Do you prefer older guns or newer guns?

As I've gotten older, I've gone more nostalgic and really prefer the older guns to the newer ones. However, my go to hunting rifle is still my custom LH Tikka T3 in 6.5 CM.

I was born in 1960 and my pop bought me a Belgium Browning 22LR SA as a birth present. Yeah, pop was very forward thinking and to me it's still the sexist 22 LR ever made! I don't think I got to shoot it until I was around 5ish. Today, it's still my pride and joy when it comes to all of my guns. Pop lived six blocks off of the ocean when he retired. He had a 1940's Winchester model 94 in 32 Win Special and a 1953 AYA Model 106 12 ga double barrel. He put them in the attic inside a sheet when he gave up hunting and there they sat until his death 22 years later. When I got them back they were completely rusted shut. I gave me to my gunsmith and he was able to restore them to factory new. I try to hunt with each one a couple times a year. My concealed carry is a colt 70's series 45 ACP.

My best friends dad growing had a 1949 Belgium Browning A5 sweet 16 shotgun. I was able to purchase it from him many years ago. I still turkey hunt with it each spring. In my will I have a stipulation that now of those five guns can never be sold or given to anyone outside of the family.

I do like newer guns being made, but truth be know, I love the older guns of yesterday.

Kind of depends, while I love 1911's I don't own one anymore. On my pistols are plastic, with the exception of one big revolver. Rifles I much prefer blue steel and Walnut. Other than an AR I don't have anything that doesn't have a wood stock. I understand the functionality of composite stocks and such, but I generally don't shoot long-range stuff and an Accurate 400-yard Gun is plenty for me. So yeah I much prefer the look of old guns, or at least blue steel and Walnut, they don't necessarily have to be old.

I like both. I firmly believe that for your money you got higher quality pieces back in the prewar era, than comparable money would buy you today. Likewise extreme high quality older guns can be bought for a few thousand today. To have the exact same gun built today would be very high. I also think in small numbers the finest guns ever are being built today by small firms.

Heck, one of my personal guns is a German rifle built in 1912-1914, of great quality. For me to mimic it today and stay in the poor house would be $12,500+. I paid $650 for it.

Its hard to beat old school polish blue metal and nice walnut so I tend to favor older guns. That being said I don't plan on giving up my EBR's anytime soon, they are just too practical and also fun to shoot.

I was born in the early 70's and tend to gravitate towards guns built around then. They usually don't carry the price tag associated with "pre 64" models and I think manufactures by 1970 or so had worked out most problems they created by changing manufacturing processes in the mid 60's. Then, lawyers started creating more problems in the 80's and quality turned down again.

I tell people I like my guns like I like my trucks and women - built in the 70's. That is just me though, to each his own.

I love the look of beautiful wood stocks, I love the ruggedness consistency and cost of modern stock materials. In the end I like guns that I use and probably wind up somewhere in the middle with one or two pretty wood guns and the rest stainless synthetic. Actual era of creation doesn't matter much to me.

I like both as well. Love the older Sako L61's a L579's, and the newer Tikkas. I also very much like the Ithaca LSA's that were made by Tikka back in the 60's and 70's.

I like both.

I appreciate the older rifles, but also like the newer technology

What I really like is the newer optics. Higher power clear variables is nice to have

I only like older guns when they were once owned by someone I know or knew who meant a lot to me. Otherwise, I want to be the original owner of a new gun so it will one day be an older gun given to a family member.

The short answer is yes.

Older guns have nostalgia, and in many ways are works of art. Hard to beat blued steel, hand checkering, high grade walnut and hand rubbed finish for beauty. But if it is not accurate, i'm not nearly as interested. You can get a gun this beautiful brand new, but it's gonna cost you an arm and a leg.

Newer guns (I think plastic stock cerakote or rough blue finish) are functional, and I'm not bothered as much by scratches and dents.

I like them both equally, but for different reasons.

I'm much the same...buying a few older shotguns right now...

Some of my favorites are a bit older.

