American West . Even though millions of Colt revolvers and Winchester rifles were produced in the 19th century , they ’ ve become collecting cornerstones thanks to their status as American icons . And where rarity and popularity collide , prices soar .
The growth experienced by these two giants of the genre has elevated interest at
48 PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE every level of the antique arms pursuit , drawing in multiple generations of gun collectors , shooters , and fans of Western Art . Frontier rifles , Old West derringers , and Civil War guns have seen a similar surge in value , with early production models , prototypes , scarce configurations , and elite condition examples commanding the highest price points .
Every corner of fine arms collecting has enjoyed substantial gains , including 20th century military arms . Vintage pistols , rifles , and combat shotguns from the two world wars have all seen their values rise dramatically despite being manufactured in high volume . Consider the M1911A1 pistol , a model that saw 1.9 million