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Age of Pre 64 Winchester collectors

snickerssnickers Member Posts: 359 ✭✭✭
edited February 2004 in Ask the Experts
Is there a younger generation of Pre 64 collectors or at least a group that will still find this a disireable firearm coming up? Are there any feelings that the current price for very nice collectable Winchesters reached the top?

MONEY TALKS mine says good-bye

Comments

  • Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    To which younger generation are you referring to[?] I personally, am a baby-boomer and I REALLY like pre-64 Winchesters[^]. As for your second question, who knows... it is kinda of like predicting the stock market.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
  • gunut 1gunut 1 Member Posts: 360 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have 13 model 12s. Collector??? Not really. I just like them...I will be 50 on sunday an only know a few guys younger than myself that knows or cares anything about older guns of any kind.....
  • bobskibobski Member Posts: 17,868 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    im 47 and i had family and friends work in the old new haven plant. i was born and raised 10 miles from n. haven. my mom had some plating dept experience too. does that count? ok, ok, i had family in the colt plant too!

    former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.
    Retired Naval Aviation
    Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
    Former NSSA All American
    Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
    MO, CT, VA.
  • mrmike08075mrmike08075 Member Posts: 10,998 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    i am 32 years of age, and most of the WINCHESTER firearms i own are "PRE-64". that group includes an 1886 TAKEDOWN CARBINE in .33 WCF, a 1894 INLAND CARBINE in .32 WIN-SPEC, a 52-C SPECIAL 28" HEAVY BBL, 2 M-1 GARAND`s (including a "D" MODEL), etc...

    i consider the fit, finish, quality, and accuraccy of PRE-64 models to be vastly superior to later, or modern production models. best regards, mike.

    What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.
  • snickerssnickers Member Posts: 359 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I ask the question because I have quite a few Pre-64 Winchesters with the majority being Model 70's. I am 55 and with a little luck hope to have another 20yrs or so left. If I make it that long and want to get rid of them for a little living money or leave something for my heirs I wonder if there will be a market for them. With the trends for new cartriges, synthetic stocks, and carbon barrels will the the old "Pre-64's" still command the money.

    MONEY TALKS mine says good-bye
  • wundudneewundudnee Member Posts: 6,099 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote: Are there any feelings that the current price for very nice collectable Winchesters reached the top?

    MONEY TALKS mine says good-bye


    I think you answered your own question when you qualified them very nice. Any quality made firearm in nice condition I feel will hold and or increase in value. I'm 64 and the reason I have them is because they were the things that weren't available to me when I was young. Every Winchester I own is pre 64, in fact I just bought the first new gun of my life a couple of weeks ago. I think more young people than you realize appreciate beautiful walnut and blued steel. I'm a pre 64 nut.[:p]

    ....................
    Old? First you forget names; then you forget faces; then you forget to pull your zipper up; then you forget to pull your zipper down.
    standard.jpg
  • HangfireHangfire Member Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    [/quote]

    I think you answered your own question when you qualified them very nice. Any quality made firearm in nice condition I feel will hold and or increase in value. I'm 64 and the reason I have them is because they were the things that weren't available to me when I was young. Every Winchester I own is pre 64, in fact I just bought the first new gun of my life a couple of weeks ago. I think more young people than you realize appreciate beautiful walnut and blued steel. I'm a pre 64 nut.[:p]

    ....................
    Old? First you forget names; then you forget faces; then you forget to pull your zipper up; then you forget to pull your zipper down.


    [/quote]

    I agree with Scott-Their value will continue to appreciate as will any quality arm of any era.They represent top-of-the-line production firearms. Whenever I show one to a young person, they are taken back as to the fit and finish for what was once an off the rack offering.

    Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob
  • CORRENCORREN Member Posts: 466 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have two not a collector,they have both been passed down to me from my father.one is a model 70 30-06 the other is a model 12 12 guage . oh yea im 36
    thanks Bill
    (correns husband)
  • HumboldtHumboldt Member Posts: 24 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I turned 40 last year and I feel like this question is directed at me. You older kids are to biased and the younger guys are saying pre what?

    I was a gun freak when I was a kid and have recently come full circle and gotten back into it. As a teenager I was surrounded by 870's, 1100's, 700's, and so on. The older guys I looked up to introduced me to the model 12's, model 70's, and the like.

    I bought a model 12 about twenty years ago and have never shot it. I was going to put a rib on it and fancy wood and there it sits. I'll probably never do anything with it. I'm not a big fan of the safety in front of the trigger and I don't have a hunting situation that warrants dragging it out.

    I bought a model 70 in a 270 and used it for a few years, but ended up selling it to a friend so that I would force myself to build the 270 I really wanted with a sniper stock and v-block mounted stainless, fluted barrel on a 700 action. I had hunted quite a bit with this rifle and nothing feels like a model 70, but like the shotgun there just wasn't that connection.

    Sometime later I bought another model 70 in a 300 H&H and it too just sits in the safe and has never been fired. I always planned on making an open sight sporter out of it for rainy days, but like the rest there isn't that connection.

    Bottom line to answer the question I would have to say if not then it's definitely heading that way. Steel shot has destroyed the model 12 and the younger generation doesn't appreciate or know anything about those early firearms. Zero care factor translates into lower prices.

