- Location
- scotland, ontario
All the guns I've got this year are at least 50 years old. How come I really don't like most new factory guns , but really like the older stuff.
I Like The Old Stuff
- Thread starter canadianbear
- Start date
Because everyone likes what they like. That is the great thing about being a gun owner. I like Lever guns. Some people don't. It doesn't matter what you like; be it black rifle, milsurps, handgun, shotgun, lever, bolt, semi, single. The list goes on and on. As long as you enjoy your sport and hobby. And pass it on to others.
That and the older stuff was built better IMHO.
My 0.02¢
That and the older stuff was built better IMHO.
My 0.02¢
Jwirecom109
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Rural Alberta
Its like the cars from the late 60's, how many of those are still around and running and worth stupid amount of cash, why because they were built to last.
Back in the day, things were built to last because most places knew that people wouldn't be buying too many of them. Now adays everyone goes through a phone or a car like its going out of style, why bother making it last 30 years when they know your going to buy a new phone each year and buy a new car every 3-5.
Guns are the same way.
Back in the day, things were built to last because most places knew that people wouldn't be buying too many of them. Now adays everyone goes through a phone or a car like its going out of style, why bother making it last 30 years when they know your going to buy a new phone each year and buy a new car every 3-5.
Guns are the same way.
+1 and this also goes for standing up for our rights as gun owners. We are constantly undermining each other because the hunters dont care about handguns etc. We all like shooting therefore we should be fighting united instead of divided, the way were doing it now.
Also I like the old stuff too
Same reason some people like chocolate and others like vanilla.
There is no right or wrong answer here. Old, new, it's all good....
I disagree with the personel preference comments. I figure you are tuned into appreciating quality over economy. New is great but the trend toward injection moulding, reduced machine cuts and every other penny pinching manufacture shortcut has resulted in affordable, reliable, accurate yet ugly guns. It is great that we can provide hunting arms for 300-700 bucks to the masses but IMHO life is too short for ugly guns. Odd how many people have a dozen 'economy' guns yet would never think to spend 3500 on a couple quality guns? Must be frustrating for manufacturers that want to put more then 5 mins of labour and 2 minutes of quality control into thier products.
Get a new Mauser or any of the other above average new guns and you'll like em as much as the old ones. Rivets and bent sheet metal should be reserved for emergency war production not family hierlooms.
Get a new Mauser or any of the other above average new guns and you'll like em as much as the old ones. Rivets and bent sheet metal should be reserved for emergency war production not family hierlooms.
Not all "old" guns are meticulously hand crafted by expert craftsmen using only the finest in materials...
There has been plenty of cheapo guns produced for the masses in the last 100 years- Just like the injection molded stocked savages and T3's etc.
"Old" is no more assurance of quality than "new"
There has been plenty of cheapo guns produced for the masses in the last 100 years- Just like the injection molded stocked savages and T3's etc.
"Old" is no more assurance of quality than "new"
NolanOsborn
Regular
- Location
- British Columbia
I am the same, though I have bought 3 new rifles this month.
A marlin 1895 45-70 ( a new oldie ), savage edge 223 ( shoots well, cheap, but makes me want to puke. And a Savage 114 euroclassic 30-06 ( just iron sights, which appeals to the days of yore)
I find old guns appealing partly cause they are old, and often built well and by hand, but also because each one has an ( sometimes untold) story.
I own an 105 year old single shot 12G from the states. I often wonder what it got up to in its lifetime before me.
I have thought of writing a brief history of each of my firearms before i sell them, and slipping it under the butt pad for someone to find someday.
A marlin 1895 45-70 ( a new oldie ), savage edge 223 ( shoots well, cheap, but makes me want to puke. And a Savage 114 euroclassic 30-06 ( just iron sights, which appeals to the days of yore)
I find old guns appealing partly cause they are old, and often built well and by hand, but also because each one has an ( sometimes untold) story.
I own an 105 year old single shot 12G from the states. I often wonder what it got up to in its lifetime before me.
I have thought of writing a brief history of each of my firearms before i sell them, and slipping it under the butt pad for someone to find someday.
Yes, I like the old stuff. I don't have anything against the people who like the new, sometimes gaudy creations, and the plastic stocks.
But I will never have a rifle with a plastic stock, because I can't stand the looks of them. To me they have cheapy written all over them. Manufacturers running out of good wood, or it is getting expensive, so squeeze out a plasti formed one and tell those guys it is far superior to a good piece of walnut.
To me, there is charm, there is history, there are stories, if only we knew them, behind those old fine examples of wood and blued steel.
