Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Don't go to mark fore and strike in reno

If you are looking for a good deal. None to be found there!! They had one std grade pre 64 30-06 for $1,800.00!! 3 model 75 targets. 1 with a side mount, no irons and a cheap old scope. Beat to hell. Another in a little better condition with no sights and 1 I looked at more than the other 2 that had the original target sights. That one might be a shooter. All were $499 each. They had a nice classic compact 308w for $1,100. Nothing to write home about though. Powder was $60-$75/pound. Scheels in reno has some small pistol and small rifle match primers. Rem 7 1/2 for $75/brick.

Disappointing day to say the least. No real good deals, but I was going to Reno anyways and thought I'd look at a store I haven't been to in 30 years. They have a lot of chidt, but prices were unreasonably high. Thank god for Scheels. They had .20 cal bullets for $19.99/100, so I bought 5 boxes of those and another box of factory Fiocchi for my new Tikka 204 Ruger. Now I should have enough brass and bullets for that rifle. Some other rifles I saw at another store were priced on the high side as well, but one XTR featherweight stuck out in my mind. It was a beautiful piece and like new condition, but they wanted $1,100.00 for it!!! The stock was exceptionally beautiful, but for the price I don't think it was worth it. They also had a nice first year BACO 300 WSM FWT. Again, in the $1,000.00 price range. The tag said "new never fired", but there were a few dings and scratches in the wood. Making it way over priced, especially considering it's a wizzum. These 2 rifles were at a store called Willey Brothers. They did have some vintage federal gold medal match 22lr ammo that I bought though. Made the same year my son was born (1992). The only rifle that stood out to me there as a great deal was an older Bushmaster heavy barrel AR15 for $599.. and possibly the stainless Tikka 300wm in a b&c stock for $800. I'm not a fan of 300wm though. They also had some Lapua 22-250 brass for $95/100, which is not a bad deal.. I don't see that brass every day either.

Mark, Fore and Strike has always been a top end (price wise) retailer. But, they used to deal. About 5 yrs ago friend wanted a Mannlicher Schoenauer they had in stock, he wrote the price he wanted to pay on a business card, gave it to the counterman and said, show this to the guy that makes the decisions. He got a call before he pulled out of the parking lot. Rifle was priced at 1600, friend walked with it at 1200.

That is good to hear. I know my grandpa used to love them back in the day. They have been in business for a long time. The guy at the counter I was talking to said their prices are a little high because they "give more money for trade ins". I told him that guys are looking for deals. He said about 20% of their guns can be negotiable in price. I'm pretty sure the Winchester 75's in the back room had not seen daylight for years. They may let those go for less, but to me they are not worth much. When I buy, most times, I'm looking for primo condition and stellar deal. Those are out there, trust me..

I can't believe that store is still in business. I was part of the crew that opened the Sportsman’s Warehouse store in Reno. MFS was really hurting way back then! Next add Cabela's, and finally Scheels. I don't wish the little guys out of business. But I couldn't shop MFS when I lived in Reno 20 years ago!

Yeah, their business tactics are different. The guy behind the counter says they have many loyal customers that have come back for years. I guess it could be like Leupold syndrome? Oh chidt, that reminds me. Tucked way out of the way they had a 308 tacticool rifle with a Nightforce scope on it for $1,100.00. I thought about buying the set up, just for the scope. Would have been a free rifle damn near. ha ha.. By the looks of it, it had been shot a lot and put away wet many times though..

Yes, they benefit from Leupold Fudd Syndrome (LFS) , as it used to be the only game in town.

New guy here... I've been attending the Big Reno gun show for the last 17 years and have now added the New Frontier gun show to my regular gun show schedule...so I'm now hitting all the gun shops in Reno 6 times a year. I sell parts & pieces at most of the major gun shows nationally. I fly in from Spokane and MFS is my first stop as I hit the local shops prior to setting up. I've been able to deal with Todd (one of the family that owns the place) on many occasions but not always...that's the way it is at most shops. I even call before I leave home to see if they need parts for guns and have been able to help them out on several occasions. At the same time, I've found the store to be a good source for parts & pieces. They give customers access to parts drawers that most shops wouldn't dream of allowing. I've bought dozens of sights, rings & mounts and more magazines than I can count (in the 100's)... prior to the last New Frontier show I picked up a relic Remington 1858 revolver for $100... the front sight was worth that by itself. I'll keep stopping at Mark Fore & Strike... Willy Brothers has also been a good shop for me... parts, guns & gear. Picked up a minty Winchester 61 (1960 mfg) for $600 while there last April. Also found two nice Ruger Old Army's in their boxes for $1100. for both. I was fortunate to be there when the items came in... it's alot like hunting... the more you hunt the more success you have.

Good post Ben. You probably know the little shop in Sun Valley too. I don't want to give away all of my honey holes, but if you've never been there, you need to look it up. If you do the gunshow stuff you probably know my good buddy Floyd From The Dalles too. That guy knows more about model 70's than anyone I know. Speaking of parts, you are correct, MFS has a ton of parts. I liked the selection, just not the prices. As I rifled through their rifle stocks, I saw a post 64 classic sporter stock. They wanted $349 for it. After that and seeing the powder for $79/pound, I got a little disgusted. They had boxes of barrels too and a lot of stuff in every corner. I'm suspecting Cabela's in Reno does not give people much for their rifles, but most guys I know do NOT sell their pride and joy rifles to Cabela's. I've found some dang good deals there though. Scheels, not so much in their used rifle selection. There's also a pawn shop in Carson City that has a bunch of used old rifles for decent deals. What I walked out of MFS with was 2 partial boxes of bullets. 1 box of 40gr. Vmax that had 75 in it and a baggie of 53 Berger 40gr 20 cal bullets. $30.00 total. Then I headed over to Scheels and bought 5 boxes of 32gr 20 cal Vmax bullets for $19.99/box..

Floyd is a good friend of mine as well. Haven't seen him since the Lewiston show last fall. Hope he's feeling better. So many of the "good ole' gun shops" around me have closed or been taken over by those only interested in black guns. I admit that I have some of those tinker toys, but walnut & steel just holds a different romance for me....especially vintage .22 rifles. Over the last few years I've bought the parts inventories from those closed gun shops, including a couple warranty stations... so I have plenty to keep me busy when I "retire" in the near future.

Thanks for commenting Ben and welcome to the fire. Sounds like you have been real busy. I hear you about good ol gunshops closing or being taken over. Generally by people that don't quite get it. I'm well aware of that and have seen it first hand. Sounds like we may know some of the same people. You probably go to the Jackson Armory shows and the Hilton in Portland. The Oregon arms collectors shows are still decent. As for Floyd, he's a great guy and awesome smith. They don't make them like him anymore.

"As I rifled through their rifle stocks, I saw a post 64 classic sporter stock. They wanted $349 for it. "



WOW! I am sitting on a gold mine then. If you need a Sporter stock let me know. I believe I have several.

I can't stand the classic sporter wood stocks. They are the worst fitting stocks I've had. The point of the post was I could not believe the price they wanted for the stock in less than perfect condition. I've actually sold some beautiful classic sporter wood stocks for less than $100.00.. They also had old 10-22 stocks for $100.00. Boxes of shotgun barrels in one corner. Who knows how much they wanted for those. No prices on them. Like Ben said, they have a lot of stuff. The old guy I was talking to was quite helpful. He actually took me to the back room and said to look at everything they had and if I had any questions to come and find him. Every rifle was missing their bolt, probably for safety reasons. As for the stocks you have, check prices on ebay. If you had a pile of Ruger boat paddle/zytel stocks, you'd be "sitting on a gold mine". Old wood post 64 winchester plain jane rifle stocks, no not so much. I recently (within the lasts 2 weeks) sold a boat paddle stock off of a 300wm I bought in 1994 for $302.10. Also an SKS stock for $182.75. I'm pretty good as far as knowing what things are actually worth. The Winchester model 70 stock I mentioned, was worth a maximum of about $85.00... This post is not a case of "my schidt is worth more than your chidt" syndrome either. I've seen that many times with guys thinking their chidt doesn't stink. You guys have seen the type. I'm being pretty fu cking realistic here. ..

Did you drop by Wiley brothers shop by chance??

Yep, I like that shop. Picked up some old (made in 1992) Federal gold medal match 22lr for $60/brick. They also had some Lapua brass I thought about buying. 2 new boxes of it (22-250) for $95/ea. I looked at Lapua's website when I was there and I think that brass sells for $105/box plus shipping, so $95 was a great deal. Just my rifles do very well with the brass I already have. I had to draw the line on that one, even though it was a good deal. They also have the XTR FWT rifle with a beautiful stock. Price was high though @ $1,100.00. They had a Sako A7 coyote with fluted barrel chambered in 243w that I damn near bought for $800.00.. They have an older leupold 6x42 with M1 turret for $300...and a damn nice stainless Tikka T3x 300wm in green and black B&C stock with a threaded barrel with brake for $800. Really not a bad price for what it was.. but unfortunately I do not like 300wm at all.. The best deal I saw there was a heavy barreled Bushmaster AR15 XM15-E2S for $599.. They also had some older JM marked Marlin 336RC's for $800.00 at least 4 of them, all in pretty good condition.. A nice M1a for $1,495.00 as well.. Multiple pre 64 model 94's that were overpriced too, but I'm not in the market for those unless they are at give away prices.. They also had 2 older Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x44's for $495/ea. and a couple older Swarovski Habicht 3-9x36 rifle scopes. I did not see the prices on those.

Those are the common going prices. You may not like it, but that's what Win 70's go for. I can easily get 1100-1300 for common XTR these days, if its a rare caliber, 15-1800. If you don't like it, don't buy it. If enough guys did that, prices would drop. BUT, they ARE buying at those pricee, and guns don't sit long.

That is better for guys like me.. I love the fu ck out of it because I always buy low.. If you don't, that is your problem..