What Are Some of Today's Best Investment Handguns?

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Today I'm joined by Len Antaris of Historic Investments to discuss, well, historic investments. I maintain that firearms are better bought for their historic value than as speculative investments, but there are certainly plenty of people who do both. So, Len and I figured we would discuss what we both think makes a particular gun a good candidate for this sort of investment.
You can follow Len's own videos on his Historic Investments channel here:
/ @historicinvestments2587
Contact:
Forgotten Weapons
6281 N. Oracle 36270
Tucson, AZ 85740

[@AdministrativeResults]

I've been building my collection of Hi peezys. The plan is to use them as a gambling investment. I'll give them out to my non gun friends during the societal collapse, if they secure more loot I collect my fee and they graduate to Mosin farmer status. This leveling up will continue until they get to nato death squad status. If they sadly fall then it was a low investment loss. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk

[@zacharyread5303]

Big brain time. Confirmed Hi Peezys are the best investment. I'm laying some yeet cannon bids at the next Rock Island auction

[@MegadethTillDeth]

I should've known you'd be here, swagging it up n shit. I'm picking you for my dodgeball team Admin.

[@MrSpartacus2013]

I'm feeling it.

[@scottgomez6244]

Make sure you issue balaclavas along with those hi P.O.Ss. That way its doesn't get traced back to you

[@Projectdarke]

#Bigchimpstyle

[@Matt-xc6sp]

Ian talking about skyrocketing prices of historic firearms like he doesn’t deserve a big part of the blame for all the interest lol

[@Dman0001]

hes not - sorry to burst your bubble - as stuff gets older and more rare the preceived value to people goes up -

[@lutomson3496]

when the vapor equity in homes goes away like it did in 08 09 prices will fall, we are already seeing this with collectibles

[@x39aesthetics]

@@Dman0001 then I guess you don't pay attention to prices on guns before Ian does a video on them and then after

[@Dman0001]

@@x39aesthetics i doubt he has that much pull with real collectors lol - hes not actually Jesus - even though we call him gun jesus

[@vinnyvinson]

All his videos make me thirsty. I mean who wouldn’t want a small collection of Chinese warlord pistols & a broom handle mauser

[@AGS363]

Rule 1: Stay away from everything "commemorative". Those guns may have nice engravings, but you will pay a massive premium for something dated. I have never seen one of those being a good investment.

[@GunFunZS]

Rule 2 if you actually want to have a very well made gun from the 1960s and run it into the dirt, get acommemorative one off of GunBroker.

[@rslover65]

Besides, they're just kind of trashy

[@kw9849]

Every gunshop in North America has 2-5 commemorative Winchester 94's that are covered in dust and tagged as "Rare" and "A good investment".

[@KamikazKid]

Only one I've ever seen worth money was a commemorative gold plated Tommy gun a guy had made from his WW2 thompson.

[@NBSV1]

And, they’re something people keep locked away thinking they’ll be worth something. So, the rarity goes away when there’s a bunch of them all in great condition. Compared to an old regular gun that’s unique for surviving or having a history.

[@ianfurqueron5850]

Trying to predict the market for any collectible item has always been hit or miss. I worked in comic books decades ago and I would often get the question, "what should I buy that will go up in value?" My answer was always the same, "Buy the books you like to read - as there is no way of knowing what will increase in value." I view firearms the same way - I'll buy what I would like to shoot or simply own. If the value goes up - great - if not... then at least I'll have an item I don't mind looking at. Of course, there is also the "mutual fund" method of collecting - buy as much as possible, hoping that the values of items that go up offset the items where values go down.

[@andrewstraub131]

That is the only sound advice I have heard yet . I find this whole business ugly and awful .the fact is that not everyone can make a living in guns and it’s only going to serve destabilize an already artificially inflated market .and this runs counter to Ian’s original line that guns aren’t an investment. And all this will probably serve to further regulate the market

[@hquiller]

I only buy what I can afford and shoot. And not only on milsurp guns. I also like C&R guns, like Winchester 1897, Model 12, Model 50, Ithaca 37, etc. Shotguns that use modern ammo, and can be use for hunting, skeet, etc. And some you can still find for under $300 in great shape.

