Am I being lied to?

[brokfut]

I went into my local gun store today with my newest rifle project looking for Lin-Speed to touch up a couple of dings in the stock. Asked the main man at the gun counter what he thought the rifle might be worth for insurance purposes. He looked it all over and pontificated that it wouldn't be resealable for more than $450-$500 since it was an obscure caliber and an old receiver.
This is a FN Mod 24 trued receiver with a new pac-nor stainless precision barrel chambered in 280 Rem Ackley Improved, prone brake, Leupold 3-9 CDS scope, Timney trigger and cerakoted in Savage Stainless.
I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but I'm pretty sure he was not altogether right....Any opinions?

 

[millerkiller77]

I think if you found the right retail buyer it could go for ~$700ish . $300 of that accounting for the rifle. An unmodified, original M24 would probably fetch triple that depending on condition.

 

[Don Fischer]

It's worth either whatever you can get or what ever you'd take for it.

 

[longbow51]

The problem with customs is you rarely can sell for what you have in it unless done by a known smith. List it on insurance for cost of making it.

 

[shb]

I went into my local gun store today with my newest rifle project looking for Lin-Speed to touch up a couple of dings in the stock. Asked the main man at the gun counter what he thought the rifle might be worth for insurance purposes. He looked it all over and pontificated that it wouldn't be resealable for more than $450-$500 since it was an obscure caliber and an old receiver.
This is a FN Mod 24 trued receiver with a new pac-nor stainless precision barrel chambered in 280 Rem Ackley Improved, prone brake, Leupold 3-9 CDS scope, Timney trigger and cerakoted in Savage Stainless.
I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but I'm pretty sure he was not altogether right....Any opinions?

The potential target mkt for that gun is very small.

To get someone to take a chance on it, will require a pretty low price.


He wasn't pulling your leg.

 

[Ben Lamb]

The problem with customs is you rarely can sell for what you have in it unless done by a known smith. List it on insurance for cost of making it.

100% this. I paid $400 for a custom made 338 Win on a P17 action that stacks 225's on top of each other. Timney trigger, top shelf bedding, fajen stock. Someone put a lot of money into building it.

 

[noharleyyet]

My guitars ain't worth nuthin once I drive em off the lot . . .

 

[Redman]

Back in my college days I was wanting a ground hog killing rifle. I was living in Indianapolis at the time but would drive a bit over an hour home to hunt, fish, and do stupid stuff with my friends (how I survived those years I will never know!) Anyway stopped at a well known gun shop in Indy and asked the salesman about any fast shooting 22. centerfire rifles they had. Nothing but AR's in .223. Left and went over to Arby's to grab a sandwich. In walks the well known owner of the gun store and says "Weren't you just in my store?" I said yes that was me and then proceeded to by my food and set with me to eat. He asked me what I was looking for and I told him I wanted a varmint rifle but can't afford much. He said "How much money do you have to spend?" Well I am a student and working part time so I have saved $110. He said " "Well my salesman didn't know it but I have a heavy barreled .220 Swift that my gunsmith built on Mauser 98 action and made a walnut stock for it....and it just happens to be $110.00." We ate walked over to his store he went in the back and brought out this beautiful gun, that today I would have spent 10 times that for. That gun was a laser and if you missed something with it you need not try shooting ever again.
Long story but custom guns are a nich market and hard to put a value to especially if the builder is not known.

 

[Dakotakid]

For insurance purposes i would value it much greater because value is replacement value. Imagine your house burned and insurance company was cutting you a check.
Then check your policy to see if they calculate depreciation.
Not seeing many rifles on used racks in last six months going for $450.

 

[klampson]

Nice customized Mausers have gone up in price, heck everything has.

 

[2rocky]

 

[Farmerj]

Why I have receipts for all my home builds.

They are on par with Bergara or Christianson Arms for accuracy and use similar or same components.

So that’s what they are worth.

I’d say it’s a gun manager that’s looking at a rifle he wants and it will never see the shelf. Wouldn’t be the first time in a store with used guns.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Nice customized Mausers have gone up in price, heck everything has.

