C&R Guns: 16 Curio and Relic Firearms and How the C&R License Works

Last updated September 29, 2026

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C&R guns are firearms the federal government treats as curios or relics, and there are two ways a gun gets there. It turns 50 years old in its original configuration, or ATF puts it on its curio and relic list. Either way, a Curio and Relic license, the C&R license, lets you have one shipped straight to your door from anywhere in the country, as far as federal law goes.

Here are 16 C&R guns I think are worth owning, from a $250 Polish P-64 to an M1 Garand. For each one I’ll show you why it counts as C&R and what our dealers were asking when I checked. After the picks, I walk through how the $30 C&R license works, what it doesn’t cover and the bound book it makes you keep.

C&R Guns at a Glance

Here are all 16 C&R guns on this list, how each one qualifies and what it shoots.

Table of Contents

What Makes a Gun C&R?

Under 27 CFR 478.11, a firearm is a curio or relic if it was made at least 50 years before today’s date, if a museum curator certifies it, or if a substantial part of its value comes from being novel, rare, bizarre or tied to a historic figure, period or event. Replicas don’t count. ATF adds that a 50-year-old gun has to be in its original configuration, and it doesn’t need to be on any list.

That’s the whole test for C&R eligible guns: age and original configuration, or a spot on ATF’s list.

The list matters for younger guns. ATF names pistols and rifles it has classified as C&R no matter when they were made, like every Polish P-64 and every Russian Mosin-Nagant made after 1898. Dealers list these as C&R firearms, so that’s the phrase to search when you shop. Here’s how the 16 guns on this page qualify.

How it qualifies	Guns	What it means for you
Named on ATF’s C&R list	Polish P-64, Russian and East German Makarov, Chinese Type 54, CZ-52, Nagant M1895, Luger, Mosin-Nagant, Soviet and Yugoslav SKS, Czech vz. 52, Winchester Model 12 made 1912 through 1963	C&R whatever the date, as long as it matches the list entry
C&R by age, every example	Swiss K31, Yugo M48, M1 Garand, Lee-Enfield No. 4	Production ended more than 50 years ago, so every original qualifies
C&R by age, some examples	Colt Python, Walther P1, Bulgarian Makarov, Chinese SKS	Only guns made at least 50 years ago qualify, so check the date

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C&R Guns on ATF’s List

Nine guns ATF names in its curio and relic list, which runs from January 1972 through April 2025. These are the easiest C&R buys, because the paperwork question is already answered and a licensed collector can take interstate delivery without guessing at a date.

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1. Polish P-64: The Cheapest C&R Pistol

• Caliber: 9×18 Makarov
• Action: Blowback, double action/single action, 6 rounds
• Made: At the Lucznik factory in Radom, in service from 1965
• C&R because: ATF lists every Polish P-64, all serial numbers

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	3/5
Shootability	3/5
Value	5/5

The P-64 replaced the Tokarev in Polish army and police service in 1965, and it’s still in Polish inventories today. It’s built like a Walther PPK, a small all-steel blowback with an exposed hammer, chambered for 9×18 Makarov.

ATF’s list covers Polish P-64 pistols with all serial numbers, so every one you’ll find is C&R. Classic Firearms had one in very good to excellent condition at $249.99 when I checked. Our list of military surplus pistols compares it with 14 other service handguns.

The double-action pull is heavy enough that most shooters just cock the hammer. Our classic European pistols list covers the Radom VIS 35 made at the same factory.

Best For: New C&R collectors who want a cheap first pistol to ship to the door.

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2. Makarov PM: The C&R Classic

• Caliber: 9×18 Makarov
• Action: Blowback, double action/single action, 8 rounds
• Made: Over 5 million since 1949, in the USSR and several other countries
• C&R because: ATF lists Russian and East German Makarovs; others by age

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	4/5
Value	4/5

The Makarov became the Soviet service pistol in 1951 to replace the Tokarev, and more than five million have been made. It’s one of the most reliable pistols ever built, with very few parts.

Here’s the catch most dealer listings skip. ATF’s list names Russian and East German Makarovs only, so a Bulgarian Makarov is C&R only if it was made at least 50 years ago. Check the date on the gun, or ask the dealer before you send them your license.

Classic Firearms had a Bulgarian Arsenal Makarov at $349.99, and BattleHawk Armory had a very good used one at $459.46. Our Makarov pistol guide covers the Soviet, East German and Bulgarian guns.

Best For: Collectors who want one reliable Cold War pistol they will actually shoot.

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3. Chinese Type 54 Tokarev: The Budget Tokarev

• Caliber: 7.62×25 Tokarev
• Action: Short recoil, single action, 8 rounds
• Made: About 420,000 in China, 1954 to 1985
• C&R because: ATF lists Chinese Type 51 and Type 54 pistols

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	3/5
Shootability	4/5
Value	4/5

China copied the Soviet TT-33 as the Type 51, then replaced it with the Type 54 in 1954, and made roughly 420,000 of them up to 1985. Inside it’s John Browning’s tilting-barrel system, simplified for mass production.

ATF lists Chinese Type 51 and Type 54 Tokarev pistols as C&R. Classic Firearms had a Norinco Type 54 in good to very good condition at $350 when I checked.

The 7.62×25 round is loud, fast and fun, but only 15 loaded listings turned up across our dealers. A Tokarev has no manual safety in the usual sense, so it’s carried with the hammer down or at half-cock. Our Tokarev pistol guide covers every Tokarev variant, from the Soviet TT-33 to the Yugoslav M57.

Best For: Shooters who want a cheap C&R pistol in a cartridge nothing else shoots.

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4. CZ-52: The Roller-Locked Oddball

• Caliber: 7.62×25 Tokarev
• Action: Roller-locked short recoil, single action, 8 rounds
• Made: Around 200,000 at Strakonice, 1952 to 1954
• C&R because: ATF lists the Czechoslovakian CZ52 pistol

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	3/5
Value	5/5

Czechoslovakia built around 200,000 of these between 1952 and 1954, with a roller-locked action no other service pistol copied. It served about 30 years before the vz. 82 replaced it.

Every CZ-52 is over 70 years old, and ATF lists it by name anyway. Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore had a used trade-in at $299.99 when I checked, and Guns.com had one at $450.99.

Shoot standard-pressure 7.62×25, not hot surplus loaded for submachine guns, because the rollers can wear. The trigger is heavy, and that’s by design.

Best For: Collectors who like odd engineering and want it for about $300.

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5. Nagant M1895 Revolver: The Gas-Seal Revolver

• Caliber: 7.62x38R Nagant
• Action: Double action, 7-round cylinder that moves forward to seal
• Made: About 2 million, made at Tula from 1898
• C&R because: ATF lists Tula-made M1895s made after 1898

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	2/5
Value	4/5

Leon Nagant’s revolver was the Russian Army’s sidearm from 1895, and Russia moved production to the Tula Arsenal in 1898. About two million were made. When you cock it, the cylinder slides forward and seals the gap to the barrel.

ATF lists Tula-made Nagant M1895 revolvers made after 1898, in 7.62 Nagant and .22. Classic Firearms had one at $399.99, and Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore had one at $549.99.

Ammo is the problem. I found only 6 listings of loaded 7.62x38R across our dealers. Cock it single action, because the double-action pull is the heaviest I’ve felt on any revolver. Our WW1 guns guide covers its service history.

Best For: Collectors who want a Russian revolver with a story, not a range gun.

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6. Luger P08: The Collector Pistol

• Caliber: 9mm Luger, some in 7.65 Parabellum
• Action: Toggle-locked short recoil, 8 rounds
• Made: About 3 million, 1900 to 1953
• C&R because: ATF lists all Lugers made before 1946

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	3/5
Value	3/5

Georg Luger’s toggle-lock pistol gave the world the 9mm Luger cartridge, and it served Germany through both world wars. It’s one of the first guns most C&R collectors chase.

ATF’s list covers every Luger model and variation made before 1946. Classic Firearms had a 1938 Mauser S/42 at $1,650 and a 1917 DWM at $1,850, both from a private collection.

