What are Grandpa's rifles worth?

[Spyvie]

Gramps passed away a little over a year ago, now Gramma wants to sell his rifles for some much needed cash. I can take them to Bass Pro Shops and have them appraised for free but I thought I might run them past the experienced minds at THR first. I was thinking I might be better off offering them for FTF sale. If I can get an idea of what to ask I'll post a thread in the for sale section.

Any help is appreciated.

First is a Thompson Center .50 cal muzzle loader purchased for elk hunting in the 80s, used once and I doubt it's been fired 10 times. No other marking besides the SN, Thompson | Center, Rochester, New Hampshire and .50Cal
EDIT: The ramrod is also in like new condition and is included. I took it out to see if the gun was loaded (it's not) and forgot to put it back in before I snapped the pic.






Next we have an Austria Voere NATO Cougar 30.06. Purchased in the early 70s for hunting this rifle has taken quite a few elk, and has a few dings in the stock to show for it. The bore looks great and the rifle is 100% functional. I can find very little info about this gun on the intertubes and the guys at the gun shop have never heard of it. The scope is a Weaver K4 C3 in Weaver mounts.










Last we have an oldie, a Savage model 1899 lever in .303 Savage. This was Gramma's hunting rifle back in Montana and has taken a lot of game. The bluing is gone, the stock is dinged up and there is a dent in the receiver. This rifle was last fired about 30 years ago and appears to be 100% functional. There is some .303 ammo around somewhere to go with if I can find it.

 

[Chipperman]

Sorry about the loss of Gramps.

Sorry also to hear that these family guns are to be sold.

Are you not in the position to buy them from Grammie?

They'd have to pry that Savage out of my hands.

 

[Spyvie]

Thanks for the reply Chipperman.

Yes, I want to keep the 30.06 but I'm not sure how much to give Gramma for it. I did find one that sold at auction for about $250. As for the Savage, I'd love to keep it but if it's really valuable we need the money more. If it's only worth a few hundred it's not going anywhere.

 

[dagger dog]

Make sure to have the 99 appraised by some one competent, even in the shape it's in, it may have some interest to collectors because of its .303 Savage chambering. Collectors like to collect all the different chamberings in the model of their interest. Even though Grams rifle is well worn a collector may not have that particular chambering, and may use a rifle in lesser condition to fill that spot until he can come upon a better specimen. The 303 Savage chambering was produced in fewer numbers.

 

[ThomasT]

I had a like new T/C Hawken on Gunbroker a while back that wouldn't sell for a low price of $250.00. But i still think your Renagade would be worth 200-250 dollars.

The 30-06 should bring $300.00 and on up. I would think as much as $500.00 or so. It looks like a Mauser 98 action.

The Savage is tricky. Its pretty rough and not a popular caliber. I have seen these in this shape at Cabelas for $600.00 or so.

Right now guns don't seem to be selling as fast as they were a while back. I think with ammo prices being so high no one wants to take on a new mouth to feed. Especialy an oddball like a 303.

This is my opinion and i have been known to be wrong. Contrary to popular opinion i am not perfect.

 

[Slamfire]

Your Thompson Center Renegade, I think is out of production. It was the lowest cost Black powder Thompson you could buy at the time, no flashy brass or nothing. Still a nice rifle. I paid $150.00 new for mine, I don't know what a used one would go for.

The 30-06 is a nice rifle. Based on the cut in the side rail and the safety, that action is a reworked military surplus action. Nothing wrong with the rifle, but I would expect it to go for less than a Rem 700, Savage 110, or a Win M70 in the same caliber.

I think the Savage is the most valuble of the bunch. Older Savage lever actions have increased in value.

I don't have a current Blue Book, I am not going to toss out numbers.

 

[Cosmoline]

Ditto getting the Savage appraised. You can go over and get a rough idea at 24hourcampfire.com in the savage rifle forum, but those 99's in particular are VERY difficult to sort out. There are many different subtypes and many aftermarket mods. Bottom value on that would likely be in the $400 range assuming it has been hacked at. If it's intact and a rare subtype, value can go way up fast. I can tell you to DO NOTHING TO IT. Don't even try to clean it. My untrained eye says the Schnoble got executed, which if true is too bad.

The Cougar is cool, though that stock reminds me of polyester clothes for some reason ;-)

 

[17&Holding]

As for the Savage..

Post the pics and your question here:

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/40/page/1

Or go to www.24hourcampfire.com and follow link to Savage Collectors. The guys there can give you some professional advice.

 

[JesseL]

Those are all priceless, but I doubt you'd get more than $450 tops from selling any of them.

I'd do whatever is necessary to keep them in the familly.

 

[Spyvie]

Thanks for all your advice guys, I think we'll try to keep all of them if we can.

The consensus over at 24Hour Campfire is the Savage is worth way more to my family than to anyone else.

 

[Cuda]

Not knowing your financial situation makes this hard.. Like others have said keep the guns. Find out what Gramma needs and give it to her.. Forget the value of the guns and take care of the family if you can..

C

 

[peyton]

Scrounge the money from somewhere, keep the guns. This way you can pass them to the next generation. Go and shoot them!!! I take it you have not done this. The history of these is what makes them valuable. The Voere rifle is a very good one and the Weaver scope was made when their quality was excellent.

 

[Wildfire]

Be careful.

Hey there:
I agree with all the above.
That Savage could be worth more than you may think.
Have the ser# checked by a very good source then another. Some of those older Savage 99s went way up in value.
The ser# will prove it. "Some" may shock you as to their value.......

 

[rangerruck]

the most valueable 99's were , that cal, 243, and 250-3000. That could be a 6 or 700 dollar rifle. I also think the Voere could have some real value, as Austrian made voeres were also collectible.

 

[P-32]

What I'm going to say is to not to belittle or to flame anyone. The dilema Spyvie is in will not happen to my guns. I have some jewels and a couple of dogs. Some are those passed on to me from my father and father in law. All will be equally spread spread amoung my grandchildren with the idea to enjoy them and not sell as long as they can own them. The hard part will be to figure out to keep everything equal. One rifle is a Mdl 70 in 300 H&H which has never had a scope on it and in near mint condition.