At What Point Do They Become Vintage

[GONE BAD]

So at age 14 I got my 1st deer rifle, a 98 German Mauser that had been sporterized and chambered in 30.06.
Then 2 years later I purchased a brand new Mauser 30.06 out of the Spiegel catalog with Tasco scope for $100 . Then 2 years later I was 18 and went into a Kmart and bought a brand new 1903-A3 for $62 . Now this one i took home and immediately cut the forend off (in other words hacked this rifle) and continued to kill game for many years. Lol

Now I have 2 Mauser and thinking of building them back to original or just leave them as is and rebarrel them?

So anyway when and what makes a rifle 'vintage' ?

 

[roostercogburn98]

Vintage is just a term to some people. I associate it with old stuff. Vintage isn’t always desirable or collectible/valuable though. That’s just my 1/2 cent

 

[roostercogburn98]

I guess to clarify for me, when they become C&R eligible, they hit my definition of vintage. Right now, that means 1972 and older

 

[hlee]

I’ll go with the c&r designation. Fun fact, early AR15 rifles are now c&r eligible. Can be shipped straight to your door with a c&r license…

 

[Son of Dorn]

I’ll go with the c&r designation. Fun fact, early AR15 rifles are now c&r eligible. Can be shipped straight to your door with a c&r license…

I've been meaning to apply for a C&R license for a while but with things going the way they are, it looks like I'm gonna have to postpone it again. For some reason I thought C&R only applied to rifles made or designed between around 1900 through 1955, and then only if they haven't been altered in any way. Did I miss a memo or has the C&R date always shuffled along with each passing year?

 

[roostercogburn98]

I've been meaning to apply for a C&R license for a while but with things going the way they are, it looks like I'm gonna have to postpone it again. For some reason I thought C&R only applied to rifles made or designed between around 1900 through 1955, and then only if they haven't been altered in any way. Did I miss a memo or has the C&R date always shuffled along with each passing year?

ATF says they automatically hit C&R status when they are 50 years old.

 

[roostercogburn98]

@Son of Dorn

 

[acudaowner]

I always thought of it like old cars 25 years or more and they are vintage any older than antique or put it to the drool factor if you can hold it up in a room of gun nuts and see more than 1/2 the room drooling you got your self a classic , 3/4 the room it's vintage , and a full room of gun nuts loosing there minds it's something special and you should probably start running they have lost there minds .

 

[Son of Dorn]

@Son of Dorn View attachment 7887418

Welp I should've known that and I probably did but I'm not thinking straight with everything going on. Ah well, all the better for me and my surplus addiction. Too bad I can't get one regardless, though. Not sure I'll be staying in GA, and certainly gonna have to change my address before it goes through anyway.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Welp I should've known that and I probably did but I'm not thinking straight with everything going on. Ah well, all the better for me and my surplus addiction. Too bad I can't get one regardless, though. Not sure I'll be staying in GA, and certainly gonna have to change my address before it goes through anyway.

I’ve had one for almost 15 years now. Changing address on one is not as in depth as a standard FFL. Once you get where your going, just do the change of address form and they will update and send new copy to you fairly fast. Since it’s not a license to conduct business, there is less red tape to go through like a business venture ffl.

 

[Son of Dorn]

I’ve had one for almost 15 years now. Changing address on one is not as in depth as a standard FFL. Once you get where your going, just do the change of address form and they will update and send new copy to you fairly fast. Since it’s not a license to conduct business, there is less red tape to go through like a business venture ffl.

Trouble is I don't know where I'm going or for how long. Depends on the hiring process for a job I want, for one thing. Things have kinda gone topsy turvy in the last month and I'm not sure how well I'm gonna be able to turn them right.

But maybe I'll do it anyway and just deal with the address change when I need to. I just have other things to worry about and don't really want to add to them when I get new worries almost daily.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Trouble is I don't know where I'm going or for how long. Depends on the hiring process for a job I want, for one thing. Things have kinda gone topsy turvy in the last month and I'm not sure how well I'm gonna be able to turn them right.

But maybe I'll do it anyway and just deal with the address change when I need to. I just have other things to worry about and don't really want to add to them when I get new worries almost daily.

Understandable for sure. I am/was that way about an standard ffl and sot. Once I retired, I told myself it was a done deal but have found ways to talk myself out of it many times.

 

[GONE BAD]

Well this is all interesting.
Enjoy reading the comments.
Actually I was poking fun at myself for the rifles I've had when I was younger and now that I'm older I'm going full circle!

 

[Mister Ridge]

20 years.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

When it is interesting, low production, older, quality…. And the guys in Gen Pop call you a Fudd for having one.

No set rule. But we are a big tent group here in Vintage.

Sirhr

 

[sandwarrior]

@Son of Dorn View attachment 7887418

The 50 year interpretation only came about a couple of years ago.

IMO, vintage is something that isn't seeing first line use anymore. For instance, a 30-06 is still a first line cartridge. But older iron-sighted firearms are vintage. A German Mauser that was built during, or shortly after, WWII will be vintage because they used iron sights. However, as per the ATF C&R rule, "significantly modified" would mean the cartridge was changed (say 6mm Rem or .308) and holes drilled and tapped for modern bases to hold a modern
scope."vintge", but not C&R, would be anything that has the feel of an old firearm, i.e. a reworked 1903 that brings it back to original would not qualify as C&R, but for all intents and puposes it has the feel of a a vintage 1903.

