????

And when/does a low SN start adding value?

#109 (action only)

Prolly late second/early third month production Feb/March 1936. I bought it on gunbroker for $680 back in the early 2000s. Was a .270 Win in bad shape, used the action, chunked the rest.








The only intact one I have still is 12111 (10/1937), also a .270. Both of these have the "original" first version of the wing safety- the one without the notch/retaining pin. Haven't quite yet figured out what do do with this one yet.

I am not a collector, am partial to Pre Wars and am in the process of replacing my Pre 64s with Pre Wars. In the past I've paid $1000 for H&H and $700 for std donors. Thank Christ I have all the actions/donors I need as I wouldn't pay some of the prices I see today.

Mine is 66xxx.....

I believe it is 1948 vintage .......

Tony

THe earliest one I had was #1534 but I sold it a couple years ago, it was a 30/06.

I've got one in the 45xxx range and another in the 54xxx range. Can't remember exact digits. Both are 30-06, the 45 is a standard rifle, the 54xxx is a target rifle made prior to the transitional models.

My 22 hornet is 41xxx. At one time I had a 39xxx .270, but I sold it a few years ago.

I had to look at my records to see what the earliest M70 I currently own it #868XX, it a 257 SG Carbine transition.

Just 50 behind it is a 270 SG and a couple thousand after that is a 22 Hornet Carbine.

Battue: I have a Model 70 Bull Gun in "300 Magnum" with a serial number of 4,5xx - I have owned earlier guns but they have been traded away.
I passed on buying serial number "6" some years ago - wish now I had paid the freight on that one!
As a general comment on your other inquiry "when does a low SN start adding value" - anytime would be my answer.
And when comparing similar gun to similar gun (in the pre-64 Model 70 line!) the general rule is the lower the serial number the more the additional value.
The bigger the difference in serial numbers the MORE value will be added to the lower numbered Rifle.
For instance using MY evaluations of my Bull Gun with serial number 4,5xx I surmise it is worth about $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 more than my Bull Gun with serial number 535,5xx (they are in similat minty condition)!
If the serial numbers were only a few hundred or a couple thousand numbers different then not much difference at all but when the number is 100,000 or more different then the valuations can be significantly different.
Long live the Riflemans Rifle.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Right now SN 75,735 a transition ,30-06 that I got thru Mark ( Safariman) is that earliest, I am tickled to heaven with the gun and plan on nailing a whitetail with her next bluebird day. We are in full bull stinking buck rut right now in SW GA, these guys are not eating just chasing the golden poontain. You have to whistle or shoot to get them to stop and pick their heads up for the shot. Yesterdays buck had pine bark all thru his horns from working his scrape line and polishing his horns. very best

57XXX 300 H&H.

Gunner

I have one with 4xx SN and 3 other 4 digit SN's

5149, an absolutely mint Standard Hornet I bought from the original owner's 70 y/o daughter several years ago....

Mr Whitebird ,you and Mr Balltown take som pixs, the guns I have seen from you guys collections thus far have been breath taking.This is one forun,websight I never tire of. Keep the photos coming guys! very best

Ball game price on a known 3 digit-in the 5s-known closet queen? However,no box or tags.

Forgot: .30-06

I am not a model 70 collector.. Have owned a couple, but only a post 64 now from a relative.. But 20 years ago, a guy down the street passed away.. Jim and I were friends, but not close.. I had admired his .220 Swift several times at the range.. It had a Noske(?) scope on it in a Snith mount.. Hope I spelled those close.. It was his coyote rifle, and sometimes deer rifle.. Anyway, his sister offered to sell me the rifle.. Jim had wrapped the barrel with electrical tape to cut down the glare when hunting coyotes..
I knew if I had it I would want a better scope and would use it for coyotes.. It was just too cool for someone to shoot coyotes with.. So I suggested they take it to my old trap shooting buddy.. He was a major model 70 collector.. Anyway Claude bought the gun, and when he unwrapped the tape it was almost perfect.. The serial # was either 725 or 750.. I don't remember now.. But I think his daughter has the rifle to this day..

Several years ago I handled a 30-06 in a pawnshop and if I remember correctly the serial# was 1XXX. Had a custom stock and
a side mount.

Lordy Mr Reelman, What kind of money would that jewel bring on today's market as it has it ALL, 257Bob, carbine,transition then throw Super Grade as your cherry on top!!

