Recent Vintage Pistols to Become Classics

I'd add the Seecamps made by Larry to that group and the HK P7
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Definitely! The Seecamp models have been desired collectibles for some time. My guess is that they've appreciated may be a couple hundred dollars over the past few years. You used to be able to find them selling in the $500 range; sometimes less.

I have always wanted a P7M13 - it's my nemesis gun. I've bid on many; won none - it always seems to go for a couple hundred more than my highest bid. And, now they are in the 3k range. Too rich for me....I'm out. Even the M8's are out of range for what I'd pay. If you just have to have one, perhaps the PSP's are still a reasonable value.
 
My wife bought me the heel-release PSP for my birthday a few years ago - and then promptly claimed it as her own! (She did it with my G26 too):eek::D
 
Your classics 30 years from now are going to be the weapons from the former Iron Curtain nations.

That would be CZ 52s, 50s and 70s, Makarovs, Polish P64s and 83s, the various Tokarevs, various Nagant revolvers, and probably the CZ75.

WWI and WWII items will be so prohibitively expensive that only the rich collectors will have them.

Most of the ComBloc stuff is drying up as we speak and thus well on their way to becoming collectible classics.

Some guns that should be classics will never see our fair shores due to ever increasingly restrictive gun import laws.:mad:
 
I don't think there is any way to predict what will become a classic. It has to be something that is relatively rare, has an exceptional feature or look or has done or been used in a very unusual way (movies, spectacular crime, prize winner, etc.). We have become spoiled and expect any gun we buy to be reliable and accurate. Many of the classics we love now were classics because they performed better than other guns but our standards are now much higher.
 
I guess I have a different definition of classic- rarity has nothing to do with it. For example, the Colt SAA, Walther PPK, Luger, and Browning Hi-Power are considered by most to be classics from the past, yet are far from rare.
 
For example, the Colt SAA, Walther PPK, Luger, and Browning Hi-Power are considered by most to be classics from the past, yet are far from rare.
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If we are trying to stay with that theme, then it's easy:

Glock 17
CZ 75B
Beretta 92
S&W 659 and 5906 - common duty weapon of many police departments in the past
Desert Eagle

From my point of view, I am more interested in trying to figure out which guns of today or the recent past will be prized collector's pieces in the future. I generally look for high-quality, or good-quality unique firearms made by small companies. I look for small companies because there's a good chance they will sell out to a bigger company or simply stop making their product. I look for high-quality/unique guns because it's unlikely that a lot of people will value "crap" produced by a defunct company: Eg, Jennings J-22, and Rogak.

I note there is some cross-over between "classics" and "collectibles". Eg: 1st Gen Glock 17; S&W 10mm's
 
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I guess I have a different definition of classic- rarity has nothing to do with it. For example, the Colt SAA, Walther PPK, Luger, and Browning Hi-Power are considered by most to be classics from the past, yet are far from rare.
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That was sort of part of my point. 30 years from now, they will all be out of production, and the WWII stuff will be mostly in the hands of wealthy collectors. Those that are owned by people who shoot them will most likely be worn out or otherwise non-shootable and will disappear by attrition.

Right now, the post-Cold War stuff is the latest "surplus" and it, too, will be drying up much like the Lugers, P.38s, Hi-Powers, etc, from WWII has.

I don't ever see any of the Tupperware guns becoming classics with the possible exception of the Glock, since it was the vanguard of a whole new generation of cheap, injection molded plastic wonders.
 
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I can't imagine ANY plastic striker fired gun will ever be a classic. A friend of mine at work is a HUGE Glock fanboy. Completely disregards any other pistol as being "junk". I own a Ruger SR9 and he calls it junk. We compared his Glock 17 to my SR9. The Ruger has better, adjustable sights, steel magazines, no finger grooves forcing the shooter to hold the weapon the way Glock wants you to. Not to mention the features that I wanted, manual safety, may disconnect, LCI. We shot them both one day. 200 rounds each. No failures from either one. My grouping much better (although I shoot much more than he does). He still wouldn't be swayed. Glock is simply "better"

He says "yeah, but there's no resale value in a Ruger". What are used Glocks going for now? There's no resale value on ANY plastic gun. They are cheap, mass produced guns that launch a bullet. And one is no better than the other.

For what it's worth, my kids (9 and 6) show no interest in any of my plastic guns. But when they see my Berett 92, my 3rd gen S&W's, or ANY of my revolvers, they immediately are attracted to them. Guess they inherited my appreciation for a finely crafted, beautiful firearm. And no plastic gun will ever be in that category.
 
Homerboy said:
I can't imagine ANY plastic striker fired gun will ever be a classic.
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There's already considerable collector interest in the HK VP70 and the Gen1 G17. :)

While I agree that most of the more popular Glock models will likely never be serious collector's items due to the sheer number produced, keep in mind that they also make several much less popular models. When was the last time you saw a G24?
 
When was the last time you saw a G24?
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There are 4 of them for sale on Gunbroker right now. However, not one Glock 17 1st gen to be found anywhere. The true 1st Gen Glock 17's in excellent condition are already collectible - they will continue to go up in value.
 
An early Glock 17 or a VP70 has collector interest because they didn't make a whole lot, but that doesn't make them "classic". No plastic square shaped gun is gonn be classic in my lifetime. I guess when people are carrying phasers, maybe somebody will consider them classic, but they still won't have the classic status as a 1911, a Hi Power, or a Model 10.
 
or good-quality unique firearms made by small companies.
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Then Boberg, the original Rohrbaugh, and original Seecamps should be there. I'd add the NAA mouseguns in their proprietary cartridges, Mauser Hsc, German Walther PP and/or PPK
 
Current Classics?

IMHO,so much of where we are began with the Ruger LCP. It+the .380ACP,and Ruger helped so many make that final decision .Skeets
 
I think the Ruger MK-III may eventually be discontinued because it has to be cheaper and far less labor intensive to pop out a 22/45 frame.

If gun buyers object to losing the grip angle and style of the original design, Ruger could opt to go with a plastic frame to replace the metal frame so many of us love.

This is just my speculation and have not heard any rumors.
 
I think the Ruger MK-III may eventually be discontinued
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I could see Ruger cheapening the Mark pistol or discontinuing it. It's a heavy, all steel pistol for a .22lr. From my perspective, Ruger isn't as much about continuing to make top-quality guns as it is making sure it can offer well-made guns to the general public at competitive prices.
 
My advice, grab a Mark-III before they go away.

A light weight, short barreled .22 may be easy to carry, but sooner or later you may want to shoot and hit something.

That's when I appreciate barrel length for sighting and some weight for stability.

If a person can't carry a two pound handgun and walk a few miles, maybe they should go back to their armchair and TV set.
 
Nothing plastic framed or striker fired.
AMT AutoMag II
Ruger's Mk 1,2,3
Any quality, Beretta etc.... 25ACP's (too many small 380's and 32's available now)
Beretta 92's, after the military adopts a new pistol.
Non-Sigma S&W's, 659, 39, 1006 etc.....
PPK, PPK/S, PP
230/232 Sig
84/85 Beretta
 
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