Letter Re: Advice on Pre-1899 Guns and Ammunition Availability

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Dear Sir:
I recently read your FAQ regarding the laws involved in purchasing pre-1899 firearms. It was dated 2004. Have any of the protocols significantly changed in the past several years?

I am also curious to know which pre-1899 revolvers function best with current production ammunition.

Any info would be of assistance. Thanks. – Louis P.

JWR Replies: My advice on buying pre-1899 guns is essentially unchanged. Prices for pre-1899 antique cartridge guns are continuing to advance much more quickly than inflation. (Just as I had predicted.) In recent years, Smith &Wesson revolvers have started to catch up in price with Colts, also as I predicted. (Although antique Smith & Wessons are still undervalued, and hence a great buy.)

Most antique revolvers seem to do well digesting modern smokeless ammunition, because these loads–at least those from the major manufacturers– are intentionally made extra mild, with antique revolvers in mind. There are a few notable exceptions, most notably the Colt Lightning (.38) and Thunderer (.41) double action revolvers, which are weak designs and notorious for shooting themselves loose with all but the most mild handloads.

The availability of cartridges has actually improved dramatically in recent years, in part because of the growing popularity of Cowboy Action Shooting. This new demand for “obsolete” cartridges has encouraged manufacturers to make brass and cartridges for some cartridges that were formerly very hard-to-find. A special tip of the hat to Starline Brass. Without them, many of the obsolete pistol calibers would still be truly obsolete. The following are just a few examples:

  • .32 S&W Long, made by Stars and Stripes Ammo, and others.
  • .32-20 Winchester, made by Stars and Stripes Ammo, and others.
  • .38 Short Colt, made by Fiocchi, Stars and Stripes Ammo, and others.
  • .38 Long Colt, made by Black Hills Ammunition, and others.
  • .41 Long Colt, made by Ultramax, and others
  • .44 S&W Russian, made by Black Hills Ammunition, and others.
  • .45 Schofield, made by Black Hills Ammunition, and others.
  • .455 Eley, made by Fiocchi
  • .50 Remington (both Army and Navy), made by Stars and Stripes Ammo.
  • 6mm Lee Navy (aka .244 Lee) , made by Buffalo Arms, and others
  • 6.5x53R Dutch, made by Buffalo Arms, and others
  • 7.65mm Argentine Mauser, made by Old Western Scrounger, and others.
  • .38-55 Winchester, made by Stars and Stripes Ammo, and others.
  • .38-56 Winchester, made by Buffalo Arms, and others
  • .38-70 Winchester, made by Buffalo Arms, and others
  • .38-72 Winchester, made by Buffalo Arms, and others
  • .40-60 Marlin, made by Stars and Stripes Ammo, and others.
  • .40-60 Winchester, made by Stars and Stripes Ammo, and others.
  • .40-82, made by Ten-X Ammunition
  • .43 Dutch Beaumont, made by Buffalo Arms
  • .43 Egyptian, made by Buffalo Arms
  • .43 Mauser, made by Buffalo Arms
  • .45-76 Winchester, made by Ten-X Ammunition
  • .45-90 Winchester, made by Buffalo Arms, Ten-X Ammunition, and others
  • .45-110 and .45-120, made by Ten-X Ammunition
  • .50 3-1/4″ Sharps, made by Buffalo Arms
  • .50-70 and .50-90 Sharps, made by Ten-X Ammunition, Buffalo Arms, and others.
  • .55-50 Spencer, made by Ten-X Ammunition
  • .577-450 Martini-Henry, made by Ten-X Ammunition
  • .577 Snider, made by Ten-X Ammunition

Quite a few other calibers (such as .30 Luger, .405 Winchester, and 11mm French Gras) are custom loaded by Bob Shell or are available from Old Western Scrounger. It would be great to find someone making .38 Merwin & Hulbert .44 Merwin & Hulbert ammo. I suspect that the lack of “base” brass is what is preventing that.