America is a country of collectors: baseball cards, plush toys, and comic books reign as popular collectibles. Did you know antique firearms are also highly sought after?
Buying and collecting old guns can
be a profitable side project. Old firearms in pristine condition can fetch collectors $30,000 or more at auction.
Yet old guns are still guns. You
must know crucial rules, and you must also know which guns carry value.
Do you want to learn about the
fascinating world of antique guns? Check out this guide.
Look
at Make and Model
Make, and model is where all antique
gun collectors start. Are you interested in World War II service weapons?
Learning the make and model of those weapons is the only way to find them.
You'll also find that some
manufactured models carry more value than others. For example, post-Civil War
Colt Single Actions like Winchester and Merwin Hulbert are highly collectible.
Are you interested in 20th Century
military weaponry? Check out this page.
Know
Condition Ratings
The gun collecting community has
several different rating standards for grading the condition of antique
firearms. While you don't need to know every rating system, knowing the most
common is crucial for profitability when purchasing or selling pieces in your
collection.
The National Rifle Association (NRA)
offers the most widely used antique gun rating system. Here are the criteria:
- New: Constructed
of all original parts and original finish
- Excellent: All
original components with 80% of finish intact
- Fine: Original
part construction with over 30% original finish
- Very Good: All
the original parts with an original finish of less than 30%
- Good: Minor
replacement parts with small rust dots present
- Fair: Major
replacement parts present with rusting and pitting present
- Poor: Major
and minor part replacement with extensive repair
Gun restoration may be a fun hobby,
but antiques without original parts and finish are not sought-after collector
items. Make sure you look for original parts and rust-free metal when buying
antique weaponry.
Licensing
An antique gun is still a gun, which
means your collectible is subject to federal regulations.
If you are interested in collecting
antiques only, you may not need a traditional license to carry or a license to
own. However, not having those licenses limits what you can collect at any
time.
Firearms 50 years old or older
receive a Curio and Relic (C&R) designation. To possess a C&R gun
legally, you only need a Collector's Federal Firearms License.
As stated previously, these licenses
are very limited in scope. With them, you are unable to purchase or possess
modern firearms.
Collecting
Antique Firearms
Collecting antique firearms is like
holding history in your hand. Many of these guns come from specific historical
moments like World Wars and other conflicts.
The antique gun business is also
profitable if you know what you're looking for. Make sure to educate yourself
on the valuable makes and models and the various rating systems.
Do you need more collecting news and tips? Check out our page for all the latest gun collecting articles.
