Don't Blow Your Face Off! Know the dangers of antique firearms

Key Takeaways

LEVER ACTIONS:

Win. mod. 1886 - 45-90

Win. mod. 1894 - 30-30

Win. mod. 1895 - 405 Win.

Win. mod. 1894 - 32 Win SPL.

MAUSER BOLT ACTIONS:

Dan Fraser - 318 W.R.

Sauer & Sohn - 30-06 (US-30)

William Evans - 404 Jeffery

Sauer & Sohn - 30-06 (30-US)

Transcript

Hi folks, we're in our Idaho office today, and this is an important video as a public service. This won't have anything to do with marketing or affiliate marketing. This is a video I want to do to keep people from blowing their faces off.

Many guns made in the early 1900s, or all of them made in the 1800s, were built with barrels made of iron, not steel. They didn’t have steel like we know it today. These guns were safe with black powder pressures, as black powder generates very little pressure and, hence, very little velocity.

I understand the desire to take a family heirloom—a gun that belonged to your great-grandparents—out of the closet or the vault and use it to hunt deer for the satisfaction of using the same antique they once used. I get it; I do it too. But let's talk about the dangers involved in doing that.

The .30-30 was the first cartridge designed for smokeless powder, which generates much more pressure and velocity than black powder. Developed in 1894, the .30-30 was never a black powder cartridge. Winchester started putting “nickel steel” on their Model 1894 barrels to indicate they were made of a stronger chrome-moly type steel suitable for smokeless powder. This stamping began appearing around 1902.

To give you an example, here’s a Winchester Model 1894 from 1902. It has “nickel steel” stamped on the barrel, signifying that it’s made from modern, strong steel. By contrast, earlier guns were made with weaker materials like iron, which was only safe for black powder.

Complicating matters, Winchester wasn’t always consistent in marking their barrels. For instance, some barrels from that era might say “special Winchester steel,” which also indicates compatibility with smokeless powder. However, some barrels—especially on other calibers like .38-55 or .32-40—might not have any markings at all.

Metal fatigue is another significant concern. Over time, especially under continual stress like firing thousands of rounds, even strong steel can develop tiny, invisible stress fractures. Eventually, these fractures can cause a catastrophic failure. Remember, when firing a gun, you’re detonating an explosive in a chamber right in front of your face.

Many of these older guns were built without regulatory standards, so their specifications can vary widely. Additionally, even if the gun was strong when it was made, decades of use or poor storage can weaken it. I personally inspect every antique firearm I shoot, looking for signs of wear, fatigue, or out-of-spec components.

For example, I have a 1902 Winchester .45-90 and a 1917 Winchester .405. Both are in excellent condition, and I’ve inspected them thoroughly. I shoot modern, full-power ammunition in them because I trust their integrity. However, this isn’t always the case with older firearms.

Moving to European rifles, like Mauser actions, these are generally much stronger by design and material. For instance, I have a J.P. Sauer & Sohn rifle chambered in .30-06, likely made between 1910 and 1915. It’s stamped “US .30,” reflecting the early nomenclature for the .30-06 cartridge.

Similarly, I have a 404 Jeffrey made by William Evans and a .318 Westley Richards made by Daniel Fraser. Both are over 100 years old but were built with modern steel for their time. I’ve inspected these rifles and shoot full-power loads in them.

The point here isn’t to discourage anyone from using heirloom firearms but to emphasize the need for caution. Many people don’t understand the risks involved in shooting antiques. Guns are cool, and old guns are the coolest, but safety should always come first.

If you’re unsure about the integrity of an antique firearm, consult a qualified gunsmith—though I’ll admit, truly qualified experts on these older guns are becoming rarer. If you’re inspecting it yourself, look closely for any signs of wear, stress fractures, or questionable materials.

To conclude, firearms safety is your responsibility. No one else can ensure your safety, and relying on others—whether it’s the government or a manufacturer—is not a wise approach. If you’re using old guns, do your homework, inspect them thoroughly, and shoot responsibly.

Thank you for watching. God bless, and have a great day.