How Rare?

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Fella's;

A bunch of my friends and I were kicking around the subject of modern firearms in the "rare" category a while ago. Let's say modern is post WWII for the sake of this discussion. One of the more spirited phases of the gabfest concerned the rarity vs value aspect. Of course, particularly to two of the guys, the pre-64 model 70 Winchester's were prime candidates for enshrinement into the House Of Rare.

I'm not so sure about that. If you want to pay for one, they're readily available. And the price doesn't seem to be that steep to me. You can still find a decent one for under a thousand dollars without too much problem. I pointed out that if you want a rare model 70, try to find one of these:

USRAC Winchester Model 70 Classic, stainless, any caliber, left handed, with B.O.S.S.. I have no idea what the market value might be these days, but I do think you're going to have a long and merry chase trying to find one.

What's your candidate for modern rare?

900F
 
A pre 64 Winchester is not at all rare in common calibers. They are rare in some calibers however. A pre 64 in .358 win is a semi rare and desirable rifle as is one in .257 Roberts. But the holy grail of rare pre 64's is one of the very few chambered in 9MM Mauser. If you ever find one of those in good shape in the attic it's almost as good as a winning lottery ticket.

Another group of "rare" modern Winchesters are the ones that were chambered in Weatherby calibers.
 
The first thing that comes to my mind is the Savage 99 in calibers like 7mm-08, .358 Win or .22-250.
 
The first thing that comes to my mind is the Savage 99 in calibers like 7mm-08, .358 Win or .22-250.
Click to expand...
I agree, and you can add .243 to that also. In my mind it is most often the caliber that makes a gun rare, I hate to classify one as rare just because it didn't sell well, or had poor features. For example, a Savage 170 in .35 Remington is rare, but not desirable. Same thing with some of the modern short magnums that did not overwhelm the market.

I would suggest the Winchester 88 in .284 and .358 as candidates.
 
Left-handed anything!
Gotta give Savage Arms credit for one thing: They seem to be the only manufacturer who seems to understand that left-handed shooters even exist.
For all-around hunting and plinking, I prefer a tubular magazine in my .22 rifles. This presents no problem if you like semi-autos and leverguns. It also presents no problem if you want a right-handed .22 bolt action. Several models of those have been around for decades.
What if you're a lefty who wants a tube-fed .22 bolt action rifle?
Forget about it!
Apparently, the only left-handed, bolt action, tube-fed .22 rifle that was ever, ahem... "mass produced" was the Mossberg L45. In 1937-38 Mossberg made 201 of them, then stopped forever.
No other company ever tried that stunt to this very day, and it doesn't look like anyone ever will.
Talk about rare!
Have you ever seen one? Or even heard about one?
 
Browning Model 52 .22s (Win 52) are more and more rare, as they only made 5000 of them. Magazines for them are just about as rare.

Winchester M70 Classic Compacts are becoming more rare, more so in stainless.

Winchester .223s in Lightweight and Featherweight are pretty strong, pricewise nowadays.
 
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Fiddleharp;

I'll agree that the Mossies are rare, very rare, but disagree on the LH side. Things are actually pretty good for a lefty these days. Tikka makes LH bolt guns in a surprising number of calibers. Want a left hand .375 H&H? Go see CZ, they'd be glad to sell you one. CZ also does a pretty good job with LH rimfires for that matter. Savage, as you stated, does try to provide for the portsider's also.

Then, if you're willing to haunt the gunshows and used racks, there's all kinds of fascinating stuff: LH Remington 788's, the thread start LH Winchester model 70's, and some of the imports can be the stuff of drool-dreams. How about a double trigger LH Mannlicher-Schoenauer in 7X57mm? I have to admit that I've never seen one of those, but they are supposed to exist. Can't blame the owner's for not putting them on the market, either - I wouldn't.

900F
 
Are there constraints to this? Like only commercially-produced designs that were sold on the open market?

Because there are tons of guns that would be exceptionally rare (some extremely valuable, some not) either because they were experimental or because they were custom creations a gunsmith only made a handful of, or other conditions.

When I think "rare" I think of things like the Winchester-Olin Salvo Rifle.

http://www.gunsholstersandgear.com/winchester-salvo-rifle/

Or maybe one of Homer Koon's Omega III rifles.

They aren't just not terribly common, but are REALLY rare.
 
Sam1911;

Given the bull session that made me think of starting this thread, I'd have to say that we're talking guns made by a recognized manufacturer, post WWII. Something that might be found, and could be afforded by, somebody that doesn't have a 7-figure yearly income.

900F
 
I'd say the Remington M720 is rare. I've never seen one and never met anyone else who has.

Another has to be the M541-T HB. Remington did make at least one.
 
In 1963 a Winchester model 70 wasn't considered anything special. In fact quality had been slipping for years and Remington was considered the better rifle by many.

Pre-64's became a hot item in 1964 because controlled round feeding was dropped, not because the older rifles were really that great. For about 30 years ANY pre-64 sold at a premium. Once again, not because the rifles were necessarily better, but because it was the only option for those wanting CRF.

After Ruger and Winchester brought out new CRF rifles in the 1990's demand and value of common pre-64's dropped. Most are now just 50+ year old rifles but some still try to sell them at a premium. And some people overpay because they don't understand why, and which rifles are worth more. Just like any other gun, those made in rare configurations or chambered in rare cartridges are worth a lot.

I have a couple of "modern" Marlins that are rare. One is a 2005 made 336 LTD. Marlin only made 500. It is essentially a SS guide gun, but chambered in 35 Rem instead of 45-70.

On the right

levers005_zps8a7abc69.gif

Another is a 336 LTS. Very similar to the old Maurader, but only made during parts of 2 years 1988 and 89. About 2700 according to what I've been told. Not sure of production numbers on the Mauraders, but I've actually seen 3-4 of them in my life. This is the only LTS I've seen.

levers006_zpse0e1f3c9.gif
 
Anything 327 federal, 22 tcm, 25naa, or 32naa. My .256winmag Matlin fits the bill as well. 7-30 waters winchester as well. Not hugely desirable, not overly expensive, just not a huge following.
 
I'll nominate one of my favorite bolt-action rifles, the Remington Model 725; especially one chambered in .280 Remington. Even rarer is the "Kodiak" variant of the Model 725, chambered only in .375 H&H or .458 Winchester Magnum.
 
Getting a lefthand stainless long or magnum action M70 was "on my list" during HS and college. When I actually had money to buy, they had been discontinued. I would be happy with just the action- '06, belted mag or .404 head size, I would not care.
 
As long as we are talking about Marlins. Try finding a JM Marlin 336 CB in .30-30 (Cowboy) straight stocked with a 26" octagonal barrel. They are around but they're pretty rare. The same can be said for a 336 CB in .38-55 though they are not as rare as the .30-30 version.
 
Fella's;

Since the subject of Marlins came up, here's one model that you won't see everyday. Probably won't see one at the gun show either. It's the Marlin model 39TDS. When they appear on one of the internet sites, they're usually around a grand, depending. The original gun came with the firearm, a cordura nylon carry bag, and an action keeper.

The bare gun, a little 16" barreled take-down lever, with a short stock, is a basic model 39a action. As a bare gun, they're hard to find. However, finding one with both the case and the action keeper, is well into four-figure territory it seems these days.

900F
 
I've only seen 1 280 in a 77V Tang Model. Seen a few for sale in SG News but not in person.
H&H, are post 64 M70's in Weatherby really rare? Come to think of it I've only seen 1 of them as well.
I gave my dad a Savage in 243 with a very nice custom Monte Carlo stock, he's a lefty and the stock wasn't.
 
H&H, are post 64 M70's in Weatherby really rare? Come to think of it I've only seen 1 of them as well.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say really rare but not very common for sure. The most common calibers in a M-70 are the .270 Weatherby and the .300 Weatherby. The more rare are the ones chambered in .257 and .340 Weatherby. I've seen several .300 and I own one in .270 Weatherby. I've never seen one in .257 or .340.
 
Thanks, I guess I never thought of it as rare, I guess I'll be keeping my eye out for more.
Mine is a 300.
 
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