Check the numbers on the frame, toggle and barrel before you pay a matching-numbers price. Our Luger pistol guide covers makers, dates and fakes.

Best For: Collectors ready to spend real money on the pistol that started it all.

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7. Mosin-Nagant: The First C&R Rifle

• Caliber: 7.62x54R
• Action: Bolt action, 5-round internal magazine
• Made: Tens of millions, from 1891
• C&R because: ATF lists every Russian Model 1891 made after 1898

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	4/5
Value	5/5

The Mosin-Nagant is the rifle that got a generation into C&R collecting. ATF’s list covers Russian Model 1891 rifles of every model and variation made after 1898, naming the M1891/30, M1910, M1938 and M1944.

Classic Firearms had a Russian M44 carbine at $399.99 and a Finnish M39 at $699.99 when I checked. Finnish rifles don’t need a list entry, because they were made more than 50 years ago.

A decent one shoots 2 to 3 inches at 100 yards, the bolt is stiff and the trigger is gritty. Our Mosin-Nagant buying guide covers the M44, the Finnish rifles and prices by model.

Best For: Anyone starting a C&R collection on a budget.

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8. SKS: The C&R Semi-Auto

• Caliber: 7.62×39
• Action: Gas-operated semi-auto, 10-round fixed magazine
• Made: Soviet production 1949 to 1958, then China, Yugoslavia and others
• C&R because: ATF lists Soviet, Yugoslav and Albanian SKS rifles

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	5/5
Value	5/5

The SKS is the C&R rifle I’d hand a new shooter. It’s light, it kicks like a .243, and it runs on the same 7.62×39 as an AK, with 213 loaded listings across our dealers.

ATF lists the Soviet-made SKS, the Yugoslav M59 and M59/66 and the Albanian SKS by name. A Chinese SKS counts only by age, which is why dealers mark each one C&R eligible in the listing. Our guide to Vietnam War guns covers the SKS and its part in that war.

Classic Firearms had a Chinese Type 56 military turn-in at $399.99, a Yugoslav rifle at $479.99 and an all-matching Russian one at $1,500. Our best SKS rifles roundup breaks down every version.

Best For: Shooters who want a semi-auto C&R rifle they can feed cheaply.

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9. Czech vz. 52 Rifle: The Rare-Cartridge Rifle

• Caliber: 7.62×45 Czech, later 7.62×39 as the vz. 52/57
• Action: Gas-operated semi-auto, 10-round magazine
• Made: In Czechoslovakia from the early 1950s
• C&R because: ATF lists the Model 1952 and 1952/57 rifles

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	2/5
Value	4/5

Czechoslovakia built the vz. 52 with its own 7.62×45 cartridge, a tipping-bolt action and a bayonet that folds into the stock. Soviet pressure later forced a switch to 7.62×39, and those rifles are the vz. 52/57.

ATF lists both the Model 1952 and 1952/57 rifles. Classic Firearms had a vz. 52 in good surplus condition at $499.99 when I checked, and Guns.com had one at $575.99.

Know what you’re buying. I found zero listings of loaded 7.62×45 across our dealers, so an original 52 is a handloader’s rifle, while the 52/57 runs on common 7.62×39 and has a chrome-lined bore.

Best For: Collectors who want the Czech rifle and don’t mind making their own ammo.

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Military Rifles That Are C&R by Age

Four service rifles that came to the US as military surplus, and whose production ended long enough ago that every original is now C&R. None of them needs a list entry.

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10. Swiss K31: The Precision Relic

• Caliber: 7.5×55 Swiss
• Action: Straight-pull bolt action, 6-round magazine
• Made: 528,230, standard Swiss issue from 1933 to 1958
• C&R because: Every one is more than 50 years old

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	5/5
Value	3/5

Switzerland issued the K31 from 1933 to 1958, and citizen soldiers kept theirs at home and looked after them. That’s why so many come out of service with bores that still look close to new.

With 528,230 made and the last in 1958, every K31 is C&R by age. Classic Firearms had one with diopter sights at $1,099.99 when I checked.

