WTK: 1873 winchester price

[s&w 24]

I found a '73 winchester at a very low price ( not telling ) at a local shop. It is a '73 rifle (24" bbl, cresent butplate/w trapdoor) in 38wcf with 10% finish on the metal and the wood is 50% and dark but may clean up o.k.
also some small easy to fix dings in the mag tube, the bore has rifleing visible with 40% light to moderate pitting. In addition to all of this it has factory marbles reversable front sight (red or white bead) and a factory marbles rear sight and a factory letter attesting to it's original condition.

Would this be a shooter or a cantidate for (pro) restoration or would it be best to leave it be ? Also are there any points that I need to check on '73 winchester's in general ? What is a fair price on this rifle ?

 

[greg531mi]

Went to an auction a couple of weeks ago, and they had a 73 there, nice shape, 80% patina, a few dings in the stock, and a couple of new scratches in the reciever, must have been done recently, and it went for $975...in 32-20. Nice shiny bore, too. Guess yours is a shooter, with only 10% blue, I would say around $400 to $500 would be a deal....It is not a collector piece, but a shooter. It would cost you around $1000 to $2000 to get it restored, and it would still not be a collector piece... and the pits in the barrel would still be there.
Call it a shooter, try to clean out the bore, and have fun at the range with it.

 

[s&w 24]

thats what I was thinking. Thanks!