What is the value of a Sears/Roebuck Ted Williams single shot lever action .22?

[Stand_Watie]

Let me start you out with a little history. This was the first gun I ever was a (part) owner of. Approximately in 1985, my older brother and I convinced my father to let us purchase it as a yard sale, for the princely sum of approximately (could be ten bucks either way) 40 bucks. I put in approximately 40% and my brother paid the rest. I think that I recollect that I gave 15 bucks and my brother 25. Fast forward to 1994. I was moving out of my parents house, 1200 miles away and as we divied stuff up, my brother gave me (whatever we agreed upon at the time, probably about 25 or 30 bucks) my share of the rifle in cash and it now belongs to him (stored at mom & dad's house because he has a semi-anti-wife).

Now I'm a gun guy, and my brother isn't particularly. He doesn't really see any sentimental attachment to firearms as I do. While I was visiting with my folks this last week, I saw the .22 is still there in the rifle rack I built (by taking apart my dad's existing gun rack, using it as a pattern, and cutting out the parts myself) and thought that I'd like to have the very first gun I'd ever owned back as

a. Firstly just a sentimental for myself.

b. I have a ten year old daughter that it's the perfect size for.

I asked my brother if he'd be interested in either swapping it to me for one of my other .22 rifles or me just buying it from him cash and he shrugged and said "sure - is that rifle mine? I don't remember you giving me any money for it?"

Understand at this point, my brother is a class guy. I could have simply said, "Mark, is it ok if I have that gun for Erica" and he'd have said "sure". Since he's such a class guy, I strive to emulate him, and as such would like to recompense him for the actual cash value of the gun, rather than give him what he might get for it at a yard sale or gun show. He has 4 kids, and infrequently, but occasionally, is able to take them out shooting with the .22, so I'd rather swap (for the sake of my nephews/nieces)than just give him cash.

I'd like your opinions of

a) what the cash value of the rifle is

b) What a good swap would be

I have in mind a little .22 rifle that I recently bought at a gun show for my daughter, new, for approximately 100 bucks. Although it is lighter than the Ted Williams rifle I refer to, it is substantially longer, and poses difficulty for my daughter to shoot because of the length (3 of 4 of my brothers kids are bigger and would be better able to handle the longer stock of the rifle I have now, than my daughter). It is a bolt action rifle with a little "bannana" clip, and has a black synthetic stock. I think I may have fired 2 to 3 hundred rounds through it. The manufacturer marks on the barrel are as follows

"SAVAGE MARK II CAL .22 L.R.ONLY
MFG IN CANADA BY SAVAGE ARMS CANADA INC
IMPORTED BY SAVAGE ARMS INC, WESTFIELD MA 01085 USA"

So, what say you the rifle experts of THR? Is this rifle that I want a priceless classic or just another old gun? More importantly to me, will I be doing my dear brother (who, remember doesn't have a sentimental attachment to guns) wrong if I give him a hundred bucks or a slightly used hundred dollar rifle for this particular firearm?

 

[symr00]

I can't help you on the value of that particular rifle but my father gave me his Sears/Roebuck "Ted Williams" shotgun which was made by Winchester (1200 clone) and after doing some research, I found it is has no collector value even though it is about 35+ years old and in excellent condition. It's worth what any other Winchester 1200 is worth.

 

[moewadle]

I will set myself up as knowledgible on this

Let me get wordy and tell you what I know...Ithaca came out in about 1968 with a single shot lever action .22 rifle and sold it to the youth market for almost 20 years. It was the Ithaca 49. For a while they sold a 49A which was the .22 Magnum. Savage then had one from about1980-86 or so that was almost a twin of the Ithaca, the Model 89. Sears had a clone of them and I think it was made by Ithaca. Also, I own a Western Auto "Revelation" which was most likely made by Savage-Stevens as a store brand gun like your Sears Ted Williams. Depending on the condition yours would be worth around a $100 and a $100 gun would, in my opinion, be a fair trade. Also, as added information for you, the frame/receiver is anodized aluminum, not blued steel. This whole group of guns was popular, especially the Ithaca 49 and I have been told they sell reasonably well at gun shows. They are good shooters also. I own an Ithaca 49 in addition to the Western Auto model and the Savage Model. So, do the trade and enjoy your childhood keepsake and for chrissake....shoot the thing. Moe

 

[mrmeval]

If that were my first one it's worth exactly fourteen million two hundred and eight six thousand forty one dollars and sixty eight cents.

That's the amount I'd need to open the best gun store this town has ever seen.

My first one is a Western Field bolt action shotgun so I'm not holding my breath waiting on someone to pay that for it.

 

[Oldnamvet]

Just give him $75 and tell him it is for his niece. It would be fair since you can't put a price on sentiment, only on the object.

 

[candr44]

Give him your new rifle and a brick of ammo or the $100 if his wife objects. Sears .22 rifles are not worth a lot of money. It sounds like it would be better off in your hands anyway since it means more to you. His kids may even find sentimental value in the rifle you give them some day.

I know exactly how you feel about that rifle. I have a Sears model 3t .22 rifle[Winchester 190] that I got for Christmas when I was 14. It was my first gun also and I still have it over 30 years later. Along with the gun rack I made for it in high school shop class. I will pass it down to my daughter some day.

My rifle was on sale for $59 brand new and I have seen them in gun shops for about twice that price. So, $100 sounds like it would be a fair value.

 

[Bwana John]

Ive seen similar rifles at local gunshows in very good condition for ~$60.

If my brother needed the money Id give him $100.

 

[Trebor]

There is pretty much no collector interest in these types of "Store branded" rifles. Oh, I'm sure somewhere, someone, is trying to get "one of each" of the mydriad and sundry rebadged "store brand" rifles to fill some exotic niche in his collection, but what are the odds you'll run across that guy?

The rifle is only as valuable as it is functional and practical to shoot. Since it's your brother's gun, I'd say give him somewhere between $80 to $100 for the rifle. If you just give him a C-note, you can be confident that he got more than what the rifle is actually "worth" monetarily and you can both sleep easy.

Now, if I was buying this rifle from a stranger and family sentiment didn't play into the deal, I wouldn't pay more than $50. These rifles are common and I think that's about what they are "worth" on the open market.

 

[Red Tornado]

I think that Savage would be a very fair swap. The Savage is probably 'worth' a little more, but you gain the sentimental value that doesn't mean anything to your brother. (That would mean much more to me than any basic new production .22) Your nieces and nephews still have a .22 available, and your daughter gets to learn on (and presumably inherit) your first rifle. Great deal all the way around.
RT