1907 Winchester .351 SL Value?

Razorbacker

Stopped in my favorite LGS today looking for something else entirely but on the used rack he had one of these. It's in fairly rough shape, almost no bluing, looks almost a pewter color. And the fore grip is cracked.
I normally wouldn't have an interest but I spent a lot of quality time with 2 of them as a kid and later as a young man. I watched a friend of the family kill a deer with one and the other was a buddy's granddad's who was a High Sheriff for over 30 years. It was his cruiser rifle. Man we shot the fire outta that thing.

Anyway, I've been all over the net. Here's a good article on the rifle: http://home.earthlink.net/~mhclary/Winchester351.pdf It does have the 10 round mag.
But the question is value. The only thing I found was a guy who sold his for 1100.00. But he had all sorts of provenance about his Granddad being Cherokee, etc. and he made no mention of condition.
They want $450. If I buy it I'd want to fix it all up. Unless that would hurt the value.
Those those are the questions
Thanks.

p.s. It's funny because I remember it as being heavy for such a short rifle but today I didn't get that impression at all.

farm boy

Its funny how much smaller or lighter things are than you remember from childhood. Highjack over.

Razorbacker

farm boy wrote: »

Its funny how much smaller or lighter things are than you remember from childhood. Highjack over.

Oh I know, but I meant even as a young man. Today it felt like i could have easily shot it one handed.

Bigslug

The Gunboker prices seem to be running from about $350 for very rough or altered guns to $900 for really pristine. $450 may be a little high, but that's a gun with a pretty storied history through the prohibition era.

Ammo is going to be a handload only proposition. Buffalo Arms has brass formed from other existing case for $0.64 apiece, or actual, made-to-spec, properly headstamped stuff for $1.10.

Refinishing such a thing is not going to do the value any favors. To have it done RIGHT, you'll spend over and above the initial $450, and end up with a gun that's probably only sellable for about $450. Fix the cracked forend and think about the stories it could tell.

Razorbacker

Bigslug wrote: »

The Gunboker prices seem to be running from about $350 for very rough or altered guns to $900 for really pristine. $450 may be a little high, but that's a gun with a pretty storied history through the prohibition era.

Ammo is going to be a handload only proposition. Buffalo Arms has brass formed from other existing case for $0.64 apiece, or actual, made-to-spec, properly headstamped stuff for $1.10.

Refinishing such a thing is not going to do the value any favors. To have it done RIGHT, you'll spend over and above the initial $450, and end up with a gun that's probably only sellable for about $450. Fix the cracked forend and think about the stories it could tell.

I like the way your mind works. If I fix the fore end might as well refinish the wood at least. Don't know what the bore looks like but he swore it's a shooter. Of course with original sights it would be difficult do get much accuracy out of it. I've been thinking about this all evening and it occurs to me that it might even make a good HD carbine. Btw, I found ammo available all over the net. And the dealer had ammo in stock, I asked. Although I'm sure he just ordered it just to help sell the gun.
I'm thinking about strolling in there in a few days with 3 long wheelbase 10s on my hip and making an offer.

Virginia Boy

You could always say it was used to kill Bonnie & Clyde.
I think one of the officers had one.

jaywapti

The M-1907 was made from 1907 - 1937, two models the sporting, and fancy sporting, the only difference is the fancy had better walnut and the pistol grip and forend were checkered approx. values are;
exc. vg good fair poor
sporting 550 300 250 175 125
fancy 750 550 350 200 150

Win. also made a police model with bevertail forend, leather sling, and with or without a bayonet, this was made from 1930 - 1957, Win. sold about 59,000 police rifles. value is the same as the sporying model JAY

Razorbacker

jaywapti wrote: »

The M-1907 was made from 1907 - 1937, two models the sporting, and fancy sporting, the only difference is the fancy had better walnut and the pistol grip and forend were checkered approx. values are;
exc. vg good fair poor
sporting 550 300 250 175 125
fancy 750 550 350 200 150

Win. also made a police model with bevertail forend, leather sling, and with or without a bayonet, this was made from 1930 - 1957, Win. sold about 59,000 police rifles. value is the same as the sporying model JAY

Thanks for the info jay. May I ask a few questions? What is your source ? I don't doubt you I'd just like to have that in my quiver for negotiations. Also, in the condition as I've described, no bluing and cracked fore end, but allegedly a shooter, would that be fair or poor condition? It does have the 10 round mag which is more rare. Don't know if they have the sling or bayonet. They had the magazine behind the counter and i didn't know to ask about the rest.
I do have on hand a pocket reference to date Winchesters based on ser# which I will take with me.
Thanks again.

