SGT ROCK 11B
Member
True, but only if they are properly maintained.
How old is too old?...
- Thread starter Truckman
- Start date
True, but only if they are properly maintained.
AJ
US Veteran
......others are not.... Come to my local gun range. There are folks there shooting that have trouble hitting a 28" X 28" cardboard backer let alone the target on it. The carriages, baffles, benches, and the overhead are all shot full of holes. With some the safest place is in front of them..........
SGT ROCK 11B
Member
Good point about humans but I would add, "Aptitude". Not everyone is a "Shootist" and that is why we have classifications like Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert and Master.
fiasconva
US Veteran
IMHO, as long as you feel your firearm is mechanically sound, safe, and will perform as needed its age shouldn't be a factor. I'd carry either of those with confidence.
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Well said fiasconva. Run em! If mechanical is good and I assume you have plenty of practice, memories and are very familiar with them. That’s all you need.
My grandmother had an ancient (1904) S&W .32 that was bought for her by my grandfather (used) in 1921. He took her to shoot it and she ran 3 cylinders full through it. It was cleaned, loade, and placed in a drawer by her bed. Grandpa passed in 1956. In 1984, (63 years since it had been fired) my now 88 yr old, 4’11”, 90 lb Irish Grandmother was awakened by a burglar (at 2am) trying to jimmy a window on the screened in back porch that opened into her back bedroom. Most little old ladies would be terrified. Not grandma, she grabbed her old S&W, unlocked the back door and sent three rounds downrange��. The punk was so scared he jumped through the screen wire, breaking a 2x2 doing so, and fell 6 1/2 ft to the ground before running off��. My Dad’s cousin called Dad (who called me)
We got to Grandma’s at about the same time. Grandma “I ain’t having nobody break in my house”! Local small town cop got a kick out of it, laughing as he says” I’ll bet she broke that clown from ever messing with little old ladies”. I looked at theold pistol. The brass was Green, the lead bullets were White with oxidation. I cleaned it, reloaded it, and put it back in the drawer. It was still there when Grandma passed away at 97. It’s in my safe today.
We got to Grandma’s at about the same time. Grandma “I ain’t having nobody break in my house”! Local small town cop got a kick out of it, laughing as he says” I’ll bet she broke that clown from ever messing with little old ladies”. I looked at theold pistol. The brass was Green, the lead bullets were White with oxidation. I cleaned it, reloaded it, and put it back in the drawer. It was still there when Grandma passed away at 97. It’s in my safe today.
A story told to me by my Father:
Sometime in the early 1960's, my Dad was called in to work a night shift at a printing plant that was located in a nasty part of St. Louis. His younger brother had borrowed the S&W that Dad usually carried, so he took the only other handgun that he had available: a .36 caliber Navy Colt. As he was leaving the plant he was approached by a pair of "gentlemen" who demanded his car keys and his wallet. He told me that their eyes got really wide as the hammer on that old Colt went click-click-click-click and one of them asked "What the hell kind of gun is that?" My Dad said that he replied "The kind that kills you."
The two "gentlemen" departed the scene rapidly and Dad went home.
The story was told to me one night when I was lamenting being out of ammo for my .38, which meant that my carry gun for my night shift would have to be a Colt Frontier Scout .22LR. Dad told me that it's not what you carry, or how you carry it....what matter is that you are carrying.
I would be happy to go afield with either of the two guns pictured above, and my 3rd model HE .44 is part of my carry rotation. Go with what gives you confidence. If you don't have that, go with what you've got.
Sometime in the early 1960's, my Dad was called in to work a night shift at a printing plant that was located in a nasty part of St. Louis. His younger brother had borrowed the S&W that Dad usually carried, so he took the only other handgun that he had available: a .36 caliber Navy Colt. As he was leaving the plant he was approached by a pair of "gentlemen" who demanded his car keys and his wallet. He told me that their eyes got really wide as the hammer on that old Colt went click-click-click-click and one of them asked "What the hell kind of gun is that?" My Dad said that he replied "The kind that kills you."
