November 7, 2015

I think you would get better answers with better photos. With the current lighting I can’t tell if it’s a 30% gun or a 60% gun.
Mike
It looks to have very little condition. I would put the value at $3500 -$4000
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Apologies on the photos. Not much natural light to work with today or yesterday–cold and rainy in Virginia. See if these are not a bit better. If they don’t work, I’ll try again when the sun comes back out. And, to answer the question about origins, I have had the gun for a number of years. It came from Earl Chapin, a long-time dealer from Sandpoint, ID who sadly died a few years back. Some of you out there may remember him.
Terry,
For taking pictures a darker back ground helps, the light background mutes the color. From what I see Bob’s numbers seem right.
RIA takes really good pictures that are flattering, Morphy does not. When buying from a auction web site one must take picture quality and color into consideration. Nothing is better than holding the gun. T/R
TR said
When buying from a auction web site one must take picture quality and color into consideration.
This is VERY true. I fully believe some of the things I’ve gotten, say from Gunbroker, were in great condition and were victims of terrible photography…sometimes receiving zero bids. When you gain experience and confidence, it starts to feel a lot better when you take a chance on something like that.
Thanks for the responses. I appreciate folks taking the time to comment. They are helpful. I have been hanging on to a small collection of antique Winchesters for years and not paid much attention to the market or what’s going on online, but recently have started thinking seriously about selling some or all of them, taking the cash and putting it in something else. So, over the past several months, I have sought out a few assessments or an offer or two online and gotten some pretty wide valuations/offers in return and even some head-scratchers that did not come close to my interpretations of Blue Book grading criteria or my marked-up copy of Madis’s Handbook. I know there is some subjectivity to gun valuations and market factors, but as your comments would indicate, apparently bad photos on my part were perhaps the key culprit. Plus, as TR puts it “nothing is better than holding a gun.”
I am re-posting some photos of the same ’76 with a dark background, and I would appreciate any further thoughts anyone might have. I might add that the action is still smooth and tight. The gun has been sitting in a safe for 15 years, and as far as I know, has all original parts.
Thanks again for your time.
Terry L said
So, over the past several months, I have sought out a few assessments or an offer or two online and gotten some pretty wide valuations/offers in return and even some head-scratchers that did not come close to my interpretations of Blue Book grading criteria or my marked-up copy of Madis’s Handbook. I know there is some subjectivity to gun valuations and market factors, but as your comments would indicate, apparently bad photos on my part were perhaps the key culprit.
There is no such thing as an up to date price guide. You need to watch what similar guns sell for to get a better idea of the market. Larry Shennum and Bert’s Red Book is still the best but is some years old.
I agree with Chuck, as that’s the best way to try to evaluate. I also agree with Bob, as I think he is in the right approximate value, on what you’re nice honest 76 could bring. $3500-$4000 respectively. If you feel that you want to try to get more, and no one here is interested, you can do like others and list it on Guns international, or Gun broker. With the options those site’s offer you can hold out for you’re wanted price, although it may take some time, depending on you’re ask. Not being a high condition model 1876, or in a deluxe configuration, doesn’t help it. A good looking honest example from what I can tell.
Anthony
I agree with all of the input thus far. The rifle looks different in the three sets of photos. The third set is the least flattering. If I were to hold it in my hands, I would look most closely where the buttstock meets the receiver – particularly the upper tang. Some of the photos gave me pause to wonder if the wood had been sanded. Perhaps not, but that’s where my eyes would travel to first.
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