So I am just curious - who collects milsurps because they want to preserve old items in as original a state as possible, and who just enjoys shooting a piece of history and is less worried about rarity and condition (full matching numbers etc).
Milsurps - collector items or shooters?
- Thread starter Vladivar
- Start date
I tend to only collect original matching examples where possible (try collecting only original matching SVT-40s and see how far you get hahaha) with an exception for Finn captured items because of the incredible history behind them. I shoot them all though, they're firearms.
I'm very much a collector - I shoot my guns but it's very much secondary to collecting and I often buy guns I know I won't find ammo for or won't shooting because of rarity or safety issues (no f'in way I'm putting a live round in my Type-24 Mauser) since I have plenty of other guns I can shoot. The only pure shooter I own is my Cooey Model 60 .22.
Maybe need another question: I collect and shoot milsurps. I do all three. I get a kick out of people who infer that collecting nice milsurps and not shooting them is silly, and that shooting them is far superior. I say go for whatever rings your bell and enjoy doing it. Thankfully, some collectors share the goodies with pics and descriptions. jbmauser comes to mind. 
I know there are others, too.
Some of my stuff does see some shooting, some doesn't, and some I haven't bought yet!
I took one of my super duper rare rifles to a gun club meeting one night and did a show and tell. It is already banged up, so a bit of handling wouldn't hurt the old thing. I have a couple in the pile that I wouldn't take, but do show them to people at my house. I would love to be able to do a display under controlled circumstances at a gun show sometime. A lot of gunners have no idea what is "collectable".
I know there are others, too.Some of my stuff does see some shooting, some doesn't, and some I haven't bought yet!
I took one of my super duper rare rifles to a gun club meeting one night and did a show and tell. It is already banged up, so a bit of handling wouldn't hurt the old thing. I have a couple in the pile that I wouldn't take, but do show them to people at my house. I would love to be able to do a display under controlled circumstances at a gun show sometime. A lot of gunners have no idea what is "collectable".
Nice to have as good an example as possible, matching etc., however if I can't shoot them I don't want them. Love mine, especially my 1936 Luger I bought earlier this year, what a beautiful piece of iron, shoots very well, fun to take to the range. Hard to believe the design was patented in 1898. If guns could talk...
Eaglelord17
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Sault Ste. Marie
As mentioned I shoot and collect. I do somewhat care about condition but it matters what the item is in particular. For example if I buy a M91/30 for my collection I want it to be all matching, but if I was to buy say a 1889 Belgium Mauser then I wouldn't care so much about it being matching or the condition (provided it was not sporterized).
Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
If you have a prototype or "long term storeage" gun like an "Irish contract" lee enfield, then I would leave it in the condition you found it.
All others are shooters, some relegated to slow fire, some to rapid fire service match shoots.
I shoot my long Branch sniper in service rifle matches...why would anyone worry about shooting a moisen Nagant or a mauser?
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
I shoot my milsurps, some more than others but they all see range time. It's part of the enjoyment I get from them, I do try and buy the nicest example I can find but there are no safe queens in my house.
Some guns are shooter grade and some are collector grade.
I have no problem with people using shooter grade firearms at the range and encourage it. At the same time, I also encourage the preservation of original collector grade firearms.
I only collect firearms and have no intention of shooting them. I'm also only interested in historically significant or near mint/original condition firearms so I feel it would be a shame to shoot what I have.
I feel that depending what your intentions are should dictate what you buy. For example, if you want a K98k to bring to the range than a mismatched gun or RC would be fine and also save a lot of money, on the other hand a collector with no intentions of shooting will likely want a nice matching original to preserve for future generations.
I suspect most collectors buy/sell/trade with other like minded individuals. A lot of really nice collector grade guns trade hands privately in Canada between friends as opposed to places like the EE.
Regards and Merry Christmas,
-Steve
I have no problem with people using shooter grade firearms at the range and encourage it. At the same time, I also encourage the preservation of original collector grade firearms.
I only collect firearms and have no intention of shooting them. I'm also only interested in historically significant or near mint/original condition firearms so I feel it would be a shame to shoot what I have.
I feel that depending what your intentions are should dictate what you buy. For example, if you want a K98k to bring to the range than a mismatched gun or RC would be fine and also save a lot of money, on the other hand a collector with no intentions of shooting will likely want a nice matching original to preserve for future generations.
I suspect most collectors buy/sell/trade with other like minded individuals. A lot of really nice collector grade guns trade hands privately in Canada between friends as opposed to places like the EE.
Regards and Merry Christmas,
-Steve
I shoot all of mine. Bore condition is my primary concern.
Having a gun and not shooting it is like having a car and not driving it, or a toy and not opening it.
I don't even have a prejudice against a Ross, Enfield, or Mauser sporter, they probably shoot better anyway. My only prejudice is Mosins. I've never even touched one, and never will.
Having a gun and not shooting it is like having a car and not driving it, or a toy and not opening it.
I don't even have a prejudice against a Ross, Enfield, or Mauser sporter, they probably shoot better anyway. My only prejudice is Mosins. I've never even touched one, and never will.
Really? A Mosin hater... I love mine, it's a 1943 sniper which shoots extremely well for its intended purpose, I consider it a rifle which played a large part in all our freedom today. My mother used to tell me stories about listening to the reports on the radio during WW2 about how the Russians were doing in the fight against the Germans. If nothing else but from a historical perspective, a very important firearm IMHO. To each his own though...
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
I shoot 'almost' all of mine. Some are extremely rare, like my Ross MkI*, and I still shoot it: just with light loads and appropriate bullets, and definitely not very often. I even hunt some of mine, like a '42 Long Branch my wife bought me our first Christmas together. My Dewats can't be shot, only enjoyed for what they were. Some in rare calibers or hot calibers with short life expectancy don't get shot, the M-10 Ross rifles fall into this category. And sometimes I simply do t have time to load for all of them or haven't had a chance to take them out yet. So I think it's nice to have a mix of both.
Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
There are certainly differences between shooting a 99% condition 1911 vs shooting an 85% 1911 and a 60% 1911.
Just like the difference in shooting an 80% Colt 1911A1 vs shooting an 80% Singer 1911A1...
80% Colt 1911 vs 80% NAA 1911...
There is a balance between risk of damage, and rarity.
Shooting a 99% condition K98 would not be advisable, shooting the exact same gun in an 80% would make zero difference...assuming it was properly cleaned and maintained afterwards.
^^^This. I have a propensity to shoot but there's a tipping point where I'll probably never shoot a particular firearm. It's on a case by case basis.
I didn't vote in the poll because my position is the same as Butcherbill's above but with an emphasis on preserving.
Shooting a 80% gun is a good way to turn it into a 75% gun. Assuming a wartime Colt M1911A1 is all original parts and in 80% condition I would no longer shoot it these days, unless you don't care about additional wear and the chance of breaking parts. As a collector, I've seen a lot of guns with post war replacement parts and even cracked slides from recent use.
I don't have any issue with what people do with their own property, and I know some people cannot resist the urge to shoot every gun. You may feel the wear is minimal or not overly noticeable but it does occur. Go ahead and shoot until the oil in the slide is smoking, but don't pretend like it doesn't degrade the condition of the gun a little each time you do it.
This is one of several reasons why the pool of high condition original collector guns gets smaller and smaller overtime.
I collect original guns for the historic times, people, and battles they were once at and now represent. I never bought any collector guns to punch targets with. If I want to shoot, I take something non-collectible to the range that performs exactly the same. I know my argument is a loosing battle here, but some of us simply choose to appreciate these items in a different way and for different reasons that don't require a trip to the range.
Regards,
-Steve
