If I could put some popular US gun companies into a formula, it would go something like this (just my opinion, of course)
S&W::Colt as Remington::Winchester
What do they all have in common? To name a few,
they have all been around a long time,
they all made some great guns through the years,
they are American as apple pie,
the guns are actively collected.
Where do they differ?
Well, they differ in so many ways, too many to list here.
Maybe it has a little to do with "cachet" and also a little to do with the American West.
Two of these makers command higher prices, on average, for comparable guns. I know, I know, you can't compare a Win 1886 to a Rem 700, but this discussion is more for fun than an in-depth comparison loaded with complexities.
Years ago I got frustrated with the 4 and 5 figure prices that certain guns were commanding. Some of these models were made in quantities of several hundred thousand. Certainly not rare by any stretch of the imagination. Also, condition was a big downer for me. High nickel content steel where bluing would flake off, or show drastic corrosion or extreme patina. Screws that were badly buggered, grip frames doubling as a means to pound nails. None of this seemed to matter. Prices just kept going up.
Anyways, I think Remingtons and Smiths go together nicely. They certainly have their place in collections where funds are limited and condition and quality don't have to be compromised.
From top to bottom:
Remington model 81 .300 Savage
model 141 .35 Remington
model 25-C .25-20 WCF
model 121 .22 LR
model 12 .22 LR
Anyone else want to share their Remingtons?
S&W::Colt as Remington::Winchester
What do they all have in common? To name a few,
they have all been around a long time,
they all made some great guns through the years,
they are American as apple pie,
the guns are actively collected.
Where do they differ?
Well, they differ in so many ways, too many to list here.
Maybe it has a little to do with "cachet" and also a little to do with the American West.
Two of these makers command higher prices, on average, for comparable guns. I know, I know, you can't compare a Win 1886 to a Rem 700, but this discussion is more for fun than an in-depth comparison loaded with complexities.
Years ago I got frustrated with the 4 and 5 figure prices that certain guns were commanding. Some of these models were made in quantities of several hundred thousand. Certainly not rare by any stretch of the imagination. Also, condition was a big downer for me. High nickel content steel where bluing would flake off, or show drastic corrosion or extreme patina. Screws that were badly buggered, grip frames doubling as a means to pound nails. None of this seemed to matter. Prices just kept going up.
Anyways, I think Remingtons and Smiths go together nicely. They certainly have their place in collections where funds are limited and condition and quality don't have to be compromised.
From top to bottom:
Remington model 81 .300 Savage
model 141 .35 Remington
model 25-C .25-20 WCF
model 121 .22 LR
model 12 .22 LR
Anyone else want to share their Remingtons?
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