In the 1958 GUN DIGEST the basic Remington 721 is listed at $95.25, the "standard" Model 70 Winchester at $129.95. This may not seem like much, but it's the same difference as between rifle costing $500 today and one costing $682.
The Savage 99-EG is listed at $113.65. The lowest grade of Weatherby Mark V was $265.
I have some old AMERICAN RIFLEMANS from that period but ain't going to drag them out right now. I do remember magazine ads in the early 60s that had SMLEs for as little as $10-15, military Mausers for $20, and Springfields of various kinds from $30 to $40.
I just grabbed an American Rifleman dated December 1948 that has a price tag of .35 per copy on the front cover.
New 1911 Colt .45 was $65.00 postpaid from Klien's, same price as a K-22 Masterpiece.
Special! Enfield 30/06 DEER RIFLE, model 1917 in very good shooting condition for $44.50.
L. C. Smith dbl. bbl. shotgun, all calibers, $96.10.
Ithaca 37 $83.50.
And you could open an "easy payment plan" at Klien's.
In the classifieds, I find a pre-war model 70 in .22 Hornet with a model 440 Weaver scope, all in excellent condition for $135.00.
Couldn't find any model 70s or 721s.
In 1948 I worked tying wires on a Case wire-tie hay baler for .50 per hour. That was my night job and then after the hay got too dry to bale, we hauled bales for three cents per bale.
Things have changed!
