The Next Classic Rifle

[Blaine]

What do you think the next "Classic" will be? What should a fella buy for a good investment in 30 or 40 years??

[Buck Elliott]

That's kinda like askin' who will be Miss America in 40 years... (IF WE STILL HAVE AN AMERICA...)

The man who knows the answers to those questions is destined to be the richest of the rich.

[Hobie]

It is the Colt SP1...

[Leverluver]

I hope I'm long dead before it is black and has Picatinny anything.

[rangerider7]

I don't know about rifles but if Colt goes out of business, 3rd generation Colt SAA will go sky high. IMHO

[Streetstar]

It is the Colt SP1...

With values hovering aroung 2k, i'd say the SP-1 is well on its way already.

I'll put my vote in for the Guide Gun and all its variants. There's not much of interest thats been introduced in the past 15 years to my way of thinking.

A new 3rd Gen SAA is already a classic when you pull it out of the box, same with a Weatherby Lazermark, or a Ruger Model 1.

[greyowl]

I think the Marlin 336MX in 338 Marlin is going to be a terrific woods cartridge/rifle combo. It'll have the ability to reach out, but it will shine at 200 yards and in. Enough diameter to make a good sized wound channel, enough weight to penitrate deep, enough velocity to be flat shooting through small openings in the brush and easy enough on the shoulder to have a good sized following that can shoot it well. All in a very traditional looking, solid built rifle.

[jhrosier]

I would put my money on any of the several Miroku made Winchester and Browning leverguns.
The steel framed Browning BLR might be another.

Jack

[Rusty]

With all the political correctness going around in ten years you'll get locked up for having a picture of a gun.

[Doc Hudson]

I hope I'm long dead before it is black and has Picatinny anything.

YOU AND ME BOTH!!!

I don't like tohse ugly black rifles!

I don't want one of them!

And I wish folks who do like 'em would quit trying to convince us that any other kind of rifle is obsolete.

[tman]

me two

I would put my money on any of the several Miroku made Winchester and Browning leverguns.
The steel framed Browning BLR might be another.

Jack

[Modoc ED]

Perhaps one of the Ruger No. 1 rifles or maybe a Savage bolt gun.

[J Miller]

I think the next seriously classic rifle will be the pre-Miroku American ( New Haven, CT ) made Win 94 AE's.
Yes the pre-64s are Classics, and to a certain extent the post 64s are too.
But in years to come, the American made 94AEs will rise to that position.

Doc Hudson and Leverluver, we are in complete agreement about the black rifles and Picatinny rails. YUCK.

Joe

[Lastmohecken]

The Browning 1886's, 82's and 95's, (pre-safety) are slowly becomming classics, and getting more expensive. Even the newer Winchester top tang safety levers are increasing in price (not enough Brownings to go around).

Just about any Winchester leveraction has gotten somewhat more expensive and scarcer lately, it seems.

Frankly, I don't see much, that is being made right now, that I would ever be trying to buy, for a classic.

The older Sako boltactions are getting more expensive, and harder to find, but I am talking about the L61's, mainly.

The Browning A5's are getting more expensive, and starting to be considered classics by many.

Smith and Wesson Revolvers are fast becoming classics, IMHO

Maybe some of the Baretta handguns.

The 1911 is already a classic.

Unfortunately, It's going to take another generation or so, before these modern plastic firing devices they make now days, will become classics, be it rifles, or pistols. They may go up in price, but considered a classic? Not in my eyes.

[Lastmohecken]

Another group of firearms that might become classics, some day, espacally if the ownership of modern firearms becomes more restrictive, which I sure hope it doesn't, is possibly the old classic Muzzleloaders, like the TC Hawkens, etc. and even today, a Custom Muzzleloader, will often maintain it's value, but it's a speical interest thing, usually limited to the buckskinner groups. Of course, one might not be able to shoot them, because blackpowder is getting harder to get.

[Charles]

Any original issue US military rifle in decent shape will only go up and up in value. The 03s, 03A3s,Johnsons, 1917 Enfields, Garands and 30 carbines have climbed in price recently. They will always be of interest to shooters, and non-shooters who are History buffs. If I had money to spare, I would lay in a few racks of them. Yep, I know they seem high now, but you ain't seen nothing yet to what they will be in 30 or 40 years.

In 1959 I was offered a 95% Colt Baby Patterson for $600.00. That was allot of money back then, but what an investment it would have been.

[O.S.O.K.]

"prelock" S&W revolvers.

SMLE's believe it or not are rising in value...

[Ysabel Kid]

Any original issue US military rifle in decent shape will only go up and up in value. The 03s, 03A3s,Johnsons, 1917 Enfields, Garands and 30 carbines have climbed in price recently. They will always be of interest to shooters, and non-shooters who are History buffs. If I had money to spare, I would lay in a few racks of them. Yep, I know they seem high now, but you ain't seen nothing yet to what they will be in 30 or 40 years.

In 1959 I was offered a 95% Colt Baby Patterson for $600.00. That was allot of money back then, but what an investment it would have been.

+1 on vintage US Military rifles. I remember clearly seeing tables, overflowing, with 1903's for $100 a pop. Those days are so long gone it is not even funny...

[Bogie35]

The same guns that are "classic" now will be the only guns that are classic in the future, because there are no classics being manufactured today. It's like automobiles. Will anyone really want a 2009 Ford Taurus 30 years from now? Will anyone really want one of the gazillion "different" renditions of bolt-action rifles or 1911 pistols currently being offered? Leverguns and SAA's that were made by people rather than machines will still be the classics. Keep and take care of what you have, and you won't be sorry.

bogie

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Any original issue US military rifle in decent shape will only go up and up in value. The 03s, 03A3s,Johnsons, 1917 Enfields, Garands and 30 carbines have climbed in price recently. They will always be of interest to shooters, and non-shooters who are History buffs. If I had money to spare, I would lay in a few racks of them. Yep, I know they seem high now, but you ain't seen nothing yet to what they will be in 30 or 40 years.

In 1959 I was offered a 95% Colt Baby Patterson for $600.00. That was allot of money back then, but what an investment it would have been.

There it is. I'm 59 and from the 60's I can still remember M1 carbines for $50 down at the local GI surplus. Minimums now are $350 for parts guns. About 5 years ago I sold an Un-Qual M1 carbine for $1900. Garand parts guns going for $700. Un-molested 03's/03A3's going for $500.
Those guns will never be made again and we the public will never be able to buy any of the military guns made since those were made (M14's forward) so you bet, they will be going up.

[barbarossa]

I ve been told that Browning is discontinuing its 22 semi rifle and the Buckmark rifles as well.I believe both will become classics especially the takedown 22 auto it will end up like the 9422
highly desired once its gone.

[Buck Elliott]

I truly HOPE the '94 AEs NEVER achieve "classic" status. THAT would be a sad micarriage of justice, IMNSHO...

The only thing they have going for them (other than mounting of a superfluous 'scope...) is that the right side wall of the receiver hasn't enough metal in it to safely wrap a stick of Double-Mint... Pure perversion of design, by guys who couldn't design their way to the water cooler.

'Course, that's just my two-bits' worth...