Feed it 7.5×55 Swiss, which had 12 loaded listings across our dealers. With good ammo mine groups right around 1.5 inches at 100 yards, as good as a lot of new hunting rifles.

Best For: Shooters who want the most accurate C&R rifle on the list.

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11. Yugoslav M48 Mauser: The Budget Mauser

• Caliber: 8mm Mauser
• Action: Intermediate-length Mauser bolt action, 5 rounds
• Made: More than 1.2 million, 1950 to 1965
• C&R because: Every one is more than 50 years old

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	3/5
Shootability	4/5
Value	5/5

Yugoslavia built the M48 after the war on a slightly shorter Mauser action, more than 1.2 million of them between 1950 and 1965. The last one turned 50 in 2015, so every M48 and M48A is C&R.

Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore had an M48A in fair condition at $329.99, and Classic Firearms had good surplus rifles at $499.99. That’s Mauser history for well under German K98k money.

It shoots 8mm Mauser, which had 83 loaded listings across our dealers. Our Mauser rifle guide covers the M48, M48A and M24/47.

Best For: Collectors who want a Mauser without paying German collector prices.

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12. M1 Garand: The C&R Grail You Can Shoot

• Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
• Action: Gas-operated semi-auto, 8-round en-bloc clip
• Made: 5,468,772 from 1937 to 1957
• C&R because: Every original is more than 50 years old

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	5/5
Value	3/5

The Garand was the US service rifle of World War II and Korea, and 5,468,772 were built from 1937 to 1957. Every original is C&R by age, which is why dealers can ship them to a licensed collector.

Classic Firearms had an original Springfield-made rifle at $1,599.99 when I checked. The .30-06 is the easiest cartridge on this list to feed, with 831 loaded listings across our dealers.

Buy ammo made for the M1, because hot hunting loads can bend the operating rod. Our used M1 Garand guide covers makers, grades and serial ranges.

Best For: Collectors who want the most famous American C&R rifle and plan to shoot it.

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13. Lee-Enfield No. 4: The Fastest Bolt Gun

• Caliber: .303 British
• Action: Rear-locking bolt action, 10-round magazine
• Made: Mass production from mid-1941 in Britain, Canada and the US
• C&R because: Every wartime No. 4 is over 80 years old

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	5/5
Value	4/5

The No. 4 went into mass production in 1941, and it cycles faster than any other surplus bolt gun. The rear-locking action and short bolt throw let you run it from the shoulder.

Every wartime No. 4 is well past 50, so it ships as C&R. Classic Firearms had an NRA surplus Good rifle at $499.99 when I checked, and .303 British had 73 loaded listings across our dealers.

Have the headspace gauged, because Enfields use numbered bolt heads that get swapped. Our Lee-Enfield rifle guide covers every mark.

Best For: Shooters who want a fast, forgiving C&R bolt gun.

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Commercial Classics That Turned C&R

Three collectible guns that were sold over the counter, not issued as military surplus. ATF lists the Model 12 by name, but a Python or a P1 counts only once it passes 50 years in original condition, so the date matters on those two.

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14. Colt Python: The Snake That Turned C&R

• Caliber: .357 Magnum
• Action: Double action, six-round cylinder
• Made: 1955 to 1999, Custom Shop to 2005, and again since 2020
• C&R because: Originals made 50 or more years ago qualify

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	5/5
Shootability	5/5
Value	3/5

Colt introduced the Python in 1955, and its vent rib, full underlug and deep blue finish made it the revolver collectors chase. Regular production ended in 1999, and Colt brought it back in 2020.

An original Python made at least 50 years ago in original condition is C&R, and every year another year’s worth of Pythons joins it. The card shows new production, which is not C&R, and Palmetto State Armory lists a 2.5-inch matte blued Python at $1,135.99.

Buy an original for the collection and a new one to shoot. Our Colt Python review covers the new gun, and our classic revolvers list covers the originals.

Best For: Revolver collectors who want the most famous American wheelgun.