The two "gentlemen" departed the scene rapidly and Dad went home.
The story was told to me one night when I was lamenting being out of ammo for my .38, which meant that my carry gun for my night shift would have to be a Colt Frontier Scout .22LR. Dad told me that it's not what you carry, or how you carry it....what matter is that you are carrying.
I would be happy to go afield with either of the two guns pictured above, and my 3rd model HE .44 is part of my carry rotation. Go with what gives you confidence. If you don't have that, go with what you've got.
heeter3
Member
Truckman they look quite formidable to me and im pretty sure that as good as that pair looks on the outside they are maintained just as well on the inside by you;as the adage goes age is only a number.
Hanging on the wall in my basement is a rifle manufactured by Saur and Sons. It's an 8 MM Kropotchek made in 1886. It is fully functional, and I'd have no qualms taking it out to shoot Bison or Moose. The biggest problem I have is getting proper bullets for it. Right now, the newest bullets I have were made in 1926, and some are from 1916. They still shoot fine, but they are not hunting ammo, unless the snakes you are hunting are bipedal.
Shoot 'em.
Shoot 'em.
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I routinely shoot guns that are much older than I am! I am 70. I have never had one fail or wear out. Just make sure you use the proper ammo the gun was originally designed to shoot and you will be fine.
SAFireman
Member
Ben, In your case, you should stay away from guns that were modern when you were a yout.....aka match lock & percussion 
.455_Hunter
Member
My cut-off for defensive duty is generally 1900, but there are exceptions. My Boer War private purchase Webley MK III (caliber marking is my avatar) is just as good today as when it left the Army and Navy Co-operative Society's store. I have also carried my H&A Ranger #2 in .32 RF from the 1870's. It's just like a big NAA Mini.
I am ashamed that all the good people here are giving you the wrong info. These guns are way way to old to be shooting, pm me and I will give you me address, if you send them to me I will send you 2 brand spanking new semi autos.
OP
To quote Jimmy Durante, "Evabody's tryin' ta get inta da act!"...Ben, In your case, you should stay away from guns that were modern when you were a yout.....aka match lock & percussion
...Ben
hkcavalier
US Veteran
It's anecdotal, but it seems like there's a strong correlation between low gun cost and its defensive use by non-LEOs. It makes sense. The guy who can afford a $5000 Wilson Combat 1911 probably lives in a very nice neighborhood with good police response, alarms, etc. The grandma in the hood with a .32 top break passed down from her grandfather has a much greater chance of employing it with a break-in or domestic issue.
I tend to avoid gun snobs, and it helps that I live in a 'chuck steak and Coors' kind of town, and have a lot of respect for some of the retirees around who pack S&W J frames and 2nd gens, Colt D frames, and other guns shunned by the gun rags as obsolete. My Glock 26 is already considered to be on its way out as a late 20th century design...carry what you got!
All of my best Smiths are older than me, and I'm 74 this year. 1950 M&P 38 2" snub, 1948 K-38 6", 1913 38 HE 6". All are in great condition, and all see only 148br SWC or HBSWC's, and 158 LSWC. Just don't want to wear the rifling. The 1950 gets occasional 4 o'clock hip carry, if I'm wearing a jacket. Too big otherwise. Best Smith DA triggers are both my 1983 j-frames, a mdl. 60 and a mdl. 38.
AJ
US Veteran
That goes back to the old "Saturday Night Special" argument. The folks that don't have high paying jobs also do not have a lot of money to defend the family and homestead.........So they can not afford a big fancy gun.
If it shoots, it scores. Never too old, really.
Myself, if I ever had to shoot someone, I'd prefer to do it with an easily replaceable, modern firearm. Why waste a perfectly good gun on an evidence locker? Or worse, a fine old firearm disappearing from an evidence locker?
Myself, if I ever had to shoot someone, I'd prefer to do it with an easily replaceable, modern firearm. Why waste a perfectly good gun on an evidence locker? Or worse, a fine old firearm disappearing from an evidence locker?
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