Home Forums Gear Free Classifieds minty 1952 model 70 257 roberts. What is it worth?

I have an opportunity to buy a like new non featherweight model 70 made in apx 1952 in 257 Roberts. No box etc. but other than that, no wear on it. What is a specimen like this worth? What would YOU pay for it if you had the chance to buy it, assuming it is correctly described?

Private party sale? Original steel buttplate? Chamber verified as a 257 Roberts (I've seen some punched of that vintage to 25/06 and the barrels not marked to indicate the change)?

Assuming yes to the above three questions, and given that I am a shooter and not a collector, I would pay no more than $1200 for the rifle and would be hard pressed to go above $1000.

They are rare-ish, and worth good money, but if you're a shooter and a user in the first year you'll depreciate that rifle substantially so factor that in to the purchase price you are willing to pay.

The only way it increases in value is if you never use it; and what is it really worth then?

Safariman,

Can I go to garage sales with you.............

What do you want to do with said rifle?

I am not sure I want to spend the bucks. Guy that has it inherited it and wants to sell it, I am trying to make sure he gets a fair shake yet I get a good deal if I buy it. If it is worth $2,000 or so and someone here wants it for that then I would simply act as a middelman and help another here get a rifle he or she wants. If I could (should?) get it for under $1,000 it could go in the safe for a while to wait for the grandkids to get older or be an investment but I cannot 'invest' much more than that, if that, during this particular time of my life. I know about model 70's from a rifle builders perspective but am not an expert on what the semi rare calibers are really worth so am seeking guidance from those in the know.

Oregon45, it is still a 257 Roberts and has not been Bubba'ed or even hunted with. As said before, is a like new rifle.

If it is truly like new, and you want the seller to get a fair shake, I'd take pictures of it and post it here. There's a Roberts fan out there who would pay 1500-1600 most likely.

A good gauge for rare-ish pre-64's is Cabela's Gun Library. Their prices trend high, but they're not ridiculous like Gunbroker.

Can you please e-mail more info on the 257 Roberts? I am new to Campfire so I am trying not sure how to go about all of this. My e-mail is bwu512aol.com. Those guns bring alot down here in Texas if it is truly like new. Thanks, Brian

A shop here in CT has a pre 64 Featherweight 308 for $1150 thats in good cond, ie a little marked up here and there.

They also have pre 64 standard grade in 257 Roberts. I did not handle that one but from a distance the stock finish looks almost too new. They are asking $2250 for that one.

While I revor the 257 Roberts cartridge and Pre 64 M70's from my friend having one and how well he shot it (talent). I would pass on a standard grade as they are so heavy.

On the other hand if the rifleman is 6' 2" tall, strong and young then take it varmint hunting. Col. Whelan did!

In that condition I'd say $1750 - $2100.

Sad, but true. Great rifle, but a bit overwhelming for the diminutive Rob.

Cabelas prices in the gun library are 30% above retail, so I don't consider them a good/fair judge of value. Area will play a big factor and Pre-64's have taken a huge drop in prices the last year or so.
Pictures and the internet will gain the best selling price, if it were mine, I would list it on one of the auction sites with a starting price of 1500.00 and let the market run the price.

I beg to differ on prices "fallen" on pre'64's. While the market has slowed down on certain guns,p/64's hold value,if the price is lowered, it's because someone is in need to move it,without regards to it's real market value.The standard of M70's are .270 and .30/06's,everything else is a "want"...

Also,concerning Cabelas Library,some of the so called high-prices may be a lot of bunk,as I have found they tend to PAY higher prices for good guns with condition. I have dealt with them many years and gotten a clean deal,coming and going.

If the above gun,is clean and a real .257 Bob,it's a fair shake in the $1800 range.... Not a lot of them made!

A minty 257 Robts will bring $2000, even on a depressed market, and right now that is about where the top value on one is....

All this economy has done to the gun/rifle market is slow it down, I have not seen any decreases in value as yet..In fact most have gone up in value..A good example is the Rem 721s and 722/s, the Savage 99s and most of all the Win. M-54s that less than two years ago fetched $395 if you could find a buyer and today they are asking $1000 for one in very good condition! Beats the hell out of stocks and bonds.

Pistol sales have zoomed and prices have gone out of sight. Ammo, powder and primers are almost non existant by comparison.

