The auction would close in an hour. There were a number of bids because it was a penny start auction, but the high bid was only $971 USD. 

My own opinion of the market was a nice Featherweight, even in '06, would hammer for $1200 USD + or - $150. Worn Standard style '06 rifles were dipping well below a grand but the market liked Featherweights better. 

So what's with $971. The more I looked, the more I liked the rifle so about 20 minutes before closing I put in a $1200 bid, assuming that would flush out an autobid and if it ran the price up past $1200 he could have it and welcome.

But I became high bidder at $981. What??

As the clock crept toward 15 minutes out,  I thought some.clueless player was going to start bidding within the 15 minute window and we'd be extending the closing time... but nobody did anything and the hammer fell on my $981 bid. 

I've been looking for the scorpion under the violet ever since. What did I miss? 

FedEx put the gun in my hands this morning and it is better than described. I'm plumb tickled with it and loved the price .......

But the very same large Florida dealer auctioned a 1961 Featherweight 06 back in May, condition a little rougher than mine and with the later narrow machine checkering. It had a recoil pad too - a black Pachmayr Old English.  Bidders were all over it and it closed for $1200 on the nose.  

I guess a $200 + discount is not an unreasonable fluctuation and the causes are unknowable. 

In comparing the bidding histories of the two auctions, ignoring the bids placed from the penny start up to a serious eight hundred bucks, i did notice one difference. The last several bidders for my gun had feedback numbers of more than a hundred. Whereas in the May auction, the bidders who chased the price from under a thousand up to the $1200 closing bid had feedback numbers in single and double digits. 

I'm not sure what conclusions to draw from that, if any. 

But the lesson i do take is you can't assume the bid you can afford to make won't be enough to win.

I've written before about my bartending friend who always asked pretty girls to go home with him, at closing time. He was living proof that good fortune smiles on persistence. 

TJ_Mayes said
Well, I took it out and put a few rounds through it. It shoots super high… about 12” high at 50 yards and couldn’t really tell much difference at 100 yards. 150 grain. Maybe that’s why the gun is so pretty
j/k… wondering if I should just leave it alone and enjoy it as a safe queen OR put a taller front blade on it.
  

The sights were regulated for 170-grain factory ammo.  Modern 150-grain ammo will shoot high.  Swap out the front pinned blade with a shorter blade piece.

Bert

The rear sight on your carbine looks like the same as my 1895 carbine. 

mine was re barreled and the front sight was braised by a well intentioned gentleman I’m sure.  

to help, I need to know your ammo, and the sight picture your taking.  

Shooting the old Winchesters is a joy. Shooting to point of aim can take some work, if needed, if your rifle is original, I doubt the rifle is problem. 

j/k… wondering if I should just leave it alone and enjoy it as a safe queen OR put a taller front blade on it.

Nice spruce gun!! Better than many, I would wipe it down with your oil of choice and hunt the heck out of it.

The JC17 just adds to the package.

Doug 

Mike

TJ_Mayes said

Bert H. said

TJ_Mayes said
Hello, all! Been lurking here a couple weeks. Just sharing pics of my newly acquired Spruce Gun. Yes, I have been in contact with Bert via email. 
Love to deer hunt so I have a few hunting rifles… also some defense stuff. This is my first collectible rifle. Maybe on a very nice DRY day I can still take a deer with it.
Cheers.
  

Spruce Guns were made to drag through the dense wet brush of the coastal mountains of Oregon and Washington (where the blacktail deer thrive).
I do recommend finding the correct Link Pin stop screw.
Bert
  

Thanks again, Bert! I’ll be on the lookout for a proper replacement. 
  

Homestead Gun Parts has what you need - Winchester 1894 Original and Reproduction Firearm Gun Parts Winchester, HOMESTEAD GUN PARTS, Specializing in Old Winchester (homesteadparts.com)

Bert

Bert H. said

TJ_Mayes said
Hello, all! Been lurking here a couple weeks. Just sharing pics of my newly acquired Spruce Gun. Yes, I have been in contact with Bert via email. 
Love to deer hunt so I have a few hunting rifles… also some defense stuff. This is my first collectible rifle. Maybe on a very nice DRY day I can still take a deer with it.
Cheers.
  

Spruce Guns were made to drag through the dense wet brush of the coastal mountains of Oregon and Washington (where the blacktail deer thrive).
I do recommend finding the correct Link Pin stop screw.

Bert
  

Thanks again, Bert! I’ll be on the lookout for a proper replacement. 

TJ_Mayes said
Hello, all! Been lurking here a couple weeks. Just sharing pics of my newly acquired Spruce Gun. Yes, I have been in contact with Bert via email. 
Love to deer hunt so I have a few hunting rifles… also some defense stuff. This is my first collectible rifle. Maybe on a very nice DRY day I can still take a deer with it.
Cheers.
  

Spruce Guns were made to drag through the dense wet brush of the coastal mountains of Oregon and Washington (where the blacktail deer thrive).

I do recommend finding the correct Link Pin stop screw.

Bert

Love to deer hunt so I have a few hunting rifles… also some defense stuff. This is my first collectible rifle. Maybe on a very nice DRY day I can still take a deer with it.

Cheers.

As Bob mentioned, the octagon barrels were tapered, and the taper rate could vary slightly from one barrel to the next.  On the standard weight (size) octagon barrels the tape rate was usually .005/per inch.  The Heavy and Extra Heavy barrels typically have a .0025/per inch taper rate.

Bert

And here is where you need a fine, accurate 22 rimfire of the same action type and sights as your deer rifle. If you ate going to hunt with an open sighted Model 94 .30 Winchester, you need a 9422, a Marlin 39A, or a Henry. 

If nothing else, the sub-rifle will convince you to equip both rifles with aperture sights!

Sadly, some city dwellers have only ranges that forbid offhand or position rifle shooting. In those cases, an air rifle in your back yard can help more than you might think. 

But practice, practice, practice. Many short sessions are better than one or two long ones. It is actually fun.

Bob