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Anyone have an idea of its worth? Marked "Remington Model 37 RangeMaster". Has a Unertl 14X target scope that looks brand new. Don't know if I'll be keeping it.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
That's a pretty one!
More than pretty, it's a Wow!
Yeah I’ve never seen one with this kind of wood and checkering pattern. Has it been redone? Still a beautiful looking rifle.
I've never seen a factory gun with wood like this - I figure someone found an excellent condition RangeMaster and decided to put the best wood and the best scope they could on it, "just because".
Hard to put a value on that rifle. Beautiful but not original wood, probably reblued at some point... the scope is probably worth $700-$1200 . I would think the package is probably worth in the $2K-$2.5K neighborhood. You might get a better estimate on rimfirecentral.com
Honestly I wouldn't get my hope up. The receiver has been drilled and tapped for standard scope bases. The barrel at best has been cut way down, assuming it's not aftermarket. The stock is clearly aftermarket, and it looks pretty short ahead of the action. And it only has the single shot adapter, not a repeater. I agree the scope is work $700+, but I'd only put the rifle itself closer to $700.
I get your viewpoint on the rifle value, but the stock by itself would cost more than $700 to recreate. Look at the LPI on the checkering, the custom buttplate, the exceptional job of fitting to the gun, the unreal figure in the grain!
Mixed feelings. While it's indeed very pretty workmanship that would give me pause if I saw it for sale and I had a wad of money in my pocket, the barrel length in combination with scope choice would alert my sense of aesthetics so I would probably keep walking, unless the price were really right. Mind you I'm a devotee of Unertl scopes (they predominate in my house), but the gun looks awkward to me when mounted on that shorty barrel. That said, I would be tempted to spring for it at a price that would break down as a bargain for the scope (which would immediately migrate onto something else) with the remainder a fair price for a modified, short barreled, custom M37 sporter - one that I would bolt a substitute modern scope onto that would compliment its appearance.

To that end I would ticket it at around $14-1600 and hope to snare someone who felt the way I do. Or, clamp something like an FX-II on it and price the rig at around a grand (and be prepared to come down if it lingered for sale), and peddle the Unertl separately for around $700. (14x Unertls don't bring the stupid money that 20x's and maybe 16x's do. That magnification seems to be the dividing line between affordable and "cough it up".)

Would that they had left at least another 2" of length on that barrel. It would've balanced it physically and aesthetically so much better. I'll bet they retained the heavy target barrel and cut it way back to attain a reasonably light sporter (or perhaps to make weight with a big ol' M37 target rifle in a game such as silhouette). A better idea , to me, would've been to utilize a slimmer profile barrel of a bit longer length to achieve the goal of creating a masterpiece. Using such an aftermarket barrel combined with the swell design and execution would've meant it commanding a heftier price tag. (But again, only to a fancier of such rifles - not a M37 collector.)
Originally Posted by czech1022
I get your viewpoint on the rifle value, but the stock by itself would cost more than $700 to recreate. Look at the LPI on the checkering, the custom buttplate, the exceptional job of fitting to the gun, the unreal figure in the grain!


Ah, the age old conundrum of never ever getting the money back out of expensive customization's.
Originally Posted by czech1022
I get your viewpoint on the rifle value, but the stock by itself would cost more than $700 to recreate. Look at the LPI on the checkering, the custom buttplate, the exceptional job of fitting to the gun, the unreal figure in the grain!

I would say the checkering is around 18-20LPI, and fairly well executed but with varying depths in the lines. Niedner buttplates are reasonably priced and not difficult to find. Can't tell about the wood-metal fit from where I'm sitting. The black walnut is indeed pretty, and is a selling point.

In the custom "give me all your money" world a rust blue finish beats a shiny hot blue finish.
Not trying to be negative by any means. Just presenting the talking points that a connoisseur will use when negotiating a price for it.
Originally Posted by Tackdriver22250
Honestly I wouldn't get my hope up. The receiver has been drilled and tapped for standard scope bases. The barrel at best has been cut way down, assuming it's not aftermarket. The stock is clearly aftermarket, and it looks pretty short ahead of the action. And it only has the single shot adapter, not a repeater. I agree the scope is work $700+, but I'd only put the rifle itself closer to $700.

I agree. Definitely not original, in any way imaginable. Barrel has definitely been cut way down, reblued, restocked with a nice piece of wood. The op can argue, that it would cost more to recreate, but the rifle as a whole is what it is. Probably still worth a little more than your $700 quote. I'd say around $900, and the scope being worth a good $700.00. That would bring the value up to around $1,600.00 IMHO..
I don’t look at it as an investment, or worry about its originality. It’s a lovely rifle, and worth whatever someone is willing to pay. I can see it without the Unertl as a fine squirrel rifle. Might actually do better separating the scope if you decide to sell.

Based on a conversation with my smith a while back, a stock like that would easily set you back a couple thou these days, not to mean at all the rifle is worth that in the current market.
It is a pretty custom rifle and like others have opined, like any custom gun it is worth whatever someone will pay for it. Someone will like it enough to either buy it for your asking price or at least make an offer on it. You might get more money out of it by splitting up the rifle and the scope.
Nice wood.
Ready for threading...
Originally Posted by Pappy348
I don’t look at it as an investment, or worry about its originality. It’s a lovely rifle, and worth whatever someone is willing to pay. I can see it without the Unertl as a fine squirrel rifle. Might actually do better separating the scope if you decide to sell.

Based on a conversation with my smith a while back, a stock like that would easily set you back a couple thou these days, not to mean at all the rifle is worth that in the current market.
For max value, I’d separate and sell scope and rifle individually.

Nice rig.

DF
Czech10/22: That is indeed a beautiful "old school" target Rifle! I bet it shoots great.
Which end of that Rifles barrel has been cut-off? The muzzle end or the chamber end?
Tough to put an accurate price on the rare and unique Rifle.
Enjoy.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
If you decide to sell please keep me in mind. I would be more interested in just the gun than the combination but who knows. It is a nice one though as mentioned a long way from original or collector type rifle. Not to take anything away from it.
The custom stock is the wow factor.
Originally Posted by bsa1917hunter
Originally Posted by Tackdriver22250
Honestly I wouldn't get my hope up. The receiver has been drilled and tapped for standard scope bases. The barrel at best has been cut way down, assuming it's not aftermarket. The stock is clearly aftermarket, and it looks pretty short ahead of the action. And it only has the single shot adapter, not a repeater. I agree the scope is work $700+, but I'd only put the rifle itself closer to $700.

I agree. Definitely not original, in any way imaginable. Barrel has definitely been cut way down, reblued, restocked with a nice piece of wood. The op can argue, that it would cost more to recreate, but the rifle as a whole is what it is. Probably still worth a little more than your $700 quote. I'd say around $900, and the scope being worth a good $700.00. That would bring the value up to around $1,600.00 IMHO..



bsa, that about sums up how I feel about it. $1600 seems about a nice round number. I'd start looking hard for a nice classic 541S/T to migrate the Unertl onto, and pick up an easily found more modern scope for that rifle, as gnoahhh had mentioned. Also, as others have mentioned, the figure in the wood on that rifle is beautiful. Nice deep patterns. I only have one rifle with wood that nice. A pre64 1961 Winchester Model 70 Westerner .264 Win Mag.
I've had 5 mo37s at one time and one was Mike Walker's personal rifle. I only have one left. Somebody spent a little money on this one, but killed the value. If it were mine I would separate the package to gain the most money.
Too bad that it is messed up.
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