Was at a gun show in Houston in the late 80'sor early 90's and saw one that was no.9.. My lowest no. is 35xxx in 270.

Not sure what it would bring as I've never seen one available for sale. I messed up as this is not my earliest, I forgot to put my one remaining Pre-War in my files! Not sure of the number but it's a Pre-War Carbine in 250/3000. I made a display of my 3 carbines as there is a Pre-War 250, Transition 257, and Post-War 22H (actually it's a type 3 transition) to show the differences in the different actions.

I remember reading an article in American Rifleman a couple years ago about M70 serial number 1. If I remember correctly they found it hanging in a gun rack in a pick up in Wyoming where it was bounced around all those years!

[quote=reelman
Not sure what it would bring as I've never seen one available for sale. I messed up as this is not my earliest, I forgot to put my one remaining Pre-War in my files! Not sure of the number but it's a Pre-War Carbine in 250/3000. I made a display of my 3 carbines as there is a Pre-War 250, Transition 257, and Post-War 22H (actually it's a type 3 transition) to show the differences in the different actions. [/quote]

Now those are some impressive guns....

Mr. Battue, Going on what little you give us and no pix, history, what % closet rash ( gotta have a little), My gut says 10K... I drolled over a 25K mod 70 this morning. very best WINCHESTERPOOR

I don't think even a minty, original 3-digit prewar Standard in .30/06 will bring anywhere near 10K...$4K-$5K seems to be a good number, IMO, and then the right buyer has to be found....

The scarcest 70 I now have is a mint pre-war SG Carbine in.30/06 that I figure is in the $7,500 range....Reelman's .257 is probably a $15K gun, IMO...

http://www.gunsinternational.com/WINCHESTER-70-SUPER-GRADE-SPECIAL-ORDER-30-06.cfm?gun_id=100402617
http://www.gunsinternational.com/WI...ORDER-257-ROBERTS.cfm?gun_id=1003778733.
I feel certain that I could reduce my battery down to just these two guns, with an extra pair of the Pacific Research, Rimrock stocks, so as to protect the nice funiture and get along the rest of my varmint,whitetail days with a touch of class !!! LMAO, You folks can rest assured I would zero them the day I got my cattle dung hands on them!!! very best and Happy Christmes fellow Winchester folks

Mr Balltown, Ive been up with my wife half the night, sleep deprived, I thought reading his post that the gun was to ,wanted to sell in 5 numbers, that is where the 10K came from.
As much as I would love to own,hunt and shoot Mr Echols ' legend in 30-06 I would have much more fun taking that 15K and investing in pre 64's and finding one that shot as good OR better than.. Happy Christmas eve folk. very best

While Im dreaming like a 9 yr old boy,were I to hit that power ball or sell 250,000 semen straws off my Brahman bull for $25.00 a straw, Mr Rule owns a late SN, 581,257, Varminter special order in .257 BOB that is my favorite gun in his collection.It is a 'class 1' Special order, Mr Nick Kusmit did the bling work. Im not a 'bling' kinda guy I had rather have a 5 shot cloverleaf at 200 yards any day but I'm willing to bet that bad boy will 'DO IT' with the right +P powder, bullet combo,The 'Bling has a world of ,no telling how many hours of classy hard work, that turkey on the action is understated beautiful as is the red fox, since we have no groundhogs in SW GA, I wish Mr Kusmit had done a crow on the floor-plate. Lordy I could slay crows in the pecan grove or whitetails in the white oak grove... very best guys , I must get off this Winchester sight and start the pecan wood burning for a 32 lb fresh( as in killed at 6 am this morning) ham a smoking....

I have to agree $10K sounds pretty high. 3 digits will command a premium but not that much IMHO. I think it also matters where in the 3 digits it is. If it's #100 it's worth more than #950. Again just my opinion but I would say a 3 digit would bring $500-$1000 over a normal Pre-War. Now if it is a 220 Swift with serial number 220 or 257 with #257 I could see the value going way up.

I insured my 257 for $10K but I don't think that's a real world value of it, I always though of it as about a $7500 gun along with the 250/3000 Carbine and the 22Hornet at about $5000. I have a 358 with a 24" standard weight sightless barrel that I also put in the $7500 range.

I sold a minty transition Standard Carbine in .250/3000 about seven years ago to a Winchester dealer for $6,500...don't know what he got for it...sold a mint 1950 Standard Hornet Carbine with a little fiddleback in the rear of the butt for $5,000 to another dealer about the same time....

I'm sure the dealers had buyers for these guns. Steve Barnett is getting some scarce guns but I am not sure how many he sells...he'll advertise guns for awhile then pull the ads and re-list later....I've bought guns from him when I was into 70s and never had a bad experience but as with any collectables the buyer better have both eyes open and make damn sure a return privilege is in writing...

That high condition .257 is so rare that a $15K asking price is not out of line, IMO...

There was a guy in Michigan making .358 Standard barrels....I once saw a Michigan scofflaw with three Standards on his table at an OGCA show....

Buying collectable 70s is liking buying diamond jewelry....you better trust the seller or you could be in trouble...Allen Postel is one of the best 70 dealers around...Randy Shuman is another....I can't think of any others I'd unconditionally recommend ....'nuff said....

I believe Roger Rule owns serial# 2.

I own a 30-06 with a serial # in the low 30's.

Never thought I would own another std. 30-06, other than maybe a nice transition era specimen which definitely are my "favorite"!

I've mentioned this story before, but I'll tell it again as it still gives me goosebumps to think about it... I wandered in to a local pawnshop that usually had ~20-30 guns stuffed into an old safe that is made to hold about half of that. Word had it that a group of the local LEO's had first shot at any of the good stuff that had come in, so I'd never expected to find much of any interest. This particular day, I noticed what looked like a Model 70 barrel down in the safe! Further inspection showed that it was in good shape, appeared original with an intact stock, was a pre-war gun, with intact sights and no extra holes in the bridge! I was a little disappointed when I noticed it was an '06... was hoping for an odd ball chambering of some sort. Then I remember turning it over and looking at the serial #. I think I stared at it for a minute or so not believing what I saw.

Then the Model 70 "adrenaline surge" kicked in! I looked at the price (under $700), put a "death clamp" on the gun and skulked to the cash register. I've never filled out paperwork so fast in my whole life.

It sits in my safe for the most part. I pull it out about once a month, look at it, check the serial # just to make sure it wasn't a dream, and shoulder it a time or two. Nothing else quite like it in my little collection. 1936 was a good year for Model 70's and Dad's (my father will be 77 tomorrow on Christmas Day!).

I will add that I would love to hear the whole history of my particular rifle. I tried to get some contact info. on the people who "pawned" the gun but was unsuccessful due to "privacy laws".

I could envision a local corporate "big wig" with the coal mines in that era with connections back East getting their hands on one of the "early" guns. I can only speculate though.

From what I've read however, the first 100 guns were all std. 30-06's. I believe the first 17 guns were actually assembled the end of 1935.

Fun stuff. Hard to believe this was almost 80 years ago and we're still making a fuss about it!!!

I owned Model-70 serial number 125.

My wife and I were starving college students and I was working at a gun shop in Sellwood, Oregon. An old man came in and wanted to trade-in his old m-70. It was in gorgeous shape, no extra drilled & tapped holes and had a blonde stock.

My boss didn't take trade-ins, so I worked out a cash deal with the old man. I've forgotten how much I paid him, but it was in the neighborhood of fifty dollars (a new M-70 was like $109 then in the early 60s).

I held onto the rifle for maybe six months and sold it for about $1,000 to Lou Leonard, the owner of Leonard Smoke Shops in Portland.

Hey, it paid for a full years tuition and books for me and the wife.

That was fifty years ago ... it still seems like a good bargain.

kd

......and you've been a remington 700 owner ever since. Right?...

bsa1917hunter,

If I said anything that offended you, I totally apologize.

I AM really, really sorry.

To answer your question (if it IS a question): Because of my position in the firearms industry, I very seldom shot Winchesters of any kind.

kd

kd, I do not see how what you said could have possibly offended anyone. And I agree, the money was well spent. I largely educated three daughters by cutting personal expenses and buying and selling Winchesters, Brownings, and Sakos. They all graduated debt free. My youngest, now 39, recently told me that her college roommate was just now paying off her student loan.

I had and sold some that I wish I had back, but they sold for the better good.

Jack

1940 Super Grade in 30-06. 99%.

A treasure.

1949 Supergrade 30-06. Also owned a 21 Custom, got papers from the Cody Museum. Final inspection was dated December 5 , 1941.

My personal Holy Grail, Supergrade Carbines. Very nice!