I'm trying to figure the value of a Winchester Pre-64 257 Roberts I ran across. It's the standard model, nothing too exciting. The down sides:

Drilled and tapped for a side mounted scope, which is included.

Missing the rear sight on the barrel, but has a filler block installed.

Metal is pretty good considering age.

Stock is well used, but not ruined. Looks to have an after market basketweave style buttpad, nicely done.

If the price is right for it's condition I might have to pick it up. But if the side mount completely kills the value then I might pass. It would make a good shooter grade rifle, not a collectors piece.

IMHO The collectors value is shot.

However, it would still fetch a premium over the same condition gun in 30-06.

Top price in excellent original is $2700

With a rubber butt or a notch for the Lyman peep price is at least $1000 less

The gun you describe should be considerably less

Right now it's posted at $850. But that side mount scope is really a turn off no matter how much I look at it.

[img]http://shop.williamsgunsight.com/pi...ZT1pbWFnZS9qcGcmd2lkdGg9MCZoZWlnaHQ9NTAw[/img]

No buyers at $850.

That makes sense

Tackdriver,

If it's any help, I sold an all-original but well-used 1954 .257 for $1150 a few years ago, just before the recession.

That was about the going price THEN for pre-'64 .257's with use-wear on the metal and wood. These days prices have dropped somewhat. Collectors still want much better condition, and user-grade rifle like the one I sold are going for somewhat less.

1946 is significant because of the change over from type I to type II receivers began in 46. Some guns had the doll's head tang and pre-war safety without being tapped and others had the newer type safety and no doll's head and were tapped for scope mounts. Some had a features from the pre-war and post war combined.

Since yours has a side mount it probably is a pre-war model below 61,000 serial number.

What features does it have?

Without seeing the rifle, I would say a fair price would be in the neighborhood of $750.00 give or take. What make is the side mount and what is the length of pull with the recoil pad?

Collector value is gone when the stock was cut and reciever drilled. Its a real cool shooter now. $700ish.

I picked up a 1950 M70 in 257, this weekend, simular setup as OP's.
Mine had a Weaver sidemount with K-3 60-B scope, I bet was mounted when rifle was purchased.
All original stock, 90+% bluing.
Picked it up for 570$ out the door.
I'm happy..

Very nice
Pictures?

pictures under the show your model 70 thread.

Here's one going now on the block. They are worth what the high bidder is willing to pay. "Rare" has alot of meanings, there were about 15,000 257 bob's made from 1937 to around 1959. Personally, I would like a pre war in the 257 which were less than 2,000 made.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=265295800

Has the wrong rear sight. Otherwise, looks clean...the floorplate edge wear bothers me a little as the rest of the gun shows strong blue....buttplate edges also look awful clean?

I'm naturally suspicious the minute I see something like the wrong sight and the floorplate edge wear while the rest of the gun is as clean as this one....I'd want to closely examine this one in person before buying....not my kind of Internet gun....but that's just me....

I gladly paid $2500.00 for this 1953 257. To find one in this kind of condition is not easy. They didn't make that many in the Roberts chambering, making it a desirable gun. I found one that appeared to be unfired at a gun show and I sold it for over $3000.00. Condition is everything, and as stated before, the wear/use needs to be the same over the entire gun.

The mark in the stock wasn't there when I bought it, I fell with it on a wolf hunt in Alaska a few years back...

I wouldn't pay an arm and a leg for one, but even if it needed some work to fix it up, I could live with that...

but I come from the angle of what it is worth to me... not what I could sell it for to someone else for a profit..

I still kick myself for not picking up a Model 54 in 270, that was priced at $400.00.... as usual being Mr Financially Practical, while my wife freaks out about never having enough money in her little bank account...

I have plenty of rifles less desirable than that old Model 54, that I could have sold to cover it... but at the price being asked, it wasn't going to stay on the shelf long...

I like old Model 54s and 70s, just because I love the nostalgia of one...especially chambered in something besides the standard popular calibers of today...

I watched an early 1950s 257 in about 95% condition sell at the Kingman gunshow last month for $900. It then appeared on the buyer's Gunbroker listing the following Monday and sold for over $2,000 (I didn't see the winning bid, but it was over $2k with a day left on auction). This buyer/GB seller is notorious for this. I guess that's how he makes his living.

How dare he buy that gun so cheap and turn it for a profit! What is this Country coming to? These "notorious" businessmen make me sick!

You gotta be kidding with this BS.

Did the guy sell the 357 under duress or was the price agreed upon? I'm guessing the price was agreed upon so what's the problem? Personally if I could have got it for $900 I would have held on to it for a couple years and sell it for an even bigger profit.

You and I don't have the same values . I do the same every week and 3 times on sunday If I got a chance too,sure beat the sh*t outta working for a living.You must make too much money.

Ken, you feeling the Campfire love?

Ps I would do the same myself, nothing wrong with making money if all is legit - of course I would hunt with it one season just to enjoy my investment first.

To the original OP: make an offer. However, if $750 is the "correct" value and $850 is the asking price, then ask yourself how much do you want to own a pre-64 in .257 RBTS? I've pissed away a hundred bucks on foolishness before in my life (on dumber stuff than a decent old rifle). I passed on a couple of rifles over the years because they were $50 - $150 too high, now I would have liked to have owned them (at least for a while). If it stays on your mind go buy it and enjoy shooting it.