I must say I like old surplus rifles more than old surplus pistols, but it probably has something to do with the fact that you usually can't buy newer versions of the old rifles (they are relics of another age), which isn't true for many very old pistol designs, which were made en masse long after conflicts (for example the P38, Hi Power, 1911, etc). In spite of this, a desirable old pistol can be unbelievably expensive, which is another reason.