The Dreaded Walnut & Steel Ceiling of Gun Collecting

[bushmaster1313]

To my great joy and abject horror, my gun collecting career has inexorably marched to the once distant destination over a more youthful horizen where any gun I want costs more than I want to spend. The flesh is willing but the pocket is weak.

Alas, to look down is to see the pit -- to look up is to see the feared and dreaded Walnut & Steel Ceiling of Gun Collecting.

To some it happens sooner. To others it comes later. To me the time is now.

Oh, I beseech my fellow forum denizens, is there any vestige of hope for such as I?

 

[Fishslayer]

Try it in Kalifornistan. Anything worth collecting is $200-$500 more than in free states thanks to our "not too unsafe" roster. Sometime it's a lot more than that.

 

[Peak53]

Yes, I hit that point a while back. Now I just enjoy looking at and shooting the ones I thought I could afford. It's much cheaper this way.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The ray of hope is: To some gun people, a Walnut & Blue Steel (W&BS)rifle is a nice tool. Tools get used and when you are done you pass it on to the next craftsman! Price and profit are not the object!

Works of art are another story!

I have a very nice, early 60's Mauser 98 actioned custom 264 Win Mag. The work was done by Flaggs in PA. Is it a pre 64 Model 70 Westerner? NO!, it shoots better. My Brother was the sixth owner in 1974 and I am the eighth. When I'm done with it in the next few years, my boys have first crack at it or off it goes into the world of fine non-mainstream guns.

A friend of mine was over about 9 months ago, and walked into my family room and was overwhelmed by all the W&BS! There are deer hunting rifles, main battle rifles from 18 nations and 3 centuries, and what is left of my Very Large & Dangerous Game rifle collection. For a "Glock and AR" guy, it was a sensory overload! He has since entered into the world of Plastic and Stainless Steel (P&SS or PASS) due to his lack of funds.

Some people don't know what a joy W&BS guns are, and they don't care! They will allow us to enjoy the "Old school" rifles and keep all the fine plastic and phosphate for themselves!

Ivan

 

[federali]

Walnut, Steel and Practicality

I went the walnut and steel route when I finally decided I could afford to design and build a custom rifle. This little baby is built on a Sako Forester action, is in 7mm-08 Rem. with a 20" Douglas barrel, magazine capacity reduced one round for slimness through the action and built by George Beitzinger, the world's best unknown gunsmith whose work often graced the cover of the Leupold catalog.

Well, I haven't hunted in six years but I do enjoy taking this rifle out of the safe from time to time just to hold it and refresh my memories.

 

[Izzydog]

I recently got to desiring an M1 Carbine. Yeah, that ain't happening.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

It's sort of akin to the fellow who said, "It's easy to quit smoking. I've done it a thousand times."

(Often attributed to Mark Twain or W.C. Fields, but we don't know for sure.)

 

[CScott]

Oh, I beseech my fellow forum denizens, is there any vestige of hope for such as I?

"Abandon hope all ye who enter here" Dante

Scott

 

[Beemerguy53]

The thing about collecting is: Values are always going up.

Whatever you think you can't afford to buy today isn't going to get any cheaper. If you really, really, really want that beautiful old Winchester, or that M1-D Garand, or that S-prefix N-Frame, buy it now, because if you wait until you can afford it, you'll never get it.

 

[italiansport]

I have owned several Ruger Model 77s for hunting. I'm a lefty and they of course accommodated me. It to me speaks classic rifle without the usual classic rifle price tag.
Jim

 

[Bajadoc]

With few exceptions, quality guns just keep up with inflation. With transaction costs, favorable purchase price, carrying costs, and time and trouble, you are lucky to get most of your money back. Guns are fun and all, but with few very special exceptions, they are not "investments." They are cool though.

 

[gman51]

If you keep a gun long enough it will be like an investment. $350 guns years ago new are some around $2000 now. It depends what you buy. Yeah you buy a cheaper gun you can't expect it to bring big bucks ever.

If a person had even bought a surplus of ammo 20 years ago could have made a nice profit now.

Guns are like other things dependent on the economy. Values go up and down one year to the next.

 

[A-37]

Yes, but guns usually retain most of their value. Consider this:

You buy a 65" Vizio 4K TV for $1000 today. Tomorrow, you're lucky if you can get $500 for it.