Look a it this way, when you look at a rifle made in the mid 1930s, just let your mind wander and try and reconstuct the scene of the men (yes, men, the women were home looking after the house and the kids) who daily trudged to the factory to build them. Think of his story at that time. He lived in a world that right now about 98 % of you guys don't know anything about. A different world, but he helped build you a fine rifle. Or maybe a prize shotgun.
I wonder what stories this old girl could tell. She came out of the Winchester factory in 1896, one year after the 25-35 was introduced. I wonder what the fellow looked like that pulled the trigger as the first deer, likely a whitetail, fell to it.
But I will never have a rifle with a plastic stock, because I can't stand the looks of them. To me they have cheapy written all over them. Manufacturers running out of good wood, or it is getting expensive, so squeeze out a plasti formed one and tell those guys it is far superior to a good piece of walnut.
To me, there is charm, there is history, there are stories, if only we knew them, behind those old fine examples of wood and blued steel.
Look a it this way, when you look at a rifle made in the mid 1930s, just let your mind wander and try and reconstuct the scene of the men (yes, men, the women were home looking after the house and the kids) who daily trudged to the factory to build them. Think of his story at that time. He lived in a world that right now about 98 % of you guys don't know anything about. A different world, but he helped build you a fine rifle. Or maybe a prize shotgun.
I wonder what stories this old girl could tell. She came out of the Winchester factory in 1896, one year after the 25-35 was introduced. I wonder what the fellow looked like that pulled the trigger as the first deer, likely a whitetail, fell to it.
I like old guns largely for there character and usually unknown histories. There is also something timeless about a piece of nice hand checkered wood and quality aged blueing. Maybe a lot of cheapos were made in the 'old days' but even these still have character and often function and shoot very well as well as selling at very low prices. It is also a matter of economy, for 4-600$ you can buy a 50 year or older rifle made to high standards of fit and finnish with a lot of hand labour and nicely figured wood. A compareable new rifle might cost 2-3 times as much or even more. Personally I own 4 rifles I bought new, but they are all more than 10 years old now. It is unlikely I will buy another one new....
Getting into the old stuff too. I bought a 1900 1894 Winchester in 38-55 a couple of years ago and its one of my fave rifles. Sure I have new stuff too or newer stuff but bolt actions are a little clinical for me. Accurate and reliable sure but shooting something 110yrs old that is a tackdriver with excellent irons is a joy. I shoot them for the FUN of it. That along with my probably 100yr old BSA Martini model 12 22lr target rifle with the strangest front sight I ever saw (flips to 2 different sights}. Sure I love my Ruger and my CZs and they are accurate but not quite as much fun as these and my older Savage 99s. The Henry Golden Boy is new but it feels old and looks old. Im not alone at the range cuz when I take them out I see the other shooters sideways glances. Always quick to offer one to someone to play with. I really dig the smiles. Back to 8yrs old in seconds. And the history they bring. Who owned it and what did they do with it, how many owners...Dont own any plastic guns either. Soulless creatures them. Devil Spawn fer sure!!
Top two are 99K savage factory engraved rifles available from savage between 1926 - 1940. The top one is a 250-3000 (1928) and the bottom one is 300 sav (1932). The last one is a special order pistol grip 1899B full octagon barrel with special order checkering, line engraving and upgraded wood. It is in 303 sav and the date of manufacture is 1903. I have yet to hear of another factory pistol grip savage done with the prince of wales grip, the early ones were all the marlin style S grip.
You can say all you like about new guns being just as high quality as old but it just ain't true. Sure there have been some old clunkers turned out but these were really inexpensive guns aimed at people who didn't have much money to spare. But back then you could hire a very skilled pair of hands for little money, not any more. Some guns leave the factory today practically untouched by human hands. Personally you can have your bead blasted finishs, polymer stocks(read plastic) and lousy inletting and fit, I like the old guns. The bean counters have infiltrated all the gun companies and their primary motivation is, how fast and inexpensive can we build it and how many can we pound out.
I recently bought a 1938 manufacture Oberndorf K98k service rifle. I read somewhere that if this rifle were produced today even with CNC machining it would sell for in excess of $2000 per unit. The workmanship is faultless.
I recently bought a 1938 manufacture Oberndorf K98k service rifle. I read somewhere that if this rifle were produced today even with CNC machining it would sell for in excess of $2000 per unit. The workmanship is faultless.
It may have already been said...
I never met a gun I didn't like.
I don't give a hoot if it is a lever gun, bolt gun, semi auto, single shot or whatever...they are all a work of art in my opinion. Even some of the tupperware guns.
I never met a gun I didn't like.
I don't give a hoot if it is a lever gun, bolt gun, semi auto, single shot or whatever...they are all a work of art in my opinion. Even some of the tupperware guns.
