Shooting "older" guns

A lot of the guns made prior yours are still going strong and are shot frequently. There's a reason why pre-64 Winchester's are prized. As are WW2 and earlier 1911's. Reasonable amount of care and preventative maintenance goes a long way, and the guns you're referring to, unless damaged, are of better quality than a lot of the 70's and newer stuff.

CapnMac said:

. (Other than the ones that do, like my 1975 KitchenAid mixer.

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Mine's a 1968 model

I shot my SIG P210-4 today, it was made when you could barely walk. At 25 yards the shots were all nicely centered on the paper plate.

I have a Remington model 12 (22) circa 1909 I still haul out of the safe on occasion, and a 1923 Winchester model 12 (16ga) that I love to shoot. A bunch of stuff from the 40s through the 80s that I don’t think twice about firing.

I have a Smith and Wesson number 2 .38 S&W revolver made in 1877 that has been fired by me and family with black powder cartridges.

As long as there were no obvious issues, I would not hesitate to shoot a S&W, Browning or Colt of that vintage.

I have an old Colt Pocket Hammer of 1914 vintage, and Webley of 1918 vintage, that I shoot whenever I feel like it.

I’d rather shoot some guns made decades before you were born than some of the awful ones that have been made since then, including some currently in production.

“old” doesn’t me “bad“, any more than, “new” doesn’t mean “good”.

Fat Boy said:

I know this has been discussed in the past but i am trying to get an answer to a specific age-

I was born in 1954- if i was to buy a pistol made that year, say a Smith, Browning, or Colt, assuming sound condition, would it be ok to shoot it routinely?

I would like to do this to add a classic handgun to the collection, but want one i can shoot as well.

Thank You,

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Yes if the guns are sound you're fine. I shoot original guns from the 1860s-1930s and they hold up just fine. Use em, take care of em but don't abuse em.

This one is about 115 years old; I shoot it without concern.

I would venture to say over 50% of the handguns I shoot were made between 1900 and the 30s. If it was made after WW II it is a "NEW" gun.

I regularly shoot my Winchester Model 1873 "Assault Rifle" made in 1890 with the proper black powder loads. I haven't found an expiration date on it yet.

I shoot a Springfield trap door 45/70 that was made in 1873 regularly. Still shoots just fine.

Guns made from the period that I might have bought them new, I shoot with ammunition designed for the gun. I was born in 1953 so my gun buying period would have started around 1971-1973. I bought some guns new during this period so I'm comfortable shooting similar ammunition in guns that I bought used from the same period.

Guns older than that, I'm more careful. I have an S&W 32 S&W lemon squeezer that was my wife's uncle's gun. I have shot it a little but with light loads. Ditto with my Winchester 1873, chambered in 32-20, built in the early 1890's, and S&W 32-20 K-frame built in the early 1920's. I enjoy shooting them but with light loads that will not stress the gun.

It is always fun to type interarms into gunbroker. The Beretta 1951’s out there right now are from the same era. I wince at admitting I like it better than my Colt 1911.

I have several guns that are over 100 years old, rifles and handguns, and are great shooters.

Hey, I was born in 1954 too! I enjoyed the year 2008 because I got to say I was "54, born in '54."

Back to topic: I have a Colt 1903 that was manufactured in 1913. I don't shoot it regularly, but I shoot it.

IMHO 50’s vintage guns are the last of the classic US firearms, with the 60’s came inflation and production changes.

I grew up shooting Dad’s Winchester M63 and Colt match target both of 50’s vintage, back when I collected I had several pre war 16 gauge double guns that were hunted with regularly.

So if condition is good you’re good to go.

Condition is all that really matters, no matter the age. Just feed it appropriately.