Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors How About This $2800 (so far) .22 Short Model 56 ?

45 bidders so far, with almost a day to go.......

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=279173670

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What was that thing new, $7?

Giddy Up!

Rangr44: Its up to $3,341.00 now!
I have some advice for the new owner of that little Rifle - don't loose the magazine!!!
That is impressive.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The "blue book" says 1650.00 in 100% condition. Wrong again.

I wouldn't amend the price in the Blue book to $3580 just because a couple guys bid it up that high. We often see inexplicable prices at auctions and I don't think each new higher price fetched establishes what the going rate is around the country.

Boltman: I have to kind of disagree with you - in effect YOU are saying the Winchester Model 56 would not bring in $3,580.00 if offered for public sale - your contention is obviously wrong.
The Blue Book is obviously wrong as well.
I could personally point out literally hundreds of instances of QUALITY firearms selling for more than their stated "Blue Book value".
I look upon the Blue Book as a reference and a guide with lots of good and factual information but OFTEN the Blue Books values are understated when compared to real life sales of QUALITY arms.
Yeah... indeed... the new "going rate" for Model 56's in this condition is MUCH closer to the $3,580.00 than to the "Blue Book value" of $1,650.00.
Thats a $1,930.00 difference - I would contend that if an exactly similar Rifle came up for sale again in this particular venue it would virtually bring the same price - would it not?
I recently purchased a S&W revolving pistol for $180.00 more than "Blue Book value" - and I was happy to get that arm at that price!
The market sets the price more realistically than the Blue Book Of Gun Values - yeah... amending the Blue Book in this instance would be a good idea in fact - again, would it not be?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

IMO the blue book does hold some good information, however, I do believe you have to take some of the values in there with a grain of salt. I know that it can be difficult to find some firearms they have listed at the prices they have them listed for. I know some of the prices on Colt SAA's in the blue book, especially 3rd gens, I would buy as many as I could afford at those prices. Winchesters and Smith's seem to also be somewhat under priced depending upon models, etc. Although, I do think that there is that extremely rare time when someone just happens to find a couple of people that want the same thing right now, and that can terribly inflate a price, I do think those times are very few and far between. (Happened to me once when I sold a modern Marlin for 1800.00). The blue book has it's place, and it can be a good guideline for buying guns, but I think if you really want a clear picture of what a particular firearm will bring in the market, take a look at completed auctions on GB and take your average from there.

I have also seen plenty of examples where I believe prices in the Blue Book are too low. However, if we use some logic, if another M56 in .22 short came up for sale, why should it sell for anywhere close to $3580? This particular auction came down to only two bidders once it hit $2000 and they slugged it out all the way to the end. So, for one guy, the itch got scratched; for the other guy not. So we know there remains one guy out there who is likely still willing to pay over $3500 for one of these, but where is the other guy to drive it up that far? From what I can tell, if another one came along it is more likely the bidding would top out closer to $2000.