[@andrewstraub131]

@@hquiller I actually collect Saturday night specials for much the Same reason without all the functionality being that they were basically disposable they are surprisingly hard to find in any condition but beaten to hell but it makes it challenging and thus rewarding and I can do it on my pittance

[@hquiller]

@@andrewstraub131 I started collecting milsurp guns. But the ammo is difficult to find and/or very pricey. Thats why I moved to collecting shotguns. Most of the C&R shotguns I bought, I got them for under 200 bucks, and they work like new. Love to hunt with guns that are almost a 100 years old, and I'm sure they will still be working for a 100 years more. Can't say the same with modern guns. Next ones I want to buy are the Remington 31, Winchester 42 and Sjögren.

[@andrewstraub131]

@@hquiller I also started in milsurp in the glory days of the early 90s ammo was cheap and plentiful sks were sold out of barrels for $75 ,m1 carbines for less than $400 I knew even then this couldn’t last . Now with the internet and broadening appeal it’s only going get much much worse the real way to make money in this hobby would be making hard to find military ammo on contract from collectors. It makes me sad in a way that the tradition of military surplus collecting and shooting that started before the revolution in this country is is going to die in speculators safes . Using old military firearms for hunting was a tradition that gave people a link to their history a tangible one . I’m glad you are still carrying on that tradition. . We are the last of the Mohicans

[@shloomyshloms]

first rule of collecting: never collect as an investment. collect because you like it. you will almost always guess wrong.

[@theJellyjoker]

So much this!

[@shloomyshloms]

@@chrismemphis8062 I bought my sks in the early 90's paid $79

[@anon_y_mousse]

So very true. Nothing I collect is worth anything to anyone other than me.

[@cabobs2000]

@@anon_y_mousse you mean my aunt's spare bedroom full of beany babies is worthless after all?

[@anon_y_mousse]

@@cabobs2000 My sister collected those. She kept saying, they'll be worth a whole bunch some day. That didn't end well.

[@julioherrera2172]

2 rules of collecting guns for profit. 1: What is the most popular gun used in video games and movies. The more iconic, the better. 2: If it's a stock gun (No Commemortives) that's hard to find and everyone wants. Get it.

[@deffington6627]

My thought exactly with movies and games. But what exactly is todays movie that will be called a classic in 20 years and has a distinctive gun in it?

[@julioherrera2172]

Think block buster action movies that you or the general public goes crazy for. The model 29 was famous because of Dirty Harry. The Benelli M4 because of John Wick. If it's a big name gun brand and the lead star uses it, that is a safe bet. The movie I think that has a chance of making guns more iconic and desirable are the john wick movies. This is not financial advice and should be taken with a big grain of salt.

[@deffington6627]

@@julioherrera2172 No worries about advice, I'm more curious than ready to put my money on the bet. The problem I see is that John Wick stuff is already valuable today, but maybe not so much in 20 years. This is what they talked about when mentioning Winchesters, not many ppl give that attention now, no more cowboy movies. And new movies that I saw are not really that action or gunshoot based. So what is a current movie that might be still popular in future? A one with a distinctive firearm?

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

Check estate and yard sales too. If you fund an stg44 that the seller doesn't know what it is, pay them well for it then hide it from the ATF.

[@dlittle9556]

Tec-9 especially because they're prone to breaking too

[@davidh5903]

Nice seeing Len on the channel again, such a lovely gem.

[@MrKronikDeception]

I'm aware of a Sig frame floating around that was going to be a Tomb Guard side arm but had the phrase cut reverse .

[@sandmanhh67]

Fascinating and love Len. What a star turn. If you are a collector and have a load of flintlock / percussion and old pre 1880s breachloader guns (Sniders, Martinis) I recommend shipping them to the UK to sell. Here our dumb gun laws mean ORIGINAL muzzle loader pistols and guns (not repros), and a limited range of what is called "Obsolete Calibre" breach loader guns are all you can collect without a difficult to obtain licence. So the prices only ever go UP here in Britain. If you have a non ObCal rifle or pistol you get it deactivated (Gun Jesus forgive me) and it will be worth 3 times the value of the undeactivated ones. The exceptions are shotguns. The licence for those is obtainable, so they command healthy prices for the good stuff. Another thing that seems to effect value is publicity. After the "Sharpe" series hit TVs in the UK the prices on Baker rifles rocketed up. I wonder if the price of Chinese Warlord pistols will see the same rise when Ians book hits the shelves.

[@chipsterb4946]

How about a Brown Bess with Tower of London cartouche and fully functional lock with flint?

