How old before it is an antique? (Not Legally, but from a collector point of view?)

[evolture]

How old before it is an antique? (Not Legally, but from a collector/shooter point of view?)

I'm trying to figure this one out. I know it may be subjective, but is 70 years or older an antique? and 50 years old just classic?


What do you guys/gals think?

 

[Tyockell18]

When It comes to firearms me personally anything made from the 1930's and below is an antique.

Generally I guess When firearms are older than the upper life span of a Person, I consider them Antiques.

They managed to survive longer than I likely will, so thats good enough for me.

 

[rgbai]

according to wiki before the turn of the 20th century

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antique_guns

 

[powderman]

For non firearms, an antique is generally considered to be 100 years old. I think this is the standard Canada Customs uses when deciding when duty is applicable.

Regards

 

[playkation]

Seems like this is kinda a moot point. Unless it's considered by law to be an antique, personal opinion doesn't really matter for much. But I would generally consider any ww1 era or earlier firearm to be an antique, even if the government doesn't consider it so.

 

[smellie]

Antique dealers generally refer to anything over 100 years as an Antique. So does Canada Customs, for import purposes. So that's the Government of Canada EXCEPT that the Government of Canada ALSO says that firearms are only Antiques if they were made previous to 1898, are single-shots if long arms and use ammunition which is not commercially available. Regulations, also from this very same Government of Canada, are somewhat different if the firearm in point is a handgun. As an example, I have a little Iver Johnson .32 which was our local Police pistol. It is DEFINITELY over 100 years old (it was already old when it performed a celebrated arrest in a local coffee shop, 90 years ago) and the Government of Canada says that I may keep it only until they decide to torch it.

So the "Antique" thing is a can of worms.

Personally, I would include the Great War as "Antique", there no longer being any of the active participants living.

"Classic" is something different, to my way of thinking. To be a "Classic", a firearm should possess some characteristic which makes it stand out from the run of the mill. An SMLE is a "Classic" if ever there were one, but the much scarcer Conversions are not. The Number 4 today is becoming recognised as a "Classic" although it was not, only a few years ago. The FAL is a Classic, even if we aren't allowed to take them out of the house in a so-called Free Country of Free Citizens.... but the BM-59, just as efficient a rifle, is not. Again, a whole can of worms.

It is all just so VERY confusing to a small brain such as mine.

 

[jethunter]

It's an antique if you think it is, i guess. It's a subjective question with no definite answer.

How long is a piece of rope?
How stupid is a Liberal?

If you appreciate an object's history and heritage, just be happy with it and don't worry about whether it's an antique by someone else's arbitrary definition.

 

[mooncoon]

ALSO says that firearms are only Antiques if they were made previous to 1898, are single-shots if long arms and use ammunition which is not commercially available.
.

Actually SOR 98-464 says rifles are antiques if they are non magazine. Double rifles are not single shot and are antiques. Further they do not exclude ammunition which is commercially available, they exclude ammunition under roughly .34 caliber (8.something mm).

cheers mooncoon

 

[Nyles]

I'd probably have to go with over 100 years as my personal definition for an antique. That said I've described some of my WW2 guns as antiques to non-gun people. It sounds more socially acceptable.