Had a couple of guns stolen recently, and I'm getting pushback from the insurance company about the price I put on it. Bear in mind that I have replacement cost insurance, not what it's "worth," but what it would cost to replace it.

The gun was a pre-64 (mid-50s) M70 Featherweight 270, with a nice custom stock in A-AA grade Claro, with a Leupold 2-7 Vari-X II.

I put $2000 for the replacement cost. Can anyone provide cost estimates for having a stock like I mentioned made? It wasn't fancy, just a nice stock with good checkering. I know some stockmakers get $2500+ for one, but I need an "average" cost.

Any links would be helpful, for documenting my claim, or quotes from reputable stockmakers.

Thanks a lot...we finally have a chance to use this forum to protect the "average Joe" from the powers that be.

That's terrible! I recommend this, call up 3 stock blank sellers, say Preslik's and dressel's for a couple. Explain to them the situation and ask what the average cost is for a AA fancy blank in the type of wood yours was. Now, take those numbers with an average of the 3, that is the wood cost for the insurance company. Next, what was the custom work done? was it fitted to you or just a copy of a winchester pattern? And what was the checkering pattern? Sherry Abraham has a website I think, and has her prices for checkering, you could contact her about that part. do the same thing, ask 3 professionals the cost to have them replace it for you, minus the blank, and run with it.

Dennis Olson, Chic Worthing, Bill Soverns, those are just the names that go through here that I can think of. I think Bill is about 1800 if I remember right and Chic about 2500. Don't know Dennis cost. That is making the stock to fit your metal and checkering, and doesn't include the blank.

Let us know how it goes.

Red

Any more specific info? I don't have phone numbers for any gunsmiths...

Websites would be best, since they're easy to document. Even phone calls are no good unless I get a written estimate mailed to me.

I guess I need to ask this: does anyone have links to gunsmith's websites with prices for work?

Thanks...

Try these:

Serengeti Stockworks

Wenig Custom

Great American Gunstock Company

Richards Micro Fit

Boyds'

Chic Worthing

Champlin Arms

Tanyard Springs Gun Shop

These run the gamut from more assembly-line type to full custom. You will have to poke around the web sites to get an apples-to-apples comparison with wood quality, options like sling swivels and recoil pads, checkering, shop fitting to your rifle, full outside finishing, etc. You may have to call some to get some of the costs. Richards does not checker but you can get an estimate for that here.

It seems to me your initial estimate of the loss was in the ballpark.

Sorry to hear about the theft and good luck with the insurance company.

Trademark,
As a service to thier gunsmith customers, Brownell's lists gunsmith charges in it's catalog. That might help. Good luck.

If you will go to www.gunsamerica.com and enter pre-64 Model 70 into the search window, you will get a number of hits on rifles both custom and stock. The prices are the asking prices (selling prices may be negotiated downward), but they range upward to around $4000 for some of the fancy guns and down to $695 or so for used pre-64's without modifications. You may be able to use some of the pictures and descriptions coupled with the asking prices to convince your insurance company that you are not asking too much.

Good luck!

Clemson

Prices vary by large margins. I think you need to throw up a pic. Custom means many different things to many different people. Prices for similar quality of work also vary by large margins. I'm not sure how much a insurance company researches things like this but I think it could be a rough road to agree on the replacement cost.

Well, good news! I provided about 15 links to gunbroker and Gunsamerica rifles that are similar to mine, and they agreed that my price was fair.

I could have claimed more for the custom stock, but it wasn't made by a "name" maker, and it didn't have any embellishments, except plain old checkering.

BTW, I listed the scope seperately.

Thanks for the help!

Trademark Texan,
An ACGG average for a rifle would fall be around $3,000. A good tradesman stock will cost you in the neighborhood of $1500 and up. Blank at $200, metal at $600 and you have 2300 so you are in the ball park.