[@MegadethTillDeth]

I'm going to say DON'T ship them to the UK. Sorry bud, but I'll be buying them all up over here. Get your Philip Luty book while you can lol

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

Old pistols have the same laws here in Canada and we're closer for shipping.

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

@@MegadethTillDeth everyone needs the Philip Luty guns regardless of the country.

[@MegadethTillDeth]

@@chemistryofquestionablequa6252 Literally why I said to get it.

[@TimDutch]

Let's see how much the specific firearms will go up in price because of this video :)

[@louierenault7344]

ian casually manipulating the firearms market

[@TimDutch]

@@louierenault7344 indeed

[@ihcfn]

@@louierenault7344 Well Elon Musk does it all the time! With nothing as interesting.

[@vinnyvinson]

A well made Chinese warlord gun is a real novelty. The value is priceless

[@MrAnonymousRandom]

Those are garbage. If I wanted garbage, I can always go buy from Pakistan's tribal areas.

[@wraithcadmus]

"Number 1 of.... 1?"

[@g3airsofter]

Glad to see the Surplus M17 at the top of the list. I probably have one with some of the most provenance in existence. I was able to track down and buy the exact one that I carried in Iraq in 2019, and I have the majority of the original things issued with it (safariland holster, grip moduals, -10 TM, etc.) as well as a mountain of paperwork, pictures, and maintenance records. It was also the one I used in the first MNET maintainer course given at Fort Campbell.

[@stefanmolnapor910]

Thats badass!

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

That's awesome that you were able to do that. When you got it was it like meeting an old friend you hadn't seen in years?

[@g3airsofter]

@@chemistryofquestionablequa6252 Kind of. We came back from deployment in September of 2019, turned the M17s in in December, and I tracked mine down in March of 2020, so I wasn’t away from it for too long

[@regisphilbinsscrotum6631]

Ian:"what are some guns that I can destroy the market for one one video???"

[@AndrewDasilvaPLT]

Dear God, please let luger prices go down.

[@johnqpublic2718]

No one cometh to the Father except through Gun Jesus.

[@Matt-xc6sp]

Boomer estate sales gonna be lit

[@tomvance3646]

Why would they? They're not making more of them

[@nelsonbrum8496]

**drools in Portuguese Luger**

[@AndrewDasilvaPLT]

@@Matt-xc6sp You know what I'm talkin' 'bout!

[@TomSalesJr]

I love that fireplace guy is so personable and finally on camera

[@kristianpahe4639]

Considering getting a Hi Point YC-9 just for the novelty and seeing how people will react to it decades from now.

[@issintf925]

Not a whole lot of money to lose on that one, lol

[@KamikazKid]

same lmao

[@rslover65]

Best firearm for investing is the Roth , caliber 401k. Get the index model.

[@curtrn]

Those won't keep up with inflation. It's an asset that is visibly on the records if you get suited and frankly looking at quarterly statements is of little interest. Look at dollar devaluation. Firearms and stocks are not really going up the purchasing poor of your dollar is just weaker.

[@tangero3462]

I appreciate the mention of Star. My granddad had a PD, they were legitimately good guns for their era, especially since small full caliber guns really hadn't happened yet outside the revolver space. Spanish and Japanese firearms plugged hole in the market between expensive name brands and godawful pot metal contraptions, and not enough folks give them their due. Also, binging Capandball has me waiting anxiously for flintlocks to come down in relative value hopefully soon

[@bigredwolf6]

Get a traditions kit. They’re not expensive and it’s a fun project to put together.

[@wlewisiii]

I never look for investments. What I want is a shooter grade firearm - my S&W Model 13 has massive holster wear but shoots beautifully. My Krag is an NRA chopped to carbine sized rifle. If I get a luger - which I would like to - it'll be the cheapest franken luger I can find that functions properly. I doubt I'll ever get a SIG firearm due to how overrated they've become unless I find someone with a 210 who has no clue. I have little to no interest personally in what is in this episode though the conversation was interesting.

[@lockerjoe2578]

When I was younger and had less bills I just bought guns with my extra money.. bout seven years ago my health tried killing me.. if it wasn't for my gun collection I'd of lost everything.. thank God I bought all them guns. They kept a roof over my head till I got my sht together. Should you invest into gun? If you got the money and are sane.. it ain't gonna hurt you.

[@thornie123]

I bought a Luger and Walther from this guy. Good stuff!

[@azkrouzreimertz9784]

I love having Len on the show!

[@postmandnb]

I could listen Ian and Len talk about guns for hours

[@Chaosrain112]

It's always a pleasure to have Len on a video. Dude is so well spoken.

[@willaxesawian9242]

what a fun vibe you guys got

[@derekp2674]

Thanks very much Ian and Len. It was great to see a few gems from Len's collection.

[@AllAboutSurvival]

Great to see Mr. Len Antaris! Really enjoyed this video and I have learned a lot

[@TheMosinCrate]

Enjoyed the video, I believe I've done business with this gentleman before! Hope you have him back on again, enjoyed the banter back and forth and how well the whole discussion flowed.

[@RichardCasto]

Laughed at the green screen comment. It would have been funny to have the fireplace on a green screen and the fireplace was slowly getting larger and larger over the entire video until they were inside the fireplace at the end. ;)

[@exiledintheus7251]

Bees knees Ian you really have a great show going plus the competitions with the iconic firearms is too much thank you for sharing!

[@jeepman19]

Always good when Len is on

[@Sedan57Chevy]

Len is electric! Probably my favorite Forgotten Weapons guest these days.

[@iLLeag7e]

Good stuff Ian. Len is obviously a head full of knowledge and a passionate gun enthusiast to follow

[@willpatterson5946]

As a collector of the makarov, the prices of all makarov other than the Bulgarians (non Black Sea fleet) and IJ-70s have skyrocketed. They are truly wonderful guns to shoot which is how I got started with them

[@willpatterson5946]

It used to be sub $400 all day. Nowadays a really nice one can go for above $600 (but I live in the PNW so everything is expensive) I’d say a good 80% condition is around $500 with two mags and a holster

[@missingnola3823]

@@willpatterson5946 Wow, they have climbed, if this is accurate. I bought mine 17-18 years ago, three mags, two grips, leather holster, cleaning rod for $159. It's a Bulgarian and probably 70-75% condition (it's always been a shooter), so definitely not at the high end of the range, but it's nice to know at least one of mine is worth more than what I paid for it.

[@iPervy]

Also a collector of maks and carry one everday for conceal carry. Got my primary bulg mak probably 3 maybe 4 years ago for 250 great condition. Now they go for 450 plus pretty easily in my area. Have a nickel mak thats in fair condition for 260+tax 2 years ago. Over the years had atleast 6-7 diffrent maks. Had the gammet of russian and bulg primairly. Sold my russian adjustable sight ones since they snag, and honestly just prefer fixed. Sold a doublestack in poor-fair condition but regret it now haha. Sold 380 models that i didnt like as much as my 9x18 and now wish i kept atleast one for the variety in ammo. also some cop sold me a russian mak that slammed fired (luckily I figured it out before i acrually fired it since on slide drop it let the hammer go as well which caught my attention, and having looked into it theres def a sma number of maks thay become auto thay way haha) due to a messup in the action which i fixed and resold. Been alot of fun. Not sure ill be able to afford another mak now with these prices. my fav mak for carrying is rusting now and have be sure its always oiled. Still works great though, but may have to reblue it one day.

[@Swishersweetcigarilo]

I have 2 ij70s that I got for 300 each. From what I understand they were made in Russia but for civilians so they aren't as desirable. Is that right?

[@willpatterson5946]

@@Swishersweetcigarilo they were Russian made commercial guns meant for export. They’re made in both .380 and 9x18. The .380s are the least desirable IMHO

[@marcppparis]

My collection is focused on James Bond guns . Beretta 418, Beretta 1934 , 950 Jetfire, PP, PPK, P5, P99 , LP 53, AR-7

[@mrmicro22]

Why not? Have fun.

[@cinnathweet3743]

Really like this multi party casual conversation kind of format

[@jonathanwarchild]

Very interesting video and loved seeing both of you at once!

[@bradweinberger6907]

Well the prices were reasonable before this video 😅

[@LowQuatsSquats7529]

I think Chinese war Lord pistols will get lumped into the same category of the Khyber pass made handguns. I don't think the general market will have any interest in them but the dedicated subset of collectors will. I'd equate it closer to the collecting of original Western cowboy Spurs. They have value they are cool but not a lot of people are looking for them and the ones who are looking for them have the ones they want.

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

Don't forget the explosion of Chinese millionaires. It has already happen for jade items, bronzes, old paintings etc. A lot of Chinese antiques are flowing back to China at very high prices.

