The Hunt for Old Guns: How Rare is That Old Gun?

I’m a sucker for a rare old gun. I’ve had good luck finding them over the years, including a few that are one of a kind. The competition for them is stiff, though, and a buyer needs to know just how rare a gun is before bidding on it.

In this series, “The Hunt for Old Guns,” we look at 19th century American firearms – the rare, the unusual, and the iconic. Today we are looking at the rarity of old guns, how it’s estimated, and how it affects firearms value.

Three factors determine the rarity of antique firearms: the number produced, the number surviving, and the number available to the collecting fraternity.