I have owned dozens of rifles some nice some trash. I finally took the plunge last year and picked up a Butch Searcy Double after selling off a lot of rifles collecting dust. This really helped me move from quantity into quality. I’ve always wanted a really nice bolt action Mod 70 type CRF 300 H&H ever since I started hunting many years ago. I have looked at dozens of pre-64 Winchester model 70’s but find them all too rough and plain for my tastes. I had Jim Dubell rebore and rebuild a Ruger RSM into a 500 Jeffery and know first hand how a semi-custom rifle feels.

Right know I’m again thinking about selling off a bunch of used guns to obtain a nice bolt action 300 H&H. My biggest question right now is if I decided to purchase a used custom rifle that someone else put together how do I decide what the guns worth. Do I base its value on the sum of the parts plus labor costs? If it looks great, feels great do I just take the plunge.

I recently stumbled upon a couple of 300 H&H custom rifles. The one that looks most interesting is a 1948 300 H&H that has been given a fancy wood stock a tally ¼ rib base attached to the factory barrel and cleaned up. Below is a photo of the rifle. The shop is asking 4k for the gun. Any thoughts good, bad or otherwise?

Thanks Brad

Brad, any idea who dd the work? Great wood, barrel band, quarter rib with multi-leaf sight, hooded front sight, ebony forend cap, pre-64 Model 70 action. It would be more classic on a Mauser action (IMO), but it looks good. I would say you're in the ballpark, perhaps closer to $3,000 unless the builder is a known entity.

$1K for the metalwork plus $1K for the bbld action (EXTREMELY generous IMO) plus whatever the stock is worth. Who's the maker? Some names command a premium but otherwise the price must be judged by the quality and not just by the shiny polish. Used guns are like used cars, at this price level IMO the buyer better look deep and hard.
Regards, Joe

sorry bud, i just bought it. thanks, i've been looking for one like this for a long time!


j/k! it does LOOK pretty good, but for that kind of money, i'd want to hold it and shoulder it a few times before i laid down the coin.

You guys are great. The rifle looks like what I would like to get but I'm a litle uncomfortable givn the price they are asking. According to the sales person I spoke with today the rifle is a 122k srial numbered gun in which the work as done on the factory setup. He states that they sold the 375 H&H clone of the pair recently. At $2500-3000 I'd buy today since the wood lookd really nice but at 4k I think that there is the possibility that I could be exposing myself a little. I'm not sure how much it would cost to have this rifle built up so thats a consideration also. Hopefully they can send me some more photos in the next day or two.

Brad

Rifles like this are slow sellers in this economy. If the shop has had it a while they may consider offers. I'd offer $500-$750 less than asking price. But if they stick to the listed price and you really like it, $4000 is high but not way out of line. If you haven't handled it, be sure they will grant 3-day inspection and send it back if you don't like it.

One advantage to buying used custom rifles--you can have it now, not 2-4 years after you order one.

quote:

If it looks great, feels great do I just take the plunge.

YES!

Vicvanb:

I was thinking about tossing an offer their way. Given that they have no gunsmith history on the gun that they can give me may be a good bargining point. I think it may be a consignment and as you say no-name custom guns don't move too fast in this economy hence $3200 in the pocket might be nicer than $4000 someday. They are trying to send me more photos to look at.

Thanks Again Brad

Have you considered a Browning Safari?

Jim:

I just took a look at them and I think that I like the win 70/ Kimber 8400 look better than the Mark X / Browning setup. Some like blonds some like reheads you know each person has their own. But thanks for the heads up.

Brad

True, I've never been a fan of the Browning Safari look either. It's a "style of the time" issue, like many of the customs in the 60s and 70s, with flared grips, exaggerated cheekpieces, reverse angle forends, ivory inserts, skip-line checkering....yuck!

I rebuilt two pre 64 Win Mod 70's that belonged to my father, a .375 H&H and a .300 H&H. Since I already had the rifles my cost was for the wood and metal work. I can tell you the dealer is close on his price but as advise he should have some wiggle room in there..... Respectively low ball him and see what happens....I'm very happy with my mod 70s and it does not hurt that they both shot sub moa..... Good luck