[@kw9849]

Historic Investments must be banking on said niche collectors having some serious cash, judging by what they're asking for the ones they have.

[@LowQuatsSquats7529]

@@Cl0ckcl0ck I was just thinking about that after I posted it, however I think another issue stems from Chinese firearm ownership as they would only be able to own then in the US and not bring them back to China. So it gets back to the niche collectors or the wealthy people who will stay in the US. It's very interesting to think and speculate about but who knows how the prices will be realized in the coming decade.

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

@@LowQuatsSquats7529 China isn't really communist. Not at all really. They'll be able to get them home.

[@bleb87]

@@Cl0ckcl0ck civilians having guns in china? Yeah no. Not unless its a 22 competition firearm and you jump through hoops. Even then it stays at the range facility.

[@farmerdave33]

Gun Jesus: the Profit Prophet

[@onealjones9039]

I remember when m1 garands were $150 and m1 carbines were $100 in barrels in the old Sir Army Navy store in my hometown. 😢

[@bobjordan8283]

Not bored just well informed now! I've been collecting the stainless Smith&Wesson guns for a while now, when I can find nice examples with the box paper work etc. Don't mind paying a bit more for the accessories if it looks well cared for. The price for those have gone up significantly over the last few years. Buy what interests you and you'll never worry if you made the right choice!

[@MegadethTillDeth]

Oh look, an answer to a question I was just wondering. Good stuff, it's appreciated

[@highpower3006]

Interesting. I have a few of the guns mentioned, but I think my best acquisition was the M17 I got when they first came out for $699 from Scheels. I also love Star handguns, and have a few of them. As for the Sig P49, they regularly sell for 3-4K in average condition, so I am not sure that they are going to do any better than keeping up with inflation.

[@Chris_Hansen___]

They are totally correct about Winchester's and colts! I went to an antique gun show and I kid you not they were hundreds and hundreds of Winchester levers and they were all trying to be sold for thousands of dollars, I would ask a lot of vendors if they sold anything and I didn't hear of one $1,000 plus Winchester lever action being sold.

[@kw9849]

The asking prices for anything marked "Winchester" that isn't a 1905/1907/1910/1911 has gotten absolutely insane. The only people I know of who are buying them are other Winchester Guys.

[@solwindp78-1]

My eyes lit up when I saw that Star Megastar on the table. That's one of my holy grail guns for sure.

[@darthmartinez]

I would also include classic Colt, Smith & Wesson & Ruger double action Revolvers. There is a lot of police trade in revolvers some with interesting markings too I recently got a Chicago Police Department model 640 j frame in 38 special that was in good shape probably carried off duty and rarely shot.

[@MatthewDoye]

All those .38s that were in every 70s detective show, there's tons of them out there and ones with a PD provenance are going to command a premium.

[@GammaAKF]

I think generally the average collectible that most people are interested in are the military weapons their dads have. I really like cold war and Vietnam era guns, mostly CAR-15 developments, my dad is all about the WW2 guns for collections sake. I mean, everyone that likes guns likes WW2 guns (except for a few short-short wearing lawyers), but I think the nostalgia of "this is the kind of gun my dad carried" interests a lot of people. Not so sure about the actual investment potential there, but people will always want them.

[@panzer-head]

I can remember import M1 carbines in racks at the K-Mart at the Francis Scott Key Mall in Frederick MD around 1985. They were $74.99. Each.

[@jphilb]

Not a handgun but a piece of history. I happen to be selling an M30 Drilling Luftwaffe Survival rifle for a friend of the family. Perfect shape with case. Jan 1941 date of manufacture. Enjoyed Ian’s video on it.

[@DiggingForFacts]

This video shows a very clear contrast in approach between an engineering mind and a sales mind.

[@taggartlawfirm]

School your family, once your gone, if they don’t care, some dealer will show up and buy the collection for 20¢ on the dollar.

[@PickleishBILL]

Yep every estate sale is like that

[@taggartlawfirm]

@@PickleishBILL you don’t sell collectible guns at an estate sale. Unless you don’t know any better. Which is my point.

