Today are you more likely to buy an older rifle or brand new one ?

Kevin Peacocke said:

New for me because of better metallurgy and more sccurate CNC machining. But add to that they need to be offerings above base level.

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This! With That!

Combine those two things and I see a modern rifle being something your grandkid could accurately appreciate. Ruger used to have some truly stunning wood in their stocks of base rifles, but that’s just largely something of the past. And so many big box store new guns are all made to cool, grab the eye of young shooters the way cereal companies try to grab the eye of young kids. With modern CNC they can crank out more accuracy, dirt cheap, than these brand new shooters are initially capable of, so looks and bottom dollar are important. BUT

There needs to be a rung for experienced hunters and shooters, who don’t want a gun that resembles their video game control, that had solid, nice wood or synthetic stock as needed, but isn’t at the higher tier of custom or entry top tier production. There just isn’t much between entry American and Cooper/Dakota/Parkwest. I mean you have Tikka and Sako, but neither are really much prettier or more accurate…I mean they all shoot. I personally love Tikka and what my daughter shoots most. Along with Barrett Fieldcrafts, but none are any less plastic than the Ruger American and all shoot exceptionally.

Think it’s why folks so quickly lean into custom builds of exactly what they want for purpose built extreme weather rifles, and for guns that function as well as they look, firms like Parkwest and Rigby. And have to admit the Mauser and Heym have really made strides in their wood finish where for a new factory gun, which most are still semi-custom or production to order, the Heym Martini and Mauser M98 of today are both gorgeous and accurate…but not the kind of options we once had.

I think the days may just be gone where you have an entry level option, like an American, and then for 40-60% more you have one that has much higher fit and finish. There are no real current equivalent to what a tang safety Ruger M77 provided. Today you can choose the entry level American or have what a tang safety would have given for about the same price of 10-15 Americans, or just buy a pre-owned.

As much as I love a new gun, I always seem to appreciate a good deal on an amazing pre-owned gun more.

Well, let me think. My 2 double rifles were produced in the early 1880's and late 1890's.
A single shot was made in the 1870's.
My favorite lever gun was made in the 1920's. 6 of my bolt guns were made just after WWII, mid to late '40's
Wait, I do have 2 rifles with plastics stocks, a 270 Remington 700 and, I must say this, a Ruger American in 450BM that has been added the last few years.
All said, my tastes will always go to older rifles and unknown people that used them and the unknown histories of them.

I’m a huge fan of really lightweight hunting guns, so I’m all about the composite stock guns. I see Weatherby is starting to sell a .308 bolt that weighs 4lb rifle, it’s called Capra. Seeing that gun online inspired me to have the 22” barrel of my Kimber Mountain Ascent cut down to 17”. With a Swarovski Z5i scope mounted on it, my .308 weighs 5lbs 12oz. It’s a real pleasure to carry on safari.

I’ve bought three new rifles in my life.
- Weatherby vanguard stainless, this was the first gun I ever bought in 2007
-Baretta A400 maybe around 2010
-Cz 550 in 375 shortly after getting home from my first trip to Africa.

After those, they’ve all been used, some close to 100 years old, some less

dgr416 said:

I lost three BC bucks fooling with a new gun safety .They heard the model 70 safety on a brand new model 70 and took off .All they hear when my ruger 77 safety goes off is boom like a double barrel shotgun .I looked at a styer bolt gun it had a weird wheel safety that was very goofy to take off .
Yes Ruger when to crap after Bill Ruger got gone .They are also pushing these new calibers which might not last 3 years and not chambering classic calibers any more then the new calibers go out in 3 to 5 years.The short mags , ultra mags , super short mags that all did the same job .Then came the one that tried to replace everything the 6.5 cm which is ok for game under 140 pounds but its no elk rifle .I was kinda shocked to see so many being sold in Alaska.A friend guided a guy with a 6.5 cm and told him bring a bigger gun .The guy jammed the new rifle many times and had to shoot the moose 10 times .The last shot the guide said shoot it in the head .There are some really awesome old csrtridges being buried with new rounds that are not as good as old ones .Its a trick to buy new stuff making people think those old rifles are no good .I watched tons of rounds try to replace the 338 win mag and they fsiled now they are not chambeting 338 win mag at all and Weatherby is trying to push the 338 rpm but they are not selling like hotcakes either .Yes we need new guns but not junky ones that will break and wont last .I dont think the people that develop guns hunt anymore excpt Weatherby .

