Last week I was going through my gun cupboard rearranging my rifles to make room for new additions. I decided that some were surplus to my requirements. I had finished studying/cleaning/restoring/playing with them, so it was time to pass them along. I listed three rifles and then put the kettle on and took a quick shower. I made my coffee and sat back down at the computer to find that all three rifles had buyers within twenty minutes. Gotta love Gunnutz!
Everyday since, I have had emails asking that if I have anything else to sell, I should contact Tom, #### or Harry. Some Gunnutz suggested that I had listed my rifles well below thier value. Maybe so, they were priced to sell and I made my money back plus. So me very happy, buyers very happy.
I gotta few more to move to new homes, but taking the advice of several fellow Gunnutz, I'm running it past the forum to see if I can get a better handle on values. I guess the days of $100 Enfields are past, but I still find Bubba'd rifles for $50, and original old war horses for $100. Maybe my stomping grounds are not picked over yet. So stay away!
I was floored to find out much an original K98 was worth. Even Mosin Nagants are going up in value!! WTF! I remember the days not so long ago of walking into Le Baron every week and coming home with a different service rifle, bayonet, ammo and having change from $100.
Now I wish I have scooped up more rifles when Century Arms had thier close out and sold 'fair, cracked stock' No.1 MkIIIs for $19.95 each.
So I am now paying attention. My collection probably has a higher value than I thought. As an exercise, I suggest you make an inventory of all your guns, tag a value and then add it up. You will probably suprise yourself with how much your collection is worth. It is sad that some arms are getting out of reach for some new collectors. I have had arms given to me by seniors who just couldn't be bothered with paperwork, I in turn passed them on to youngsters who showed interest in the hobby and to get their collection rolling. Five years later, those guns are still in collections. However, I digress. I'm just noticing that this hobby has become expensive.
Price check please. I bought this little puppy years ago for $80 and used it as a bush gun. It probably is worth a few bucks more today so I'm not going to list it for $100 or best offer. Dated 1893, it started out as a Mk.II MLM and has its original barrel with shallow Metford rifling, bore is mirror. It has been cut back to carbine length and recrowned. Some tell me that this was a conversion from a full size rifle to a New Zealand Cadet carbine. The knoxform does have a drill purpose stamp (DP) but I don't know, sounds like another story, like edible survival buttons, but it certainly isn't a Bubba job. It looks like a professional conversion, all parts fit, it looks and feels right. It balances with the mag sitting in your palm, is sweet to shoot and probably the loudest rifle I have ever heard! It shoots very well with light loads, heavy loads makes the bullet strip the Metford rifling and keyhole on the target. Wood has been sanded probably a long time ago so no cartouches. Finish is well seasoned BLO with a nice dark toned walnut. There is little of the original blue on the metal left, most has turned to plumb or polished grey patina. LH of butt socket has Enfield armourer's marks denoting that is was in for rework or repair in 1900, 01, 02, 03, 04. The mag and cut off are set up for the Mk.7 ammo.
The knox form has Brit and NZ markings. Butt plate clue might be that this was issued for NZ service in 1913 and has a rack number.
Ballpark value for this carbine? I have several offers for its parts (mag, bolt, wood) but I am hesitant to strip it to harvest it. Sad thing is, total sale value as parts might be greater than it's whole.
I have several Long Lee projects currently on the go, I'm always looking for parts to trade. I have on hand a spare Enfield barrel, wood, nosecap etc. What does the forum think of potential value if I were to return this shorty back to original MLM configuration? What would be the difference in value between an original untouched rifle compared to one that had been restored (not refinished) with all correct parts returning it back to spec? How rare are Long Tom metfords? How rare are carbines?
Englishman.
Everyday since, I have had emails asking that if I have anything else to sell, I should contact Tom, #### or Harry. Some Gunnutz suggested that I had listed my rifles well below thier value. Maybe so, they were priced to sell and I made my money back plus. So me very happy, buyers very happy.
I gotta few more to move to new homes, but taking the advice of several fellow Gunnutz, I'm running it past the forum to see if I can get a better handle on values. I guess the days of $100 Enfields are past, but I still find Bubba'd rifles for $50, and original old war horses for $100. Maybe my stomping grounds are not picked over yet. So stay away!
I was floored to find out much an original K98 was worth. Even Mosin Nagants are going up in value!! WTF! I remember the days not so long ago of walking into Le Baron every week and coming home with a different service rifle, bayonet, ammo and having change from $100.
Now I wish I have scooped up more rifles when Century Arms had thier close out and sold 'fair, cracked stock' No.1 MkIIIs for $19.95 each.
So I am now paying attention. My collection probably has a higher value than I thought. As an exercise, I suggest you make an inventory of all your guns, tag a value and then add it up. You will probably suprise yourself with how much your collection is worth. It is sad that some arms are getting out of reach for some new collectors. I have had arms given to me by seniors who just couldn't be bothered with paperwork, I in turn passed them on to youngsters who showed interest in the hobby and to get their collection rolling. Five years later, those guns are still in collections. However, I digress. I'm just noticing that this hobby has become expensive.
Price check please. I bought this little puppy years ago for $80 and used it as a bush gun. It probably is worth a few bucks more today so I'm not going to list it for $100 or best offer. Dated 1893, it started out as a Mk.II MLM and has its original barrel with shallow Metford rifling, bore is mirror. It has been cut back to carbine length and recrowned. Some tell me that this was a conversion from a full size rifle to a New Zealand Cadet carbine. The knoxform does have a drill purpose stamp (DP) but I don't know, sounds like another story, like edible survival buttons, but it certainly isn't a Bubba job. It looks like a professional conversion, all parts fit, it looks and feels right. It balances with the mag sitting in your palm, is sweet to shoot and probably the loudest rifle I have ever heard! It shoots very well with light loads, heavy loads makes the bullet strip the Metford rifling and keyhole on the target. Wood has been sanded probably a long time ago so no cartouches. Finish is well seasoned BLO with a nice dark toned walnut. There is little of the original blue on the metal left, most has turned to plumb or polished grey patina. LH of butt socket has Enfield armourer's marks denoting that is was in for rework or repair in 1900, 01, 02, 03, 04. The mag and cut off are set up for the Mk.7 ammo.
The knox form has Brit and NZ markings. Butt plate clue might be that this was issued for NZ service in 1913 and has a rack number.
Ballpark value for this carbine? I have several offers for its parts (mag, bolt, wood) but I am hesitant to strip it to harvest it. Sad thing is, total sale value as parts might be greater than it's whole.
I have several Long Lee projects currently on the go, I'm always looking for parts to trade. I have on hand a spare Enfield barrel, wood, nosecap etc. What does the forum think of potential value if I were to return this shorty back to original MLM configuration? What would be the difference in value between an original untouched rifle compared to one that had been restored (not refinished) with all correct parts returning it back to spec? How rare are Long Tom metfords? How rare are carbines?
Englishman.
