Snider rifles : hard to price

T

triggerman42

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
45   0   0
I have been shooting for over 45 years. I have owned alot of guns in that time. I have 22s , some nice shotguns,millsups , deer rifles , pistols , and most recently , one snider enfield which I enjoy shooting very much.
When ever I see a snider at a gun show , or in a shop, I check it out. I look it over very carefully ,inside and out. I always open it up and put a piece of kleenex or paper towel, or just white paper in the breech end to brighten it up and look down the muzzle to inspect the bore. Lets face it ... condition is always reflected in the price.
This doesn't seem to be the case with the sniders. The prices are all over the place, and in many cases, make no sense at all. This seems to truly be one area where you NEED to shop around and compare.
With prices varying from $250,up to $800 and higher , its nuts ! Often times the pretty ones are not the ones you want. At the last gun show I attended , the cheapest snider there, had the nicest bore, but the prettier ones with the refinished stocks drew more attention from the crowd.
These guns sure are alot of fun to shoot, and contrary to alot of articles I've read , they are quite accurate.
After making myself a new (removable) front sight, which does nothing to alter the original condition of the gun , but lowers the poi to where your aiming , I'm quite happy with it. It will shoot 2.5 inch groups off the bench at 50 yards consistently , even with my 58 year old eyes ! Is that a tack driver ? definitely not.
Is that adequate to stop a deer in it's tracks this fall in the hardwoods ? You betcha !
 
Last edited:
Stop a deer and, if you're close enough, singe the hair off the hide so it's easier to tan! ;-)
Seriously, I think the extreme variation (i.e. high prices) one sees is because some people have this idea that they are very rare plus that their value is primarily determined by their cosmetic appeal and not as much by their functionality or shootability.
 
One of the reasons that I think the price varies so much is most people have no idea what they have and cannot tell the difference between a refinished or bubba'd rifle and a original one. The do some researching and think well mine looks nice so it must be in the upper range of the value scale. The second reason that I think the asking price varies so much is the seller is trying to connect with someone who can make a personal connection with a specific regiment. Either due to a ancestor in the regiment or the proximity of there residence. I might be totally wrong though.
 
In Canada we are lucky to have so many which were "sold out of service". Many are still hiding in closets in rural areas. Yes, be particular about condition and look closely. I find the prices are lower now than they were ten years ago. Possibly this is the effect of having all the junk coming from the Nepal cache. Thirty thousand Sniders came here in 1867 to arm our militia and all were sold to the public many years ago. Pristine examples are difficult to locate but shooters are readily available. Yes, they are fun to shoot and, yes, they will take deer. Dave
 
We were at a family affair down on the Frenchman River coulee in Shaunavon. There was a rock the size of a car across the coulee at 550 yds. My son pulled out his S-E and we started lobbing rds at it. We only had a dozen or 16 rds but by the end we were definitely getting the 'zero'.
And yes the prices are all over the place...but man are they fun to shoot!
 
I picked up a beat up Egytian Police smooth bore at a gun show for $150. After polishing the bore and a general clean up, she can do "6 at 50 yards. My next one will have to be a rifled barrel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom