Antique gun An antique firearm is , loosely speaking , a firearm designed and manufactured prior to the beginning of the 20th century . The Boer War is often used as a cut - off event , although the exact definition of what constitutes an " antique firearm " varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction . Antique guns are usually collected because of their historical interest . Antique firearms can be divided into two types : muzzleloading and cartridge firing . Muzzleloading antique firearms are not generally owned with the intent of firing them ( although original muzzleloaders can be safely fired , after having them thoroughly inspected ) , but instead are being owned as display pieces or for their historic value . Cartridge - firing antique firearms are more commonly encountered as shooting pieces , but most antique cartridge guns made from the 1860s through the 1880s were made with relatively mild steel and were designed to use black powder . They were limited to low bullet velocities and had heavily arcing " rainbow " bullet trajectories . However , advances in steel metallurgy and the advent of mass - produced smokeless powder in the early 1890s gave cartridge rifles of this new era much higher velocities and much flatter trajectories than their predecessors . These advances , typified by cartridges such as 8mm Lebel ( 1886 ) , 7x57 Mauser , . 303 British , and 7 . 62x54R made many smokeless powder rifles manufactured in the 1890s quite capable of accurate shooting at long distances . In fact , many antique smokeless powder cartridge guns from the 1890s can still compete satisfactorily in target shooting events alongside modern guns . This article concentrates on antique breech loading cartridge guns from 1865 – 1898 rather than earlier muzzleloader s . Prior to the late 18th century , there was little standardization with regards to muzzleloading firearms , which sometimes make establishing the provenance of early muzzle - loading pieces more difficult than with a later cartridge - firing arm . Sporting arms . These guns are all seen as reminders of epic expeditions , pioneering railroad expansions into wilderness areas , and of the golden age of big game hunting throughout Africa , India , and the United States . To sum up their fascination , collectors have been known to use the phrase " if this gun could only talk " when they hold a historic piece - guns such as a Boer War era Mauser rifle stamped " OVS " ( for Oranje Vrij Staat - Orange Free State ) , a " Trapdoor " Springfield Model 1873 cavalry carbine from the Custer era , a Martini - Henry . 577 / 450 single shot rifle with dozens of successive ordnance marks from England , India , Nepal and Tibet , or a well - worn Winchester lever action rifle with its stock studded with American Indian tribal brass tacks . Collectibility . Antique cartridge guns are highly sought by collectors and shooters . Ardent collectors scour gun show s , 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 rifle s / 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 , Marlin , Merwin Hulbert , Mosin – Nagant , Parker , Remington , Savage , Sharps , 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 . Prices . Given their scarcity , the prices of antique guns have steadily risen . Some highly desired brands such as Colt and Winchester Repeating Arms Company have tripled or quadrupled in value in recent years . Current prices are best monitored by comparing prices at gun show s , and by checking references such as the book " Flayderman ' s Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values . " Collectors also find gun auction catalogs , along with their accompanying realized price sheets , particularly useful . Having provenance can improve this price . Legality . Gun control laws vary widely from country to country . Several nations such as Australia , Canada , the Netherlands , Norway , the UK and the United States make special exceptions in their gun laws for antique firearms . The " threshold " or " cut - off " years defining " antique " vary considerably . The threshold is pre - 1898 in Canada , pre - 1899 in the United States , and pre - 1901 in Australia . Some countries like England exempt certain antiques but they do not set a specific threshold year . Australia . Single - shot or double - barrel muzzleloading firearms manufactured before January 1 , 1901 are considered Antique Firearms in all States of Australia , and can be legally purchased , owned , ( and in some states , used ) without licenses . Cartridge - loading firearms manufactured prior to January 1 , 1901 may or may not be considered " antique " , depending on the commercial availability of ammunition . For example , a Martini - Enfield rifle manufactured in 1896 would NOT be considered antique in any state of Australia , as it is chambered in . 