartridge firearms then it is compulsory to reload. If you don't reload you are wasting your time and effort with antiques.
 
These guys speak the truth. As much as people fight it, reloading is ideal with antiques. You can find commercial ammunition that is safe in antiques, but it's usually very specific and you must make sure your gun specifically is safe to shoot it, hence why reloading is ideal.

There are also a couple moderators and experienced CGN'ers on the board that you can ask for advice as well. You'll get an idea for who they are by researching past threads.

For my part it's my opinion that you get what you pay for. Buy nice or buy twice is a very strong rule with antiques. They command premiums because of the exact reasons you want one, as well as the fact that damaged or worn antiques are very difficult to fix. I like them because I enjoy tinkering, but it takes a lot of work to actually fix a broken antique to the degree it's working reliably... unfortunately I know that from experience.

CMichaud said:
IMHO - Best bets are Webleys, Colt SAA, French 1892, French 1811. Some of the German revolvers are supposed to be good solid ones too.

Regardless with what you chose, reloading and black powder are the norm.
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Add to that list Reichsrevolvers - probably the simplest of the antiques. All of those guns listed by CMichaud as well as the Reichsrevolver have modern commercial ammunition at more or less safe pressures available. There's some debate on pressures for the .455 and 8mm lebel for the 1892 - both made by Fiocchi. I suspect CMichaud meant the 1873 instead of 1811 but I'll leave that up to him to discuss since I definitely don't know everything on the subject, even if I enjoy talking like I do.


jethunter said:
The first recommendation I have is to spend time reading and researching yourself, and don't base any decision on a few casual remarks from anonymous people on a gun forum. Otherwise you will be disappointed, and you will deserve to be. Half assed effort gets half assed results. There are lots of sources of information now days.

The other recommendation i have is that if you are going to get into antique cartridge firearms then it is compulsory to reload. If you don't reload you are wasting your time and effort with antiques.
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Good sound advice. Searching the forum will give you tons of info on various guns and their pros and cons. More research on bore diameters, years of manufacture, cartridge chamberings etc will help some more. For your knowledge, some SAA's, Webleys and 1892's are not antique due to age or caliber. You must understand antique law very very thoroughly to understand what you're buying and also how to be a good legal owner and target shooter after buying. Remember, most law enforcement don't know the antique laws, to them you're just a twit in the woods with a handgun - you will need to know how to politely and properly explain what's going on, and for that you'll need to know the laws very well yourself and have paperwork to back yourself up. End of the day if you're friendly, polite and knowledgeable you might be able to bring someone around to our side.
 
I made quite an investment in reloading supplies, but it's now starting to pay off. The only downside to antique shooting is the initial upfront costs: gun and equipment.

Add a Swiss 1882 to your research... strong and accurate. Some of those revolvers were in active service as late as 1960!
As noted above, take the time to do alot of reading before plunking $1500+ down on a decent condition antique handgun, or you will be sorely disappointed -- alot of rough, clunky, over-hyped junk out there.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/249992-Smokeless-in-Antiques?p=10881096&viewfull=1#post10881096
 
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S & W have a reputation for clockwork internals, servicing them is not for hamhanded folks.
RR's are simple and strong ( and ugly).
Belgian gear is 2nd rate for the most part.
Colt's are hit and miss, do your research.
Webleys are appealing...
Swiss; heck yeah ( the parts are numbered as to the order needed to dis-assemble IIRC),just underpowered of course. But you can't shoot any animals with it anyhow. marauding pop cans perhaps
French stuff has an excellent reputation; just under powered cartridges.
European revolvers were a status symbol for the most part, military officers had them as part of their rank.
US stuff was manstopper material ( or to shoot a pony from under an enemy) for everyman, your average guy could & did use them.
An 1892 Army in 38 LC would be the manstopper exception of course...there is always an exception. Hence the Reichsrevolver; 44 Russian is brisk, much more so than the usual European turn of the century handgun cartridges.
Handload; or prepare to spend 5 K on a re-worked Colt SAA in 38 spl or 44 spl.
You pretty much must handload.
IMO of course. There are others who are more knowledge-able than I
 
At present, there is a window of opportunity to use these antiques without licence or permit.
The legislators didn't intend to create this opportunity; it is accidental. There was never the intent to make it legal to go armed with antique handguns.

Does anyone really think that it is going to last?

For that reason, I would not buy an expensive, altered revolver. The alterations may make it a better shooter. The firearm's value is as a licence free shooter. The alterations will also have permanently degraded its value as an antique.
When the situation changes, and it is no longer legal to go armed with an antique revolver, the value and desirability of these altered shooters will collapse.
Quality unaltered antiques will retain value, based on their merits as antiques.

So, look for pieces that have inherent value, not an inflated value based on a temporary situation.
 
jethunter said:
The first recommendation I have is to spend time reading and researching yourself, and don't base any decision on a few casual remarks from anonymous people on a gun forum. Otherwise you will be disappointed, and you will deserve to be. Half assed effort gets half assed results. There are lots of sources of information now days.

The other recommendation i have is that if you are going to get into antique cartridge firearms then it is compulsory to reload. If you don't reload you are wasting your time and effort with antiques.
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THIS ^^^ is great advise.
im not sure how long its gona last but people are not stupid there buying antiques because they are not registered and can be put away with no records of the gun.
Thats why of the hunderds of MKI and MKII webleys sold in the last 10 years are not showing up in the EE by the dozens .
There dissaperaring. the odd ones show up now but regardless of law changes the supplys of good antique shooters is drying up. there just not as many out there to buy i have slowed way down its just getting to hard to find the guns we like up here.

Get the best gun you can aford and get into reloading like jethunter says.
 
fritzhanzel said:
Buy one in the US, way cheaper than the overpriced stuff here.
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Ummmm....not necessarily. Depends on exchange, shipping costs, duty (if they nail you) and exactly what gun you are looking for. eg a Snider or Martini will normally be found cheaper here than in the US.

Also, US returns are much more problematic and many sellers won't ship to Canada.

Above all, I'll always prefer local face to face and pay a premium to handle a gun before I buy it.

I have bought from Canada and US. Don't really think I saved that much if anything. I bought from the US because I couldn't find what I wanted here...no other reason.
 
While the historical aspect of these guns is interesting and appealing, I agree that the main reason for having one...is to shoot it! I'm a total newbie when it comes to antiques, having less than a year of experience playing with the one lonely Webley that I bought off the EE (thanks, boltaction!). Yeah, research is key, and reloading pretty well a must. I'll leave it to others here to advise on those areas. All I can add is this: do it! I gave up on restricteds years ago. I shoot for fun, and the need to belong and travel to and from a club to shoot a handgun, not to mention all the other red-tape and b&%%#+@t sucked literally all the joy out of them for me. Shooting the Webley here at home (rural land) still puts a big grin on my face every time I do it, which is fairly often. I've got about 500 rounds downrange now, no issues. You won't regret taking this step, and if you buy wisely, reload cautiously and shoot safely you can always get most or all of your money back out if your interests change down the road.
 
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