Collectibility
Antique cartridge guns are highly sought by collectors and shooters. Ardent collectors scour gun shows, newspaper classified advertising, and the Internet searching for choice specimens.
Some brands/makers that are popular with antique gun collectors in Europe include Colt, Chamelot Delvigne, Fabrica de Durango, Fauré Le Page, Charles Francois Galand (C.F.G.), J.D. Levaux, Lefaucheux, Le Page, Martin & Cie, Émile et Léon Nagant, Perrin & Cie, Raphael, Simson & Co., Smith & Wesson, Tranter, Waffenfabrik Bern, J. Warnant, and Webley. There is also interest in military issue antiques such as Albini-Braendlin, Chassepot, Krag-Jørgensen, Kropatschek, Martini-Henry, Mauser, Mosin–Nagant, Peabody, Gebruder Sulzer (Milbank-Amsler), Schmidt-Rubin, St. Etienne Lebel rifle, Steyr Waffenfabrique (Mannlicher), and Vetterli rifles/carbines.
Some brands/makers that are popular with United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations antique gun collectors include Adams, Colt, Holland & Holland, Purdey, Rigby, W&C Scott, Smith & Wesson, Tranter, Webley, and Westley-Richards. There is also interest in military issue antiques such as Lee-Metford, Martini-Enfield, Martini-Henry, Mauser, Peabody, and Snider-Enfield rifles/carbines.
Some brands/makers that are popular with U.S. collectors include Colt, Merwin Hulbert, Mosin–Nagant, Parker, Remington, Savage, Smith & Wesson, Whitney, and Winchester. There is also growing interest in military issue "martial" antiques, such as Mauser, Peabody, Schmidt-Rubin, and U.S. Springfield Armory rifles including the Springfield Model 1873 (commonly called the "Trapdoor" Springfield) and Krag-Jørgensen rifles/carbines.
Read more about this topic: Antique Gun