As to the two rifles in the pictures, I would leave them where they are at. Nice looking rifles!

 

[Son of Dorn]

However, as per the ATF C&R rule, "significantly modified" would mean the cartridge was changed (say 6mm Rem or .308) and holes drilled and tapped for modern bases to hold a modern scope."vintge", but not C&R

That's an issue I've noticed. Seen a couple Mauser sporting rifles where one is C&R because it's got an OG vintage scope fitted, but despite the other one likewise having a scope mount from the 1920s on it as from the factory, it's not C&R because the scope itself was replaced with a modern one at some point.

The existence of a modern scope on an otherwise 1910s/1920s-produced rifle when it's the ONLY "modern" piece on it should not disqualify the rifle for C&R status IMO.

 

[GONE BAD]

The 50 year interpretation only came about a couple of years ago.

IMO, vintage is something that isn't seeing first line use anymore. For instance, a 30-06 is still a first line cartridge. But older iron-sighted firearms are vintage. A German Mauser that was built during, or shortly after, WWII will be vintage because they used iron sights. However, as per the ATF C&R rule, "significantly modified" would mean the cartridge was changed (say 6mm Rem or .308) and holes drilled and tapped for modern bases to hold a modern
scope."vintge", but not C&R, would be anything that has the feel of an old firearm, i.e. a reworked 1903 that brings it back to original would not qualify as C&R, but for all intents and puposes it has the feel of a a vintage 1903.

As to the two rifles in the pictures, I would leave them where they are at. Nice looking rifles!

Well I was trying to figure out if I could bring them back to originals but from what I understand C&R would never apply here.

So I guess I'll just rebarrel them and call them GTG.

The top one is (I think) a Spanish Mauser that was rebarreled to a 22-250 that is shotout. I'm thinking of keeping it a 22-250 with a faster twist say 1:8 ?

The bottom one is a VZ24 that was only an action that had been timed an trued, drilled for a scope, and a different safety.

Unfortunately I installed a barrel that did not have a proper twist for the caliber I chose. It is currently a 6.5 SLR in a 1:9 which is not stable out passed 500.
I'm thinking of going with a straight 284win?

Anyway just kicking ideas around at this point

 

[sandwarrior]

So at age 14 I got my 1st deer rifle, a 98 German Mauser that had been sporterized and chambered in 30.06.
Then 2 years later I purchased a brand new Mauser 30.06 out of the Spiegel catalog with Tasco scope for $100 . Then 2 years later I was 18 and went into a Kmart and bought a brand new 1903-A3 for $62 . Now this one i took home and immediately cut the forend off (in other words hacked this rifle) and continued to kill game for many years. Lol

Now I have 2 Mauser and thinking of building them back to original or just leave them as is and rebarrel them?

So anyway when and what makes a rifle 'vintage' ?

Well I was trying to figure out if I could bring them back to originals but from what I understand C&R would never apply here.

So I guess I'll just rebarrel them and call them GTG.

The top one is (I think) a Spanish Mauser that was rebarreled to a 22-250 that is shotout. I'm thinking of keeping it a 22-250 with a faster twist say 1:8 ?

The bottom one is a VZ24 that was only an action that had been timed an trued, drilled for a scope, and a different safety.

Unfortunately I installed a barrel that did not have a proper twist for the caliber I chose. It is currently a 6.5 SLR in a 1:9 which is not stable out passed 500.
I'm thinking of going with a straight 284win?

Anyway just kicking ideas around at this point

Yeah, the tighter twisted .22-250 will give you more options when it comes to range and what bullets you can stabilize. If the second rifle is a 1-9" twisted SLR, it should give you good stability with a 140 gr. HPBT bullet. However, if you want to rebarrel it, I would go a 1-8" twist. Which will stabilize the 147's and 150's.
Since you have a caliber choice at this point a straight up .284 is a good choice. Just throat the new barrel for the bullet of your choice. I shoot a lot of 180 VLD's, but I think the Hybrids are easier to make work better. The 183 Sie's work well in a 1-8" twist as do the 185 RDF's. Those stabilize out of a 7x57 in a 1-8.4" twist. Which is slower than what you are wanting.
And, don't worry about overstabilizing a bullet. Bullets are built to sich tight tolerances that harmonic imbalance doesn't affect them near as much as it used to. The old adage that you need a twist that just barely stabilizes the bullet isn't as true as it used to be.

 

[acudaowner]

after 10 years of service to the owner a gun is considered vintage if it saves your life you can call it vintage that day .also as a bonus you get to shoot the person that helped make your gun vintage in the head one extra time or twice in the ass . the last part is sort of an unwritten rule just it stands up just as well in court lol sure it will .

 

[GONE BAD]

after 10 years of service to the owner a gun is considered vintage if it saves your life you can call it vintage that day .also as a bonus you get to shoot the person that helped make your gun vintage in the head one extra time or twice in the ass . the last part is sort of an unwritten rule just it stands up just as well in court lol sure it will .

@acudaowner lol you sick bastard

 

[cas6969]

Then 2 years later I purchased a brand new Mauser 30.06 out of the Spiegel catalog with Tasco scope for $100 .

I thought this question was going another direction, I was going to say "Yes, you certainly qualify as vintage."

 

[GONE BAD]

@cas6969 lol, unfortunately, I totally agree with you!