r/canadaguns • u/Severe_Assumption_87 • Aug 05 '26
Buy recommendations Antique handgun
I’m have a budget about 1-2k and looking for a antique handgun with cheap ammo to use indoor range. I’m open for recommendations
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u/Armedfist Aug 05 '26
You won’t find much for 1-2k. 2k is like the bare min to find a functioning antique
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u/hunterofsteelhead Aug 05 '26
I second the comment about getting a handgun exemption and getting a modern ruger 22 cal or somthing similar. It would more suit your desire
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u/HappyCan7250 Aug 06 '26
I saw a post on here recently that made it sound like the RCMP is reviewing the exemption requirements, at least in some provinces, as there has been huge numbers of applications lately and soaring imports of handguns from the US. We may see the exemption process tightened up significantly in the coming months sadly.
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u/Content_Sky_2676 Aug 05 '26
Keep in mind cheap antiques are cheap for a reason.... they almost always don't work right, and fixing them is usually not worth it financially, because making parts takes a lot of skill and experience, and everything needs to be hand made.
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u/MidwinterBlue Aug 05 '26
This guy imports and sells antique pistols. He’s a great source of accurate info, his pistols are good quality, and his prices are (relatively) reasonable.
Sign up for his mailing list. His best stuff goes fast.
You could also buy in the US from gunbroker or proxibid but you really need to know the law and be sure you’re bidding on a pistol that’s importable to Canada. Here’s the info from the criminal code. It looks complex but it’s really pretty simple.
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-98-464/FullText.html
Antique pistols are awesome and shooting them is loads of fun! It’s worth the investment for one good piece.
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u/Tough-Air-4765 Aug 05 '26
1 to 2K range you are looking at pinfire hand guns but you will be hand loading either way for an Antique in your budget range for a cartridge gun. They do have reloading kits for pinfires in many calibers.
If you want a percusion revolver it will be very close to the 2k and mostly above that but you can find them low in weired calibers or in a pepper box configuration.
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u/goodfleance Aug 05 '26
I'd hop on gunpost and search the antique tab to get an idea of the market. Your price and calibre expectations may need to be adjusted, a lot of antiques use obscure calibres and the ones like Webleys milled for .45acp are like 4 gran and up.
You can also search further afield, If you do find a specific model you like say from an auction in the US, it is possible to import them through someone like irunguns.
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u/CringelordCameron Aug 05 '26
If you want an affordable shooter in that price range, you will likely need to start reloading. I found a .320 centre fire revolver for $550 not too long ago. If you want a truly modern antique that shoots available ammo, I would highly recommend a nagant 1887 or a Swiss 1882. Those unfortunately are usually $3000 or more, but they can shoot factory smokeless 32 s&w long ammo
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u/Pelcat Aug 05 '26
Around 2020 you could still find some good sub 2k antiques but that time has passed with the hangun freeze and people slowly realizing some of these were worth it. Although, I have seen some very decent prices sometimes at auction, you just have to be patient and look for the deals.
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u/Vintage_Pieces_10 Aug 05 '26
Best bet is a MAS 1873 rechambered for 45ACP/455 Webley. Menno on Gunpost often has a couple every month, and they sit around the 2050$-2200$ level. You’ll have to handload low pressure 45ACP with lead bullets but the components are dummy cheap overall, and including the press and dies and supplies to get me started, it’s literally one of my cheapest guns to shoot.
Of my three antiques (MAS, Webley, Swiss 1882), the MAS, which is the cheapest and oldest of the three, is my favourite too. Super robust and no nonsense, even if the tech is a little old fashioned, and haven’t once had a mechanical issue with it (my Webley has had a few problems that necessitated home-fixes that, while rewarding, were a pain in the ass, and my Swiss requires specialized primers and sized bullets as the hammer spring isn’t as strong and my bore is undersized. The MAS eats any component I’ve handloaded for it for breakfast)
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u/ThePoeticJester Aug 05 '26
Saw one in 38S&W on gunpost, if you reload thats cheap, if not than like $1/round for mouse farts
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u/NinjaGinger666 Aug 05 '26
If it was in 38 S&W it's not legally an antique.
It's one of the calibers that's specifically listed.
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u/ThePoeticJester Aug 05 '26
38S&W is a listed caliber.. 🤨
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u/NinjaGinger666 Aug 05 '26
Yup.
22 short, long, and Lr for rimfire, and 32 Short Colt .32 Long Colt .32 Smith and Wesson .32 Smith and Wesson Long .32-20 Winchester .38 Smith and Wesson .38 Short Colt .38 Long Colt .38-40 Winchester .44-40 Winchester and .45 Colt are all specifically listed in the firearms act and are not legally able to be antique firearms.
