Any market for rifles in .220 Swift or .222 mag?

[Trey Veston]

I've been going through my late father's collection of fine rifles and have noticed that there are a few chambered in the smaller classic varmint cartridges such as 220 Swift or 222 Magnum.

These are Winchester Model 70 pre-'64 custom rifles with beautiful wood and custom touches. I am familiar with the value of custom rifles of this type but the classic varmint calibers has me wondering how much that affects value.

Does anyone even still use a classic Model 70 for varmints?

Thoughts on values?

 

[horsemen61]

No clue but damn that’s a gorgeous Rifle!

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

That rifle can never be replaced for any amount of money. If you don’t want it save it for your kids just my two cents.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

Your father had fine tastes.
Also on todays market, that thing is practically priceless, irregardless of its chambering. I'm sure most people picking up such a rifle would be picking it up for what it is, rather than its chambering as a varmit gun. At the lower end it'll bring in 700$, and could be anywhere as high as 2k.
If you must sell it I'd price it at a solid 800 or 900 dollars.

 

[nick22]

That's a beautiful rifle I wish my father had one of those for me to enjoy. I am no pro on pricing those but if the bore matches the exterior I agree with earlier posts it's worth close to a grand.

 

[redneck2]

Your father had fine tastes.
Also on todays market, that thing is practically priceless, irregardless of its chambering. I'm sure most people picking up such a rifle would be picking it up for what it is, rather than its chambering as a varmit gun. At the lower end it'll bring in 700$, and could be anywhere as high as 2k.
If you must sell it I'd price it at a solid 800 or 900 dollars.

I’d totally agree with this. They will never make any more of these. It’s the only one exactly like it in the world. Were i selling them I’d take some really good pictures and put them on an auction site. All you need is two guys with money to bid them up.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

All you need is two guys with money to bid them up.

Yeah pretty much the most solid way to get close to market value if you're a private seller.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

When it comes to original Pre-64 Winchesters, I think the current market prices favor collectors over users.

A common, easily available chambering will help sell rifles faster due to wider practical appeal, but that assumes that the rifles are being purchased primarily to be shot. For a classic rifle collector, a less common chambering may, in some circumstances, actually enhance value, assuming excellent original factory condition.

It may be a different story if the rifles have been rebarrelled, but even rebarrelled Pre-64s don't sell particularly cheaply.

BTW, I'm sure the .220 Swift still has its followers, but the appeal of the .222 Remington Magnum was quite brief. That makes the rifle pretty uncommon.

 

[entropy]

I'd be searching out the prairie dogging community, many of them would have interest in those rifles. Beautiful wood on that .220!

 

[codytrucker]

I'd look up past auction sales of custom model 70's . I believe some of your dads rifles are made by Al Biesen ? Some of those have a lot of value . It would take a lot of cash to exceed the heirloom value of those to me . Very nice rifles .

 

[Walkalong]

When it comes to original Pre-64 Winchesters, I think the current market prices favor collectors over users.

A common, easily available chambering will help sell rifles faster due to wider practical appeal, but that assumes that the rifles are being purchased primarily to be shot. For a classic rifle collector, a less common chambering may, in some circumstances, actually enhance value, assuming excellent original factory condition.

It may be a different story if the rifles have been rebarrelled, but even rebarrelled Pre-64s don't sell particularly cheaply.

BTW, I'm sure the .220 Swift still has its followers, but the appeal of the .222 Remington Magnum was quite brief. That makes the rifle pretty uncommon.

Agreed, said the man with a .222 Mag rifle.

 

[Bill M.]

Loved my .222 Mag. But I am too old to buy another one. Tried to sell the dies and got no takers.

 

[I6turbo]

The guesses in the thousand dollar and lower range sound waaay low to me. I'd guess $2K - $4K on GB if the gun is as nice as it appears in the photos (I can't tell much about the detail, but I'm guessing it's excellent based upon the fact that your dad had it), and the ad is well-done. I don't think the chamberings would be a problem for buyers of that type of gun. The .220 is readily available, and 222 Magnum is available.

 

[Rlafever]

nothing wrong with the .220 swift,.222 magnum may be hard to buy ammo and components for , the .204 ruger came from the .222 mag.

 

[dh1633pm]

Sorry for your loss. It’s one nice looking rifle.

 

[Trey Veston]

This one is also an oddity that I know nothing about.

I believe it is a Sako, chambered in .222 Mag. Obvious high quality.

 

[nick22]

Beautiful rifles, they're the opposite of a Glock and I have several of those.

 

[lightman]

I'm sorry for your loss! Your Dad had good taste in rifles! All of them are beautiful! The slightly odd calibers would not be a deal breaker for me. Personally I would have trouble getting rid of those!

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

The slightly odd calibers would not be a deal breaker for me. Personally I would have trouble getting rid of those!

Yeah, if I bought something like that with dies, yea i'd totally go for it.

 

[jmorris]

In the car business they say there is a butt for every seat. Odd balls can take longer to find buyers but they are still out there somewhere.

 

[Varminterror]

The folks wanting to collect finely stocked Pre-64 Win 70’s will be the same folks wanting to collect them in 222mag and 220 Swift.

There’s a 220Swift Pre-64 M70 on Gunbroker running at $2000 right now, and unlike the rifle discussed here, the stock on the Gunbroker rifle is about as aesthetically appealing as a brown paper napkin.

 

[Walkalong]

This one is also an oddity that I know nothing about.

I believe it is a Sako, chambered in .222 Mag. Obvious high quality.

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Sako .222 Mag. Not fancy wood like that one though, which is gorgeous.

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

I'm biased and can't help it. DON'T SELL IT! I think 5 years down the road REGRET will bite hard. Keep it for the family.

 

[Trey Veston]

I'd look up past auction sales of custom model 70's . I believe some of your dads rifles are made by Al Biesen ? Some of those have a lot of value . It would take a lot of cash to exceed the heirloom value of those to me . Very nice rifles .

There are only two Al Biesen rifles left that he didn't sell. He had very low regard for future generations as he had no interest in his grandkids or great-grandkids. It was sad, really, to try and show him the latest video of his adorable twin great-grandsons and he would just grimace. So I am just keeping firearms that I will shoot and have a special connection with. And I will be sharing them with MY future generations.

 

[I6turbo]

...He had very low regard for future generations as he had no interest in his grandkids or great-grandkids. It was sad, really, to try and show him the latest video of his adorable twin great-grandsons and he would just grimace. So I am just keeping firearms that I will shoot and have a special connection with. And I will be sharing them with MY future generations.

Not trying to get too personal, but that sounds like a real-life example of an interesting movie or novel story line.