Have a look at this Marlin 1893 30-30

Ar180shooter said:
Saskcop, I would argue that the Miroku made Winchester/Browning lever guns are as well made as they ever have been.
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Point taken for sure, but what does a person have to pay to get one? Sure, $11 bucks was good money back in the day, but the new winchesters are crazy money for what they are. What I am saying is that back in the day, craftsmanship was the norm. Nowadays, you have to pay extra for it, and even then, it just isn't the same.
 
saskcop said:
Point taken for sure, but what does a person have to pay to get one? Sure, $11 bucks was good money back in the day, but the new winchesters are crazy money for what they are. What I am saying is that back in the day, craftsmanship was the norm. Nowadays, you have to pay extra for it, and even then, it just isn't the same.
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I disagree that you have to pay extra for craftsmanship. Back in the 20's, $11 would have been a good weeks wage. $1000 is an good weeks wage these days.
 
I would argue that the new Winchesters are better built than the pre 64's. And as mentioned above, ALL firearms are cheap today compared to what we have for disposable income compared to "back then".

OP, really sweet rifle! I would dearly love to have one in that kind of condition. I would hazard a guess that if it were offered for sale it would probably bring $700-$1000 without too much difficulty.
 
Comparing a pre 64 Winchester to a Japanese production rifle is fine. But the Winchesters made around the turn of the century and before stand alone as far as quality goes. The inletting on the early 20th century Winchesters is without equal in mass produced firearms. Anyone who has made a study of Winchesters will agree, I think.
 
Mike Webb said:
Comparing a pre 64 Winchester to a Japanese production rifle is fine. But the Winchesters made around the turn of the century and before stand alone as far as quality goes. The inletting on the early 20th century Winchesters is without equal in mass produced firearms. Anyone who has made a study of Winchesters will agree, I think.
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I would agree with that, but the point being made is that $1000 for a quality firearm is very reasonable. Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a quality rifle would sometimes be several months wages. Case in point; the original Henry lever action repeaters cost around $50 (early civil war time), and Union soldiers were paid around $13/month, many of them paying for these rifles out of their own pockets. Now could you imagine paying close to 4 months wages for a rifle? Probably not, but back in the day, when your life may depend on your rifle, a few months wage was fair trade for a quality rifle. It seems odd to me that people expect a quality rifle to be a few hundred dollars, when in many cases they make that in a couple of days. Something doesn't add up in that thought process.
 
Ar180shooter said:
I would agree with that, but the point being made is that $1000 for a quality firearm is very reasonable. Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a quality rifle would sometimes be several months wages. Case in point; the original Henry lever action repeaters cost around $50 (early civil war time), and Union soldiers were paid around $13/month, many of them paying for these rifles out of their own pockets. Now could you imagine paying close to 4 months wages for a rifle? Probably not, but back in the day, when your life may depend on your rifle, a few months wage was fair trade for a quality rifle. It seems odd to me that people expect a quality rifle to be a few hundred dollars, when in many cases they make that in a couple of days. Something doesn't add up in that thought process.
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Absolutely. Folks don't seem to realize, YOU CAN ONLY MAKE A GUN SO CHEAP then quality begins to decline, same with any product. The economy grade Savage rifles are a case in point, very inexpensive, plain but functional and quite accurate generally. The Remington 770 is the other side of the coin.
 
Mike Webb said:
Absolutely. Folks don't seem to realize, YOU CAN ONLY MAKE A GUN SO CHEAP then quality begins to decline, same with any product. The economy grade Savage rifles are a case in point, very inexpensive, plain but functional and quite accurate generally. The Remington 770 is the other side of the coin.
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Yes, I agree wholly. Many rifles like the Savage economy rifles incorporate cost saving measures like plastic trigger guards, injection molded polymer stocks, etc. They have a solid (albeit somewhat rough) action and good quality barrels. They are very functional rifles that do the job (I have one, a Stevens 200, with which I killed a very nice 8 point last year), but to expect an economy rifle made with all the corners cut that can be cut to be on the same level of craftsmanship as the classic lever actions of Winchester, Marlin and Savage when these companies were at the top of their game, is almost laughable.

Edit: OP I would just like to add that the Marlin pictured is a beautiful rifle. Your friends son is lucky to have such a nice rifle passed down to him.
 
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I sold one of those, but with a round barrel, for $500, not near the shape. In that condition, with the octagon bbl, i would say $1000-$1500.
 
blargon said:
I sold one of those, but with a round barrel, for $500, not near the shape. In that condition, with the octagon bbl, i would say $1000-$1500.
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Well I have discussed via PM's with one of our Marlin collectors and it turns out that this rifle has been reblued at some point. Apparently this rifle should of come case hardened so it has now real collectors value. But very nice rifle non the less.
 
freddyfour said:
Well I have discussed via PM's with one of our Marlin collectors and it turns out that this rifle has been reblued at some point. Apparently this rifle should of come case hardened so it has now real collectors value. But very nice rifle non the less.
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Well collectors are an odd bunch...:)
 
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