Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Will the next generation cherish our Winchesters?

There are people out there spending serious money for high end 1911's and AR15's
But will the next generation appreciate our Winchesters?

Yes. I made sure my son shot his first deer with my .270 FWT. He has made it clear that he wants that rife to never pass out of the family (I.E. down to him). Now he owns two of his own, a super shadow .223WSSM and a Extreme Weather .300WM. He understands how good the Winchesters are.

Bushmaster1313: No.
I attend every gunshow I can and travel long distances to seek out firearms (including collector quality "Winchesters") and during my travels, visits and dealings right next to NO young people show interest in collecting collector quality Winchesters!
And that is sad.
Indeed there are a very few young folks interested in "collecting"!
I spent two days at gunshows this past weekend and never saw an under 25 year old and over 12 year old person there!
Again, sad.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Many people aren't into collecting "collector quality" rifles. There is no judgement in that, just stating a fact. For one thing, investment opportunities aside, it is damned expensive. Not to mention that with all the fraud that seems to be increasing, it can scare some people away.

I think the way to encourage younger folks to appreciate fine old guns is to have them shoot fine old guns.

A few will, most will not.

The best example of the trend in guns and gun sales around here to me is this one: a LGS that used to have many good quality used "hunting" rifles (Winchesters, Rugers, Remington etc.) now is almost exclusively focused on "new" rifles, mostly of the black rifle variety and pistols. The bolt guns I see in there are typically inexpensive (think Ruger American, Savage Axis and the like). It's been years since I've seen a good used Winchester in that store. Want a new AR though...? I'm sure they have what you need. I don't even bother stopping in any more because it's been a waste of time for so long.

Me, I'm gonna live to be 110. That way I can scarf up all the collectibles for pennies on the dollar when all the rest of my old pals kick the bucket.

I hope some do, I have spent good time and money gathering Winchesters and other collectible guns, mainly because I like them. It would be a shame for them to pass into obscurity due to ignorance of their value to a segment of American pastime and appreciation.

I suppose the following generation, (once the losers pass that found plastic, stainless steel and AR platforms interesting) may spawn a resurgence for the finer aspects of firearms if enough of those guns survive the black gun debacle...

I think it will pass into history...once the Geezers pass.
I don't even go into a Gun Shop anymore unless they have lots of used stuff. It is Gun show season now, but for me if I go it means travelling.
On the flip side some of the good reproductions are pretty sweet
Like the Bronc stomper, some things are passing into history.
If it is not digital, young folks have no interest.
Kinda sad.

You'd hafta get the kids to pull the couch out of their crack and set aside the cell phone.

Good luck with that.

Well as part of that "next generation" I can tell you, yes, some of us do appreciate the finer things. I grew up around Model 70's and lever guns, and my 22 was a 9422. I've been lucky enough to hunt with a Model 70 and 21 because they were in the family.

But I'm still not a collector even though I'd love to be. Simple reason- $$$. I'm just now getting to the point where I can begin to look at investing in some better examples and I'm now in my mid 30's. Winchesters have always been collectible during my lifetime, whereas they were tools and working guns for most of my father's. So there's that too, coupled with the fact that my generation is enamored with the black rifles and pistols.

I understand the hope that interest in these fine things passes on, but I don't think it is a reasonable expectation to see it until we all get a little older, maybe wiser, and figure out what it is we really like and have the money to spend on it. Until then, lower cost distractions abound...

I'm not a collector, by any means, but I do appreciate Winchester rifles, especially hunting rifles like the M70. However, it's pretty darn hard to "cherish" something if you never see it. I've been into Winchester Model 70 rifles since the mid 70's, when I was about 10 years old. That's over 40 years now. And I go to gun stores, gun shows, the shooting range, and I do a lot of hunting, all of which put me in contact with other shooters and hunters. Seeing anyone with a Winchester rifle, let alone a pre-64 Model 70, is an extreme rarity. It's probably been over 20 years since I've seen someone else that was actually hunting with or shooting a M70, besides my immediate family. It is also very, very rare to see a M70 at a gun show anymore, at least in these parts. And, if you do see one, the price tag is always astronomical!

This is not meant as a knock on anyone here, but I personally blame the "collectors" who squirrel these rifles away and won't allow anyone to shoot the darn things. They only remove them from their safes long enough to show their cronies and make others jealous of their "rare" collection. Now, I certainly will never tell anyone what they should do with their own property and if you want to collect guns and keep them in your safe because it makes you feel good, more power to you. However, if kids or young people never even see these things, how can they cherish or even desire to have them? And then, secondarily, if they do happen to somehow develop a love or desire to own one of these rifles, the collectors have driven the prices up so high that it can be really hard to justify spending the going rate to attain one. The other effect collectors have is that if some young person does happen to get a M70 rifle (usually inherited from Dad or Grandpa) they come to a forum like this and everyone tells them how grand it is and not to do anything to it that will affect the collector value of the rifle. Then they get scared to even take it out to shoot it because they become afraid of somehow "harming" it because it is such a rare and priceless artifact!

