Yes, the blueing on the older Colt Python is near legendary. Ruger recently released a Lipsey's GP100 5" .357/.38 half lug. The blueing on the ones I've seen are simply incredible. I'm a Ruger stainless fan and I already have a 5" GP100. But this new Lipsey's special in blue looks amazing up close.

Bluing is good but, for what it's worth, even slide finishes can make some polymer-framed pistols "collectible" to some degree - there's not a chance in hell I'm parting with an Ilafloned P2022 I've got.

I think there's also a certain degree of "that which makes something collectible" in the basic design of the pistol. I like Steyrs, so bias may be playing a role in my thinking, but I have three generations of M pistols in 9mm. The first gen A1 is good and the second gen A1 is better thanks to changes in the trigger. The basic M, though, complete with manual safety and a shape that only a designer at Enfield could truly love, has a very distinctive look - it's not just different, it tells you something about developing attitudes towards ergonomics and what someone thought was a futuristic look back around the turn of the Millenium and at the dawn of the .40S&W (another 'milepost' that I think we may eventually think of as defining a certain time in gun development).

I guess what I'm saying is that there has to be a lot more to collectability than the bluing and polish on a metal frame.

Quality or durability has nothing to do with collectability. People are mixing up what makes something desirable to use with collectable. If anything quality makes something less collectable because if the item doesn't wear out there will still be alot of them available to purchase decades later. Also if a gun was only made in very small numbers in a certain caliber because it was unpopular, that actually makes it more collectable because so few exist. Scarcity makes something collectable.

IDK< people who collect things, like myself, like my dad and grandpa before me, we just do it for fun not because there is some kind of investment aspect.

I mean my Dad collects all kinds of coins but it's not really about eventually selling them and making some kind of profit.

He just enjoys collecting the various coins, maintaining the collection, etc.

He never expects to sell them.

My Grandpa for whatever reason loved weapons made in Hispanic countries like Spain, Argentina, Mexico, etc.

I know someone already pointed out beanie babies but just think of things like baseball cards, rare comic books, a millionaire's car collection and everything in between.

Collections don't usually grow in value for the "collector" during their lifetime.

Usually they are a waste of money for the individual who collects and it's more about "enjoyment/fun"<----which is of course hard to quantify and extremely subjective

TLDR someone could definitely collect Polymer items and it would be valid for them to do so.


If we get a new party in control after November 2020 any old polymer magazine holding more than 10 rounds may sadly become a collectors item worth a whole lot more than they are now.

I hope that doesn't happen but collectablility can change rapidly.

To the original question of the OP: people are always gonna bring their own biases to the table when it comes to collecting anything.

Then they die off, and a new set of collectors comes in and resets the bar.

Of course some collector markets are more stable than others (rare coins, stamps and sports cards, for instance). Car collecting goes through price peaks and decline, mostly due to that 'dying off' principle. The muscle car era in general is going through the decline right now as the baby boomers (of which I'm a part of) who are most associated with the cars are passing away and fewer younger collectors are taking up the overabundance of cars returning into the collector market space as they gravitate towards the iconic cars of their generations instead.

The same will be true of polymer guns. As we get farther removed from the time when all-metal guns were the norm, of course poly guns will become collectible, particularly to a certain age of gun owner who will mostly only know polymer as "the norm". That's the beauty of any collector's marketplace; there's always new blood reinventing what's relevant to the collector of that time and place. There are already iconic poly guns, like the Holy Grail Gen1 G19 previously mentioned, HK Mk23, various HK USP configurations, Gen1 G17s...not to mention rifles like the early AUGs and various tactical shotguns like the SPAS-12 and Benelli Super 90. Not to mention any guns that have been featured in movies, pop culture and, even more influentially, video games. Guns like the P30L are already highly sought-after just due to the John Wick movies, much like what happened with the M29 after Harry Callahan did his thing in the 1970s.

And as other designs ultimately come to close down actual production, I'm sure a few of those will be praised and cherished enough to become collectibles as well. I think the Walther P99 is one of those that will achieve that sort of status. And there's certainly new designs will get there, especially those that see significant military use. For instance SIG's still very young M17 and M18 are already highly desirable in many circles; no detractor will convince me that an early production gun of either model will fail to see a spike in desirability at some point down the road, because the desirability is already in place. Similar is true with the tungsten-infused X-5 Legend and to a lesser degree the Walther Q-series of PPQs. If shooters are drawn to them now, they will carry that with them in the future.

quote:

As we get farther removed from the time when all-metal guns were the norm, of course poly guns will become collectible, particularly to a certain age of gun owner who will mostly only know polymer as "the norm".

All-metal guns will, I think, always have their fans in every generation. While I'm not sure I can prove that old farts prefer them these days, I think what kids today grow up thinking is "cool" will have a major impact on what they choose to buy decades down the road when they have enough disposable income to make potentially silly decisions.

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
As polarizing as polymer guns can be among the some shooters and collectors, the original Gen 1 Glock 17 is arguably one of the most significant handgun designs of all time. They are already quite collectible and are only going to go up in value.

Gen 1 Glock 17's can go for as much as $1500. Right now there is a box and manual for a G1 Glock 17 and it's almost up to $900 by itself. Yes that is with no gun. Crazy.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/283912141305

wow,

ended at over 1100,

I have a Glock 17 that was my fathers,
dates to 1988, I don't think I have the box for it tho, would need to look,



some plasticy things did not do well over the ages,

Colt grips from the 50's and 60, have a history or warping or shrinking,

Mossberg trigger guards got brittle, and will shrink or distort a bit,

and accessory wise, Franzite has been know to shrink up as well,


however they are just parts, not a frame, receiver etc, but may be what gave the public a pause on the rest,


FWIW, my dad's 17 still looks good, and does what it is supposed to do

Yeah, if the seller ever sees that payment, it'll be very, very surprising.

That's just plain absurd.

A Gen 1 Glock 17L with the tupperware, cleaning brush, mag loader and two mags just sold on that auction site for $2,742 with 36 bids and a penny start.

Polymer is collectible.

So, the Gen 1 box that is not even original to any G17 out there sold for over $1100? Some people are just plain weird.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
A Gen 1 Glock 17L with the tupperware, cleaning brush, mag loader and two mags just sold on that auction site for $2,742 with 36 bids and a penny start.

Polymer is collectible.

Even worse!

That's nuts, kinda

Well, I guess this Walther P99, serial # 007666, isn't so bad after all.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/872227845

quote:

Originally posted by Austin228:
IDK< people who collect things, like myself, like my dad and grandpa before me, we just do it for fun not because there is some kind of investment aspect.

I mean my Dad collects all kinds of coins but it's not really about eventually selling them and making some kind of profit.

He just enjoys collecting the various coins, maintaining the collection, etc...

I couldn't agree more with this sentiment. I used to collect stamps. Lost the whole collection on the move to the US in 1975. Then came US coins, and what a joy it was learning about US history through them, actually holding them and wondering if the Founding Fathers ever had their paws on them. Sold them all, not making a single dime of profit. I'll always cherish those fun days. Now, it's them guns & ammo.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
That's nuts, kinda

Considering that's one of my grail guns, that was pretty disheartening to see, actually. The Gen 1 17 feels amazing to me, I shoot it well, and I really wanted to lay hands on a 17L at some point. That's priced beyond my means if that's what they're fetching. There's two different Gen 2 17L's that sold within the last day or so for $720ish. Even that's kinda nuts for a Glock that's somewhere between "shooter" and "beater" grade.