Recommended C&R handguns

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I am thinking about exercising my C&R license and have looked at several pistols. Just wondering what you guys think are good C&R pistols for collecting as well as collectible AND "shootable". Collectible first and fore most; shootable as well being a big plus.

    Some I have been looking at (yes these vary a lot in price):

    S&W or Colt Heavy Frame Target revolver in 22LR (thinking these would be good shooters - less likely to see a 22LR that's worn out maybe?)
    Various Colt revolvers from the 30's to the 60's
    Various S&W revolvers from the 30's to the 60's
    German P.08 Luger (ATF denied me when I tried to bring one of these back when I was over seas and have wanted one ever since.)
    German P.38
    Colt 1911 (should I wait for the CMP offering?)

    Thoughts?
     

    bbrown

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 10, 2009
    3,032
    MD
    For starters:

    Walther/Manurhin PP and PPK

    Webley MkVI

    Japanese Type 14 Nambu

    Russian TT33

    Mauser C96

    There are a plethora of additional choices.
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,711
    Although the P.38 was a great pistol I wouldn't recommend shooting a collectible one (e.g. all-matched, original finish, non-import).
    Same with a war-era Browning Hi Power.
    stuff breaks.

    Colt 1903 Model M Hammerless .32 ACP (or 1908 in .380 ACP) are still affordable if you can accept some cosmetic issues.
    But perfect ones are very pricey. These are very robust pistols and fun to shoot too, and easy to work on.
    Parts readily available should you need them.
    Sometimes you get lucky and can find one under-priced on the GB.

    CZ.27 in 7.65, also built like a tank.

    FN 1922 in 7.65 - German occupation pistols are still very affordable in the $400-600 range typically.
    Astra 600 in 9x19 (German contract is expensive, post-war about 1/2 to 1/3 the price).
    Both these look a little goofy but are surprisingly comfortable and fun.
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,711
    Another oft-overlooked pistol is the Beretta Model 1934 & 1935.
    Very tough little guns, and lots of variations.

    As for 1911's, I wouldn't hold my breath on the CMP offerings, anything decent will be priced high.
    Better off trying to find a decent one right now before who-knows-what mongrels are unleashed on the market.
    But then I'm a cynical SOB.
     

    yellowfin

    Pro 2A Gastronome
    Jul 30, 2010
    1,516
    Lancaster, PA
    The higher grade original Russian or East German Makarovs aren't high dollar but they've gone up 5x their original offering price. Absolutely shootable and fun.
     

    knastera

    Just another shooter
    May 6, 2013
    1,484
    Baltimore County
    0d60c8bbb8b2dee9d4f5691dc5df087e.jpg

    You can't go wrong with a Tokarev TT-C. This is my 1953 Cugir TT-C from Romania. The ammo is easy to get from Graf & Sons for about $19/50 in JHP. It is a hot round that can penetrate class III Kevlar.
     

    knastera

    Just another shooter
    May 6, 2013
    1,484
    Baltimore County
    Recommended C&R handguns

    I am thinking about exercising my C&R license and have looked at several pistols. Just wondering what you guys think are good C&R pistols for collecting as well as collectible AND "shootable". Collectible first and fore most; shootable as well being a big plus.



    Some I have been looking at (yes these vary a lot in price):



    S&W or Colt Heavy Frame Target revolver in 22LR (thinking these would be good shooters - less likely to see a 22LR that's worn out maybe?)

    Various Colt revolvers from the 30's to the 60's

    Various S&W revolvers from the 30's to the 60's

    German P.08 Luger (ATF denied me when I tried to bring one of these back when I was over seas and have wanted one ever since.)

    German P.38

    Colt 1911 (should I wait for the CMP offering?)



    Thoughts?


    I have a 1958 S&W Model 37 Air-weight. A great little gun.
    8025e6f098a84e5c0a47a3bc44f57abb.jpg
     

    tallen702

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 3, 2012
    5,102
    In the boonies of MoCo
    I am thinking about exercising my C&R license and have looked at several pistols. Just wondering what you guys think are good C&R pistols for collecting as well as collectible AND "shootable". Collectible first and fore most; shootable as well being a big plus.

    What's your definition of collectible? Are you going by how much they'll increase in price over the years? Rarity? Community / group-think? Milsurp vs nostalgia? Fine art vs working guns?

    That's the first thing you need to figure out for yourself.

    I started out with WWII milsurps at a time when interest was starting to pick up again. Given my meager means at that time, prices rapidly out-paced my ability to pick up new pieces at a reasonable cost. I got my Mosin, my nagant revolver, my Luger (inherited), TT, etc, but M1 Garands, Carbines, and K98s suddenly shot out of reach. Over time my interests in those pieces started to wane and some were sold off, other sit in the safe and just gather dust unless I have a buddy who wants to re-locate his shoulder to the middle of his back.