22 rifle is a Wincheater 62A made in 1952
Semi-auto Rockola 30 carbine
Lever action Winchester 9422M Trapper
Marlin 1894 LTDSS 357 Mag
Single Shot Little Sharps 38-55
Boltactions 'Remington 788 in 7mm-08
CZ 527 in 6.5 Grendel by Scott Weichel
Cooper 52 in 6.5-284
Shotgun a Remington Wingmaster that was my Dad's made in 1956 in 16 Ga

I prefer walnut and blued steel but some Stainless made its way into favorites list, all but the Marlin which is Stainless and laminate stock and the CZ wears a Stainless Obermeyer barrel

Slightly lean toward older because I can't stand plastic pistols...

I can't hardly stand to pay for a new gun, but I may soon enough. I want a Marlin Texan, and a stoeger m3500, very badly. I handled the stoeger in the store at Academy and it fit me like a glove.

Bryan,

Funny story that goes with your post. My first shotgun I bought was a Rem 1100 12 ga that I bought at JC Penny's for $230.00 in 79 right after I graduated HS. Five years ago I decided it was time for a new shotgun. I wanted a LH camo Benelli M2 12 ga. To be honest I've never paid attention to shotgun prices over the years as they weren't a priority for me. Imagine my surprise/sticker shock when I saw the price was just over $1300.00 I about had a stroke. I did choke back my pride and bought it. It's one fine shooting shotgun, a bit lighter than the 1100. I feel for you looking to buy a new gun!

Either way. I buy guns to shoot and use.

I am basically a tech guy, I like new cool stuff in general.
I do have some older stuff that I really like, but usually because there is history with it like some of the stuff I got from my dad.
I don't go looking to buy older guns...

Both

I don’t have any but I’d love to one day start collecting WW2 era semi autos

My 'newest ' guns were made in:
1916
1954

My oldest guns were made in 1906 & 1914

I have Model 700's made in the '60's and Model 70's made this decade.

My handguns range from being made in 1958 to 2012

What I'll be hunting with for the most part this year will be the Newton rifle (1916) and a 6.5x55 Swede (made in 2010)

I like old guns that are like new condition and new guns. Don't care for plastic pistols although I have a few....

I prefer ARs and Glocks. They aren't antiques, but they aren't 'new' designs either.

Maybe I've had too much to drink, maybe I haven't. But, you've confused me.

Maybe newest to him. Maybe it’s the whiskey.

I can appreciate both. As I’ve gotten older I’m starting to lean towards older stuff. Still have plenty of new ticket wants but a nice older gun is likely to come home with me.

Both for me. The blue steel and walnut of yesteryear still catches my eye. Overall I think accuracy is more common in today’s rifles and I gravitate to that.
On the other hand, a cherry Winchester model 21, Browning superposed or auto-5 are among my favorite shotguns to carry. In my opinion the reliability, looks, and handling of these three remain unsurpassed.

I have both the oldest is a 1913 Swedish Mauser all the way up to a 2018 ar10. Everything in between is mostly blue steel and walnut. I still favor the older guns there’s, just something nice about connecting to a firearm my dad carried through the war and hunting through the years.

I have the new; but am married to the old. One thing to remember is the black guns are for the most part, a sorry investment.(especially a custom AR) You can buy one for $3000.00 and try to sell it the next day, and it’s worth $1500.00. However, a model 42 Winchester, mod 62, 9422, etc. all have gone up in value.

While im not highly educated on the facts of it, have never owned a custom gun, I believe most custom anything you loose money in resale.

I don't want to shoot unspressed and could not thread my dad's early 60s Sako custom 22-250
If he was still around I don't think he would mind doing it but I can't.
I haven't had the heart to shoot it yet.. I keep thinking "this is the year I am going to take it out and hunt with it"
It would be awesome to run suppressed !

I prefer QUALITY made guns of any age. I'd just as soon hunt with a Pre'64 M70 as a current M70. FWIW the parts of the current M70 parts are still made at the South Carolina plant that s certified for mfg of US Military weapons - they could not however stop damaging the wood stocks going on the M70's so to cut the damage loss $'s started assembling them in Portugal by the same folks that have been assembling high dollar FN Herstal built parts for euro made Brownings since WW II. Early Rem 700's IMO are much better built than the current crop, trigger issues aside. Nokia however did not do SAKO any favors when they sold the Rihimaaki plant to Beretta, again IMO.