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15. Winchester Model 12: The C&R Shotgun

• Gauge: 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauge
• Action: Hammerless pump action, tube magazine
• Made: Nearly 2 million, August 1912 to May 1964
• C&R because: ATF lists every Model 12 made 1912 through 1963

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	4/5
Shootability	5/5
Value	5/5

Winchester called it the Perfect Repeater, and it built nearly two million between 1912 and May 1964. US troops carried Model 12 trench guns in both world wars.

ATF’s list covers every Model 12 pump shotgun made from 1912 through 1963, serial numbers 1 through 1962017. Not many collectors think of shotguns when they get a license. Guns.com had a consignment gun at $449.99 when I checked.

Early 20 and 16 gauge guns have short chambers, so have a gunsmith check yours before you shoot modern 2 3/4-inch shells. Our classic guns every shooter should own list covers why every shooter should own one.

Best For: Hunters who want a C&R gun they can take into the field.

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16. Walther P1: The Borderline Case

• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Action: Short recoil, double action/single action, 8 rounds
• Made: Postwar P38 from 1957, later as the alloy-framed P1, to 2000
• C&R because: Only guns made 50 or more years ago

Category	Rating
Collector Appeal	3/5
Shootability	4/5
Value	4/5

West Germany brought the wartime P38 back in 1957 with an alloy frame, later named it the P1, and built it until 2000. It’s the gun that shows how the 50-year rule really works.

A P1 made in 1975 or earlier is C&R today, and the 1979 gun in the photo above won’t be until 2029. Check the date of manufacture before you buy one on your license. Guns.com had P1s on consignment at $679.99 and $799.99 when I checked.

Keep it to standard-pressure 9mm, because heavy loads can crack early P1 slides and frames. Our Walther P38 guide covers the wartime guns and the postwar P1.

Best For: Buyers who want a cheap 9mm C&R pistol and will check the date.

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How to Get a C&R License

The C&R license is the cheapest federal firearms license there is, and it’s also the easiest to get. It comes from the Gun Control Act of 1968, it’s a Type 03 FFL, which is why collectors call it an 03 FFL, and you apply on ATF Form 7CR. Here’s the whole process.

1. Download ATF Form 7CR. It’s the application for a Type 03 Collector of Curios and Relics license, and it’s a few pages long.
2. Pay $30. The fee under 27 CFR 478.42 is $10 a year, and a license runs three years. Send a check or money order made out to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
3. Skip the photos and fingerprints. Every other license type needs a photo and an FD-258 fingerprint card for each responsible person. A Type 03 collector license doesn’t.
4. Mail Copy 1 to ATF. It goes to the Federal Firearms Licensing Center, P.O. Box 6200-20, Portland, Oregon 97228-6200.
5. Send Copy 2 to your local chief law enforcement officer. ATF calls that official your CLEO. It’s your local police chief or sheriff, where you’ll keep the collection.
6. Wait for the license, then use it. Send a copy to a dealer before you order, so they can ship a C&R gun to your door.

Under 27 CFR 478.41, your license lets you ship, receive and acquire curios and relics across state lines and sell or trade them to other licensees, subject to state and local law.

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What a C&R License Does and Doesn’t Do

The license only covers curios and relics. Under 27 CFR 478.93, for any other gun it has no force or effect, and you’re treated like anyone without a license.

What it lets you do	What it doesn’t let you do
Have C&R guns shipped to your door from another state	Buy any gun that isn’t C&R, new or used, without a normal dealer transfer
Buy C&R guns from other licensed collectors across state lines	Run a gun business, because buying and selling for profit needs a dealer license
Sell or trade C&R guns to licensees in other states	Override your state or local gun laws
Skip the dealer transfer on a C&R gun, where your state allows it	Take an NFA item off the NFA just because it’s C&R
Buy C&R guns from dealers in other states	Sell any gun to an unlicensed buyer from another state

That last point matters more than it sounds. ATF says NFA firearms can be classified as C&R and still fall under the NFA, so a C&R machine gun or short-barreled rifle still falls under the National Firearms Act and needs NFA paperwork. And your state’s own laws still apply to every gun on this list.

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The Bound Book: What You Have to Record

Getting the license means keeping a record of every C&R gun you acquire or dispose of, in bound form. The rules are in 27 CFR 478.125, and they’re simple if you do them as you go.