303 British , a calibre which is still commercially manufactured and readily available in Australia . Conversely , firearms manufactured after 1 / 1 / 1901 are not considered antiques , even if they are replicas of antique firearms ( such as modern reproductions of black - powder guns ) , or if ammunition is no longer commercially available ( such as the Arisaka Type 38 Rifle ) Antique cap & ball revolvers require licensing in all states except Queensland and Victoria , where an individual may possess such a firearm without a license , so long as it is registered with the police . Belgium . As non - licensed weapons for the purposes of Article 3 , § 2 , 2 , of the Arms Act are considered weapons of a historical , folkloric or decorative value : 1 ° , That are loaded through the breach , the muzzle or from the front of the cylinder are charged only with black powder or cartridges with black powder and separate ignition loaded , whose model or the patent dates back to 1890 and manufactured before 1945 2 ° using only cartridges with ignition , loaded with black powder , of which the model or the patent dates from 1890 and were produced pre - 1945 ; 3 ° using cartridges with smokeless powder and that are listed in Annex 1 of the decree of 29 December 2006 . 4 ° produced before 1897 or for which ammunition is no longer in production . Canada . In Canada , antique guns are defined under P . C . 1898 – 1664 . One minor source of confusion for antique gun collectors and dealers is that in Canada , the threshold for antique status is one year earlier than in the United States . ( In the U . S . guns made before 1899 are " antique " , but in Canada , they are defined as guns made before 1898 . ) P . C . 1998 – 1664 reads as follows : The Regulations Prescribing Antique Firearms P . C . 1998 – 1664 16 September 1998 His Excellency the Governor General in Council , on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice , pursuant to the definitions " prescribed " ( see footnote a ) and " antique firearm " ( see footnote b ) in subsection 84 ( 1 ) and to subsection 117 . 15 ( 1 ) ( see footnote c ) of the Criminal Code , hereby makes the annexed Regulations Prescribing Antique Firearms . REGULATIONS PRESCRIBING ANTIQUE FIREARMS PRESCRIPTION 1 . The firearms listed in the schedule are antique firearms for the purposes of paragraph ( b ) of the definition " antique firearm " in subsection 84 ( 1 ) of the Criminal Code . COMING INTO FORCE 2 . These Regulations come into force on October 1 , 1998 . SCHEDULE BLACK POWDER REPRODUCTIONS 1 . A reproduction of a flintlock , wheel - lock or matchlock firearm , other than a handgun , manufactured after 1897 . RIFLES 2 . A rifle manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging only rim - fire cartridges , other than 22 Calibre Short , 22 Calibre Long or 22 Calibre Long Rifle cartridges . 3 . A rifle manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging centre - fire cartridges , whether with a smooth or rifled bore , having a bore diameter of 8 . 3 mm or greater , measured from land to land in the case of a rifled bore , with the exception of a repeating firearm fed by any type of cartridge magazine . SHOTGUNS 4 . A shotgun manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging only rim - fire cartridges , other than 22 Calibre Short , 22 Calibre Long or 22 Calibre Long Rifle cartridges . 5 . A shotgun manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging centre - fire cartridges , other than 10 , 12 , 16 , 20 , 28 or 410 gauge cartridges . HANDGUNS 6 . A handgun manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging only rim - fire cartridges , other than 22 Calibre Short , 22 Calibre Long or 22 Calibre Long Rifle cartridges . 7 . A handgun manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging centre - fire cartridges , other than a handgun designed or adapted to discharge 32 Short Colt , 32 Long Colt , 32 Smith and Wesson , 32 Smith and Wesson Long , 32 - 20 Winchester , 38 Smith and Wesson , 38 Short Colt , 38 Long Colt , 38 - 40 Winchester , 44 - 40 Winchester , or 45 Colt cartridges . In Canada , the Webley Mk I qualifies as a status " Antique " , as it was manufactured prior to 1898 , and was designed to use Webley . 455 ( Mk I ) calibre ammunition . These revolvers were used by both the police and the military in the late 19th and early 20th centuries , and are now sought - after examples of antique Canadiana . Czech Republic . Czech Arms Act considers " historic firearms " as category D weapons , therefore freely available to persons over 18 years of age . Historic weapon is defined as a " " firearm manufactured at latest on December 31 , 1890 , and also all its main parts were manufactured no later than December 31 , 1890 " " . Ammunition for such weapons can legally be acquired under the same conditions . Finland . In Finland all black - powder firearms made before 1890 are exempt from license requirements . The Netherlands . Exempt are the following weapons ( leaving out items that are not relevant in this context ) : b . All firearms produced before January 1 , 1870 c . Rifles , shotguns , revolvers , pistols and combination - firearms designed and destined to be loaded with : 1 ) Loose balls and black powder , or 2 ) Cartridges , not being rimfire cartridges in caliber . 22 or centrefire cartridges d . Rifles , shotguns and pistols ( not being revolvers ) designed and destined to be loaded with cartridges of which the propellant consists of black powder or only priming compound , except rimfire cartridges in caliber . 22 with a cartridge length or more than 18mm e . Artillery pieces designed and destined to be loaded with loose projectiles and black powder , loose or in bagcharges The exemption mentioned in points c , d and e only applies to weapons produced before January 1 , 1945 . Notes : Point b , c . 1 ) , c . 2 ) , d and e are separate groups , the criteria are not cumulative Please note that point c . 2 ) does NOT take into consideration what powder is used . Only the obsolete ignition system of the cartridge is the deciding factor . Point d . means that , in black - powder caliber . 22 rf , only calibers . 22 CB , . 22 BB and . 22 short are allowed . . 22 long , lr and WRF are not . Specific types of weapons are mentioned in the law . That means that the exemption does not apply to other types of weapons . A pinfire rifle may be free but a pinfire trapgun is not , a muzzleloading cannon from the civil war is free but a Gatling model 1873 is not . Norway . In 2008 a new Norwegian firearms law re - defined an " antique " as any gun produced before 1891 , or that is chambered in a caliber the Crown ( Norwegian Department of Justice ) considers obsolete . Poland . Any firearm manufactured before 1885 that uses only black powder as a propellant and is separately charged ( meaning not utilizing fixed cartridges ) and replicas of such weapons , do not require a license . Spain . Guns manufactured before 1870 are considered exempt antiques under Article 107 of the Regulations on Arms . Sweden . Guns manufactured before 1890 and that do not support " gas tight " cartridges ( " gastät enhetspatron " ) are considered antique and do not require a license , under Sweden ' s 1996 gun law ( 1996 : 67 ) . Switzerland . Guns manufactured before 1870 are considered exempt antiques under Article 2 , alinea 3 of the Federal Gunlaw ( amendment 2008 - 12 - 12 ) . United Kingdom . In the United Kingdom , antique guns are exempt from most controls , but the definition of " antique " in Section 58 ( 2 ) of the Firearms Act 1968 is vague . Interpretation of the law is often left up to local police officials . However , guidance was issued by the Home Office in paragraph 2 . 7 of ' Firearms Law : Guidance to the Police ' in 1989 , suggesting that a range of vintage firearms might be considered for ' antique ' status ( ' vintage ' for those purposes means manufactured before 1939 ) . Following advice from the Firearms Consultative Committee ( FCC ) , the Government issued further guidance in a circular letter to chief officers on 19 November 1992 , as follows : The provisions of the Firearms Acts 1968 to 1997 do not apply to any antique firearm held as a curiosity or ornament . The word ' antique ' is not defined in the Act , but it is suggested that the categories below should be used as a guide in deciding whether a particular firearm might be considered an ' antique ' for these purposes . Part I : Old weapons which should benefit from exemption as antiques under section 58 ( 2 ) of the Firearms Act 1968 a ) All muzzle - loading firearms ; b ) Breech - loading firearms capable of discharging a rim - fire cartridge other than 4mm , 5mm , . 