I guess I was lucky enough to be born in an era where guys were still using these rifles instead of only collecting them, so I grew to admire their looks and performance. Other hunters, who I admired, would talk about what a great rifle the M70 was, so I wanted to be like them and have one for myself. My kids (at least the ones that have an interest in guns) already know about and place a high value on the Winchester Model 70, but it is only because I have passed that on to them and let them handle and shoot them. I'll keep hunting them and shooting them. I figure I should at least enjoy using these rifles and I'll hope that my kids and others will use and value them when I'm gone. If they don't, there's not a darn thing I'm going to do about it then.

Old, high quality and rarer by the day will always be desirable for anyone with a general interest in firearms. When their old enough themselves to appreciate and be able to afford them.

Most of us were young and broke once.

Test138: I have to disagree with your overly broad contention!
I am not "scared" to take out any of my many dozens of collectible Winchesters!
I have PLENTY of VERY suitable Rifles to shoot Elk, Spring Bear, Mule Deer, Antelope and Whitetail Deer with! I have no need to use "collector quality" Winchesters for any of my year round Rifle Hunting needs.
I have made a conscious decision not to use my collector quality Winchesters - doing so would diminish their value and remove them from the finite pool of "collector quality" Winchester arms.
The thought of doing so (Hunting with any collector quality Winchester) appalls me - if you want to do so, I say, have at it!
There are plenty of "shooter quality" Winchesters out there and if someone wants to seek one out and use if for upland game, big game or Varmint Hunting good for them.
But buying a "collector quality" Winchester and paying the prevailing price for one and then using it to Hunt with is not a very wise use (waste!) of ones monies - in my opinion.

Winchester70: YOU... touch upon an important point that you are not quite correctly interpreting!
When you say "will always be desirable for anyone with a general interest in firearms" - you are overlooking the fact (and I am certain it is a fact!) that VERY few younger folks have a "general interest in collecting firearms"!
I have commented on this previously but the sad fact is from the west coast to the Dakotas (areas I travel frequently and extensively!) there are virtually NO young folks buying collector quality firearms!
Things may very be different in "the swamp", wherever that is, but out west it is fact.
The numbers of young gun collecting enthusiasts is dramatically down - especially so in the last twenty years and getting worse all the time.
There are some young shooters and young Hunters but young gun collectors (like I and many of my friends were at age 21 - 25) are just about non-existent.
I wish it were not this way, but it is.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

More for me 😁 not into “collector” grade though, I like using all of what I have, I’d go nuts just having one sit around. Currently only have 3 Winchester’s so far. 1 pre 64 94 .30-30. 1 pre 64 featherwieght model 70 .270 Win. And a BACO RMEF .300 Win Mag. But I’m only 24 and I’m sure there will be more, especially with the lack of interest in my generation.

Investment opportunities aside, people tend to collect things they are interested in. Less people are interested in shooting older guns, so less people are interested in collecting them. Sometimes, as you learn more, you begin to appreciate the craftsmanship and character one often finds in items from an earlier time.

Look at the current market on Pre-64’s.....kinda depressed. But....look what’s the newest thing that’s “collectible”.....vintage AR-15’s. The original 1970’s AR’s with the triangle fore end! Go price one and you’ll be shaking your head in amazement.

A best buddy of mine likes the old Winchester’s like I do. We also get into LC Smith shotguns as well. We often joke with each other that when they hand our guns out after we go to the happy hunting grounds no one will appreciate them.

I firmly believe that once on the back side of 30, todays axis/american/patriot/783/xpr/ etc etc etc... users, once earning more income, will gravitate right back to the days when things were made to last multiple lifetimes.

Most youngsters who grow up with a general interest in firearms, are wise like that.

FWIW, all of mine get used to a certain extent. I have a vintage baseball card collection to look at.

^^^^^^^
Your last line is Signature Line worthy!!!

One reason some cheap guns, especially rifles chambered for high pressure cartridges, work as well as they do is that they have to be built well enough to be safe. That alone guarantees a certain level of durability. A Ruger American may last as many lifetimes as a Pre '64. And they are accurate as well, although durability and accuracy don't necessarily go hand in hand. The AK proves that point. RugerAmericans might even be collectible someday. It sounds unlikely, but if there really is a market for "vintage" AR's, who knows.

hell, leftist get their way, and ANY damn gun will be collectible!!!

You should be in a great position to buy many beautiful guns in 10 or 20 years when these great collections have to be sold to pay nursing home and funeral expenses. There will be lots of supply and very little demand. You'll just have to outbid "gnoahhh"!

Have to outbid me too and I’ve had ten more years than you to hoard cash. Of course if it’s the longer time frame then I’ll have 3 kids in college and back to broke. May the best man win😁