I have the chance to buy a pre64 model 70 in 30-06 from a friend. I see pre64 model 70's going for over $1000 on gunbroker. This rifle is in good condition but I have never seen a barrel that was engraved this way. I might pay $500 for the gun but not more because I don't care for the engraving. I want to be fair to my friend so my question is - Do you think the engraving adds or subtracts value? What would you pay?

You could always replace the barrel...plenty of these available

Should not be hard to find another 06 or even 270 barrel and have it turned on by a good smith and then sell off the engraved barrel. Looks to be in very nice shape, if the stock is unaltered, its a 8-900.00 gun any day

Personally I would pay no more than what the action is worth as the basis for another project and whatever I could sell the stock and other unmolested parts for. Value of the complete rifle is only as a shooter and I would not have something like that in my safe.

If the action and stock are unmolested and you could get it for $500 then that would be a good value.

Duane's idea is a good one too.

Forrest

If you buy it, I might be interested in buying the barrel from you if it can be removed without damaging the engraving.

I kinda like it. I would get a tattoo that matched it and call it finished.

Terry

To me, it's gaudy, ostentatious.
I would pay less than maket value for the same rifle unadorned, because I'd have to pay a gunsmith to rebarrel it..

Don

I like it myself, but I realize that my tastes are somewhat off the main stream. I'd pay a bit more for it than a plain jane version in the same condition but that's just me. I'm guessing the engraving is Japanese, pretty common to find all kinds of guns that were engraved over there post WWII up to the late 50s or so, but really hard to tell. Based on the pics which are not the best for really seeing the engraving, I'd call it decent but not great work.