C&R in 2018

[Radar Love]

When I first got my C&R license in 2010, I used it as a way to save on FFL fees and to focus my collecting impulses towards the more budget friendly milsurps that were available everywhere online. I don't have a particular focus in any sort of collection (ie I'm not trying to own every variety of Mosin-Nagant) rather I like the C&R because I can buy interesting, affordable, and historically significant firearms without spending 3 hours and $40 to transfer a $120 rifle at my local FFL. Fast forward to 2018 and it seems the days of those $120 Mosin-Nagants and $200 9x18mm pistols are over. So question: as supply dwindles, is a C&R worth it?

One day, I want to own a Mauser C-96 (and other pistols from that era) but that's not something I can just click "add to cart" on aimsurplus so I don't know if there's much utility in having a C&R for that sort of thing. Thoughts?

[NEPAKevin]

I think the type 3 is worth while for a serious collector but decided against it for myself.

[mtnbkr]

I had one as well, but let it lapse a few years ago.

I didn't care much for the milsurps, but used mine to go after the early-to-mid-century S&Ws that were starting to become C&R legal. I picked up a few that way. The dealer discounts at Midway, Brownells, etc, were just icing on the cake.

At $30 for 3 years, there's not much reason NOT to get one, but unless you're actively hunting down C&R guns, there's not a lot of compelling reasons TO get one either. I suppose if I decided I needed to go hunting after rare C&R revolvers again, I'd renew mine.

Chris

[Hambo]

Just renewed mine. I was never that interested in milsurps, but there are a lot of pre-1968 guns that I do like. Some places have reduced or eliminated C&R discounts. For $10 a year I'll keep it forever.

[ralph]

I had one and let it go when Obama got elected, When I first got mine there were still quite a few deals to be had for milsurp rifles, pistols. One of the better buys I got was E. German Makarov in excellant+condition with a extra mag, for $150 shipped, that was from Aim surplus, but at one point, the supply of milsurp stuff pretty much dried up, and about all that left anymore are Mosin Nagants, and how many of them can you collect? I remember reading in Shotgun news a couple years before I got my first C&R, Turk Mausers were starting to show up, and one wholesaler (Century Arms) was selling them at one point 5 for $100, guys were buying 8mm headspace gages, and swapping the bolts between the rifles and usually ended up with 3decent rifles and two for parts.. I remember seeing ads in Shotgun news back in the 90's for Russian SKS's and Russian Makarov's your choice, $99. The late 80's and 90's were the golden age for milsrup, lots of countrys dumping their WWII inventorys as they finally figured out they did'nt need them, and cost alot of money to keep them in storage, and there were some great deals, and alot of these rilfes were in excellant or better condition. But now, nah, I'm not so sure keeping a C&R is worth it, unless you're looking for pre 68 stuff as Hambo mentions above, the milsurp market however, is long gone.

[JHC]

Are there handy user friendly sites on line that catalog what is C&R legal?

[mtnbkr]

Are there handy user friendly sites on line that catalog what is C&R legal?

ATF publishes a guide. But, the general rule is it has to be at least 50 years old. Some items that aren't that old qualify due to their status as collectibles. That's where the ATF guide comes in handy.

With 50 years being 1968, there are a lot of items that are C&R legal that aren't "antiques" or "outdated". Think of all the nice S&W or Colt revolvers, Winchester and Remington rifles, etc from those company's heydays

Chris

[JHC]

ATF publishes a guide. But, the general rule is it has to be at least 50 years old. Some items that aren't that old qualify due to their status as collectibles. That's where the ATF guide comes in handy.

With 50 years being 1968, there are a lot of items that are C&R legal that aren't "antiques" or "outdated". Think of all the nice S&W or Colt revolvers, Winchester and Remington rifles, etc from those company's heydays

Chris

Holy shit. I'm so clueless. I thought it was like far more ancient firearms. Thank you.

[mtnbkr]

BTW, here is the ATF page on C&R:
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/curios-relics

Chris

[NEPAKevin]

Cruffler.com (http://www.cruffler.com/) is still online but doesn't look like its been updated in a very long time.

List of C&R guns (https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/guide/firearms-curios-or-relics-list-1972-2007-atf-p-530011/download) starts on page 18.