[@mikeschotte9480]

Yes, it’s unfortunate that they marked (“disfigured”) the M45A1 decomms when they released them to the commercial market through Colt, but there were only 1,000 returned and only 473 of those were service issued, so seems like a pretty damn solid collectible investment to me. (plus, it’s actually made out of steel instead of polymer)

[@johnschofield9496]

Don't know if I'd consider Chinese Makarovs with the others. I can get eastern euro Maks for $350-400, east German for $450-550. Chinese commercial maks are $7--800 or more and good luck finding a mil surp !!

[@PURPLECATDUDE7734]

Len Antaris sounds like a name a Dune character would have

[@herknorth8691]

I kind of want a Megastar just because it was used in the movie "Heat" by Waingro in the armored car robbery scene.

[@albundy7459]

I got clowned on by tons of people for buying a mini 14 right before covid. Jokes on them now.

[@albundy7459]

@@erroneous6947 ain’t got nothing to do with prepping. Got everything tho do with $700-$1200 increase in 3 years.

[@numbsliwa]

I dont know what are the prices of makarovs in the USA right now. But in my country they cost about 280-290$ for out of the box, never used with full equipment. Not to mention that latelty there showed in many shops, never used soviet AKMs with all the stuff in wooden boxes.

[@TimDutch]

So in which country do you live?

[@numbsliwa]

@@TimDutch Poland :)

[@earlycuyler2295]

I've made the most profit on Mac 10s.and 11s. Specifically older cobray lowers, and bolt assemblies, with " modern" side charging uppers. Not sure " why". It started off as a impulse buy at a gun show. The firearm was Awful, BUT IT TURNED INTO A BIDDING WAR when I tried to get rid of it. I easily made about 5x what I paid. I've probably flipped a dozen mac builds over the last few years the same way. The 45s are the best sellers, but ironically, the 2 380 versions i sold went faster and at a higher price than ANY of the 9mms. If I had to " guess" I'd say because they are smaller and lighter... But it's not like that REALLY matters. It's still a Mac pistol. It's still a heavy, inaccurate, jam o matic. They look cool though.

[@KamikazKid]

there's a company making AR uppers for those that has made the cheapest machine gun out there into the equivalent of a full auto m16 for 1/5th the price of a genuine M16 so they have been going up in value.

[@earlycuyler2295]

@@KamikazKid yeah those come up locally every once in a while, but ive turned down on buying those, and don't plan on doing so anytime soon. Especially with blowback, pistol caliber ar's being as common as they are. It would be cool for a "collector"... But that's not me. I do have A Mac 10 im actually debating converting it to 10mm(because reasons)but that's a whole other bag of cats. one is definitely MORE than enough for me. I've casually bought and sold piles of firearms over the years, from sub $80 mosins to $250k+ transferable machine guns. I've actually been contacted by the batfe and told I fell just shy of needing to get an FFL and advised to not sell so many firearms so frequently. Idk. I just get bored with most guns after a while, and know a good deal when I see it. I think I like the " chase" better than "the catch".

[@KamikazKid]

@@earlycuyler2295 you don't understand the Mac-10 uppers make them 5.56mm guns so there's a niche market for people who don't have $50k for a real M16 to pick up the MAC-10 and slap those 5.56 uppers on that's why they're going for way above their worth.

[@earlycuyler2295]

@@KamikazKid NO. I am well aware of what they are,what they " do" and how they function. They were made by lage( and I think 2 other smaller companies. One might have just been rebranding a lage made product though) to use on transferable machine gun lowers pumped out by MAC before the 86 ban took effect. That well dried up long ago, and there are better and more cost effective ways to go full rock and roll in 5.56 at this point in time.Besides. " Niche markets" are just that... Niche. I don't want to have to sit on something for a month or 2 , or end up dropping the price to get rid of it. Not to mention they are ugly. The vast majority of gun owners are WAY more into what a firearm looks like these days.... That's kinda why they buy mac's in the first place( it sure ain't because of their " reliability", "ergonomics ", weight", "accuracy", "trigger", or sights...). Sure, it " seems" like a good idea, on paper. But from experience with similar items, It also sounds like that jump everybody thinks is going to be a " game changer" , that ends up ruining the entire " scheme". Way to much investment for the potentiality of a slightly higher profit margin. Way to small of a dedicated consumer base. And way to obscure, and just plain " wierd" for most people to get excited about buying. I'd still pass.

[@phille7669]

I ordered the book today i hope it'll arrive by the weekend

[@cbroz7492]

25 or 30 years ago I bought a Soviet Makarov from Dennis Kroh of Empire Arms..unfortunately after my stroke in 2002 I was forced to sell it..I still have my 1962 E G Makarov

[@johnqpublic2718]

10mm "Mega Star?" What a name.

