What is this worth.

[shootistpd27]

My father-in-law gave this gun to my wife and doesnt know the first thing about it. I have done a little research on it but no real break throughs. I have spoken to a few gun shop owners but they always give me a line of bs trying to get me to sell the gun. The most I have been offered is $500 and if the gun is a piece of junk like they say then $500 is too much. It is a winchester 22 wrf mod 90. The last date on it is may 30, 1911. It has some rust spots on it but it works flawlessly. I would appreciate anyone who could give me a good value on the gun.

 

[rcmodel]

Go here and do a search for .22 WRF:
http://www.gunbroker.com/

Or here:
http://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=.22 wrf

That will give you an idea of what folks are asking for them.
Not that they are getting it.

Yours appears to be pretty badly rust pitted, and I imagine the bore is equally bad. It would not bring top dollar by any means.

Both CCI & Winchester make .22 WRF ammo. It is loaded lighter then it was in the old days, but they are still fun to shoot.

rc

 

[mija]

I have one just like it. It is a model 90 gallery gun. Hex barrel take down model. They now go for 5-800$.
Years ago my grandad took it and had the chamber lenghtened to 22lr. It has worked fine ever since with thousands of rounds put through it. You will find that it is quite accurate.

 

[rcmodel]

Couple of problems there.

The .22 WRF was never a "Gallery Gun". The 1890 Gallery gun was always chambered in .22 short.

And you can't lengthen a .22 WRF chamber to make it a .22 LR.

The chamber is already both bigger around and longer then a .22 RF chamber. The .22 WRF cartridge is the same size as a .22 Magnum, only slightly shorter.

And the .22 WRF cartridge lifter will not feed any shorter .22 RF round.

It's possible your grandfather had the barrel re-lined and the action converted to feed .22 LR, but it was not a matter of just drilling out the already bigger / too big chamber.

rc

 

[JohnBT]

I'm thinking I would have jumped at getting $500 for it in that well worn condition. After all, they're going to have to mark it up to make a profit and I don't think it worth more than $500. But what do I know, I'm almost old and having a long hard day at the office. Off to google to see how close I am in my thinking/guessing.

www.merzantique.com/catalog_C0_18_1.php

(11-488) WINCHESTER MODEL 90 3RD MODEL RIFLE IN .22 WRF
Excellent bore, clean smooth metal, sharp corners, 80%+ lustrous blue remaining overall, balance turning a plummish blue coloration. Fine walnut with a coat of varnish added at some time. Original sights. $1375 [photos available on the their site]

(11-467) WINCHESTER MODEL 90 3RD MODEL RIFLE IN HARD TO FIND .22 LONG RIFLE Excellent bore, metal cleaned and touch-up blue applied long ago; refinish has turned a plum blue brown coloration, original sights include a Marbles tang sight. Fine walnut, most all original varnish remaining. $1,075 no photos

(11-375) WINCHESTER MODEL 90 RIFLE, 3RD MODEL IN .22 WRF
95% barrel and magazine blue with light storage freckles here and there, frame flaked long ago, old touch-up blue has turned a plum blue patina coloration. Fine+ walnut, original sights. $875 photos avail.

(11-381) WINCHESTER 2ND MODEL 1890 RIFLE IN .22 WRF
VG bore, 60% barrel blue, 80% magazine tube blue; the balance of the metal is a plummish blue patina coloration, VG wood, original sights, crisp action.$775 photos avail.

Here is one pic of the $775 rifle; it looks good...




(10-7) WINCHESTER 1890 3RD MODEL RIFLE IN DESIREABLE .22 LONG RIFLE
Completely restored by a top professional, this example was in excellent condition before restoration. Excellent bore, original sights. Gun retains virtually all of it's lustrous re-blue; looks just like original. Excellent walnut retains all of re-lacquer as well. Outstanding example. $2,500 photos avail.
__________

I didn't know they came in .22 LR. And I don't know the ins and outs of the differences in the 2nd Model vs. 3rd Model, but it's a start.

John

 

[shootistpd27]

My wife will never part with it. I was just wondering its value. Im not sure what year it was made though. Any ideas on how to find out?

 

[rcmodel]

I simply can't imagine any Winchester collector paying anywhere near $2,500 dollars for one that had been re-blued & re-varnished.

Anyway, most all of those you listed are way above the going rate in the mid-west area of the country.

Cabala's and others try to price them like that, but I don't think they are getting it from anyone who knows thier way off a cabbage wagon.

rc

 

[rcmodel]

Any ideas on how to find out?

Post the serial number with the last three digits X'd out and I can tell you.

Or go here:
http://www.armscollectors.com/sn/winlookup.php?file=win1890.dat

rc

 

[Jim K]

There is a big gap in value between top quality guns (essentially new) and the average gun of that type which was usually "rode hard and put away wet", worn out and shot out. Unfortunately, the gun pictured in the original post is not in the first category, and $500 would be IMHO a reasonable, if not generous, offer.

The .22 WRF, like other obsolete rimfires, is available from time to time (it can be fired in .22 WMR chambers as a light load) but it is hard to get, which does not help the value of the rifle.

Jim

 

[NosyParka]

Winchester mod 90 .22 wrf

May I suggest to shootistpd27 to look at the condition of the wooden stock? If in good condition, just take the gun apart & clean it up both inside & out. Don't re-blue or re-varnish the wood. Either us it as is or use as wall-hanger. On YouTube, there's a guy from MidwayUSA, telling you how to clean everything regarding firearms. His name is Larry Potterfield. If I were you, I'd just cherish such a fine firearm.

When it is cleaned up, put this rifle on white non-reflective background & show us a picture, thanks.