My dad really liked old western guns, specifically Winchester rifles. I always enjoyed when he'd dig them out and let me handle them. I always wanted one, hoping to get one when he passed. I never got to shoot any of them (oddly), yet my brother got to borrow the 45-70 and shoot a moose with it.

Fast forward to this spring when he passed away, his final wishes with regard to his guns was rather odd: "all the long guns go to my brother" and "all the pistols go to me". I'd known he had started collecting Colt SSA "Peace Makers", but had no idea just how many he had (an embarrassing number of them actually). Conditions from Poor to completely restored, years from 1888 to 1928.

Anyway Some are post 1898 which means FFL transfer both me and a buyer would have to pay for if I were to sell them. Luckily one of the major "old gun" brokers actually lives 40 minutes from me so I was able to work out trades on the newer guns, for some older rifles. I actually ended up trading for an incredible Octagon barrel 1886 Winchester "Deluxe" Pistol Grip 45-70 with amazing wood and great quality metal. I also was able to pick up a Octagon barrel 1873 Winchester 44-40 and a 1884 Springfield Trapdoor 45-70 with Bayonet (that was more of an impulse trade LOL).

Its incredibly ironic I wanted a Winchester rifle from my dad, yet was given pistols, and ended up trading for a better rifle than my Dad ever owned. Life is funny at times.

All of these are fireable, I had to special order appropriate "cowboy" ammo for them. I Hope to get out and shoot them a few times in the near future. I wish these guns could talk, both Indian wars and Bison hunting were going on at the time these were sold.

-DallanC

WOW, you done good mate…that is one very impressive trio of rifles. I’m a mix of jealous and impressed.

Thank you, I'm really excited. Its utterly remarkable stuff like this survived.

The model 1886 is 138 years old.
The model 1873 is 143 years old
The Trapdoor is stamped, is 141 years old

-DallanC

A complete detailed range report will be necessary.

Very nice. Lucky you...Unlike Vince I'm just plain jealous!

Very nice! The 1886 has great wood!

Bushmaster wrote:

A complete detailed range report will be necessary. Very nice. Lucky you...Unlike Vince I'm just plain jealous!

Oh, I’m jealous mate, I just didn’t say so.

Beautiful rifles,and I'm sure you will give them the love and respect they deserve. Definitely take them out and use them with appropriate loads.black powder might be chorsome to clean up,but sure is fun to shoot.

Cowboy shooting is mighty popular here in the USA. There are many manufacturers making "Cowboy" ammo safe for the old guns, using modern powders.

HSM "Cowboy", MAGTECH "Cowboy" and Hornady are the most popular, and they still make alot of the oddball stuff like 32WCF (.32-20), 38WCF (.38-40) etc).

We did take out a Gen2 Colt SSA (made 1967) and shot that a lot, its made with better steel so safe for "hot loads" but we still only shot cowboy loads out of it, such a different feel in the recoil shoving that very large piece of lead down the barrel, VERY fun! And I was shocked how accurate it was. That we do plan to shoot alot. I've already got Starline brass and 45LC dies ready to go.

-DallanC

I too, have a gen 2 colt SAA (1966) in .357. I've taken two Black tails with it. You bet! Fun to shoot.

When you start with these old guns... before you know it, it can become a disease...
so enjoy it!

I understand my fathers interest now... while I did enjoy handling his at the time when he would occasionally dig them out, or bring them by the house to see if I can tell a serial # (his eyes were getting pretty bad), I never fully "got it" until now.

He always complained going to gun shows and seeing only "black guns", nothing of interest. Now i find myself on Gunbroker.com only looking at the antique guns, fascinated at the number of offerings, how many survivor fireams from the Civil War, Revolutionary War etc.

Oddly, these things are not as expensive as one might think. An "ok" Winchester 1873 44-40 costs around $2000. That Government army Springfield Trapdoor 45-70 I got? $1200. The 1886 Deluxe was of course much more.

I traded 6 pistols for the 3 rifles. All were post 1898 and hence "less desired" than the older guns (which I still have too many of).

Logistically, I have too many to store. They cant stay in boxes as they need to "air out or they will rust. Luckily I live in one of the driest states in the US. But, like the dealer I am working with said "You have XX number of basically the same thing", no sense in holding onto ones you don't have an attachment to.


-DallanC

DallanC wrote:

I understand my fathers interest now... while I did enjoy handling his at the time when he would occasionally dig them out, or bring them by the house to see if I can tell a serial # (his eyes were getting pretty bad), I never fully "got it" until now. He always complained going to gun shows and seeing only "black guns", nothing of interest. Now i find myself on Gunbroker.com only looking at the antique guns, fascinated at the number of offerings, how many survivor fireams from the Civil War, Revolutionary War etc. Oddly, these things are not as expensive as one might think. An "ok" Winchester 1873 44-40 costs around $2000. That Government army Springfield Trapdoor 45-70 I got? $1200. The 1886 Deluxe was of course much more. I traded 6 pistols for the 3 rifles. All were post 1898 and hence "less desired" than the older guns (which I still have too many of). Logistically, I have too many to store. They cant stay in boxes as they need to "air out or they will rust. Luckily I live in one of the driest states in the US. But, like the dealer I am working with said "You have XX number of basically the same thing", no sense in holding onto ones you don't have an attachment to. -DallanC

OK, now I’m officially jealous…green with envy.

Sounds to me like you need to build another room, or a basement type cellar, into your house, appropriately strengthened and climate controlled, as an Armoury where you can store and display the firearms you currently hold mate.

I'll get right on that... soon as I win the lotto, LOL!

-DallanC

DallanC wrote:

I'll get right on that... soon as I win the lotto, LOL! -DallanC

I know that feeling well mate, although I couldn’t win a king hit in a pub brawl let alone lotto. I’m not likely to win anything in even the distant future.

A domestic,plug into wall socket dehumidifier does a great job even if only run once a week. Your "problem" of having too many is a good thing to have.