    As for me I've owned them, but never used them as a kid or had a father or grandfather to hand one down to me. Those guns were part of a heritage and full of nostalgia. They take one back to the good old days before over population and things like the internet. I'm sure this information age has some benefits, but I'm afraid like the hunting and fishing of 30-40 years ago, those old classic firearms are just a thing of the past.

    I always said I was born 40 years to late. It's hard not to live in the past, but man it used to be a lot better. Wouldn't you agree?

    Boldt
  • HangfireHangfire Member Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well Humbolt, gotta agree with ya! Not much comparison between a Pre-64 Mod. 70 and a "Sniper stocked , V Block, fluted stainless bbl. 700". Too bad the "connection" wasn't made to appreciate them all.[8D]

    Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob
  • chumchumchumchum Member Posts: 847 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm 35 and yes us little kids like them. It's just the matter of spending the extra money for a gun that is suppose to sit in the safe and collect value. People in my age group spend more money on homes cars and family. So in twenty years when you want to sell them let me know. I should have the extra money to spend by then.
  • MadmanMadman Member Posts: 601 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hey I'm a 52 yr old kid and I just love pre 64 Winchesters. Have all four calibres of the model 43 and in search of a Model 70 mfrd in 1952...and yes it was much better in the old days, but we must endure..

    Keep your powder dry and keep it in the wind..

    Harley
  • SuspensionSuspension Member Posts: 4,783
    edited November -1
    Young pup here, 29 this past November....Anyone who has read and researched the Winchester can't but help to fall into the circle. Throw pre-64 into the pot and you got yourself a party...
    I use two Winchesters out of the 20+ I own, they make Remington's to beat threw the brush.

    My opinion is the $$$ will definately go up, has there been declines so far???????
    Consider it a investment for the future and buy buy buy...


    "A pocket knife, a clean hankey, and a pistol... things I can use." - Ted Nugent
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 50,947 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As with anything else, the value of used guns is based on demand. These have been in high demand, though there are a lot of them out there. There will always be shooters and collectors who want them. While it will be impossible to predict how they will evaluate, they will hold their own as well as any shooters rifle out there. There will always be a premium on rifles in high condition so take good care of them, but love them and shoot them.

    He Dog
  • only winchestersonly winchesters Member Posts: 1,580 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Rec'd my first Md 12, 36 years ago from my grandfather. He gave me his when he felt he was to old to hunt. Since then I've bought about 60 more pre 64 Winchester shotguns. As long as there is lead shot, Bismuth, or tungsten/matrix, the values will continue to go up, especially on the more rare versions, Skeet, Trap, Pigeon, Black Diamond grade guns. Rare field grade guns such as a 16/20ga with a 30 inch barrel, or any guage with a short 25/26 inch barrel with a cyl. or imp/cyl choke. These will bring a premium. We can only hope that the old MD 97s,12s,20s, 24s, 37s 42s, 50s will go up like the Md 21's. I've noticed a premium on just about every Md on pre war vs post war Winchesters.

    I'd say the biggest problem today, is a good old Winchester is worth more in parts, than a whole gun in some cases. Which prooves one thing, people are still shooting them, and occassionally they break or get damaged. When they find out that a gunsmith will charge around a $100 to fix a broken firing pin on a Md 12, or they can go buy a complete used bolt for around $50. and swap it out. Winchester use to build their guns to last a lifetime. They did a good job. A lot of Md 12's have lasted the lifetime of several owners.

    Considering the price of what new long guns are going for, Remington, Browning, an old Winchester looks like a good value, as long as you don't mind a fixed choke gun. Pre64 94s and 70s are continuing to rise. With the internet now you can find just about any old Winchester you want. Prior to that you were limited to the local gunshops, gunshows, and a few publications, (Gun List, Shotguns News) So I feel there will always be a demand, very simalar to classic cars.

    Regards Dave
  • only winchestersonly winchesters Member Posts: 1,580 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Rec'd my first Md 12, 36 years ago from my grandfather. He gave me his when he felt he was to old to hunt. Since then I've bought about 60 more pre 64 Winchester shotguns. As long as there is lead shot, Bismuth, or tungsten/matrix, the values will continue to go up, especially on the more rare versions, Skeet, Trap, Pigeon, Black Diamond grade guns. Rare field grade guns such as a 16/20ga with a 30 inch barrel, or any guage with a short 25/26 inch barrel with a cyl. or imp/cyl choke. These will bring a premium. We can only hope that the old MD 97s,12s,20s, 24s, 37s 42s, 50s will go up like the Md 21's. I've noticed a premium on just about every Md on pre war vs post war Winchesters.

    I'd say the biggest problem today, is a good old Winchester is worth more in parts, than a whole gun in some cases. Which prooves one thing, people are still shooting them, and occassionally they break or get damaged. When they find out that a gunsmith will charge around a $100 to fix a broken firing pin on a Md 12, or they can go buy a complete used bolt for around $50. and swap it out. Winchester use to build their guns to last a lifetime. They did a good job. A lot of Md 12's have lasted the lifetime of several owners.

    Considering the price of what new long guns are going for, Remington, Browning, an old Winchester looks like a good value, as long as you don't mind a fixed choke gun. Pre64 94s and 70s are continuing to rise. With the internet now you can find just about any old Winchester you want. Prior to that you were limited to the local gunshops, gunshows, and a few publications, (Gun List, Shotguns News) So I feel there will always be a demand, very simalar to classic cars.

    I'm 49 now, and still buying Winchesters. Regards Dave
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