[@jjforcebreaker]

One of my fav guests!

[@KonigGustavAdolph]

Something people, especially younger collectors just starting, is the inflation that Ian mentioned at the end. Would you have a "better" collection if you had been born 20 years earlier? Sure, if you like the older milsurp stuff in particular. But, if you bought a K31 in 2012 for $300, you would pay $400 for it today JUST with inflation.

[@darink300zx]

Dang, I used to have a megastar in 45 and sold it after a few years, never considering it would be collectible. I did sell it for more than I bought it, but still.

[@willaimwinchell1813]

Their is a nice series 70 gold cup in Colville, Washington !

[@stevecastro1325]

This was like having Gandalf and Dumbledore sit down for a pleasant conversation about various types of cool things to buy.

[@SnoopReddogg]

Loving it that Spanish guns are the next big thing. My old Lanber shotty is finally going to have its moment in the sun!!! But I'm really betting my pizzly inheritance on Sportcos and Winchester 88s becoming the next big thing!!!!

[@THEKOOLiDMAN]

A good rule of thumb imo is understanding that imports more often than not go up in value. Because at some point, the faucet gets turned off. I see the hellion going up in value. Have you seen how much an f2000 costs now? Or even the 1st Gen tavor's?

[@SeerofChins]

The FS2000 is my white whale firearm. I saw a gen 1 with the dot and top cover going for $4000 last year

[@THEKOOLiDMAN]

@@SeerofChins Exactly. That's pretty much why I focus on buying imports now. That hellion would be a good investment, just don't know if I'd sell it even if it doubled in value, it just looks so cool 😭

[@wfrentzel7503]

Excellent! Really enjoyed this!

[@chipsterb4946]

I think the key is to focus on one area and learn all you can. I have a friend who collects Parker shotguns. No Purdey, no W.C. Church… just Parkers. I like pre-1960 Colt double action revolvers and certain Smith & Wessons, especially “Combat Magnums”. For me the research is part of the fun. Oh! While commemorative models generally are bad as investments, sometimes you can find a firearm that was 1 of a special order for 100, 500 or even a thousand. Supply & demand… just be certain that you can prove it.

[@Bojangles6]

Currently, the best way to obtain real, US military surplus is to become a warlord im a conflict zone. A company man will contact you.

[@Skusty]

What about some classic vjdeo game guns, like Mr 47's iconic AMT Hardballers, the Desert Eagle from Counter-Strike or the USP from Metal Gear?

[@StephenRWilliams]

Some large-production guns that would be banned from import will sit in a warehouse in a third country for a certain number of years and then be legal to import (like SKSes). Would this also apply to Russian Makarovs or other Russian guns? Is there anywhere we can find information about what sorts of guns have these pending stockpiles about to be imported?

[@Ben.....]

Russian guns cannot be legally imported into the US. Legally you can't export them to Canada and then import them into the US.

[@jamess662]

Hey, I will never knock investing on a Berthier, I doubled my money on investment on one of them a while back. Found out after the sale I let it go for too little. It was a almost all original first pattern cav carbine.

[@tberkoff]

Spanish Astra 600/43 in 9mm is a superb firearm!!

[@benloyd1970]

I just bought a Kimber K6. I don’t know how many are being produced but it is definitely an under appreciated gem.

[@appelsapman434]

Absolutely love mr. Len Antaris.

[@Saltpork305]

Don't tell everyone the secret about Stars. This is a joke, kinda. The guest here has written THE book on Star pistols and I've found it invaluable in collecting post ww2 Star pistols myself. I got a 31PK just last week. I want another model 28/30/31 in Starvel nickel.

[@obedrubio5995]

I have a couple stars myself.

[@kylep3440]

No We're not bored to death , please do more !

[@mikebillman8089]

You will never lose a dime buying quality firearms. In the long run they're as good or better than gold.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@@erroneous6947 I wouldn't go quite so far as that. Guns do depreciate. I would classify them more like automobiles.

[@nedrain9044]

@@WALTERBROADDUS A quality gun goes up in value, not down.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@@nedrain9044 Times and fads change. What was in 50 years ago, is not today.

