I agree, the guns on my list are all already collectible and priced accordingly. I am thinking of adding the TT33 to my list as they are much more affordable.
Starting a modest WWII collection
- Thread starter Tom E Gun
- Start date
I agree, the guns on my list are all already collectible and priced accordingly. I am thinking of adding the TT33 to my list as they are much more affordable.
Hi Joe,
I think you've raised very valid points.
Our collectible firearms may not be as valuable in the future as we would like to think.
If the laws change, who really knows what will happen. And honestly, call me a pessimist but I doubt the laws are going to change for the better at this point.
The value of what would be very collectible Lugers is dropping as the number of people who can legally own them (12.6) is slowly declining. If our other WWII collectors pieces are grandfathered in the same matter they will also drop in value. Or if say handguns are banned in cities like Toronto, there will be massive flood of collectible pistols available to everyone else.
If someone is looking to make an investment, militaria such as helmets is probably much safer decision.
If you want to buy awesome WWII firearms, I would say to do so knowing there's a good chance they won't pay out as the wisest investment and simply enjoy what you can afford. I like these guns for what they are, not what they might be worth someday which could turn out to be less than they're worth now.
-Steve
I dunno Steve - not sure I agree. The main de-valuing mechanism is usually a new supply. Doubtful with vet bringbacks. If they ever got banned, they would get defatted - history shows dewatts actually go UP in value if done tastefully. A broader market can own them.
its to hard to invest in guns. all i know is all the milsurps are going up in price. in 2001 i got an M1 garand out of a pile for $125. i turned around and sold it in 2007 for $240 and now they command $900+ and are very hard to find.
any milsurp you get in really good shape and the price looks good to you. i would buy right now.
any milsurp you get in really good shape and the price looks good to you. i would buy right now.
My Thompson M1A1 arrived yesterday, what a beauty! So far I have determined, through a little internet research, that it was made by Savage under contract for Auto Ordnance. I will try to post some detailed pictures later. I also purchased two firearms that were not on my original wish list, a 1944 M1 Carbine and a 1944 Tokarev TT33
Dewat Thompson M1A1
1944 M1 Carbine
1944 Tokarev TT33
I am still looking for the following:
Colt 1911A1 &/or Remington Rand 1911A1
Inglis Hi Power
FN (nazi)Hi Power
P38
Dewat Sten
Sling and oiler for M1 Carbine (would prefer genuine, but would consider repro)
Vintage WWII .45ACP/9mm/.30/7.62x25 ammo (5-50 of each calibre - live or dummy) & cardboard ammo box
In this pic you can see the FJA, an S on the stock, an S on the barrel and 2 circles with GEG. According to my research these are all consistent with an M1A1 manufactured by Savage under contract with Auto Ordnance.
Dewat Thompson M1A1
1944 M1 Carbine
1944 Tokarev TT33
I am still looking for the following:
Colt 1911A1 &/or Remington Rand 1911A1
Inglis Hi Power
FN (nazi)Hi Power
P38
Dewat Sten
Sling and oiler for M1 Carbine (would prefer genuine, but would consider repro)
Vintage WWII .45ACP/9mm/.30/7.62x25 ammo (5-50 of each calibre - live or dummy) & cardboard ammo box
In this pic you can see the FJA, an S on the stock, an S on the barrel and 2 circles with GEG. According to my research these are all consistent with an M1A1 manufactured by Savage under contract with Auto Ordnance.
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As a collector you either need a focus (single nation for example) or an array from the major players.
If you are looking for it as an investment go for the main battle rifles - K98 prices and M1 garand prices have almost doubled in the last five years and some of those include RC's and Refurbs.
All matching non-refurb firearms will always have a premium price tag, but are faked (not good if you are a rookie) and a larger price tag to step into (may be hard as a rookie).
Russian stuff is dirt cheap at the moment. Prices have slowly slide up and some pieces have all but disappeared (M38's and M44's for example, which now usually sell for 2x the cost they did from the crate only four years ago). There are some pretty neat examples/variants out there to be found if you know what you are looking for.
I love collecting WWII handguns, but the legal confiscation of my BD38 has not given me any trust in using Restricted firearms as an investment. The government/RCMP can take them away at any time and only pay you the purchase value (no interest added, etc.).
DEWATs and Non-Restricted don't come with paperwork and are a good thing right now.
If you are looking for it as an investment go for the main battle rifles - K98 prices and M1 garand prices have almost doubled in the last five years and some of those include RC's and Refurbs.
All matching non-refurb firearms will always have a premium price tag, but are faked (not good if you are a rookie) and a larger price tag to step into (may be hard as a rookie).