22 " or . 23 " ( or their metric equivalents ) , 6mm or 9mm rimfire ; c ) Breech - loading firearms using ignition systems other than rimfire and centrefire ( These include pin - fire and needle - fire ignition systems , as well as the more obscure lip fire , cup - primed , teat fire and base fire systems ) ; d ) Breech - loading centre - fire arms originally chambered for one of the obsolete cartridges listed in Annex B and which retain their original chambering ; e ) Vintage ( pre 1939 ) rifles , shotguns and punt guns chambered for the following cartridges expressed in imperial measurements : 32 bore 24 bore , 14 bore , 10 bore ( ⅝ " and 2⅞ " only ) , 8 bore , 4 bore , 3 bore , 2 bore , 1⅛ bore , 1¼ bore and 1½ bore , and vintage punt guns and shotguns with bores of 10 or greater . Note ( i ) - The exemption does not apply to ammunition , and the possession of live ammunition suitable for use with an otherwise antique firearm will normally indicate that the firearm is not possessed as a curio or ornament . Note ( ii ) - The exemption does not apply to firearms of modern manufacture which otherwise conform to the description above . Fully working modern firing replicas of muzzle - loading and breech - loading firearms , for example those used to fire blanks by historical re - enactment societies but capable of firing live ammunition , must be held on certificate . For these purposes , ' modern manufacture ' should be taken to mean manufacture after the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 . Old weapons which should not benefit from the exemption as antiques under section 58 ( 2 ) of the Firearms Act 1968 NB : This list is not exhaustive and there may be other types and calibres of firearms that should be considered ' modern ' rather than ' antique ' . a ) Shotguns and smooth - bored guns , including shot pistols , chambered for standard shot gun cartridges , . 22 inch , . 23 inch , 6mm and 9mm rim - fire cartridges ; ) . b ) Rifles and handguns chambered for 4mm , 5mm , . 22 inch , . 23 inch , 6mm or 9mm rim - fire ammunition ; c ) Revolvers , single - shot pistols and self - loading pistols which are chambered for , and will accept , popular centre - fire cartridges of the type . 25 , . 32 , . 38 , . 380 , . 44 , . 450 , . 455 and . 476 inch , or their metric equivalents including 6 . 35 , 7 . 62 , 7 . 63 , 7 . 65 , 8 and 9mm , unless otherwise specified ; d ) Modern reproduction firearms or old firearms which have been modified to allow the use of shotgun cartridges or cartridges not listed in Annex B ; e ) Extensively modified weapons ( e . g . Sawn off shotguns ) ; f ) Very signalling pistols chambered for 1 and 1½ inch cartridges or 26 . 5 / 27mm cartridges ; g ) Pump - action and self - loading centre fire rifles , except that examples originally chambered for one of the obsolete cartridges listed at Annex B and retaining that original chambering , may benefit from exemption as antiques under section 58 ( 2 ) of the Firearms Act 1968 ( as amended ) An extensive list of calibres deemed " obsolete " ( per the latest interpretation of the UK law ) can be found at the david - squires . org . uk web site . ( See the link to the PDF in " External Links " . ) United States . Under the United States Gun Control Act of 1968 , any cartridge firearm made in or before 1898 ( " pre - 1899 " ) is classified as an " antique " , and is generally outside of Federal jurisdiction , as administered and enforced by the U . S . Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives ( BATFE ) . The only exceptions to the Federal exemption are antique machineguns ( such as the Maxim gun and Colt Model 1895 " Potato Digger " ) and antique cartridge rifles or shotguns firing shotgun shells that are classified as " short barreled " per the U . S . Gun Control Act of 1968 , namely cartridge rifles with a barrel less than 16 inches long , or shotguns firing shotgun shells with a barrel less than 18 inches long , or either cartridge rifles or shotgun - shell - firing shotguns with an overall length of less than 26 inches . Muzzleloading guns , as replicas of antique guns , are not subject to Federal jusisdiction and are essentially classified the same as an antique gun . Hence , a muzzleloading black - powder shotgun