The oldest firearm you have

[TheTinMan]

I've been trying to date this Brown Bess variant with little luck. It was hanging over the mantle in the 1770s Maine farmhouse my grandparents bought in the 1930s. It's shorter than the standard issue musket, like an East India pattern (War of 1812-ish). Has Tower of London roll mark and British proof marks. The lock still works fine. However, there are details of the lock work that don't match right and look earlier. Plus how did it end up in rural Maine?

Next oldest is a Springfield Model of 1870 Navy rifle in .50-70:

my apologies for the poor quality photos.

 

[fakahatchee]

My Dads bringback 1916 DWM Luger

 

[kbm6893]

An M1 Garand Springfield made in 1944 and a Colt Army 1911 also made in 1944.

 

[jakerudy]

Swedish Rolling Block from 1875.

 

[Wyo]

The oldest one I can actually date is an 1873 Trapdoor rifle made in 1884. I have an older caplock muzzleloader that arrived in Laramie, WY with the Union Pacific Railroad in 1868 so I know it's at least that old. My best guess is it was made sometime in the 1850's.

 

[45Smashemflat]

1891 Argentine Mauser and a 1894 Remington SxS are a close tie for me.

 

[StrawHat]

I used to collect Committee of Safety Muskets, so 1774-78. But, I have had older Brown Bess Muskets.

Kevin

 

[gunbarrel]

Number One, 2nd Issue - 1861

 

[JohnRippert]

A Martini Henry MKIV, the receiver is marked 1887.

 

[LVSteve]

Turkish GEW88/05 originally built at Spandau in 1890.

 

[CH4]

1899 Savage .303 Savage

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Remington Rolling Block 7mm SM (7X57) that I reload for and shoot regularly at the range (but not often enough, really?)...

Cheers!

P.M. The Remington bayonet with scabbard & hanger is a big plus!

 

[sophie]

The oldest working gun I own is a Colt Police Positive Special with a 4" barrel manufactured in 1911, in 38 Special. It was given to me many years ago by my wife's step-dad. It belonged to his father who was a guard for Lockheed Aircraft in the Los Angeles area and carried the Colt Police Positive for many years.

 

[old tanker]

An East India Company Model F smoothbore musket from sometime in the 1840s. A Pattern 1853 rifle-musket marked "Tower 1863." Oldest cartridge guns are both .577 Sniders, a Mk II** with a lock date of 1862 and a carbine dated 1864. A trapdoor Springfield dated 1885 and a US Navy Model 1885 Remington-Lee dated 1889, both in .45-70 are next. Last an 1886 Martini-Henry Mk IV in 577-450. They are all shooters.

An S&W No. 3, Second Model in .44 Russian from 1875 is the oldest revolver followed by an 1894 Iver Johnson Safety Automatic in .38 S&W. There's two Iver Johnson Safety Hammerless revolvers, an 1894 .38 and an 1895 .32

All the old Colts just squeak into the Twentieth century

 

[robvious]

a relatively young 101 years old Remington model 12A 22 pump..
1924 date..

 

[Lonestar57]

1915 Colt Vest Pocket. Unfortunately, no documented provenance of who or when the engraving was done, but it is highly thought due to the engraving style, custom grips, and guns locale (Fort Worth, TX) that most likely was done by the Wolf and Klar Company.

 

[jimmyj]

Savage Model 1904 .22 Single Shot Bolt Action (boys model)

 

[erikpolcrack]

Probably my Army surplus M1873 Colt .45 SAA inherited from a relative. It's one of the shortened-barrel 'Artillery Model' guns made up from mixed parts for the unpleasantness in the Philippines. If not that one, my 71/84 Mauser or my top-break DA 38 S&W.

 

[rustythread]

I have a european flintlock pistol maybe 300 years old, About 75 caliber. An uncle bought it in Germany around 1946. Flint cock is gone and I've never found out which style would be a proper replacement. Dunno if this was common, but touch-hole is a gold bushing. If I can find it I will try to post pics.

 

[NYlakesider]

That would have to be my Winchester 94 rifle caliber 32.40, octagon barrel with a serial number under 250,000. Believe it was made in 1897 and was given to me by my uncle. He had bought the gun new. I still have some original rounds for the gun, corrosive priming to the best of my knowledge!

 

[cmansguns]

Well.....it is a S&W forum...so...

Since Fed-Ex just picked up my "oldest" S&W wheelgun, a US Army Model 1899 s/n 13030 Lettered as shipping to the Army in 1901, it is now on it's way to another caretaker (Forum Member), I'll have to post my "second oldest" a 22/32 HFT with THE box that Lettered shipping in September 1915.

Enjoy!

 

[Rodan]

Like the OP, my oldest is a 1902 Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55. I've been shooting it in a local pre-1950 'as issued' Military match, and I've got it pretty well dialed in now. Target is my handloads at 100yd.

My oldest S&W is my Regulation Police .38, from the first few months of production in 1917.

 

[swagmeister]

Colt 1860 Army .44 revolver, made in 1863, fully martially marked and all matching serial numbers with military cartouches with inspector's initials on both sides of the grip. Bought in 2019 at the Franklin, TN Civil War show from Tim Prince, owner of College Hill Arsenal in Nashville. He said it came out of an old collection from Atlanta, GA. Totally untouched in very good original condition.

 

[sheepdawg]

I have a 1942 Sako M39 built on an 1895 Tula receiver but this 1901 Carl Gustafs M94/14 is numbers and crown matching.

 

[Dump1567]

I picked this up a few months ago. Seems to shoot better than more modern model 10's I own. Dates to 1903. It's ugly, but solid.

 

[Papa Lee]

1855 Colt Root Side-hammer Revolvers

My oldest.

 

[danalex]

Flintlock pistol from 1770, signed Duval in Nantes.
I fired three shots from it, and it works perfectly.

 

[danalex]

1770



Gendarmerie des ports

 

[Photog]

1884 Trapdoor Springfield. Bought it 58 years ago, when I was 10 years old, for $45. Paid if off $5 per week from lawn mowing money.

 

[Gunhacker]

My oldest and I sure wish it could talk... it must have a story to tell as it was shipped to San Francisco 3 months after the great 1906 Earthquake, much of the city was still in ruins.