Russian stuff is dirt cheap at the moment. Prices have slowly slide up and some pieces have all but disappeared (M38's and M44's for example, which now usually sell for 2x the cost they did from the crate only four years ago). There are some pretty neat examples/variants out there to be found if you know what you are looking for.
I love collecting WWII handguns, but the legal confiscation of my BD38 has not given me any trust in using Restricted firearms as an investment. The government/RCMP can take them away at any time and only pay you the purchase value (no interest added, etc.).
DEWATs and Non-Restricted don't come with paperwork and are a good thing right now.
Unfortunately not. The magazine release, trigger and safety all work, but the bolt is welded. It came with 2 mags the 30 round pictured is fully funtional and pinned to 5, the 20 round has the spring replaced with a solid spacer.
My goal is to collect the iconic firearms of WWII that I grew up seeing in the movies, on TV, in books, etc. So rare and obscure firearms do not appeal to me, for example there are 2 DEWAT Reislings available at the moment, but I have no interest in them, since I have never seen or heard of them before. The Thompson M1A1 is my ultimate iconic WWII firearm, the next 2 would be the P08 and MP40 although both of those are going to be difficiult.
The BD38 issue really SUCKS, i would be distrustful too if I were you, however I like to think that restricted handguns are a lot safer. If they are ever banned in Canada, like in Britain, they will not be getting any of mine back, I will deactivate them instead, in which case their value would hopefull remain stable or even increase.
Update
I thought I would post an update and a few pictures of my WWII collection as it stands approximately 4 months after my first WWII acquisition.
Thompson M1A1 and 1944 Inland M1 Carbine:
Ithaca M1911A1, 1944 Tokarev T33/Izhevsk, 1940 Tokarev T33/Tula, CYQ '45 P38, AC '44 P38:
I have a US&S M1911A1 and an Inglis Hi Power on the way. I am currently looking for a nice original finish Colt & Remington Rand M1911A1 (the Ithaca, as you can see, is quite rough and will eventually be replaced), a '43 or older BYF P38 and a nice Nazi marked Browning Hi Power.
I thought I would post an update and a few pictures of my WWII collection as it stands approximately 4 months after my first WWII acquisition.
Thompson M1A1 and 1944 Inland M1 Carbine:
Ithaca M1911A1, 1944 Tokarev T33/Izhevsk, 1940 Tokarev T33/Tula, CYQ '45 P38, AC '44 P38:
I have a US&S M1911A1 and an Inglis Hi Power on the way. I am currently looking for a nice original finish Colt & Remington Rand M1911A1 (the Ithaca, as you can see, is quite rough and will eventually be replaced), a '43 or older BYF P38 and a nice Nazi marked Browning Hi Power.
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i started my collection in the mid 80's when i started working and made a concerted effort only to get rifles in excellent/matching shape and never to pay more than 100 (enfields) to 200 (garand, k98) $ for them. since i stopped collecting rifles in the mid 90s and focused more on trench art, the firearms market has really gone up in value since this time. i see some enfields that i paid 50 to 100 now selling for 600 to 800 on the EE. much to my regret , i once passed on getting a ww 1 p14 sniper with an original scope for 115 because i didn't know what i was looking at.
when i was very young in the mid 60s, i remember new enfields in a barrel for 15, if you had 50, you could get an unissued enfield sniper. my current hunting partner has a sniper enfield he picked up at that time for 60.
i always wanted a liberator 45 pistol, they were new in the grease for 8 in 1967 but my parents wouldn't let me buy one. have seen 2 for sale recently for about 2000.....ouch
so, the point of this post is that firearms really do hold their value and now is the best time to start collecting
I would say, now is a good time to start collecting but, based on those prices, 40 years ago would have been a great time to start collecting
Thanks man. I have acquired a few holsters, belts, vintage ammo, etc so when I have some spare time I will try for some better, more artistic, diorama style photos.
That is a beauty. I was very,very, tempted by the JRA Garands when Wanstalls had some for sale recently.
Got the bug to but with the James River stuff, got my first one a 1903A4, looking for a K98 German Sniper rifle and a Garand in that order... JP[/URL][/IMG]
lol the springfield got me into guns after reading ww2 sniper novels.. then i realized how much they cost!
I don't think its a good time to start collecting, more a good time to start thinking about selling (if you plan to make money out of this) next year is going to be the 100 year anniversary & 75 year anniversary of the the start of WW1 & the start of WW2 & for the next few years the 100 year anniversary & 75 year anniversary of every event that took place during those two wars, followed by the 100 year anniversary & 75 year anniversary of the end of the 2 world wars, i believe we will see a good increase in the value of anything related to the wars.
