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Post by grasshopper on Dec 5, 2023 5:24:17 GMT -7
Yesterday was a gloomy rainy day here so I decided I would go and prowl some of the more out of the way pawn shops. The first one I went in was barley even a store big enough to hold more than three people at a time. I was looking at the few long guns he had in the rack behind the counter. I asked if I could see what looked like an older Marlin model 93. He handed me the rifle and to my surprise it wasn’t a Marlin, it was a Stevens model 425 in 32-20! It’s the only one I have ever seen, really slick little lever gun. I asked what he wanted for it and I nearly fell over when he said $1200 bucks’!!! Needless to say I handed the rifle back and said thank you. I didn’t have $1200 and even if I did I couldn’t justly buying that rifle even if it was cool. Has anyone ever heard of this rifle or had any experience with one?
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Post by Bullshop on Dec 5, 2023 9:13:24 GMT -7
At the last gun show we went to right here in Dillon which was the first Dillon gun show I had the same experience which was also a first for me. Like you I saw what looked like a Marlin 93 in a rack a couple rows over so worked my way over and asked to see the Marlin. He looked through he rack and said there was no Marlin there. I pointed it out, RIGHT THERE . Oh thats not a Marlin its a Stevens says he. Well you could have knocked me over with a feather. This one though was a long action and I think chambered in 32 special. It was in very good condition with really nice cased receiver. He wanted twice what your fella wanted. I told him I couldnt afford to buy it but I had never seen one and would really like to look it over. He had no objection and let me give it a good once over. It appeared well made and near excellent original condition throughout. That was the first and only one I have so far seen.
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Post by grasshopper on Dec 5, 2023 12:23:53 GMT -7
That’s the exact same experience I had! It’s the only one I’ve ever seen anywhere. I looked in my blue book and it said they were made from 1907 thru 1913 I believe. I’m not sure exactly how many they turned out in that six year period but I don’t think it could possibly be that many. Looking in the blue book at the several calibers it came in 35 rem is the only one I saw you could still get factory ammo for it. You would have to be like the folks here and hand load for it unless you “knew a guy” that could square you away with whatever you might desire.
I just wonder if they weren’t that popular with folks or too expensive or…? It’s a really neat looking rifle for sure! Now I may have to go to our one and only “antique” gun store and try to haggle with the owner over a rifle. He has four or five Winchester model 94s, these are the rifle length not the more common carbine or eastern carbine. Each of the rifles he has is in a different caliber. He has a 30 WCF, 44-40,25-20 and 32-20 and the fifth is a duplicate in 30 WCF. I’m leaning pretty heavy towards the 30WCF but $1400 is a bunch of clams to be!!if anyone has any thoughts as to which caliber you would choose I’d love to hear it!!😁
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Post by Bullshop on Dec 5, 2023 17:11:08 GMT -7
All those calibers are still fairly common. Brass is sometimes hard to find but they do still run then every so often Its usually the same few people that buy up the whole run then hawk them at gunbroker. I do have some new brass in all those chamberings. Of those four the 30 wcf is the only one that will be on the long 94 action. The other three will be short action either 73 or 92 models. Personally I have never been a fan of the 73 but am a great admirer of the 92.
When JB designed the 1886 for Winchester they asked if he could scale it down for smaller cartridges and he said yes and gave them a price. He also offered it at a higher price to be done in a very short time like a week I cant remember for sure. So they haggled it over and he made a deal that if he didnt have it ready in the allotted short time they would get it cheaper but if he did they would pay a premium. Well he had it done in time and got the higher price. I think he was just toying with them and likely already had a prototype. Anyway if your a fan of the 1886 you will also like th 1892 because it is simply a scaled down version for smaller cartridges. The 92 came in 44-40, 38-40, 32-20, and 25-20 and a later version the model 65 was chambered in 218 Bee. The model 65 is to the model 92 what the model 71 is to the model 86, a sportier pistol grip version of the same action.
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Post by missionary on Dec 6, 2023 6:33:56 GMT -7
I had to go and look that one up. I may have never seen one. Saw they were made in 35 Remington! Now that would be an interesting lever rifle.
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Post by grasshopper on Dec 6, 2023 16:58:20 GMT -7
I thought so too! I never knew that rifle existed! Unless I just happen to find one at a yard or estate sale I don’t think I’ll ever own one as they are worth a ton of money!