Razorbacker

Virginia Boy wrote: »

You could always say it was used to kill Bonnie & Clyde.
I think one of the officers had one.

You know, I believe you're right. But I'd have to claim it was owned by that officers aunt. You know like Goerings wife's double.

snake284-1

Bigslug wrote: »

The Gunboker prices seem to be running from about $350 for very rough or altered guns to $900 for really pristine. $450 may be a little high, but that's a gun with a pretty storied history through the prohibition era.

Ammo is going to be a handload only proposition. Buffalo Arms has brass formed from other existing case for $0.64 apiece, or actual, made-to-spec, properly headstamped stuff for $1.10.

Refinishing such a thing is not going to do the value any favors. To have it done RIGHT, you'll spend over and above the initial $450, and end up with a gun that's probably only sellable for about $450. Fix the cracked forend and think about the stories it could tell.

I've mentioned this before on here, and it used to be common knowledge. But if you have an old gun and want it refinished, if a factory or factory rep dealer does the work and gives you the paper work saying this, it can improve the value. It's when it's done by an individual or a regular local gun smith that will make it drop in value. When I had an FFL, I sent a couple of old Remingtons off to a place in San Antonio for refit and refinish for a guy. Now the name of the dealer fails me. But any factory dealer with a factory approved Gun Smith can do this. Or at least they could back in the 1990s.

It just popped into my mind. Nagels Gun Shop in San Antonio for Remington.

jaywapti

Razorbacker wrote: »

Thanks for the info jay. May I ask a few questions? What is your source ? I don't doubt you I'd just like to have that in my quiver for negotiations. Also, in the condition as I've described, no bluing and cracked fore end, but allegedly a shooter, would that be fair or poor condition? It does have the 10 round mag which is more rare. Don't know if they have the sling or bayonet. They had the magazine behind the counter and i didn't know to ask about the rest.
I do have on hand a pocket reference to date Winchesters based on ser# which I will take with me.
Thanks again.

Razor, I started gunsmithing in 1959 or 1960, I think I've saved most of the cataloges, factory manuals, blue books of values, etc. As to the condition, without seeing the rifle, checking the bore, the action, and stock, and from what you posted, I'd have to "GUESS" poor. To the best of my knowledge I think they all had 10 rd. mags
Hope this helps JAY

Razorbacker

Thanks jay, your guess is good enough for me. I've only seen the 10 rounders myself but the article I linked said something about that. But i frankly don't care. If I get it it'll be just to have it and hopefully shoot it.
Thanks again

Carrnage

Load-X makes .351sl $41 for 50 or $206 for 500

Bigslug wrote: »

The Gunboker prices seem to be running from about $350 for very rough or altered guns to $900 for really pristine. $450 may be a little high, but that's a gun with a pretty storied history through the prohibition era.

Ammo is going to be a handload only proposition. Buffalo Arms has brass formed from other existing case for $0.64 apiece, or actual, made-to-spec, properly headstamped stuff for $1.10.

Refinishing such a thing is not going to do the value any favors. To have it done RIGHT, you'll spend over and above the initial $450, and end up with a gun that's probably only sellable for about $450. Fix the cracked forend and think about the stories it could tell.

Gene L

In the description you gave, I'd say the condition was poor. If the bore is pristine, maybe a step up from that. These guns were used by prison guards a lot, and if it has markings on it, that would be a plus. I saw one this week in for cleaning, with a cracked stock at the tang. It was disassembled, IIRC.

I would NOT have it refinished. I doubt Winchester offers a service on such an old firearm.

They were way underpowered for a rifle, about like a .357 Mag, I believe.

sakodude

Kind of funny, I was looking at a Winchester model 1907 just this past weekend as well. This particular one was quite nice with regard to wood and blueing, the only issue being it lacked a magazine.They were asking $549.00 for this one.
Always thought a mdl 1910 in 401 WSL would be a fun addition but they seldom turn up so this 351 WSL has peaked my interest.
Sako