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u/ThePoeticJester Aug 06 '26
Oh interesting, I swear the pistol I saw was 38S&W and had papers for antique but oh well. I sure as shit couldnt afford it so I kept scrolling haha
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u/Response-Cheap Aug 05 '26
As in considered not exempted by the antique handgun laws. Too readily available and widely used of a caliber to be listed with the antiques you technically don't even need a PAL for..
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u/H0B013 Aug 05 '26
Might be a little outside your price range, but a Mas1873 drilled out to .45acp is legal. It's also overbuilt enough to fire off the shelf ammunition as long as you dont buy some +p defense rounds. Only downside is running jacketed ammo is going to eventually fuck up your rifling. Not that they're particularly accurate anyways with their hand filed sights and complete lack of ergonomics
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u/Elbro_16 Aug 05 '26
Swiss service revolver can shoot 32 sw long. But you won’t find anything cheap
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u/BowFella Aug 07 '26
It's definitely possible. There are options that are cheap to reload. But that's it. You will absolutely have to reload. They do sell some antique cartridges like 44 russian, 455 webley, 41 colt etc. But those are smokeless and will not be safe to shoot in almost all antiques. They do have some black powder options but again stock is very limited and very expensive. And I cannot stress this enough, BLACK POWDER ONLY. You're looking at $4-10/round. Reloading is much cheaper.
For your 1-2K price point options are very limited especially for a functional one. The only thing you'll be looking at are Belgian copies (which didnt function great even when they were new) and pocket pistols like deringer styles and smoots. Where reloading is difficult and you will have to improvise as most of them are rimfire.
If I were you I'd get a Percussion. Find one in good condition and get a gunsmith to look at it. Much easier and cheaper to load.
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u/Sad-Stop-2401 Aug 05 '26
Get a Olympic exception and a Glock 44 or similar in 22LR. Cheaper and more sensible. Leave antiques for collecting. Hope you have RPAL?
In antiques, best will be MAS 1873. Can be modified (cylinder shaving) to fire 45 Auto Rim AFAIK. It is one of the most sturdy frame in ancient firearms ever.
A second option is old webley. Can fire 455 webley. Not cheap but still okay.
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u/Severe_Assumption_87 Aug 05 '26
I think it’s impossible to get it where I live in Nova Scotia. But i will dig more. I shared a post before about exemption and it’s way more complicated in here
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u/Additional_Fold_1350 Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Check CSC too, I was looking at what they have for antiques.
I know an old guy who has an old revolver that I've seen that he said he'd give me. But I haven't looked at it in a few years. I'm not sure the year or caliber but plan to go check it out again soon.
Its one of those passed down, never registered deals he's had for 40 years. Had it down in NS for years, showed it to me back 20 years ago and a couple times since, but he's in Alberta now and has it tucked away. Kept it hidden in the wall behind a plug back years ago as his FAC expired and he still hasn't got his PAL. I'm going to check into it more to see if it is an antique, but either way I'll probably take it and keep it locked in my non gun safe if its not antique until things change and I can figure out how to get it legal. If its not safe to fire regardless I am going to get it deactivated or weld/fill the barrel myself and get it verified as deactivated and put it in a shadow box or something. It's a cool little piece, but my worry is it may be prohib.
My dad who was RCMP had one similar years ago that an old widow gave him to get rid of. I remember it was a prohib being a 32 cal and was a 2.5" barrel, wasn't antique manufactured around 1912 if I remember correctly. Was a nice little piece but the chrome plating was flaking and the action was so stiff it would barely cycle. Wish I had got my hands on it back in the 90s.
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u/Afrocowboyi Aug 12 '26
.36 or .44cal cap and ball muzzle loader is probably the most fun to least hassle. those ones tend not to be cheap. Not like the $6-10k for .41 magnum.
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u/thatguywhoreddit Aug 05 '26
I dont think you're going to find what you're looking for. It CANNOT be chambered in any of cartridges below. If you find a 9mm blunderbuss you're good to go.
Handguns Handguns manufactured before 1898 with the following characteristics:
able to discharge only rim-fire cartridges, other than:
.22 Calibre Short .22 Calibre Long .22 Calibre
able to discharge centre-fire cartridges, other than a handgun designed or adapted to discharge:
.32 Short Colt .32 Long Colt .32 Smith and Wesson .32 Smith and Wesson Long .32-20 Winchester .38 Smith and Wesson .38 Short Colt .38 Long Colt .38-40 Winchester .44-40 Winchester .45 Colt cartridges