Well, I beg to differ. I do guns shows every weekend and the price has fallen a bunch here in Wa. state. This is not to say some sellers are asking huge prices but those guns are not moving.
A rock solid 257 is worth every bit of 1500 to me but there are bargins around every corner.
Here is a quick search ......

http://www.durysguns.com/inventory/profile/winchester_70_.257_roberts_used_gun_inv_107326/

Read the original poster's statement of "like-new"...

Gun Shows tend to be for the quick sale or get "rich" quick crowd.
at times,a lot of talk,but not a real market indicator with a good dealer behind it.....

Your example clearly is a 75% condition gun,at best...

2k is fair for buyer and seller if gun is original and not restored. Some places it will bring more, some less. 52 is probably the best year for a post war gun, still has the lapped barrels and machine work still excellent. A 52 257 Robt SG sits in the safe along side a 53 solid bolt 308 FWT and prewar 250-3000. If your buddy runs across a post war 70 250-3000 mine needs a buddy.

I have bought from Drury and returned the item because the description didn't match the item, I even called before buying and was told it was excellent, yea right.

Your example has a hole in the left wall of the receiver and the rear sight is missing, I don't trust their bore descriptions period.

TxT

Jimmyd223: Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy!
I have spent my share of time in various Cabelas Gun Libraries and it's just a fact of life that pretty often those "over-priced" guns sell!
I have seen it happen on many an occassion!
The Gun Library out in Lacey, Washington had a Remington 40XB that I wanted a year or so ago. I was ferrying back and forth at the time doing body guard details I made an offer on that Rifle that was not accepted. Humph and alas, I said to myself I will be back hereabouts in a month and just let them sit on that high priced Rifle a while!
When I returned that Rifle was GONE!
Back to the Rifle in question, IF, said 257 Roberts is indeed "minty" and original it is worth far more than $1,500.00!
I would buy said Rifle at that price so fast it would make your head swim!
I sold a near mint condition 257 Roberts solid bolt pre-64 Winchester Model 70 to Maury Jacobson of Bellevue, Washington back in 1994 for $1,200.00! That was 15 years ago or so.
It was not a year later that Maury (a life member of the W.A.C.) re-sold it for a profit down at the Vegas show!
Remember Jimmy that there were only 581,000 (or so) of these Rifles ever made - thousands - tens of thousands of them have been butchered up beyond recognition.
Many have been destroyed through normal attrition.
Tens of thousands more have been made into custom Rifles.
About 2,000 of them were re-called by the Winchester Company as possibly defective.
Many more are in museums.
Mint condition Model 70's are rare and STILL in high demand, obama recession or not!
You are indeed correct about location, location, location though.
I have made a LOT of money buying arms in the Rocky Mountain states and taking them to the coast and re-selling them for a profit!
I definitely have NOT seen a "huge drop in prices in the last year or so" like you describe.
And again this is especially true with mint condition collector guns like Winchester Model 70's, Colt auto pistols, Colt revolvers, lever action pre-1900 Winchesters, collector quality Marlin lever arms and etc.
If an arm gets listed for $1,500.00 and its worth $2,000.00 or $2,200.00 then there will be no "course" to be taken - the arm will sell and the original owner will have $1,500.00 when he could have obtained more.
Long live the pre-64 Winchester Model 70!
Hope to see you at the December or January show out in "rain country"!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I'll be the first to admit that I'm opening an apples to oranges argument with....

I recently purchase at pre-war M70 in 257 Roberts Ser. 27,XXX. Far from original or mint. Recoil pad added on otherwise solid original stock, bridge drilled for scope and metal reblued. The action is very solid.

When a person looks for a pre-war or pre-64 rifle, they either are looking for the collectability, the idea of better metal, the hand built actions or whatever the reason. They are not looking for something to go bang or they could put themselves in a gun for less money.

What does a Rem M700 Anniv edition .257 Roberts sell new for now $800-900?? I had to give $1200 for the pre-war version.

Did I pay to much? I personally don't think so but it doesn't really matter as it is in my safe ready to kill this fall.

Well said guys..and I'll add while I have been looking for a couple of years for a Win 70/ .257Bob in 90%+, I found an nice Mannlicher in .257 BOB for a lot more than I was planning to spend,but it was a really clean 1952 carbine and it shoots.
I hope we get some photos on this one !!

I sold a Roberts last Spring at a gun show.$2200.00 and the buyer did not even try to haggle.

I would expect it to sell between 2500 and 3k on gunbroker if it is as advertised. I would jump on it at 2k. These things are hot commodities.