    My interest now is in "working man's" shotguns. For starters there are a lot of interesting variations out there. They're incredibly sensibly priced even for nice specimens, and I'm not afraid to shoot them as they're built to withstand punishment and use.

    Even now, the itch has slowly been migrating to the higher-end double guns. It won't be long before Fox and other makers start mingling with Riverside, Savage, Western Field, and Lefever in the safes.

    Some I have been looking at (yes these vary a lot in price):

    S&W or Colt Heavy Frame Target revolver in 22LR (thinking these would be good shooters - less likely to see a 22LR that's worn out maybe?)
    Various Colt revolvers from the 30's to the 60's
    Various S&W revolvers from the 30's to the 60's
    German P.08 Luger (ATF denied me when I tried to bring one of these back when I was over seas and have wanted one ever since.)
    German P.38
    Colt 1911 (should I wait for the CMP offering?)

    Thoughts?

    Colt fanatics will always want Colts, so you definitely have collectibility with the Heavy Frame Target, revolvers, and 1911. Lugers will never go out of style either. S&W revolvers tend to be less of a collector's item than Colts in my experience. S&W just doesn't have the same fanatical following that Colt does for whatever reason. There are certain items in the S&W line that sought after, but again, it all comes down to what YOU consider a collection.

    The difficulty comes with collecting AND shooting. If you buy a shooter-grade "collectible" arm, it's never going to be worth what a piece in excellent "safe queen" condition will be. So you have to make that decision. Do you buy guns to shoot them? Or do you buy them to look at?

    My take:

    Luger: Buy to look at and shoot a few times. If it was matching when you bought it, and a part breaks, you'd just shot the value to hell. Don't risk it. Every single part is serialized in these.

    1911: If you're going wartime, buy one to keep in the safe and then spend less on something modern to take to the range on a regular basis if you don't already have one.

    P.38: If matching, safe queen with occasional use. If not, blast away

    Revolvers: To me, 30s-60s revolvers are work horses. I've never seen the love some people have for them.

    Target revolvers: Have fun, especially in lower calibers. Look for strong rifling so you can enjoy shooting it without turning it into a sewer pipe along the way.

    To add to your own picks, I'll second the CZ-82 suggestion and throw in the P-64 and true C&R Makarovs. All are fun, and have seen values increase over the years. Not sure exactly how much higher they'll go from a collector standpoint, but they're prolific enough that you don't have to worry about one breaking and not being able to repair it.
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    You can now find original C&R FN Hi Powers that have the external extractors since those were introduced around 1962. Those are collectible and very shootable. If you don't mind it being correct and original, some of the Israeli rebuilds have external extractor slides on C&R frames from earlier.
     

    Abulg1972

    Ultimate Member
    I'll second or third the E German Mak. I have one and it is one of my favorite pistols. If I could carry, I'd carry that one.

    SOG has excellent condition P64s on sale for $239. They come with 1 mag and holster (no cleaning rod or 2nd mag). These don't do anything for me, but they do for a lot of people and they will one day be gone from the surplus market.
     

    dad4

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 11, 2013
    1,629
    Cecil County
    1911A1 Remington Rand
    Polish Radom vis35

    I have both in my current collection and shoot them occasionally. The Radom is Nazi proofed and I got it straight from the vet. It shoots 9×19 standard 9mm. Also, P38 but that has already been mentioned.
     
    Last edited:
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,711
    The P.35(p) is a nice pistol. They've been steadily climbing and typically a decent all-matched one sells around $900-$1000 now, more for really nice ones.
    The early slotted ones trend a lot higher, and the late-war phosphate are out of sight.
    Typical problems with them include broken firing pins, which are a royal pain to remove/replace, and issues with the dual-spring recoil system.
    Also a lot of fun to mess with (I've shot that little dog-bone pin across the room more than once).
    Fortunately repro firing pins are available, and Wolff makes a spring kit for it.

    As a heads-up I wouldn't dry-fire one for fear of breaking the tip off the f/p.
     

    dreadpirate

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 7, 2010
    5,521
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    I'll second or third the E German Mak. I have one and it is one of my favorite pistols. If I could carry, I'd carry that one.

    SOG has excellent condition P64s on sale for $239. They come with 1 mag and holster (no cleaning rod or 2nd mag). These don't do anything for me, but they do for a lot of people and they will one day be gone from the surplus market.

    That's a really good value. I see SOG also has some awesome S&W 38's; not C&R but at that price, worth a look.
     

    Jimbob2.0

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 20, 2008
    16,600
    Whats on the market today stock up on P64s and Toks they are cheap but wont be forever.

    The other items I would put on the search list that are still more or less reasonable:

    C&R S&Ws
    E.G. Maks
    Some Webelys and Enfields
    PPs and PPKs made post war
    MABs
    CZ52s
    P1s and some P38s are reasonable


    Other stuff is out there but $$$$$
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,916
    Messages
    7,258,496
    Members
    33,348
    Latest member
    Eric_Hehl

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom