There is a 1899b up for sale on Gun broker for the third time. It's listed as NRA loaded? Any way, I placed a bid five days ago(a little more than the last listing) and tried to be as roundabout as I could on saying the pictures need to be as good as the discription. About all I got back was the stock is what it is and there are no more pictures. My question is, has anyone got any further with this dealer? Pictures,attitude? Or do I just dump the idea all together. Thanks

Give us an auction number...you'll get plenty of feedback.

To me...key elements:

All matching serial numbers?
Any cracks in wood?
No drill and tap for a scope?
Condition of bore?
No re-finish on wood?
No re-blue?
No sling swivels added?
Serial number? (pre WWII is my inclination)

Caliber is always posted...personal favorites are .250-3000 and .30-.30 Next would be a 22 HiPower... .300 would have to be unique and have some special interest to me (serial number)
.303 would have be in radically good condition or unique model...saddle ring for example...or octagon barrel...

If a seller will not answer those questions...I'm out.

Right answers to all those questions...then it's pictures of gun (how clean or beat up is the wood and metal...verses a reasonable prce...) and seller's feedback...

My 2 cents!

The item no. is 107378059. I'm sorry I don't know how to post the sight as listed. Thanks,

Ouch. All I can offer is my perspective.

I don't like the wood...the bluing...or the sellers attitude...

Especially at that price.

Take away the Lyman and the Stith mount...best case $450???

It's not a $1250 rifle...at least to me it's not...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=107378059

I hear ya. The feed back is a little shakey as well. I was hopeing that I was reading him wrong.

Thanks like2shoot, Tom

Stop bidding and count yourself lucky, as you haven't reached the seller's reserve price, so you aren't on the hook for $1700. I don't like the seller's "attitude", "let's get serious" no non-engraved 1899B in 303 Savage is worth $1700 unless it was pristine (99.99%), even with a Stith mount, Lyman Alaskan, and Lyman 29.5 tang peep sight. Well, at least it isn't to me.

Jeff

Wow, what a rant for a seller to make. But he pretty much states his position.. he's pricing like Cabela's does. Hope he doesn't mind carrying it on the shelf as long as Cabela's normally does.

I was hoping to get a few better pictures of the stock but he seemed to not have the time for my request. It seems the pictures posted are good enough for the seller or there is something to hide.

There is only 1 rifle that I have ever seen in Cabela's Gun Library that I would have thought of buying for the compounded price that they were asking. A custom Winchester 70 that was documented to have belonged to Harvey Donaldson. Heck, for what they were asking, they probably still have it.

I have bought some rifles from the Cabela's Gun Library, but they were priced at fair market value, like the NIB Remington 592
that I bought for $350 with a couple full boxes of factory ammo.

Jeff

For what he is trying to get out of that rifle, he should bend over backward to prove that it is worth his reserve. I think that you should run away from that rifle and that seller, but its your $$ and I don't have a dog in this fight.

I think that, for me, if I had a spare $1700, I could find a better way to spend it, but I'm not in the market for a Savage 1899B in 303 Savage.

Jeff

Well taken. It's allways good to hear from others.

Looks to me like it has been too close to a fire. Wood looks like it is scorched.

I have had quite a few conversations with this seller and my opinion is to also STAY AWAY. His reserve is also extremely high!!!! Way out of the ball park for this rifle!!


Mike...

If the seller dont want to talk about his gun , that should raise a waring Flag, run dont walk away! John

The only good thing about that auction is that pictures 1 and 3 show what happens when you put a Stith on an 1899. The rear sight dovetail is too far away from the receiver to allow good contact with the front tube of the scope. Look how cockeyed that scope and front tube are. 1.5 moa...you bet!

I guess the reference to LOADED in the auction is relative to the seller!

That guys response to his auction not meeting reserve is hilarious! I would not buy a cucumber from this tool.

Ryan

I don't know what I like better....the crappy krinkled dark varnish on the wood....or the black finish on the metal.

Steven B.

I think everyone on the fire should ask him a question I am going to right now.

I just sent off my question

Steve
Ya Might as Send A Few More. I sent 9 of them in the Last 2 Weeks,,None ever Answered.
Tick-Toc,Tick,Toc! And the Clock still tics.
Steve

What! No compass? :-). -tom

Oh Tom.
Ya got Me rollin on that.
Funny!
I Needed a good Laugh.
Tnx
Steve

The pictures are not doing the sale any favors. With some better lighting and a higher quality camera? I have a feeling some better pictures will come out.

Stever - I sent the seller a question this morning and had a response by the time I came home for supper. I asked him about the varnish and wondered if the stock had gotten to warm - maybe had been next to a fire. Here is his (snotty) response:

Yeah right it was in the great Chicago fire.
NO when varnish gets 100 years old it loses it's oils and gets the wrinkled look. Watch Antiques Roadshow on PBS is you are unfamiliar with this and how much the value of an item is reduced if it is refinished.

This is not a guy I would care to deal with