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Post by Bullshop on Dec 6, 2023 21:00:07 GMT -7
I guess we will just have to be satisfied knowing they exist, and having seen and handled one. It made me feel better and didn't cost a cent.
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Post by Junior on Dec 8, 2023 16:25:12 GMT -7
I highly doubt that is was a 32/20, it was probably a 32 Remington. I believe that the 425s were only made in remington rimless cartridges, and most believe only about 5000 were made.
I absolutely would have bought it at that price. The only one I’ve ever seen for sale was about $4800.
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Post by Bullshop on Dec 8, 2023 17:16:27 GMT -7
That is collector pricing. I cant do collector pricing. I am limited to shooter pricing and being a shooter I dont feel at all left behind. It reminds me of a tool time episode where they invested in a collector model car. Remember what happened ? I can see myself doing that with a collector gun sitting there watching it until I cant stand it any more and quickly convert it to the lower value shooter grade. Yup I can shurnuf see that!
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Post by missionary on Dec 8, 2023 19:02:46 GMT -7
Thats cause you are of the best line of enthusiast.... the hunter / shooter!
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Post by shootist---Gary on Dec 8, 2023 19:55:50 GMT -7
Daniel, back in the late '60's or early 70's, my friendly gun dealer in Salem, Ohio had a beautiful model 65, don't remember the caliber, but priced around $75, but I didn't buy it because it didn't look right to me, because it didn't look like a 73 , 92 or 94. Oh well, looks aren't everything I later found out.
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Post by grasshopper on Dec 8, 2023 21:37:12 GMT -7
JR is correct, it apparently 32 rem and not 32-20 like I mistakenly thought. I saw the 32 on the barrel and made a wrong assumption. It’s sure not the first time I’ve been wrong and I know for sure it won’t be the last!!
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Post by Junior on Dec 9, 2023 21:37:16 GMT -7
That is collector pricing. I cant do collector pricing. I am limited to shooter pricing and being a shooter I dont feel at all left behind. It reminds me of a tool time episode where they invested in a collector model car. Remember what happened ? I can see myself doing that with a collector gun sitting there watching it until I cant stand it any more and quickly convert it to the lower value shooter grade. Yup I can shurnuf see that! Have you seen gun prices lately? I paid 950 bucks for a fricking Rossi 92 not long ago. Prices in the new marlins seem to start around that $1200 range as well. |
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Post by Bullshop on Dec 10, 2023 8:26:21 GMT -7
Your right Jr. At times I think the market will crash because prices are so high that no one can afford to buy but still it goes on so someone must be buying. Then I begin to think that WOW most people must make a lot more money than I do.
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Post by grasshopper on Dec 10, 2023 9:20:22 GMT -7
I feel like that as well sometimes my friend but then I must remind myself in a majority of those cases I would say most of those people carry a bunch of debt and must make much more than I do. In my mind anyway I would rather be where I am making less without debt than to be tied to a job I don’t enjoy only to surrender my earnings to a credit card company or automaker as soon as I receive my check.
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Post by Bullshop on Dec 10, 2023 9:49:30 GMT -7
Being debt free seems to be a privilege of wise old working class people. Debt is the new patriotism.
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Post by missionary on Dec 10, 2023 10:40:44 GMT -7
Happily when I hit 13 years old my Polish born dad said... "Mike two words about money... pay cash and never borrow to buy anything". But he did add "you may have to be a home owner, but you will never need more home than you can pay for in 10 years.
Ya know... he was real right about all that.
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Post by grasshopper on Dec 10, 2023 11:25:43 GMT -7
My maternal grandfather was much the same way. Like a lot of folks in his generation he grew up during the depression and in the south. They always had plenty to eat much of it game taken from the countryside or the river. He said he never had any money of his own until he went into the Army during WWII. After the war he took the hillbilly hiway to Detroit and went to work at Ford. Later when they built a plant in North Alabama he transferred to where he grew up. The one thing I remember him telling me was that if I saved a quarter out of every dollar I made id never have to borrow money for anything. He went on to build three really nice homes and had a new car every two years until he died and never borrowed or financed anything. Wish I would of listened to him sooner. When I was young and newly married I thought we had to have the latest and greatest of everything not realizing how much debt I was accumulating. It took us a while to become debt free but now that we are and own our home and vehicles it’s a great feeling for sure!
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