Collecting Newer Guns

Everybody Knows About My Predilection for Collecting Old Guns, But What About Collecting Newer Guns?

Talking about guns made this century is something totally new for me. You see, up until recent years all of my guns have been old, and some very old. But now that I'm joining the ranks of those guns by becoming, well, old myself, I'm developing a new perspective. Nowadays I think that it won't be that many years before these guns will be passing to the next generation.

Is that thinking "Long-Term" or "Short-Term?"

Buying these new guns was based on both short-term and long-term thinking. The three guns I'm featuring today are a 2008 S&W Walther ($2,000), 2015 Remington ($400) and 2021 SIG Sauer ($1,300). Two of the three are TALO guns, which means they were produced in very limited numbers. The third, was made for only a short period of time before the oldest gunmaker in the United States was bled dry and forced into bankruptcy by money-hungry vultures. Maybe they had good intentions.

My Oldest Gun...100 Year-Old (1922) Colt 1903 Model M

Some old gun collectors limit the guns in their collection to just one type of gun and further narrow the scope of a collection to just one gunmaker. Often a collector's interest will even be limited to just one particular model. After a good many years of accumulating shotguns, rifles, revolvers and semiautomatic handguns I realized the only limitations I had placed on my gun collection were guns from the 20th Century that interested me.

There was a time that I thought I would confine my gun collecting to the Baby Boom Years (1946-1964). But I could never convince myself to part with my newer guns. Until recently, my definition of "newer" was limited to the 70's, 80's and 90's. I admit that the vast majority of new guns are just something that I wouldn't even consider buying. However, I want to see today's gunmakers stay in business and I will help them out when I can.

New versus Old

If you've read my Gun Blog much at all over the last fifteen years, you've seen me extoll the virtues of guns manufactured prior to 1964 ad nauseam. It's true, I'm a die-hard fan of real steel, exceptional bluing or nickel plating, extraordinary wood, real Mother of Pearl or Ivory and real leather and exotic skins.

However, in my old age, rather than becoming more staunch in my opinions, I'm trying to be more open-minded and receptive to the different aspects of new guns that represent change. Note I said trying. Even though my Walther was made in 2008 by Smith & Wesson in Maine, I realize it is a 1935 design and really shouldn't be classified as a "new" gun. I can't help myself.

From the First Decade of the 21st Century (2000-2009)

Carrying the 2008 Gun in IWB Holster

My first gun is actually an old-school design that has been around since 1935. I could simply post a photo without a title and everyone would know it is a Walther. Perhaps it's unfair to include it in the category of newer guns, but it was made in 2008. This IWB holster was made for my Walther by The Southern Trapper. Those guys are really good at what they do! As you can see, I love some newer guns, almost as much as the old ones. Almost.

From the Second Decade of the 21st Century (2010-2019)

My gun from the Second Decade of the 21st Century is the Remingtom RM380 Executive Model which was manufactured for only one year, 2015. This gun was based on the Rohrbaugh design dated to 2000. Rohrbaugh produced guns from 2002-2014 when Remington bought them out.

From the Third Decade of the 21st Century (2020-2029)

And finally, from 2021 I have a SIG Sauer P320 AXG Classic. The 2014 design of the P320 is produced in New Hampshire and was the gun selected by the United States Military to replace the Beretta M9. I would rather carry my Colt .45, even with fewer rounds between reloads, but that's just me.

Collecting, shooting and blogging about old guns has been a very enjoyable hobby (actually more like three hobbies) for many years. I've met a lot of really nice people that share a common interest. If you share my love of old guns, do me a favor and keep an eye open, and an open mind about buying a new gun. If you find one that suits you.

While there have been technological advances with semi-automatic handguns, rifles and shotguns that all have interesting aspects to learn and share, I don't see the point in buying a recently manufactured revolver that is based on a 50 or 100 year-old design. That realization came to me with the Walther. Even though it was made in 2008, the only real update is the addition of the beavertail to prevent it pinching the web of your hand.