You buy a S&W Model 52 today and you can probably sell it for a little more tomorrow.

At least, that's what I tell my wife.

 

[S42N8]

Is there hope? Certainment! (Muwahahaha!)

There is the Way of Refinement, where one forsakes quantity for the rarefied possession of a few cherished shooters and pursuit of exalted grail guns (the minty 8&3/8 nickel Model 29-1 taunts me...precioussssss

There is the Way of Moderation, where one chooses to forego a broad collection to concentrate on a caliber or Model series. My quest for the Club .41 collection continues....

There is the Way of Fortune, when the pursuit of S&W nirvana moves hither and yon as Chance provides. My visits to local pawn and gun shops has netted a few duds (the .38-44 Outdoorsman that sadly remains one step away from a parts gun comes to mind) and a rare gem here and there (the 95% Combat Masterpiece that followed me home from the local gun store is one).

Then lies the Way of Madness, when the Walnut and Steel glass ceiling is shattered by the near-uncontrollable "Ooh! Shiny!" compulsion to possess one particular gun. Someday, the 3" factory-engraved Lew Horton Model 657 will be mine. Someday... right after I find the 7&3/8 Model 41 w/rear cocking indicator....muwahahaha

One can embrace the Te of S&W, the appreciation of the virtue of tasteful blued steel and walnut, a product which surpasses its mere commodity of a weapon. My 3&1/2" pre-27 is mine; it needed refinishing to return to the state in which it deserves to be...carried a little, fired occasionally, always cleaned(!), and always appreciated as a finely-designed and hand-tuned work of art. Glock perfection? Not in the eye of this beholder...

Or, be happy with having the S&Ws we have; shoot with care and enjoyment, treasure the moments of shooting sport with family and friends.

I hear the LH 657 calling...

 

[Bajadoc]

Is there hope? Certainment! (Muwahahaha!)

There is the Way of Refinement, where one forsakes quantity for the rarefied possession of a few cherished shooters and pursuit of exalted grail guns (the minty 8&3/8 nickel Model 29-1 taunts me...precioussssss

There is the Way of Moderation, where one chooses to forego a broad collection to concentrate on a caliber or Model series. My quest for the Club .41 collection continues....

There is the Way of Fortune, when the pursuit of S&W nirvana moves hither and yon as Chance provides. My visits to local pawn and gun shops has netted a few duds (the .38-44 Outdoorsman that sadly remains one step away from a parts gun comes to mind) and a rare gem here and there (the 95% Combat Masterpiece that followed me home from the local gun store is one).

Then lies the Way of Madness, when the Walnut and Steel glass ceiling is shattered by the near-uncontrollable "Ooh! Shiny!" compulsion to possess one particular gun. Someday, the 3" factory-engraved Lew Horton Model 657 will be mine. Someday... right after I find the 7&3/8 Model 41 w/rear cocking indicator....muwahahaha

One can embrace the Te of S&W, the appreciation of the virtue of tasteful blued steel and walnut, a product which surpasses its mere commodity of a weapon. My 3&1/2" pre-27 is mine; it needed refinishing to return to the state in which it deserves to be...carried a little, fired occasionally, always cleaned(!), and always appreciated as a finely-designed and hand-tuned work of art. Glock perfection? Not in the eye of this beholder...

Or, be happy with having the S&Ws we have; shoot with care and enjoyment, treasure the moments of shooting sport with family and friends.

I hear the LH 657 calling...

I chipped a tooth on your prose, but I think I agree.

 

[Frank46]

Federali,George reworked a 1903As for me many years ago. Also did a bolt handle on a winchester 54 bolt actioned carbine in 30-30. Think George retired, sold his lathe and I hope enjoying a well deserved retirement. Frank

 

[chief38]

Started with Walnut/Steel, collected Walnut/Steel, STILL only interested in Walnut /Steel. I am probably one of the very few here that own NO plastic guns. Works for me.

 

[soFlaNative]

I chipped a tooth on your prose, but I think I agree.

That's funny!
I try to move only my lips when I read...

 

[two-bit cowboy]

I am probably one of the very few here that own NO plastic guns. Works for me.

Don't be so sure. Works for me, too.

 

[H Richard]

The only way I seem to be able to buy anything really nice today is to sell a few of the ones I bought 10-20 years ago. Occasionally I find one I can still afford.