Well, I did the deed and this is the object of my desire.

A Pre-64 Model 70 in .300 Win Mag;






















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What is the verdict?

donsm70

Looks good Don!

Very nice collectible that looks like it was just taken out of cardboard box. It's good thing as you probably read this cartridge brings tears into some mens eyes that shoot it.

Very nice....

Gorgeous!

To me that is the pinnacle of the good old days of hunting, or the 264 or 338. Gorgeous rifle.

A great rifle in an awesome caliber... Just excellent!!!!

Nice rifle Don. Looks damn near perfect....

Nice!!!!

Perry County Firearms????

Now we're talking! That is awesome! Great find.

Eric

Very nice.

Now load up some 180 partition protected points and take everything in north america!!

Gorgeous specimen.

Isn't it cool to find something old that is in great shape and is exactly what you want?!!! How "new" is it, and are you going to shoot it and hunt it?

Beautiful rifle! Like new!

This should be considered part of investment portfolio and should not be shot. Shooting that would be like mailing a letter using rare and collectible stamp.

I agree.

How much you think it will be worth in 30 years if left in the safe? How much will it be worth in today dollars? You think future generations will be all that keen on pre64 70's? How many years you have left? Stamps have a one time use originality and it is over. Pre64 70's the same? They used to shoot them at the factory, so this one has probably already been shot at least 3 times. Probably more.

What is the value of enjoying what you have while you can?

I obviously don't agree. Life is short. Work is for the retirement portfolio, stamps and art are for looking at and rifles are for using.

Damm straight, mine have all been used, for hunting and wilderness work in Grizzly country. I look after them, but, I DO USE them as that is what they were designed and built for.

Snap, rifles are more like race cars than art. They don't build them to sit in the garage and they have to run them to see what they have. If they don't run or shoot up to a standard they get cast aside.

Thanks for the advice guys, and please feel free to shoot yours all you want. I will NEVER shoot this rifle and nor will I ever shoot most of the other pre-64s that I have squirreled away. I have other rifles to kill stuff.

donsm70

Then it's reason for existence is now presently being wasted.

But like many things, it will be here longer than you. So there is still hope.

You are welcome to your opinion.

When I ask you to help pay for my next one, feel free to make more comments.

Why in the hell would I pay for your next one and this being an open forum I don't need to pay for your next one in order to comment. Where did you arrive at that conclusion?

Relax. Nice rifle and I hope it serves your purpose.

Close to 5000 rounds and counting. Then again, it was made to shoot.




Yankees

Have a nice day!

Well, thanks for the good thought and the same in return.

It does the soul good to have a couple of special rifles....whether or not one chooses to shoot them really doesn't matter.

Perhaps. I do have some that don't get shot as much as they deserve.

Imagine I have two unfired rifles as alike as two different objects can be. I take one, mount a scope, work up a load, and determine that: 1) the rifle feeds and functions perfectly, and 2) it just so happens it is exceedingly accurate. With load development, etc., let us say it has been shot 70 shots. There is some bluing wear from running the action, but otherwise it is in "perfect" shape. The other rifle is unfired (other than proof shots at the factory) and unproven. I offer you your choice, sans scope. Which would you take? Some would take the unfired one and never fire it. Others would take the proven one, and possibly use it some more. I have no argument with either choice, but I would take the proven one.

I bought a 99% condition 1954 Standard .270 from Dave Riffle. I plan to shoot it, and hunt it on "easy hunts." Will I take some of the collector value off of it? I'm sure I will, just as I would take value off of almost any new item I put into use. To me, it is what I pay for the privilege. With a Standard .270, even a 99% one, using it does not cost thousands of dollars. I'm not sure I would be willing to pay for what it would cost me to shoot and hunt an unfired .300 Savage Super Grade. Another man might, and I wouldn't argue with him.

(OK, full disclosure, if we were talking .300 Savage Super Grades, in my hypothetical scenario above I might take the NIB one and never shoot it. But it would be a strictly money decision. I'd either hang onto it, or be trying to trade for things I would use.)

Have I hurt the collector value of my 1954 Standard rifle? Yes. Have I hurt the intrinsic value of the rifle? Actually, IMO, if it proves to be a good rifle, I have proven its worth, and thereby increased the intrinsic value. Have I somehow "ruined" the rifle by shooting it. IMO, not in the least.