Whats an antique?

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As a senior university professor, I am well aware that the evolving definition of words goes way beyond governmental legalese, and is generally in the hands of an involved community. I thought there might be some long accepted definition for "antique" guns in common use in the firearms community (In the British motorcycle community for instance, there is a “rolling date” for vintage bikes) and that the term “antique” might not be entirely subsumed by the recent government regulation of language. However, apparently I was wrong, and in Canada at least we have now accepted that the government defines language and that their definition of “antique” supersedes all others. Sad but true I suppose
 
I tend to use the phrase 'legal antique' to distinguish between antique guns, as we might subjective understand the word 'antique', and guns that are defined as antique by law. I personally think the legal definition is bogus. I would prefer to see a rolling date. Personally, and I realize this is subjective, I regard any firearm made prior to 1940 as antique. My kids, on the other hand, will probably think my made in 1954 Winchester 30-30 is an antique.
 
I'm not bothered by what anyone wants to call an "antique". Call your two year old iphone "antique" and I won't argue with you. But if someone invites me to define "antique" then at minimum I expect that person to have the courtesy to accept my definition without throwing a hissy fit and flinging insults. Apparently that expectation does not apply to thinking men or senior university professors. :)
 
Win 38-55 said:
I tend to use the phrase 'legal antique' to distinguish between antique guns, as we might subjective understand the word 'antique', and guns that are defined as antique by law. I personally think the legal definition is bogus. I would prefer to see a rolling date. Personally, and I realize this is subjective, I regard any firearm made prior to 1940 as antique. My kids, on the other hand, will probably think my made in 1954 Winchester 30-30 is an antique.
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Thanks. Its very useful to distinguish the two terms. I suppose I should have made it even clearer that what I was interested in was not the "legal antique" definition (after all, anyone can read that convoluted definition on the government firearms website) but instead a definition that may have become a convention in the Canadian firearms community through long usage. Personally, I wouldn't object to an "antique" (not "legal antique") being defined as any firearm over 100 years old...and have this be rolling date. But so far I haven't found any generally agreed upon non-legal definition of an "antique" firearm. Although given our government over-regulation, an obsession with only the "legal antique" definition is understandable, it wasn't what I was looking for...
 
Personally I wouldn't object to an "antique" firearm being defined as an old gun. "Antique" is just a more expensive way of saying "old". :)

I'm content to enjoy my old guns without a need to define them any further. I value a 99 year old rifle as much as a one hundred year old rifle but under some definitions only one of those rifles is antique. I may find that absolutely pointless, but I understand that not everyone thinks like I do and that's fine.

If you want to form a club for antique firearms enthusiasts then some people would find it necessary to impose rules, especially if they wanted to exert control over the club. As the OP so graciously observed, bureaucrats place great value in arbitrary and meaningless definitions because it allows them to set the agenda and be in control. Not all bureaucracies are governmental.

This forum has always been happily non-judgemental. The conversations vary greatly but generally concern old guns, antique guns, non-antique old guns, et al. We accept that we may have different definitions and areas of interest. I don't want to see a new set of rules trotted out to limit the conversations to subjects pre-approved by some private bureaucracy.

Use your definitions and let others do the same. Be courteous and refrain from ranting, insults, and splitting hairs to create division pointlessly. Tolerance and courtesy have been trademarks of this section of CGN and we should try to keep it that way.
 
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I personally define an "antique" gun as something prior to WWI. "Old" guns are WWI up to WWII, for me. A definition of a Canadian legal antique, however, has already been covered.
 
jethunter said:
I'm not bothered by what anyone wants to call an "antique". Call your two year old iphone "antique" and I won't argue with you. But if someone invites me to define "antique" then at minimum I expect that person to have the courtesy to accept my definition without throwing a hissy fit and flinging insults. Apparently that expectation does not apply to thinking men or senior university professors. :)
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LOL i agree ^ the original question is like asking why do Dingos eat babys we could have a 3 page thred on that to but i wouldnt change anything. but i will throw my hat in the fire and add my thoughs on this.
theres two types of antique guns in Canada there perscribed antiques (thats the govement has decided are antique) and have no licence or registration required.
Then theres all the other antique guns that have to be registered in Canada there antique by age pre 1898 but not perscribed.
 
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My neighbor had a farmyard full of junk...until the farmsale flier was published, overnight it all became "antique's". Believe me the sales receipts, when all was said and done reflected he was right.

just say'in a lot of old guns are just that...at any age...until they come up for sale, then their status miraculously changes.
 
Words are worth money, and "antique" is worth a lot of cash. Dealers and collectors buy old junk and sell antiques. Adding the word "antique" to a description is where their profit margin comes from.

I tell my buds I collect "Antique firearms". My wife tells her friends that I collect "expensive old junk that doesn't work" but "it keeps him out of trouble and at least it's not golf." She's a smart girl. :)
 
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