[@x39aesthetics]

Patently wrong. Guns are generally cheaper than they were 40 years ago, accounting for the ridiculous inflation

[@mikebillman8089]

@@x39aesthetics You are incorrect and laughably so. The only category of firearms that has become less expensive over the last 50+ years is Ar15's.

[@hquiller]

I think many gun collectors started because they wanted to get their preferred rifle from certain video game and/or movie. I got my interest in ww2 guns with Saving Private Ryan and later Call of Duty games. Later, got interest in WW1 guns with Battlefield 1. And, like me, there has to be thousands of new gun collectors. Also, youtube videos and the easy to find info on the internet helped to increase the knowledge and interest for milsurp guns.

[@avp5964]

Thank you always enjoy Len

[@edwoods5249]

Top of the morning to the guest host on this episode. Great content with some really interesting pieces I’m sure you could hunt down many a rabbit with....if you’re into that sort of thing. Which I’m not since as everyone knows rabbit holes are fictional constructs 😉

[@biggerbehindthetrigger2814]

I had a feeling when the Star BM hit the market at $149.00 I bought 5 of them. They are doing well. I also bought 3 TT-33's and 3 M-57's. I shoot them if I bring a few friends to the range. I love the 7.25x25 round. I also bought some Russian military 7.62x25 ammunition that I don't shoot. I reload my own ammunition so it's cheap to shoot. Thank you for the great video.

[@TheRevoltingMan]

Wouldn’t you just buy what’s currently unpopular and cheap and then hold it until it’s having its moment?

[@corbynborbyn1194]

Gun Jesus introducing Gun Bill Nye

[@highlandoutsider8148]

A video about financial investments, yet this mad lads got me laughing inside of a minute 🤣🔥

[@Alex-by6hn]

My spas12 keeps going up nicely

[@fluffyninja6380]

A military model Sig P226 could also be a good investment. They were made with requirements to the H&K Mk 23.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

🤔 Definitely not items I was thinking about. Do you think they'll be a collectible market for something like say, Para Ordnance pistols? Will there be someone who wants a Remington r51 in 20 years? What about all those Marine Corps M45A1 pistols? And most of all, will there be collector's interest in 40 Smith & Wesson? There's a ton of those guns now going out of production. Will people be looking to get an original say, Browning Hi- Power in .40 S&w? 🤔

[@angelsfallfirst7348]

I know that I bought my .40 S&W CZ 75 for $400 used in 2017. Now they go for $900 minimum

[@Anonymous-jm1lb]

Just recently bought a J.P Saur and Sohn WW2 German marked 38H pistol with holster. Eagle 57 marking, Early war in .32 acp or 7.65 Browning. I have never seen one before and it's a rarity to me nonetheless. Valuable or not.

[@nicholasford4820]

13:07 he basically describes like half my gun collection.

[@Hammerli280]

Buy whatever military surplus is being imported. The instant the supply dries up, the price doubles.

[@somedudeinminnesota]

I was able to aquire a Marlin 1893 special smokeless steel for 250 bucks. The thing has a ten round tube magazine it's a great rifle.

[@teslamodhammer]

There was nothing boring make a 40 min vid you two are a riot!

[@davehardesty3649]

How do you find those M17’s?

[@Dbusdriver71]

Forgotten Weapons, you have never done a video on the Dan Wesson .357 super magnum or maximum. Why? I bought on in my Army days and still have it. Its flatter shooting than the .41 and the .44 magnum revolvers, its more accurate, I can push the speeds of the bullets over 2000 fps If I want. Is there any reason as to why you have not done a video on this pistol? Also, is there a reason why you believe the FN MAG is the 'best of the western GPMGS'? I carried an M-60 and believe otherwise. But I love your KZbin Channel. Very interesting videos.

[@marcppparis]

Ian didn’t mention the Cobray Terminator or Zip22 - I’m shocked

[@StampedTomcat50]

The Star really did surprise me a bit. Id always been told Spanish copies were generally lower quality and had a reputation for being cheap. When the Star BM 9mm hit the market, they were dirt cheap 1911 lookalikes that I wasn't seeing sell much and garnered little interest. So I picked one up, figuring it was hard to pass up 150 bucks for a beater gun. Dang it if everybody wasn't wrong about them too, the darned thing works and works well! It'll eat any 9mm I run in it, no jams or malfunctions. Sure, they're only single stack, but they're great for everyday use and they simply work. Since then, I've seen them double in value and don't find them intact for what I paid anywhere. Its wild.