is not subject to the short - barreled National Firearms Act of 1934 restrictions . Purchases of such modern - day manufactured replicas may be done outside of the normal Federal Firearms License ( FFL ) restrictions that otherwise exist when purchasing modern ( post - 1898 ) guns . Replicas of cartridge - firing rifles , however , are not classed the same as antiques , but must be purchased through FFL holders , although a true antique that was manufactured prior to 1899 firing the same cartridge as the replica would be legal for sale without the transfer being processed through an FFL . Furthermore , any rifle re - built on a receiver or frame that was manufactured prior to 1899 is considered antique , even if it has been re - barreled or even if every other part has been replaced . The following is an excerpt from the portion of the Gun Control Act of 1968 ( which modified Title 18 , U . S . Code ) that exempted pre - 1899 guns from the Federal Firearms License paperwork requirements administered by the BATFE : 18 USC 921 ( a ) ( 16 ) . ( A ) any firearm ( including any firearm with a matchlock , flintlock , percussion cap , or similar type of ignition system ) manufactured in or before 1898 ; and ( B ) any replica of any firearm described in subparagraph ( A ) if such replica - - ( i ) is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition , or ( ii ) uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade . Within the United States , antique exemptions vary considerably from state to state . Identifying pre - 1899 antiques . The production of many cartridge firearms , such as the famous Winchester Model 1894 lever action rifle took place both before and after the December 31 , 1898 cut - off date that delineates exempt antique status under U . S . law . Therefore , collectors rely on references such as The Pre - 1899 Antique Guns FAQ by James Wesley Rawles to determine if a particular gun ' s serial number falls within the range of " antique " ( pre - 1899 ) production . For example , a Winchester Model 1894 with serial number 147 , 685 had its frame ( or " receiver " ) made in December 1898 and it is hence classified as an " antique " , but records show that a Winchester Model 1894 with serial number 147 , 686 had its frame made in January , 1899 and it is hence classified as " modern " by the BATFE therefore , black powder weapons are not firearms unless said black powder weapon can be converted to propel rim - fire ammunition . Since it is the date of manufacture of the receiver that is relevant to identifying a gun as antique or modern , it is possible to have a weapon with date marks post - 1898 but still be considered an antique gun . For example , some Finnish M39 ( Ukko - Pekka ) Mosin - Nagant rifles with hexagonal profile receivers are considered antique because some were built on receivers dated pre - 1899 , even though the rifle itself was adopted in 1939 . Many of these were assembled using a mix of old round and " hex " receivers from then on , until as late as the 1970s . To be identified as pre - 1899 , however , Mosin - Nagants that have been re - barreled must be disassembled to see the date stamps on their tangs . A similar situation exists for 7 . 65mm Mauser Turkish Model 1893 bolt actions , most of which were re - arsenalized at the Ankara arsenal in the 1940s , and rechambered to 8x57mm Mauser . Despite this re - arsenalization and rechambering , they are still considered antiques under US law as all rifles of that model were manufactured between 1893 and 1896 . Likewise , all firearms produced by Ludwig Loewe & Co . A . G . , which are marked " Ludwig Loewe " or " Loewe , Berlin " , are antiques . This is because Ludwig Loewe was merged into Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken in 1897 , and the Loewe name was no longer used after the merger . In the case , " United States vs . Kirvan " , He was charged with " Armed Robbery " and " Felon in possession of a firearm while committing a felony " . Kirvan was found guilty of the armed robbery but was found innocent of the " felon in possession of a firearm while committing a felony " charge due to the fact that a black powder weapon is not a firearm under definition of federal gun laws . And was added , that a black powder weapon , that has never been used or shot before , there fore classifies as a display piece along with not being considered as a firearm . There of , the judge dismissed the charge .