Collecter vs Shooter

VNK971

VNK971

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Being new to the community I'm wondering what makes a gun a shooter out of one that was at one time a collectable, other than the obvious rust, damage, etc. Getting started at my age I can't buy something new and put it in the safe. I also like the older revolvers much more than todays automatics.
 
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Condition, demand (desirability) and rarity all factor into the equation. A gun "of a certain age" with minimal to no wear is probably collectible no matter how many were made; a well used gun of the same era would be more of a shooter. A Registered Magnum is in demand in pretty much any condition, but you can find more modern guns with far lower production numbers that are not as sought after, and one with any significant wear many would consider to be a shooter.

Clear as mud, right? :)
 
Something that's fairly rare and in like new condition would qualify for Safe Queen status. I'm interested in classics that I can shoot. A bit of missing bluing at the end of the barrel or a heavy turn line, but still something to be proud of is what I'm after. I want to shoot em... That's why they made em.
 
a collectable gun is one that crazy people pay lots of money for.
i buy a gun, i shoot a gun.
older may be better in either case. my 15-4 was built in 1980 n i'm convinced s&w can't make one as good as that today.
 
It all depends as to whether there is adequate collector demand. No matter what the item (guns or anything else), there will always be some which have no, or very little, collector demand even in brand new condition. Think of a pot metal Saturday Night Special. Case in point - last weekend I ran across a guy who wanted to sell or trade a Hi-Point .45 pistol, wanted $350 for it because he thought it was "collectible". Even for someone who wanted it, you could probably go out and buy a new one for $150 or less. And it is in no way collectible, and probably never will be. Another consideration is that what is in high collector demand today may not be tomorrow. And vice-versa. I imagine that 50 or so years ago, a Registered Magnum sold for little to no premium over any other N-frame in similar condition. It was just another gun.

Otherwise, it comes down to scarcity and condition, and possibly other factors such as a specific association with some famous or notorious person and/or historical event (like John Wilkes Booth's Deringer or Jack Ruby's Colt Cobra).
 
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After you consider rarity, condition, desirability, historic factors and all those kinds of things -
When it's your gun, it's your decision what you do with it.
When it's still the other guys gun, these factors tend to dictate the asking price.
 
Welcome to the forum from another Texan. IMHO, anything can be collectible... snd, as DWalt said, today's treasure may be tomorrow's trash. But, I think that a lot depends on the person. Some would look at my Registered Magnum and regard it as a shooter with no collector value in their eyes. To me it is very collectible as it is the nicest RM that I can afford. A whole lot can depend on budget and perspective. From a Lone Star perspective, however, if it was ever carried by a Texas Ranger or used at the Alamo--It IS COLLECTIBLE!
 
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I think an older gun....

....that has spent most of it's life in a sock drawer or even taken out and fired a couple of times a year makes a fantastic shooter. I bought a Chief's Special with a few scratches but otherwise looked very good. It's a great shooter and I don't even pay attention to the scratches. I'm biased because I am VERY unlikely to buy a gun for collector value. If I can't shoot it, I don't want it.
 
"It's a strange strange world we live in Master Jack.........."

Collectible vs Shooters............Beanie Babies vs junk..........

Short story............................

In 1988 or was it 89..... a gunsmith friend brought me a S&W Model 66 with a 3 inch barrel vs the standard "snubby" 66 length back then of 2 1/2 inches.

A Distributor with a local operation ..... had a "bunch" sitting on the shelf for over a year...... nobody wanted them ...... they were old school and didn't come with a 15 rd magazine.........IIRC the distributor was willing to part with those "dogs" for a couple of bucks over $200...... I got two; one for me and one for my Dad............

I added a set of Spegel Boot grips to both ($<$40) and still carry and shoot one to this day........and will until they bury me with it!!!!!

I've got my Dad's and a 3rd I found in a LGS about 15 years ago for $325......I've got the box/docs for the original two.........

to me a 3" 66 is the ultimate concealed carry revolver.....now selling for $1000-1,500 or more....................

Shooter or collectible???????? Only about 5000 made 66-2 to -4s; about the same number as the Register Magnums in the 30s.....Collectible or shooters?....... all in the eye of the beholder!!!!
 
I'm the guy that always asks the dumb questions, but what is a "Registered Magnum" ?


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Jbearwebb said:
I'm the guy that always asks the dumb questions, but what is a "Registered Magnum" ?


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Click to expand...

The first .357magnum........ introduced by S&W in 1935 .... discontinued in 1940 at about # 5xxx..........

bunch of other cooooool stuff....... others will fill in

about half accounted for .......bring $3000 for "shooters" to $$$$$$ with box/docs/ reg certificate today.

First one went to J Edger Hoover ..... Patton carried one as part of his 2gun rig..... his "killing gun"!
 
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The RM was exactly that. The purchaser could get a certificate for it, registering it in the factory records to him, and a RM with its original certificate is a very valuable combination. Those are stamped "Reg. xxx" (xxx being the registration number) on the frame in the yoke area. The RMs were basically custom-made to the customer's desires regarding barrel length, sort of the equivalent to a Rolex watch, lots of snob appeal. It was too much of a hassle for S&W to continue the practice of registration, so they dropped it in 1940. Actually, the 1940 "non-Registered Magnums" are more scarce than the RMs.
 
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Those pics answer the OP's question! Those are not shooters. Awesome![emoji8][emoji106]


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The age/condition factor is really the big one. . .I like to combine them. Somebody posted an old Smith 44 from the 1880's a while back. Without adjusting the grading for the age of the gun, it was around 85%. Everybody had a fit, including me! Had never seen one that nice. On the other hand, I have a pre Model 10 in around 85% condition either in my glove box or under the seat of my truck. I know it's in my truck somewhere! It was made in 1948. Now, if it was mint in the box, it would be a safe queen instead of a truck gun.
 
Collector vs. Shooter???

I would say that that distinction is up to the owner and what they want to do with it.
I have guns that many would consider as "non-collectable" because of condition, but are very collectable to me because of their place in history. (I am more interested in form & function that I am in condition.)
The other side of this coin would be the vaunted RM. I have no interest in this gun. Yes, I would buy one if I got a screaming deal, but I doubt I would keep it. It would get moved on to finance things that do interest me.
 
The way things are heading , any mechanically sound older revolver ( pre lock) will have achieved some collector value over the next 30 yrs.
 
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