How safe are antique guns?

Are they safe to fire? My stubborn dad (he’s 74 years-old) has an antique Winchester rifle that he shoots about twice a year just for fun.
I’m afraid it’s so old it’ll explode in his face and kill him!
But I can’t convince him that it’s dangerous!
Is it dangerous or am I being paranoid?
He takes very good care of it but it’s sooooo old!
Does anyone know if it’s safe?

I’m going to Hedge and say YES& NO. LIke Booker, many collect and use older weapons with out a problem.

BUT….. That is not a blanket yes. First, Any weapon of that age should have its head space checked. Also the metalurgy of the time is a real issue. Cracks, poor heat treatment, the use of Damascus barrels and the increased pressures of smokeless ammo are all real issues. Many factories power down ammo for these guns. Winchester’s in general seem to last a long time. However, I would have it check by a gunsmith. Parts wear, rust or break anyway. So beter to better to be safe than sorry. A good example of this is the 1903 rifle. There are still many Rock Island and early Springfield’s that can not be fired due to poor heat treatment.

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