I'm thinking about trying to cash in enough coke bottles & empty beer cans to buy a early '50's made J.C. Higgins Model 50 being offered on another channel...that gun has a post WW II FN Sporter Herstal built receiver and a barrel made and installed by High Standard that is chrome lined and is being offered at Ruger American prices OBTW this'un is a 270 which is kinda rare to begin with. Some old stuff is not comproble but if you know what you are looking at yadda yadda ....think Marlin, Ithaca and others pre the Romney aka Bain Capital takeover.
JMHO & YMMV
Ron

Chalk me solidly into the "old" column. Even my newer guns are all "old school" (classic wood stocks, mauser actions, old calibers). I don't find anything new these days even mildly entertaining. Look up "curmudgeon" in an unabridged dictionary and you'll likely see my picture...

If things go to plan, most of this season will get spent carrying an '80s vintage BRNO ZKK-601 in .223 that Aaron Little (of AM Little Bespoke Gunmaker LLC and posting here as TDK) is currently crafting into a "mini-DGR" for me. She's shaping up to be a gem: a double square bridge mauser nestled into a handsome stick of walnut; trim, lively and lethal. I'm betting the coyotes, turkeys and hogs will practically volunteer to catch a bullet from it and I plan to give 'em every opportunity.











Mark

As long as I can hit my target I'm not real picky.

Both. One of my favorites as far as old is an original Winchester model 1892 in 44-40, well over 100 years old. It is not one i would throw on the gun rack on the 4wheeler.
One of my favorite new is a Savage 93R17 Stainless.

Most of my hunting is done with newer stuff that can get wet (stainless w/polymer furniture). Some i bought used from members on this site. Some new from
various dealers. Working on a new one now, Rem 700, 26" Criterion barrel in 7mag, 1:8 twist, APA GenII FB, Magpul stock. May try out some of Chad's
195gr Berger loads.

I like both - newer guns for precision rifle stuff, but older guns tug on my heartstrings also.

For any bird hunting but ducks I love my 40ś and 50ś Ithacas, but they can handle steel shot. I inherited a Sako made in 1972 that shoots better than I do that I will never part with. That said I really like the single stack pocket 9ś made today, so both depending on use.

Older.

Just today I picked up a 12 gage Winchester model 1897 mfg 1910 and a 12 gage Remington Model 11 mfg 1911

both are cool guns. Dove hunted a few years with a Winchester collector. One year he brought out 10 1897s and let some of us shoot them for the day, good shooting guns

I used my grandfathers 1897 this spring at dkershen's New Hope clay shoot...it was very neat shooting my grandfathers shotgun that his dad had given him...mfg in 1913...

I appreciate the newer firearms, but I have a taste for the older ones. My go to's are my 1943 Husqvarna 7.92x57mm and my dad's 1950's FN Supreme .270 Win . Sometimes like taking my great-grandad's 1936 Savage 99.

I have a safe full of guns. But, my go to deer/elk shooter is a 1917 Eddystone Arsenal 30-06. I got it in 1968 and butchered it. It’s taken gust about all American game. Had to have it re barraled last year and hated the idea.

I have a Swiss 6.5 x 55 that I hog hunt with. So far, no hogs have shown up for it. Pre 64 30-30 that is great for sitting in a blind when it will be less than a 50 yard shot.

Both for the obviously different reasons.

I like both.

For me it depends on the purpose. In general I love old guns with nice wood and blueing, and hand fitting, and just for the nostalgia and history that go along with them. As tools such as for concealed carry or hunting I tend to use newer guns. Over time there has been a lot of progress in materials and technology that just make some newer guns better tools for the job but I do feel that in the interest of price and ease of manufacturing, quality is often sacrificed, whereas with a lot of older guns they just built them right and took pride in making them even if they weren't high end guns.