Relevant Antiques

[adamjay]

I have always loved the idea of a fuctional firearm dated pre 1899, thus a non firearm by ATF definition, a chunk of steel that one could buy just as easily as an old iron sidecast plow or a rusty draw knife from a second hand store.

What are some of your favorite functional, relevant, reliable antiques? How easy are they to find? Cost? How available is the ammo?

So what do you like?

[adamjay]

For me, its always been the Czar’s mosins, stolen by the Soviets and captured by the Finns.

Pretty common rifle, not too pricey for the less rare models, maybe $200-$600 depending on rarity, condition and configuration. All of the rifles, from 1892-1897 were born as m91’s, the model 1891 Russian infantry rifle or, less commonly dragoon or cossack rifles. Many of the original recievers have since been transformed into some other configuration.

The cartridge, 7.62x54r, is ballistically similar to a 30-06. There is a ton of milsurp ammo around, it used to be pretty cheap but has gone up alot in the past few years. Newly manufactured ammo is abundant and available, at least at the places I shop, and is similar in price to more conventional full power .30 ammo.

[kygen]

1893 Turk Mausers, or the Gew 88/05. I'd probably go with the Gee, recoil is less than a 91/30 in my opinion.

[echo1]

1893 Turk Mausers, or the Gew 88/05. I'd probably go with the Gee, recoil is less than a 91/30 in my opinion.

This. I've got one and it cycles very slick. With these, I believe the upgrade to spritzer used Czech barrels that some initial the conversions were done at Bruno. It's been said often, that the actions are more "sporter smooth" versus milspec. I've got a couple GEW 88s to compare it to. PAX

[risingsun212]

[highpower]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "antique". Do you mean the US government's definition, or what antique dealers use to determine if an item is an antique or not? The government passed legislation that arbitrarily used 1898 as the cut off date and furniture dealers use anything over 100 years old. Also, do you mean a firearm that was actually made before 1898, or just one that was designed prior to that? A rifle with a pre '98 receiver that has been rebuilt after 1898 may technically be an antique as defined by the ATF, but in reality it is a newer gun with a couple of old parts on it.

Generally speaking, I find Mosins to be as exciting as a new refrigerator and while I do have one Finn capture 91/30, I have no particular desire to get any more unless I find an original condition US property marked Remington or NEW.

Mostly I collect US military firearms and have several pre 1898 rifles. I guess my favorite would be my Krag rifle or carbine, with my 1890 dated Trapdoor Springfield a close second.

If we are talking about anything over 100 years old in original condition, then I have a couple dozen firearms, both civilian and military that fit into that category. But then I just like old guns in general and tend to buy whatever strikes my fancy at that moment.

[81turbota]

Antique Mosins are easy to find as are the Turk Gewehr 88s. My favorite antique rifle to give you the antique feel as well as the convenience of cartridges is the Springfield trapdoors and Krags.

The trapdoors have the look and feel of a percussion musket but can be shot with commercially available 45-70 (no hot stuff)

[870classic]

A short list of Antique rifles:

1898 Mauser (Although there are only about 400 of them made before January 1, 1899)

1893 or 1895 Mausers (Small ring) in 7x57 are a good start. Ammo is still available at a reasonable cost of about $1/round. Rifle cost = $50 for a receiver to $300+ for a functioning rifle.

1891 Argentine Mausers in the 7.65x53 or 7.64x54 are good rifles. (Risingsun212)
Ammo cost = $1/round. Rifle cost = $50 for a receiver to $300+ complete rifle.

GEW88 in 8x57J (.318" projectile) or the re-arsenal in 8x57JS (.323" projectile) are also a good quality rifle.
Ammo cost = $1.25 to $2.00/round. Rifle cost = $300+ complete rifle.

Springfield Trapdoors in 45-70 Government or the other calibers can be fun. Just don't hot-rod them.
Ammo cost = $1.75 to $2.00/round. Rifle cost = $400+ complete rifle.

Winchester Model 1866, all are pre-1899
Winchester Model 1873 (serial # below 525923)
Winchester Model 1876, all are pre-1899
Winchester Model 1885 (serial # below 84701)
Winchester Model 1886 (serial # below 119193)
Winchester Model 1887 (all were produced before 1899).
Winchester Model 1890 (serial # below 64521)
Winchester Model 1892 (serial # below 165432)
Winchester Model 1893 (serial # below 34204)
Winchester Model 1894 (serial # below 147685)
Winchester Model 1895 (serial # below 19872)
Winchester Model 1897 Shotgun (serial # below 63633)
Reference: https://www.empirearms.com/pre-1899.htm

The list goes on and on ...

Best regards,
870classic

[TRAP55]

FIFY

Winchester Model 1866, all are pre-1899
Winchester Model 1873 (serial # below 525750)
Winchester Model 1876, all are pre-1899
Winchester Model 1885 (serial # below 82381)
Winchester Model 1886 (serial # below 118756)
Winchester Model 1887 (all were produced before 1899).
Winchester Model 1890 (serial # below 64748)
Winchester Model 1892 (serial # below 103328)
Winchester Model 1893, all are pre-1899
Winchester Model 1894 (serial # below 53941)
Winchester Model 1895 (serial # below 19567)
Winchester Model 1897 Shotgun (serial # below 63867) continuation of Model 1893 serial numbers
Source: Winchester Polishing Room Records

[Hardwarejunkie]

The last antiques I bought were two M91 Cacano's, a Torino and a Torre Annunziata (sp?) both marked 1896.
Picked them up while working in SoCal a few years back, got some new production ammo for around $15 per 20 rounds back then, still haven't gotten around to shooting them yet.
It felt good to cash and carry though!

[SVT-40]

My two favorites would be my 71/84 Mauser and my Kar 88. Beautiful rifles both of them.... And both all matching down to the very last screw.

[huntingsocal]

sold it and have yet to find a good replacement, but I really liked this M39

[Springfield45]

I have a few German 1888 commission rifles I got cheaply. Old west scrounger was selling them five for $50 for a while. They were in Ecuadorian rusty tomato stick condition so I got ten figuring I could make one or two from the parts. I was able to restore seven of them to shooting condition. They are accurate for their time and shoot the early version of the 8mm Mauser (7.92x57mm). The magazine system is the weakest part of these rifles and after market clips do not work well. They have a interesting history.


other notable antiques;

1873 Springfield 45-70 rifle.
Colt SAA.
1873 Winchester.
1864 Snyder Enfield rifle .577 Snyder.

[smle-man]

My two favorites would be my 71/84 Mauser and my Kar 88. Beautiful rifles both of them.... And both all matching down to the very last screw.

Wowza!

[870classic]

Antique Firearms

FIFY

Winchester Model 1866, all are pre-1899
Winchester Model 1873 (serial # below 525750)
Winchester Model 1876, all are pre-1899
Winchester Model 1885 (serial # below 82381)
Winchester Model 1886 (serial # below 118756)
Winchester Model 1887 (all were produced before 1899).
Winchester Model 1890 (serial # below 64748)
Winchester Model 1892 (serial # below 103328)
Winchester Model 1893, all are pre-1899
Winchester Model 1894 (serial # below 53941)
Winchester Model 1895 (serial # below 19567)
Winchester Model 1897 Shotgun (serial # below 63867) continuation of Model 1893 serial numbers
Source: Winchester Polishing Room Records

Thank you for the updated information Trap55