Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,755
- 5,850
Europe brought up a rifle that she thought I ought to have, to enhance my African hunt. :grin:
It's an old 275 H&H, and is currently located in South Africa, and listed for sale on Guns International. If I looked at the right one, it's listed at a cool $25,000. :shock:
I enjoyed looking at the online photos.
Rifles - I like nice rifles sure - but... economic reality kicks in and decrees that this retired small-town cop probably shouldn't buy a $25,000 rifle. Ya think? However it got me to thinking about what I've paid for various rifles I own and perhaps what they're worth today.
$3,000 - approx value for my custom 375 H&H Model 70 Winchester, built by Michael Scherz. I've had an offer of $2,500, but I'm in no hurry to sell. It is without a doubt, my finest rifle.
Nothing else I own even comes close to that value - as all the rest are production rifles, or with a few modifications. Some of these are what I paid for them, some are what I think they're worth now.
$1,500 - approximately what I've got into the Green Machine, Remington 700 .308 Win with the Krieger barrel etc. It's still awfully accurate, and I'll likely just keep it forever. Easy to shoot, and we've got nearly 25 years of history together.
$600 - is what I spent on my used 375 H&H Ruger Number One about ten years ago.
$900 - is what I spent on my used 7mm Rem Mag Ruger Number One about six months ago.
$800 or so is what I spent on my 30-06 Rem 700 CDL. I think I paid a bit much for it, but that rifle and I bonded as soon as I saw it on the rack in the store, and after all it's given me a freezer full of wonderful game meat. And a grizzly. So, that's pretty cool. Another rifle I'll likely keep forever.
$500 or so as I recall for my 25-06 Rem 700 CDL. They were brand new then. It's been hunted pretty hard and shows the marks of being carried in rough country. Another one I'll likely keep forever.
$250 is what I paid for my .22 cal Marlin 39A, quite a few years ago. Good Grief - look at the prices now for a nice old Marlin 39A! Goodness!
$540 was the price for my 45/70 Marlin 1895 just about a year and a half ago. I consider that a bargain even though it is a "Remlin."
$200 for my 30-30 Glenfield some years back.
So... Ya, I'm pretty much a production-rifle kind of guy. The Rem 700's have all been tweaked a bit with pillar bedding etc. They're my usual go-to hunting rifles.
I just don't have any real high-dollar rifles. But I've got good rifles.
So ya, I chuckled in good humor at the recommendation that I purchase a $25,000 Holland and Holland rifle. :grin: That's not going to happen. My Africa hunt should total about half that. My Jeep was less than $25k, and is the most expensive vehicle I've ever purchased.
Retired small town cop here. Ya, time to time I do a little side-work that helps pay for my shooting, hunting and fishing adventures, but reality is that I have a pretty limited "fun" budget.
I did appreciate the humor in Europe's suggestion - I think it was made in jest - but who knows?
Regards, Guy
It's an old 275 H&H, and is currently located in South Africa, and listed for sale on Guns International. If I looked at the right one, it's listed at a cool $25,000. :shock:
I enjoyed looking at the online photos.
Rifles - I like nice rifles sure - but... economic reality kicks in and decrees that this retired small-town cop probably shouldn't buy a $25,000 rifle. Ya think? However it got me to thinking about what I've paid for various rifles I own and perhaps what they're worth today.
$3,000 - approx value for my custom 375 H&H Model 70 Winchester, built by Michael Scherz. I've had an offer of $2,500, but I'm in no hurry to sell. It is without a doubt, my finest rifle.
Nothing else I own even comes close to that value - as all the rest are production rifles, or with a few modifications. Some of these are what I paid for them, some are what I think they're worth now.
$1,500 - approximately what I've got into the Green Machine, Remington 700 .308 Win with the Krieger barrel etc. It's still awfully accurate, and I'll likely just keep it forever. Easy to shoot, and we've got nearly 25 years of history together.
$600 - is what I spent on my used 375 H&H Ruger Number One about ten years ago.
$900 - is what I spent on my used 7mm Rem Mag Ruger Number One about six months ago.
$800 or so is what I spent on my 30-06 Rem 700 CDL. I think I paid a bit much for it, but that rifle and I bonded as soon as I saw it on the rack in the store, and after all it's given me a freezer full of wonderful game meat. And a grizzly. So, that's pretty cool. Another rifle I'll likely keep forever.
$500 or so as I recall for my 25-06 Rem 700 CDL. They were brand new then. It's been hunted pretty hard and shows the marks of being carried in rough country. Another one I'll likely keep forever.
$250 is what I paid for my .22 cal Marlin 39A, quite a few years ago. Good Grief - look at the prices now for a nice old Marlin 39A! Goodness!
$540 was the price for my 45/70 Marlin 1895 just about a year and a half ago. I consider that a bargain even though it is a "Remlin."
$200 for my 30-30 Glenfield some years back.
So... Ya, I'm pretty much a production-rifle kind of guy. The Rem 700's have all been tweaked a bit with pillar bedding etc. They're my usual go-to hunting rifles.
I just don't have any real high-dollar rifles. But I've got good rifles.
So ya, I chuckled in good humor at the recommendation that I purchase a $25,000 Holland and Holland rifle. :grin: That's not going to happen. My Africa hunt should total about half that. My Jeep was less than $25k, and is the most expensive vehicle I've ever purchased.
Retired small town cop here. Ya, time to time I do a little side-work that helps pay for my shooting, hunting and fishing adventures, but reality is that I have a pretty limited "fun" budget.
I did appreciate the humor in Europe's suggestion - I think it was made in jest - but who knows?
Regards, Guy