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Actually, the wheel safety on the Steyr is awesome in my experiences. We love them.

Old guns for a fact. But sometimes they wear new "dresses."

I like a nice well maintained as close to new rifle that fits for the job and environment I’ll be found working it in. I’m not a person with extraordinary means, so when I make a purchase I want it to count and not lose value at the rate of a family grocery getter two months post purchase.

If I’m buying a double or nice used rifle it’s being purchased for a purpose (most likely) for my Africa hunting career and I want it to look the part. Africa isn’t hard on weapons like the whitetail woods in NA and not even close to how hard Alaska is on rigs.

This philosophy only applies to rifles. Shotguns and pistols I buy new, unless it’s a collectible I have no desire to shoot. Used rifles I buy with the intention of shooting, not collecting so much.

ETA: marriages that are falling apart have helped fill my safes with some nice rigs at huge discounts for fast sales. Seems that guys know to sell off their guns before the “old lady” clears them out while he’s gone for work or when his buddies’ wife is complaining about storing his “shit” at her home for free.

I would prefer new, were I afforded a choice. Modern steels & metallurgy are infinitely superior to vintage steels. Especially for handling modern bullets and high pressure ammunition.

I’ll give you some recent examples with some prominent names in the hunting industry.

My friend & Botswana/Zambia based white hunter Jeff Rann was using a .500 Nitro Express Holland & Holland sidelock ejector double rifle (built in 1927) as his dangerous game rifle of choice for a while. He recently shifted to a .500 Nitro Express William Douglas boxlock ejector double rifle (built in 1996). I asked him why he did this. He replied that the more modern double rifle is better for handling Barnes Banded Solids.

My other friend & Tanzania based white hunter Mark Sullivan used vintage double rifles throughout most of his youth (Charles Osborne, William Evans, Army & Navy, Joseph Lang). But he recently shifted to using a Heym Model 88B chambered in .577 Nitro Express. Why ? Because it handles modern ammunition better.

With the impending ban on lead ammunition in the European Union (Great Britain has already confirmed that it will enforce the ban from April 2029), modern rifles which can safely handle monolithic bullets will become well worth their weight in gold amongst European hunters.

Kevin Peacocke said:

New for me because of better metallurgy and more sccurate CNC machining. But add to that they need to be offerings above base level.

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While this is true, let’s not forget that many modern guns use cheaper materials, or cheaper to manufacture metal such as MIM.
Just because the technology to make better metal is there does not mean it gets used.
Of course top end rifles like your Heym or a new Rigby will use only top quality metals, but your average joe purchasing something off the rack at Bass Pro probably would have gotten a better new rifle in 1956 than in 2026.
I’d say the same thing for tools. The steel in a 75 year old axe is probably better than what can purchased today.

Betterinthebush said:

I like a nice well maintained as close to new rifle that fits for the job and environment I’ll be found working it in. I’m not a person with extraordinary means, so when I make a purchase I want it to count and not lose value at the rate of a family grocery getter two months post purchase.

If I’m buying a double or nice used rifle it’s being purchased for a purpose (most likely) for my Africa hunting career and I want it to look the part. Africa isn’t hard on weapons like the whitetail woods in NA and not even close to how hard Alaska is on rigs.

This philosophy only applies to rifles. Shotguns and pistols I buy new, unless it’s a collectible I have no desire to shoot. Used rifles I buy with the intention of shooting, not collecting so much.

ETA: marriages that are falling apart have helped fill my safes with some nice rigs at huge discounts for fast sales. Seems that guys know to sell off their guns before the “old lady” clears them out while he’s gone for work or when his buddies’ wife is complaining about storing his “shit” at her home for free.

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NGL, people selling for divorce or terrible financial management has been good to me. I think on average I buy at about 50% off fair market value. Even then it's still a mix of old and new in those lots.

Well I’m currently tempted by a 32-40..so enough said about that.

Hunter-Habib said:

I would prefer new, were I afforded a choice. Modern steels & metallurgy are infinitely superior to vintage steels. Especially for handling modern bullets and high pressure ammunition.

I’ll give you some recent examples with some prominent names in the hunting industry.

My friend & Botswana/Zambia based white hunter Jeff Rann was using a .500 Nitro Express Holland & Holland sidelock ejector double rifle (built in 1927) as his dangerous game rifle of choice for a while. He recently shifted to a .500 Nitro Express William Douglas boxlock ejector double rifle (built in 1996). I asked him why he did this. He replied that the more modern double rifle is better for handling Barnes Banded Solids.

