Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles predicting the future -- collectible rifles

Gents,

I was thinking about this the other day and am curious how y'all would answer: what is a common rifle today (being produced new, not hard to find, not considered rare, etc.) that you think will be considered collectible in 30-40 years. Put another way, what is a rifle in 30-40 years that we'll look back on and say "dammit I should have bought X number of those when they were easy to find!"

This obviously precludes Pre-64s, JM Marlins, rare Ruger #1s, etc., and other things that are *already* harder to find and/or expensive...

Good question. One that some of you may not suggest is the Tikka T3, or T3x. We have all seen what happened with the Ruger 77 with boat paddle stock. The Tikka's are pretty popular right now. If they keep making rifles look like futuristic plastic dog schidt, I can see the Tikka T3x as a collectible item in 30-40 years.

I suspect modern, new manufactured Win 70s will be somewhat collectible as they are hard to find right now. I also suspect several brands of ARs, especially high quality ones will be desirable, since they're the guns that all the 'old' people (in 30+ years) were brought up with, much like baby boomers love the Pre-64s of their youth. If AR manufacturing is ever so severely regulated that they may as well be banned, hopefully today's ARs would be grandfathered in, and I suspect they'd bring a premium. I wonder if any specific cartridge, regardless of which rifle would be desirable?

Anything Tikka, Begera, (new) Savage and maybe even Christiansen (since they're so readily available) I suspect won't be collectible at all.


I wish I had bought all the old Ruger 77 Zytel stocked rifles that I could find...

Back in the 90's, those boat paddle rugers were very easy to find. Generally costing around $369.99. The Browning POS model 70 will never be "collectible".

I have zero doubt people like you said the same thing about the Zytel Rugers back in the 90s.

Pre muzzle-device-ready Hawkeyes maybe.

I know this is about rifles but about any well made revolver. I'd be surprised if the Kimber wheel guns don't appreciate nicely.

Better get kids involved in gun clubs, shooting competitions and hunting. Else we’ll all cry when it’s time to sell our collections. There are way too many guns around compared to people that are interested in paying up for them. Imo

Good question

Coopers of Montana. Those Ruger 77 RSMs. CZ 550 and CZ527s. Dakotas. Savage 99s will continue to climb.

+1, I absolutely agree.

Whatever whacky new stuff Ruger is coming out with at any given time. This year my vote would be for the 22 Hornet Super Redhawk.

I think the Kimber Montana’s, Mountain Ascent etc. will be collectible over the years. Especially the calibers they no longer offer.

Still being able to HAVE any firearm may be difficult in 30-40 years. Although I would be 100-110 so I'll let you young punks worry about it.LOL

I think the $399 Mauser M18 a couple years back will be worth a lot more than we paid for them.

Some High Standard 22lr pistols are still cheap, I bought one for $250 6mo ago. I'm sure they'll go up.

Any rifle that is mag-fed and semi-auto that is quality made will be worth more, but many have already gone up.

I'm skeptical on lever guns. Each year, a percentage of lever gun fans die and not very many youngsters replace them.

CZ527 and 452

The 35 Whelen and 22 hornet African exclusives will be hot items. I just put a brand new Vidania Winchester Model 70 Alaskan in 375 H+H on layaway. MOA trigger or not it is a nice looking rifle for MAP price. They have a thinner contour barrel than the safari express. It is a pretty good walking around rifle the way it is before I put optics on it.

Kimber Montana
Ruger 22 Hornet
The Ruger 22lr bolt actions (Not Americans, the M77 styled ones)
Korth revolvers???

High-end uncommon "assault" rifles, anything from WW2, and this new crop of lever actions once they fall out of fashion/production are my bets. Can't really see any of the bolt actions being too collectible.

I think the Portugal-assembled M70 FWTs will become collectible because they're just well made, good looking rifles and not many brands are putting out walnut/steel guns anymore.

I could also see the Howa 1500s in walnut/steel eventually becoming desirable... not in a "wow these are super rare and valuable like a Pre-64" sense but in a "why the hell didn't I buy 10 of these actions when they were $450 at Grice" kinda situation.

I might have to disagree with you on this point. Leverguns seem to be cool again with younger shooters albeit sometimes in the guise of “tactical” lever action monstrosities.