prices for a shootable antique

I have 2 or 3 antique long guns and the need for registration has had minimal effect on my desire to purchase them. My interest has been a mixture of challenge in getting them to shoot straight and interest / curiosity about the merits or demerits of their design as well as their place in history.

I also think that while prices in the US may be higher, the americans are also a lot fussier about the gun being in excellent condition. Since my interest is more in shooting and how well do they function, condition is of less concern to me but rather can I rebuild or repair them to a functioning status

cheers mooncoon
 
The cheapest gun in 45 caliber with antique status would probably be a Belgian bulldog in .455 Webley, remember that a gun has to be strong for 45 caliber, not may 38 options in Canada.
 
I don't think it would be unusual to see the Canadian buyer pool of antique long guns to shrink with abolition of LGR. However, as long as their is access to the larger US market through sites like gunbroker, etc I see no likely devaluation in quality antique firearms(hand or long). Where I do see potential significant devaluation is on antique longs guns of poor quality, stuff the Americans won't even buy but would rather send up here because we will buy anything semi shootable and non registrable.
 
Bowie said:
I don't know about you guys, but I would way rather have a nice antique handgun than a mares leg. Am I the only one who thinks they are fugly? Like the ford ranchero of firearms.
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Yeah I prefer Antique revolvers only, I don't go after the long guns. I'm into semi auto milsurps, red, black & green rifles.

Only Reason I own Antique handguns is because they hold their value, they look cool, they're fun to shoot and they arnt on the confiscation list.

Also, How else am I going to own Snub nose revolvers, the rest are prohibited....
 
Bowie said:
I don't know about you guys, but I would way rather have a nice antique handgun than a mares leg. Am I the only one who thinks they are fugly? Like the ford ranchero of firearms.
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You can hunt and carry with a mares leg, unfortunately you can't, at this point in time, with an antique (or any) handgun.
 
Pete04 said:
You can hunt and carry with a mares leg, unfortunately you can't, at this point in time, with an antique (or any) handgun.
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Personally I think the term hunting with a mares leg is perhaps a bit optimistic isn't it?
I suppose with practice one could become accurate enough to hit an animal at respectable distance.
I'll sure the calibers are sufficient to do it. The gun itself just looks better suited to shoot-outs than hunting.
IMO it looks awkward to aim and shoot. Nope; never held one. If I'm wrong please retort (and remember I was polite about it).
OP; sorry if this has deviated from the original discussion somewhat
 
tokguy said:
Personally I think the term hunting with a mares leg is perhaps a bit optimistic isn't it?
I suppose with practice one could become accurate enough to hit an animal at respectable distance.
I'll sure the calibers are sufficient to do it. The gun itself just looks better suited to shoot-outs than hunting.
IMO it looks awkward to aim and shoot. Nope; never held one. If I'm wrong please retort (and remember I was polite about it).
OP; sorry if this has deviated from the original discussion somewhat
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you may be right but Elmer keith used to hunt out to over 200Yds with handguns so i dont see why a mares leg would be any worse.
Id rather have a handgun tho and i to have never had or shot a mares leg.
but as long as its barrel is like 4 to 6 inchs long it should shoot not to bad.
i think there barrels are longer than that.
If it can be carried on your hip like Steve Mqueens did then it has and advantage of not haveing to be put down and left while moveing around camp ect or at a kill site.
Looks uncomfortable to me but one in say 45 colt or 38 55 would be kinda neat.
I will have to look into them more.
Im not 100% sure but i dont think theres any orignal mares legs they were made for the movies.
So would CFC have to give antique status on a pre 1898 Winchester found in set up in a mares leg whats it classed as in Canada?
 