My other friend & Tanzania based white hunter Mark Sullivan used vintage double rifles throughout most of his youth (Charles Osborne, William Evans, Army & Navy, Joseph Lang). But he recently shifted to using a Heym Model 88B chambered in .577 Nitro Express. Why ? Because it handles modern ammunition better.

With the impending ban on lead ammunition in the European Union (Great Britain has already confirmed that it will enforce the ban from April 2029), modern rifles which can safely handle monolithic bullets will become well worth their weight in gold amongst European hunters.

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I am not talking old as in antique and not overly expensive guns.
Just the average stuff like ruger ,Winchester exct.
I think the build quality of the 77 mark 2 is better than the hawkeye
I know the pre 64 Winchester that I have used were better quality than the cheaper made stuff of the 70-80s

As much as I like older stuff, the thing that kills me is finding good deals. Like I've been debating a new Savage Axis 2 in .223 in a Magpul Hunter Lite stock, 2 AICS mags, and wearing a VX-3HD that a LGS has for 625. Like I don't need it, but dang, that's like half off what that would be new. So that's the kind of thing that blows my 458 Lott budget though.

Older rifles for me, newest I have is 20 years old, and that was because of the cartridge, and then they go back to the 50’s, then most around the 20’s and older, back to 1820’s
Gumpy

I have picked up a bunch of pow pows I never saw in person like a like new 1886 made in 1894 was in a bank vault 100 years looks new 45-90;caliber .Its just like Teddy Roosevelts .I finally got the 220 swift ruger 77 tang safety cant wait to shoot coyotes and hogs with it .Found that ssvage 99 in 358 win like new along with it was brand new pre64 3006 model 70 featherweight like the day it was made in 1954 .I finally got a styer mannlichler full stock double trigger in 243 .I also got a Elmer Keith SW commorative 44 mag model 29 like new .I finally jusf got another win 1895 405 win newish one that someone customised with a bunch of ammo already had Teddy Roosevelt model 405 win too fancy to hunt with but shot it .I need to cull some That I dont use any more .I figured I am not gettimg any younger better have fun .I am getting a new weatherby vanguard in 25'06 just because I wanted one its one of the few new rifles I like anymore .

No new guns for me. Last new one was A5 Light Twelve I bought at Seoul PX in 1972. I haven't shot it in years, choosing instead my heavier 1971 A5 Magnum Twelve I bought used (very used!) about twelve years ago at a gun show.

My rifles are both WWII military guns that I rebuilt: 30-06 Springfield 03A3 and Brno vz.24 built into 404 Jeffery. The latter purchased online three years ago as a 30-06 barreled action. I have zero interest in buying some mass produced soulless new rifle off the shelf.

Ontario Hunter said:

No new guns for me. Last new one was A5 Light Twelve I bought at Seoul PX in 1972. I haven't shot it in years, choosing instead my heavier 1971 A5 Magnum Twelve I bought used (very used!) about twelve years ago at a gun show.

My rifles are both WWII military guns that I rebuilt: 30-06 Springfield 03A3 and Brno vz.24 built into 404 Jeffery. The latter purchased online three years ago as a 30-06 barreled action. I have zero interest in buying some mass produced soulless new rifle off the shelf.

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I can assure you as a thing or inanimate object, firearms do not have souls.

Technology doesn't bother me. Modern metallurgy and manufacturing is several factors better than it was even 15 years ago.

I appreciate older guns, but I seek them out because I remember a certain model from my youth. Not because I think it is abetter firearm.

The tech is definitely there on the newer stuff, that said they lack style completely. The cost of good used is/has gone up dramatically in the last 10 years, and if you compare the same used to guns to the price 20 years ago, they’ve nearly doubled, especially vintage stuff.

As far as hunting rifles are concerned, I almost exclusively buy new ones. If I were to acquire an old rifle, I would definitely start trying to improve it. Removing scratches from the stock and so on. I might as well just buy a new rifle, or better yet, have one custom-made.

An exception would be, for example, a Winchester 73, which must of course be original old.

New old or old doesn’t really matter to me. It has to check the boxes for what ever caliber has my attention at the moment.

Here a AH we represent a micro slice of the gun market.
Not many people want wood stocked blued rifles these days. So why would a manufacturer make something that does no sell.