• Acquisitions by the next business day. Record each C&R gun no later than the close of the next business day after you get it.
• Dispositions within seven days. Record each sale or trade no later than seven days after it happens.
• What goes in the book. The date, who it came from with their name and address or license number, the maker and importer, the model, serial number, type and caliber or gauge.
• Selling to someone without a license. They have to live in your state. Record their name, address and date of birth, and check their ID, like a driver’s license.
• Inspections. Holding the license means ATF can inspect your records and collection, no more than once in any 12-month period.

Only C&R guns go in the book. A new pistol you bought through a dealer the normal way never touches it.

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When Popular Guns Turn C&R

Because the 50-year rule rolls forward every day, guns you think of as modern are already C&R, or soon will be. Here’s when the first examples of some popular guns crossed the line, based on the year production began.

Gun	Production began	First guns turned C&R	What it means
Remington 870	1950	2000	Every 870 made 50 or more years ago
Colt Python	1955	2005	New Pythons since 2020 are not C&R
Ruger 10/22	1964	2014	Still in production, so date each rifle
Ruger Security-Six	1972	2022	Made until 1988, so every one is C&R by 2038
Ruger Mini-14	1973	2023	Early rifles only
Beretta 92	May 1976	May 2026	The first step-slide 92s just turned C&R
Smith & Wesson Model 686	1981	2031	Five years away
Glock 17	1982	2032	The first Glocks turn C&R in six years
Ruger GP100	1985	2035	Replaced the Security-Six

Each gun turns C&R 50 years after it was made, not when the model came out, and only in its original configuration. A Beretta 92 made in May 1976 is C&R today, and a 1990 one isn’t. If you’re not sure, you can ask ATF to rule on a specific gun. You send a written description and photos, and ATF may ask to examine the gun itself.

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Can You Still Shoot C&R Guns?

Here’s how many listings of loaded ammo each cartridge had across our dealer network on September 29, 2026, and how many dealers carried it.

Cartridge	Guns on this list	Ammo listings	Dealers carrying it
12 gauge	Winchester Model 12	6,415	20
9mm Luger	Luger P08, Walther P1	1,942	20
.30-06 Springfield	M1 Garand	831	16
.357 Magnum	Colt Python	609	15
7.62×39	SKS, vz. 52/57	213	15
8mm Mauser	Yugoslav M48	83	11
.303 British	Lee-Enfield No. 4	73	10
7.62x54R	Mosin-Nagant	38	12
9×18 Makarov	Makarov PM, Polish P-64	20	9
7.62×25 Tokarev	Chinese Type 54, CZ-52	15	7
7.5×55 Swiss	Swiss K31	12	6
7.62x38R Nagant	Nagant M1895	6	6
7.62×45 Czech	Czech vz. 52	0	0

The Garand, Enfield, SKS, Python and Model 12 are easy to feed. The Nagant and the Swiss K31 are harder, and an original vz. 52 in 7.62×45 is a handloader’s rifle, because none of our dealers had a single box.

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How I Picked These 16 C&R Guns

I picked C&R guns that collectors want and that were actually for sale, then sorted them by how they qualify. I checked what our 200+ retailers had on September 29, 2026, and each price card says whether it shows a surplus gun, a used gun or new production.

The legal side comes from ATF’s own curio and relic list, ATF’s C&R page and Form 7CR instructions, and Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations. For guns made in or before 1898, which need no license at all, see our antique firearms guide. For what a used collector gun is worth, see our gun values guide.

Featured image: a scene built around a photo of a Polish P-64 by Fraczekp, Wikimedia Commons, released under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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The Bottom Line

If you’re getting a C&R license, start with a Polish P-64 for about $250 and a Mosin-Nagant or SKS for about $400, because all three are on ATF’s list and cheap to shoot. Want one serious rifle? Make it an M1 Garand. And before you buy anything that only counts by age, check the date on the gun, not the date in the listing.

A C&R license won’t help you with a new pistol, but it covers every gun on this list, and at $30 for three years it pays for itself on the second gun you have shipped.

Frequently Asked Questions