Colt SAA's are a good case in point. I have a 4 digit serial no. gun sitting here as I type this that I was sent for an evaluation. This particular pistol was inspected and sent with many others to the U S Army in 1874. Since the pistol was made in 1874 which is well before 1898 it is by the BATF definition an antique. However; This pistol is chambered in 45 Long Colt. Before the advent of Cowboy Action Shooting this may have been a non-issue but that shooting activity has revived many obsolete cartridges such as 45 Long Colt,38WCF,32WCF,etc. These cartridges are now readily available and can be purchased almost in any shop. Does this mean this SAA is now NOT an antique?
Or how about a Springfield 45-70 Trapdoor rifle? of around the same vintage. There has also been a resurgance of interest in this caliber for multiple reasons and 45-70 cartridges are readily available again. Does this mean that a 19th Century single shot rifle is now NOT an antique?
Gentlemen: I await your opinions.
Jim
The rule is clear. Guns with receivers producded prior to 1899 are antiques according to BATF, independent of whether or not cartridges for them are readily available. For example, I have a letter from the BATF research staff stating that Ludwig & Loewe marked M95 Chilean Mausers are all officially antiques, since Ludwig & Loewe ceased their production prior to 1899. (For those marked DWM, this is not necessarily the case, since they may have been producded in 1899 or later). The Ludwig & Loewe Mausers are all officially antiques, even though 7x57 ammunition has always been easily available.
The question of cartidge availability is only relevant for replicas, manufactured post-1898, of earlier guns.
