1958 M70 Alaskan .375 H&H Mag Value...

International Harvester

International Harvester

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Republic of Saskatchewan
Hey gents,

Just located a 1958 Win M70 Alaskan in .375 H&H Mag. Price is 3450.00 x 1.13 + import cost. Pictures show mint condition and APPARENTLY has only 8 rounds fired down the tube since hunted once in 58. This is definitely what I'm looking for since I just sold a brand new one. Is this price kosher? The last pre 64 I looked at was a EARLY 50's .375 H&H supergrade in excellent cond for $6500.00! I actually prefer the standard grade and Alaskans.

I guess I'm asking if I should pull the trigger on this one.



IH
 
If the condition is as stated that's a + I would think you could buy a shooter grade for 20%-25% less it won't depreciate good solid investment and u get to enjoy it . Let's see your rrsp give u that type of a return . The only thing I have found with owning high end guns in Canada is very limited resale market . I have a couple of model 21 winchesters
Shotguns are a very hard sell in the $4500-$6000 range
 
It's not like you can find one in that condition every day. IMO if it's what you want and can afford it then buy it.
 
Ya, if it is that mint then it's worth the money to me. The question is how the heck do you verify condition long distance.
My mechanic buddy once helped me rationalize buying a nice Chev 3/4 ton for the same price. He said, " $3500.00 is a good weekend in Vegas". I use this whenever I want to buy something unnecessary now.
 
Regardless of the cost if that's what you want and its affordable, why not go for it ?
If not, you might be forever wishing you had because it is obviously a fine rifle with lots of use left in it especially if it is mint condition.
Its certainly a rare find.
 
I would say that if you were patient you could find the same rifle but a very good shooter (not perfect maybe a couple little marks) for about half that much and if the idea is to shoot it and hunt it then what difference would it make if the gun had a couple little marks on it when you got it? If that rifle is perfect with only 8 shots through it I'd say the asking price isn't far off but if the idea is to shoot it and hunt it, it's going to drop in value when you do these things. If the price and loss of value don't bother you and you just want to enjoy the gun (and I understand this thinking completely) then go for it. I know I love my pre-64 375 H&H and I hunt it every time I draw grizzly and often for moose and black bear too.
 
I/H . . Don't know how long you've been looking for a pre-64 M70, 375 H&H, but they don't come available all that often. . Myself personally, I don't have a problem paying more for a real nice gun in excellent condition over a shooter grade gun because I use my guns and look after them. . formed good habits so they're used but not abused. . It's tough and almost impossible to bring a shooter grade gun up to excellent for the difference in the price. . Resale of a collectible, keep in mind, 1. Rarity - 2. Condition - 3. Originality - 4. State of the economy.

That being said, buy the best condition gun you can afford or feel comfortable buying.

To arrive at a comfortable price - consider a pre-64 M70 gunstock for sale on ebay. . The standard stocks, low comb and high comb, that work for most calibers in a standard rifle sell for, on the average, less than half and most time one third of what a same condition stock for a 375 H&H will sell for. .

Winchester built close to 600,000 (581,000) pre-64 M70 rifles between 1936 and 1963, of which 14,000 were chambered in 375 H&H magnum. . Winchester included the 375 H&H almost from the beginning to the end of production with less than 15,000 total rifles in 375 H&H. The first few years Winchester used the standard tapered barrel and found this didn't work too well so changed up to the C-1 barrel which you'll most likely run across. .

I agree, $3400 is a tad high in price and you may find one here in Canada for $2500, but who knows for certain and what condition. . I own one of these in excellent condition and wouldn't be selling it for $2500, that I do know. . If the gun is guaranteed in the condition you say, and you feel comfortable buying it, I highly doubt you'd have any trouble getting your money back if it's in the condition you say. . I'd be making damn certain it is. . Sometimes to get the gun you want you have to pay more too soon. . As time passes it usually works out.
 
MattW said:
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MattW, now that's my idea of the proper position for a scope on a hard kicking rifle! Nice outfit. Seeing .375s, .416s, and .458s with the scope's ocular a couple of inches behind the cocking piece makes me crazy. It means that either the LOP is too long for the shooter, or that a scope cut is inevitable.

IH,
Seeing that a custom rifle would cost almost double the asking price of that M-70, don't hesitate; you snooze you loose as they say, and pre 64 M-70s are still a hot commodity in the States. My only other advice is that once you get it, pull the action out of the stock and check the bedding and ensure the stock has not cracked. If it appears that the bedding is uneven or that the action was moving inside the stock, have it bedded prior to shooting it to avoid any potential stock damage.
 
International Harvester said:
By the way Matt, is that a pre war gun? I see you aren't using standard scope mount holes, which makes me think there are none. Beauty gun!
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It's early fifties vintage, I forget the year at the moment but I think 50. The scope mount is a Griffin and Howe side mount so the action actually has two extra holes drilled and tapped for it. The mount is period correct for the rifle as is the scope, a Kollmorgen Bearcub 4 power. The whole rig works great, the Kollmorgen is still crystal clear and bright and as Boomer noticed from the picture it has lots of eye relief. The extra holes in the action usually would have bothered me but with the whole rig still together and working so well I'm fine with it.
 
Boomer said:
MattW, now that's my idea of the proper position for a scope on a hard kicking rifle! Nice outfit. Seeing .375s, .416s, and .458s with the scope's ocular a couple of inches behind the cocking piece makes me crazy. It means that either the LOP is too long for the shooter, or that a scope cut is inevitable.

IH,
Seeing that a custom rifle would cost almost double the asking price of that M-70, don't hesitate; you snooze you loose as they say, and pre 64 M-70s are still a hot commodity in the States. My only other advice is that once you get it, pull the action out of the stock and check the bedding and ensure the stock has not cracked. If it appears that the bedding is uneven or that the action was moving inside the stock, have it bedded prior to shooting it to avoid any potential stock damage.
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Thanks Boomer. I have to confess though that it isn't entirely my doing, the rifle came with the scope when I bought it and for a vintage scope it has tons of eye relief so that position works very well. I have usually had more typical scope positioning on my 375's and never had a problem but I can see where it could be an issue and was aware of it at the time too.
 
Oh, and I agree with Rods rationale from post #11. I also try to buy nice examples but I don't mind a minor mark or two and that's all I mean when I say shooter, no longer a museum piece but in very nice shape. Some guys say shooter when they mean some beat up old rat of a gun, that's not what I meant in my first post.
 
I H ........3400 USD.......better do all the math first. This rifle will end up costing you very nearly 4500 Cad by the time it lands in your hands.....US exchange...import fee...GST...PST...Shipping and quite possibly brokerage unless that is included in the importation fee.
Now ask your self is that rifle worth 4500 dollars to you? It wouldn't be to me, but then I'm not "head over heels" about old mod 70s. They are a fine old rifle but $4500 worth...............not to me. I also think with all the add on costs you would be many, many years before you could get your money back..........if ever.
 
Good copy Charlie-Fox. The seller is firm at $3450 USD. Best case scenario I figure I'd be into the gun for $4200.00 CDN. That is more than I want to spend. With recent PM's I've also been enlightened with the surprising amount of excellent condition pre-64's available. That, and no one else has offered the seller more than $3000.00.
 
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