Lever Guns

[forward observer]

Here's the most useless lever gun I ever bought--a Winchester Bicentennial commemorative. I hate to admit it, but Winchester, and Colt to some extent,
both became the Franklin Mints of firearms from the late 60's up until the 90's,
In a total lapse of good judgment, I bought the rifle pictured below.

It'll be 40 years old next year and I still have the box, box sleeve, factory shipping carton, and paperwork. The brass plate still has the protective film on it.

Unfortunately, along with famous icons of our history such as Lincoln and Washington, the box sleeve features a very prominent picture of Gerald Ford,
who was president at the time. That's right--ole' clumsy himself.



A simple proof set of US coins would have been a much better investment and a lot less trouble to maintain.

Cheers

 

[BCRider]

Here's the most useless lever gun I ever bought--a Winchester Bicentennial commemorative.....

Up here in Canada it's quite common to see the commemorative editions for sale at the swap meets. They sit there in all their new and unfired glory at prices which are far less than a current new one from a gun store. And yet no one buys them.

And from the sounds of your post I'm guessing that it's much the same in the US market.

Which makes me wonder why folks don't simply buy and shoot them. Too much gold plated BLING! that goes against the grain of good taste? Or is it something else? It seems like if one wants a new one that this is a good way to go and save some money.

 

[Tommygunn]

Unfortunatly Winchester Commemoratives just have not fared well in so far as accruing any value is concerned. If all the box and paperwork is kept, one may have some hope of breaking even but even then it's really iffy.
People just don't seem to care about them.
And this has been true for a long time now. Maybe because people look at the lever-actions as working guns and just want simple tough carbines to take into the woods and shoot their game and don't want a lot of shiny doodads that reflect light and scare off the game.
Or, the fancy guns just don't fit their personalities.
You'd think Winchester would learn .... OTOH, maybe they have as I haven't seen any commemorative leverguns from them in awhile.