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  • Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,687
    I used to have a Nagant. My late father-in-law who was a Marine in the Pacific brought it home at the end of WWII when his final duty was with the 6th Marines accepting the Japanese surrender in Shanghai. Funny thing is it had Cyrillic script on it and a lanyard ring. One of the Russian ex-patriots at a gun show a couple of decades ago said the language was Bulgarian. Not sure how it got all the way to China.

    Hop skip and a jump. Russo-Japanese War, 1904, for one possibility. Nagants have been around a while.
     

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    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    Thought I had post this list when the thread started but must have had a typical senior moment. This is what pop'd into my head with under $1K in mind.

    Russian 1895 Nagant revolver
    Japanese Type 26 revolver
    French Ruby pistol
    French Savage 1907 pistol
    Belgian FN 1900
    German Walther Model 4
    Italian Bodeo 1889 revolver
    French Mle 1892 "Lebel" revolver
    Italian Beretta 1915/1917
    French Star Model 1914

    That's the short list. The last two entries are questionable but I think attainable. Esp. the Berettas. The Star might be a stretch.

    The following might be attainable under $1k but it would be highly dependent on condition. Normally VG to Excellent examples on this list would fetch over $1k so to get under budget these would be 70% or less examples.

    Austrian Model 1911 Steyr Hahn
    US S&W / Colt Model 1917 revolver in .45 ACP
    British/Canadian S&W / Colt revolver in .455 Webley


    I've left out the Webley MKV and MK VI because in original configuration they're now beyond $1k. Even .45ACP shaved examples are getting close to $1k. The US Model 1911, P.08 Luger, C96 Mauser, Model 1910 Glisenti, Model 1902/1902A "Grandpa" / "Papa" Nambus are all out of reach with that budget.
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,687
    Let's not forget the FN 1910, the pistol that ignited the war.
     

    -Z/28-

    I wanna go fast
    Dec 6, 2011
    10,647
    Harford Co
    Another piece of food for thought; do you want these purely as collectables or do you want shooters? Pristine, matching examples will fetch more but shooting them risks damage. Shooter grades will cost less but appreciate less.

    Personally my favorite vintage design is the Luger. I have a 1942 example that's a mismatch shooter. I shoot it frequently as it always makes me smile.
     

    jstolz

    Active Member
    Aug 28, 2018
    338
    Glen Burnie
    I recommend two YT resources to view that will help increase your knowledge immensely:

    C&Rsenal: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClq1dvO44aNovUUy0SiSDOQ

    Forgotten Weapons: https://www.youtube.com/user/ForgottenWeapons

    Another piece of food for thought; do you want these purely as collectables or do you want shooters? Pristine, matching examples will fetch more but shooting them risks damage. Shooter grades will cost less but appreciate less.

    Personally my favorite vintage design is the Luger. I have a 1942 example that's a mismatch shooter. I shoot it frequently as it always makes me smile.

    I have been on these yt channels a lot lately. Glad I was on the right track haha.

    I would prefer shooters. Matching serials are cool, but I want to not feel bad or worry when shooting the guns.
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,687
    I would prefer shooters. Matching serials are cool, but I want to not feel bad or worry when shooting the guns.

    Safe queens are the bane of a collection. I confess to having a few. Usually they were too good a deal to pass up. Someone twenty years from now will appreciate that I left them that way.

    I like a nice clean firearm, with little sign of use, but not so pristine as to prevent their use.

    Sometimes I like them looking like they're battle-scarred, because that has its own interest. Too often, though, a beat-up gun merely reflects decades of ill-use and abuse.
     

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,232
    Carroll County
    A good friend has a pristine M1917 in .45acp. It was his grandfather's issued sidearm. A cavalry Lt. The war ended the day after he landed in Europe


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1917_Revolver

    Colt or S&W?

    My father carried one in WWII, along with a shotgun (M 1897?) guarding German POWs at Camp Forrest Tenn., and on harvest crews working up and down the Great Plains.


    If I had the money to burn, I think I would collect early auto pistols. Cornerstone of my collection would be an FN M1899/1900 Browning.
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    Colt or S&W?

    My father carried one in WWII, along with a shotgun (M 1897?) guarding German POWs at Camp Forrest Tenn., and on harvest crews working up and down the Great Plains.


    If I had the money to burn, I think I would collect early auto pistols. Cornerstone of my collection would be an FN M1899/1900 Browning.

    FN 1889s are a toughie. I've seen a handful come up for sale over the last couple of decades. Also noticing that 1900s are starting to bring much more coin after languishing for years. Esp. nice examples as most are pretty rough (mine included). Always have an eye out for an affordable upgrade to my only 1900.
     

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