I'm thinking that it would be awkward due to your supporting arm ( left typically) would need to be extended straight, while the shooting arm would be bent at an angle considerably less than straight.
Not conducive to a good "lock" like you'd have shooting a handgun.
Try to hold your arm out in front of you, with hand at eye level but your elbow at say a 120 degree angle ( with your shooting hand nearer Hz than Vert as well) I'd never dream of shooting a handgun in such a fashion.
Doesn't everyone get a good straight arm lock before shooting a handgun?
Mare's laigs look like they were designed to be shot from the hip.
Not trying to troll or argue, it just seems awkward to me. That's why I never bothered even entertaining the idea of buying one.
Still cool guns though
 
There is no handgun hunting in Canada. Period. (we have had this conversation before)
I fail to see the point of wandering around in the bush with a handgun that you are not allowed to shoot something with. Going to a spot for target practice is fine but just not the same thing.

I don't hunt but I find my mares leg to be as handy as most any handgun would be to hunt with. That is to say I would rather have a full stock rifle/shotgun but for a compact, light gun that packs a .45colt wollup, the mares leg is pretty good. IMHO
 
Pete04 said:
There is no handgun hunting in Canada. Period. (we have had this conversation before)
I fail to see the point of wandering around in the bush with a handgun that you are not allowed to shoot something with. Going to a spot for target practice is fine but just not the same thing.

I don't hunt but I find my mares leg to be as handy as most any handgun would be to hunt with. That is to say I would rather have a full stock rifle/shotgun but for a compact, light gun that packs a .45colt wollup, the mares leg is pretty good. IMHO
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You can shoot things with a handgun in the bush... just you can't hunt with it if you got attacked and you shot something you didn't break any laws..

I don't like the mares leg because it's hard to aim and shoot it just doesnt feel right but as a plinker its good.
 
Pete04 said:
There is no handgun hunting in Canada. Period. (we have had this conversation before)
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You've never read PEI's regs. :D
I had that conversation with the former head conservation officer here a couple years back. He couldn't see why I wouldn't be able to shoot grouse with an antique revolver loaded with shot.
 
Pete04 said:
There is no handgun hunting in Canada. Period. (we have had this conversation before)
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Yep. And the MNR disagrees with you..... Do I have to dig out the letter again???? :p

Handgun hunting is not illegal in Ontario. MNR's official stance is that if you may lawfully possess a firearm in accordance with federal law you may use it to hunt as long as it conforms to the caliber restrictions for the game being hunted.

That said, I have no doubt that the majority of LEO's or CO's would arrest you and seize your valuable antique on the spot and let the courts sort it out.
 
Interestingly, after reading this thread I decided to pop over to canlii and see if they'd actually changed the law. Whadda ya know!

Alberta - Wildlife Act, RSA 2000, c W-10:
Schedule

Items Prohibited for Hunting Purposes

Item 1
Items prohibited for hunting all wildlife

10 A restricted firearm or a prohibited firearm of a kind that is a handgun for whose possession the holding of a licence and a registration certificate is required by the Criminal Code (Canada), except where a person

(a) uses the handgun to kill an animal caught in a trap, or

(b) is in possession of that handgun only for a purpose incidental to that use or the reasonable expectation of that use.
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Looks to me like that wording exempts antiques.

Still not allowed to use explosive arrows though. :stirthepot2:
 
And I'm still waiting to hear who will be the first to openly hunt with a hand gun anywhere in Canada. Don't get me wrong I'm all for it, but personally, I'd like to keep my guns and besides I'm already up to my tits in lawsuits over gun laws so thanks very much.

Please tell all on line here of your experiences handgun hunting in Canada, me, I'm pretty tired of hearing the bs.
 
When I used to live in the States I tried handgun hunting. Honestly I don't why everyone is hung up on doing it. For the most part it's a dumb idea especially with an antique handgun. If your not using a high power large caliber handgun round like a 44 mag just go home because all your going to do is hurt the game if you actual manage to hit anything. IMHO, it's extremely difficult to hunt with handgun compared to rifle, not unlike bowhunting with similar effective ranges.
 
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