I think, as others have said, that it's a niche market on customs so they have to rise to the same level of fit & finish as a production gun of bespoke quality in order to command a premium, or have a premium builder's name attached. Generic customs w/ no known maker using a Douglass XX bbl, etc won't get a premium and will be undervalued compared to the level of work associated with them.

Using a Bartlien bbl, McMillan stock, etc don't mean squat unless the smith who put it all together is a known quantity. You can still pick up guild rifles for well below market cost for a marked Mauser out of Oberndorff or Suhl.

Fit, finish, quality of wood & a known maker get you a premium. Without this, you get used rack prices offered by the shop.

 

[millerkiller77]

I think, as others have said, that it's a niche market on customs so they have to rise to the same level of fit & finish as a production gun of bespoke quality in order to command a premium, or have a premium builder's name attached. Generic customs w/ no known maker using a Douglass XX bbl, etc won't get a premium and will be undervalued compared to the level of work associated with them.

Using a Bartlien bbl, McMillan stock, etc don't mean squat unless the smith who put it all together is a known quantity. You can still pick up guild rifles for well below market cost for a marked Mauser out of Oberndorff or Suhl.

Fit, finish, quality of wood & a known maker get you a premium. Without this, you get used rack prices offered by the shop.

This is spot on.

 

[shb]

I’d say it’s a gun manager that’s looking at a rifle he wants and it will never see the shelf. Wouldn’t be the first time in a store with used guns.

Respectfully......your wrong.

It's an obscure gun, in an obscure caliber.

The total number of potential customers on the planet that WANT to own that model, in that caliber is extremely small.


Like needle in a haystack small. The chances one of them walks into that store are even smaller.


So, if you want to move to move it, it has to have an attractive price, so someone will take a flyer on it.

You put it on the rack at current retail prices and it will sit there for years, and years. Effectively tying up all the money you spent on it.

 

[Boarmaster]

Respectfully......your wrong.

It's an obscure gun, in an obscure caliber.

The total number of potential customers on the planet that WANT to own that model, in that caliber is extremely small.


Like needle in a haystack small. The chances one of them walks into that store are even smaller.


So, if you want to move to move it, it has to have an attractive price, so someone will take a flyer on it.

You put it on the rack at current retail prices and it will sit there for years, and years. Effectively tying up all the money you spent on it.

While I cant say FarmerJ is wrong since I wouldnt have any way of knowing the managers intent , I would agree with shb on the rest of his post. If you want to sell a rifle like that for as much as can you have to position it on in forum where the buyers know what it is. Gun shops have to mostly cater to the average joe.

 

[antelopedundee]

I went into my local gun store today with my newest rifle project looking for Lin-Speed to touch up a couple of dings in the stock. Asked the main man at the gun counter what he thought the rifle might be worth for insurance purposes. He looked it all over and pontificated that it wouldn't be resealable for more than $450-$500 since it was an obscure caliber and an old receiver.
This is a FN Mod 24 trued receiver with a new pac-nor stainless precision barrel chambered in 280 Rem Ackley Improved, prone brake, Leupold 3-9 CDS scope, Timney trigger and cerakoted in Savage Stainless.
I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed but I'm pretty sure he was not altogether right....Any opinions?

Your insurance carrier would likely value it based on cost of components with nothing for labor.

 

[stk]

Gun store salesman is right. In fact, he might be a little high if you weren’t including the scope in that price. There aren’t a lot of people looking for .280 ackleys built on 100 year old actions and cerakoted gray. The trigger is nice but doesn’t add much value. The brake does nothing for the price.

You can find some great deals on other peoples obscure customs.

 

[old roper 42]

Why I have receipts for all my home builds.

They are on par with Bergara or Christianson Arms for accuracy and use similar or same components.

So that’s what they are worth.

I’d say it’s a gun manager that’s looking at a rifle he wants and it will never see the shelf. Wouldn’t be the first time in a store with used guns.

If gun store had ammo or component for 280AI you might be right. My self if I decided to sell my 280AI, I have gunsmith sell it.

 

[Farmerj]

If gun store had ammo or component for 280AI you might be right. My self if I decided to sell my 280AI, I have gunsmith sell it.

Gun components not ammunition for reloading