Shooting Collectible Guns

[Mblackmon4]

I'd say shoot them. They aren't pre 64 winchesters so they will never be as collectible as those are. And judging by the ones I've seen in person they don't really sell for more than a grand or so. I'd say shoot them and enjoy them

 

[Byrdman13]

I would do whatever your heart tells you to do. I have my late grandpa's pre 64 model 94 in 32 Winchester Special and I shoot it whenever I get the itch. Means more to shoot it than leave it put away

 

[ATH]

I don't have any unfired guns bought as collector's...not would I buy any. I do have ones which are collector's by virtue of age; some I've shot, some I don't for a variety of reasons but mainly because I have no need to shoot those particular guns as I have modern alternatives. I have my great-grandmother's 25 Remington, haven't made ammo for it since the 50s. It's my goal to shoot a deer with it one year in her memory.

One reason I don't shoot some of them is because they HAVE been shot and they are old. My great-great-great grandfather's S&W is well-shot and I only shoot it rarely with powder puff loads. I have a Garand I worked hard to buy through CMP in college, it's a fairly low serial number. A few years ago I was shooting it with very mild loads (no need to push it) and learned the hard way abut metal fatigue, there was a bad spot in the bolt and it cracked, blowing the stock to pieces though I thankfully escaped with scratches.

 

[Critter Picker]

Do you have the boxes?

New in box do bring a better price. Do what makes you smile. I don't buy guns as collectors, I buy to enjoy. I drive my vehicles and shoot my guns. Just got home from Barrett Jackson and it appears that I should have stored all my cars. My kids would be rich and I'd be a sad old man.

 

[eshell]

rare for them to actually be worth all that much more than a standard model unless there was a significant event in the design/lineage of the model.
post them up for sale at good condition of a standard model + 35% and when they don't sell you'll feel better about it and shoot them

I'd agree. I've seen several people clean up after dead relatives and be thoroughly disappointed to have various commemorative versions not worth near what they expected, and some were even hard to sell.

My own opinion: If it was something I'd enjoy shooting and using, I'd shoot it and use it, but I probably wouldn't shoot it just for the sake of taking it out.

 

[Laguna Freak]

I've never owned a gun I didn't shoot. Nor do I care to. Same goes for cars and good whiskey!

Mmmmmm! I do like cars and good whiskey. Thank God for guns!

 

[Bucklowery]

I inherited some of my grandfather's guns. He grew up during the depression. He did not have many gun and no safe queen for sure. He could afford about what he wanted but was very practical and only bought what he needed. I cherish those guns and they don't get used all the time but I take them out every year just because I think he would like it

Thanks

Buck

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Years ago I inherited several guns from my grandpa. Some of those of which are commemorative winchester 94s from the 1960s. The guns are safe queens and have never been shot. Recently I've had an itch to shoot them.

How many of you would just shoot them and how many just keep them as safe queens?

Would it greatly devalue them if they were shot compared to not?

I have no intention of them becoming high shot range guns or to ever get sold, but I am intrigued of taking one up in a stand and shooting a few deer just for the sake of doing it.

Just had a lifelong friend call me tonight and ask about the value of a Collectable and if he shot it. His uncle was a Detective at a local Police Force and went to the FBI for a Training Class and then all the participants received a Beretta 92 with the FBI Symbol and the year. He asked if he shot it would the value go down. I asked him what did he think the value was? He assumed since it had an FBI Logo and Year on it was worth more than a regular Beretta 92. I told him that it is only value to the owner that received it and really no one else. Go SHOOT IT!. Actually, with the bad rep of the FBI it is probably worth a lot less than a standard Baretta 92.

Most firearms are fired at the factory for safety reasons. So if you shot a firearm a few times and cleaned it, you could say that it is NIB and no one would tell the difference.

Also the VALUE of a Firearm is in the BUYERS Eyes. The difference of a firearm with a Logo on it to one without is how MUCH $$$????
Now looking at a Winchester or Colt made in the late 1800s with a low serial # in 99% can be worth a lot of money or if it was used by Billy The Kid with paperwork.. But then it is just a paper weight or a wall hanger that you paid a lot of money just to show it off (depending if you have friends to show it off to).
We have S&W New in Wood Box 44mag Mod 1 and a dozen Colts and Remington Rand 1911 45s with real Hand carved Ivory Grips from 1940. The grips are worth more that the 1911. Just saving them for my last retirement payday (hopefully).
Well saying that the value is to the buyer!!!!

 

[Presis Skyter]

Appreciate all the feedback. That's what I was looking for. I guess it's time to take them out for an occasional shoot like I was wanting to do. Just after 50-60 years of being in a display cabinet, I wanted to make sure I wasn't crazy if I took them out.

 

[Jnm300ultra]

The two lever actions were what I was interested in the feedback for. But if you want something nice to look at, this is my F class that's my favorite to shoot and look at.

How your talking. The wood on that rifle is exceptional. I don't know how many people on this site shoot F Class, but I sure appreciate that rifle. I assume you shoot FTR since i see the bipod, and it doesn't look like a 3" forend. I say shoot the rifles. Only reason not to shoot them is if you're planning on selling them and getting the most money.
Jason

 

[kiwikid]

Ones a Winchester 94 commemorative golden spike and the other is a Winchester 94 Theodore Roosevelt commemorative.

Thanks for the welcome. Loving this forum so far.

Both of these rifles were released by Winchester in 1969 according to the History of Winchester Firearms 1866-1975.
There were approximately 70000 of the Golden Spike Carbine rifles made.

As for the Theodore Roosevelt Commemorative these were made in a rifle and carbine configuration and the total number made combined was 52386.

As others have mentioned having the original box with the printed slip cover and un-fired tend to bring a premium if you decided to sell them.

 

[Presis Skyter]

Both of these rifles were released by Winchester in 1969 according to the History of Winchester Firearms 1866-1975.
There were approximately 70000 of the Golden Spike Carbine rifles made.

As for the Theodore Roosevelt Commemorative these were made in a rifle and carbine configuration and the total number made combined was 52386.

As others have mentioned having the original box with the printed slip cover and un-fired tend to bring a premium if you decided to sell them.

That's more history than I had looked up. Not a collector myself but based on the numbers there's a lot of these out there. I don't have the boxes but may at my grandparents. Either way I think I'll enjoy an annual range day with them.

 

[Presis Skyter]

How your talking. The wood on that rifle is exceptional. I don't know how many people on this site shoot F Class, but I sure appreciate that rifle. I assume you shoot FTR since i see the bipod, and it doesn't look like a 3" forend. I say shoot the rifles. Only reason not to shoot them is if you're planning on selling them and getting the most money.
Jason

I'm just getting into f class but yes that's a ftr setup. Cerus has awesome wood for their stocks. Been using the Atlas bipod but I have a Joypod on the way. Super stoked with my load development results so far. Last week had a 4 shot group measuring .04 MOA (or .12" group) at 300 yards. Now just need to get to the 1000 yard range to see how it groups at distance.

 

[Jnm300ultra]

Your score will improve greatly when you use a joy pod. That rifle is made to track back-and-forth. The stock is stunning. Best of luck, Shooting FTR.
Jason