Howdy. I have a chance to pickup an Interarms Whitworth in 7mm RM in a private sale. I haven't seen the rifle but understand it was purchased new in 1987 and HAD iron sights. They're a Mauser action, right? Any general sense of price? Are they worth it?

There's Whitworths and then there's Whitworths. The Safari Grade model with the express sights has a great reputation, richly deserved IMO, as I have a customized one that shoots into a thumbnail at 100 yards . . . and this in .375 H&H! They are a FN style mauser built in the old Yugoslavia. The only fly on they ointment is that they were made with triggerblock safeties instead of the real kind. That's an easy switch to the Buhler style or a more expensive switch to the M70.

As to one in 7 mm RM, well, that's a hugely overrated cartridge, I think, but with a rebarrel it could make one fine rifle. It all depends on whether or not you can steal somebody blind, (heh, heh, heh!).

Made in Yugoslavia by Zastava. Some of the Whitworth series were assembled in England (Manchester) and marked as such. Each rifle has to be judged on its own merit, as quality varied over their 20+ year history.

They are a 98 pattern, machined on FN style equipment. The safety is junk. I have never heard of a complaint on any other feature. Values run from $300 to $800, depending on the model.

Mine was a full stock 7x57 assembled in Manchester.

Same barreled action made in Yugoslavia; around Houston they go for $325 to $395 if a plain Mark X (Whitworths are about $50 more) depending on condition and caliber. The exceptions are the Whitworth Models in 375 and 458 which can go for a lot more (500 to 900). Good rifles; I have always had at least one in the safe.
New ones are being sold under the KBI Charles Daly name but the Express calibers are still 5 to 6 weeks from importation to the US. Hope that helps.