I say buy and collect what you like. Money $ value isn’t always everything. 

Ian – 

As Bill notes, you are definitely among friends.  Your post of the M1894 .32-40 SRC serves as a fine example of what you are referring to.  It reminds me a bit of the M1894 .32 Special SRC I posted on another thread recently.  With your carbine, I think the condition is nice enough that most here would be happy to own it.  My carbine did not have near the condition, but that was my point – I found it appealing because of the condition – the story the carbine told.  This was an example of buying a piece solely because I liked and not having any thought or concern whether anyone else would like it.  Acting upon this line of thinking is made much easier when the price of such pieces often approaches the inconsequential.  

Our circumstances vary greatly here.  This can influence our attitude about the, “downrange value” of a piece.  For example, for a great many of my pieces here, I have a difficult time picturing myself parting with them.  I’m sure when I’m gone, my wife can imagine herself parting with them.  I don’t want to leave her stuck with items few want.  Far better would be items there is a healthy (ideally stiff) competition for.  

THANKFULLY, a significant portion of what I have are WINCHESTERS.  I have collected what I like.  And again, THANKFULLY, I like Winchesters.  But I also like a variety of other brands.  For example, I like Ross rifles.  Ross rifles are at the other end of the spectrum from Winchester when it comes to numbers of collectors.  And, almost no new collectors coming on board.  Of what Ross collectors remain extant, nearly all stop breeding decades (scores of years) ago.  Fortunately, I have been able to acquire some fabulous Ross rifles for a fraction of what a similar Winchester (i.e. rarity, condition, special features, presentation rifle) would cost.  I like them a lot.  

Another area of mine is Marlins.  We’ve talked recently about Marlins here.  I like Marlins.  I like them better than many here but would not go so far as to say they are better or more desirable than Winchester.  I really think Winchester consistently surpassed Marlins (vintage rifles of course).  But still I like them.  Marlin does not have the following Winchester has.  I also see more new Winchester collectors entering than I see new Marlin collectors coming on board.  I know of many examples of Winchester collectors still breeding; not as many among Marlin collectors.  I’ve been very tempted on some fancy Marlins over the years (and in recent times as well).  I have held back on pursuing higher dollar Marlins for the reasons I just suggested.  

While I don’t foresee a jump in interest in Marlins, I have been interested to observe other non-Winchester brands surge forward in recent times.  This of course has happened within Winchester rifles too.  There are many Winchester models that didn’t used to be considered collectable and that sure has changed.  Previously, I have mentioned that in my early years you couldn’t hardly give a .25-20 away.  That has changed.  Similarly, I remember a time (long period of years) when there was zero interest in Whitney-Kennedy rifles.  That has changed a lot in recent years.  And Bullard rifles have also surged forward (thank you Mark Douglas).  

I’ll be interested to read others thoughts on this topic.

Zebulon said
And then there’s the matter of what to do with UNcollectable Winchesters — say, a legitimate Model 53 with a good bore that has been hot salt blue re-finished by some Neanderthal with a hot tank and a motorized wire wheel, then allowed to mellow in a damp shed next to 200 pound bags of high Nitrogen fertilizer. 

1. Part it out of its misery? Or

2. Send it to Mark Douglas or Turnbull? Or

3. Take it to your trusted gunsmith and ask him to reshape the blurred edges as best he can, weld up the pits, restore the over-polished flats to approximate factory reflectivity, and re-blue. Replace the screws  and maybe the wood. Mark the underside of the tang with the date and name of the restorer and the fact of restoration, for your own self-esteem.

I think legitimate, accurate restorations are a good thing as long as the restored piece is clearly and permanently marked as such, including the identity of the restorer. I believe these guns are collectible to some and have a legitimate part to play, particularly those models the best specimens of which are locked away in permanent institutional collections.

Accurate and clearly disclosed restorations are a separate category of the hobby that spare small but important pieces of evidence from being lost to history. We all know old Winchesters in high condition tend to stay that way, even if the high condition has to be recreated. 

  

I don’t have use for a rifle that would see, “hard” use.  But I know there are those that do.  Situations where you can’t baby the rifle and it’s going to end up showing signs of significant use.  In such cases, a rifle that has been hot tank reblued with tap holes and undersanded at the tangs might be just the ticket. If it shoots with decent accuracy and functions reliability, the cosmetics may be of little impact.  For me, every time I have put some sort of minor mark on a rifle, I wince.  The type rifle Bill describes can be a vehicle to enjoying the outdoors with less stress.  

Jeff,  you didn’t assemble your reference collection so you could compete for the Weatherby World Champion Squirrel Hunter Trophy, and I can easily imagine boredom setting in before you’d gotten five percent of those little rifles sighted in. 

Your many fans, some waiting more patiently than others, live for the day your next definitive reference book comes to hand. We all understand you could not possibly do what you do so well without spending weeks and months disassembling and studying each of the many variations of the Winchester rimfire models about which you write. Your note taking alone would be a formidable task for any scholar. 

We don’t expect you have time to shoot. In fact, some of us, fearful you will drop off the twig before publishing an ultimate reference for their favorite model, would even frown on your wasting time at the range or in the field when you could be researching and writing instead. Noblesse oblige. 

Still, it pleases me to read your Model 52 collection hasn’t lost its capacity to fascinate. From the historical record, it did the same for John Olin and my very modest collection of one (1) still does for me. 

And this is for Steve004. About Marlins. 

The only Marlin I own is a 1958 Mountie I always wanted and it is a really slick, finely made little repeater. It wears a Williams FP-39 and is a favorite. Impossibly expensive to make action design, of course. 

I think you fellows are broad-minded enough so I’ll say it out loud:  I honestly believe the Marlin rifles now coming out of North Carolina – and those that will eventually come out of that factory in time — are the best and highest form of the original Marlin designs ever produced. 

I’m fond enough of the brand to have owned several JM carbines and have seen enough of the prewar guns to understand they were finished to a higher standard of quality. 

But if you haven’t handled the new Model 1894 guns, you are in for a treat. In particular, the .44 magnum caliber barrels have lost their too-slow rate of twist and Micro-Groove rifling and are built with 300 grain cast lead in mind. The build and finish quality is superior to any Marlin I’ve seen that was made after 1950, at least.

For some bizarre reason, I want ….NEED.. my vision of an Urban Assault Rifle:  a Marlin 1894 .44 magnum/special caliber,  stainless steel with a laminated wood stock, rifle forearm cap, 24″ octagonal barrel, Skinner receiver sight and express front bead.  That full length magazine holds how many rounds? 

The Sandman just walked in…

FRONKinSTEEN!!

Ian,

A very good ask, on you’re part. IMO! A lot of great conversation generated here, and different perspectives all the way around. So many of us like more than just one brand, or even more than one model, of the Winchesters, that have been offered over the years. Then there’s the accoutrements that can be attributed to the different models. Different type collectors are all over this forum. I can truly identify and relate to many who post on here. Then there’s the WACA members that don’t post or partake in the forum, but read it and move on. 

I remember the older Collectors, buying up what they could, and with no electronic aids to help in research, or information that we might have available today, collectors change with time. I agree with the many who have said buy and collect what you like. That’s always been my mantra. Some buy to re sell for profit. It’s always nice to re coup you’re investment, no matter what level you’re on. That’s the business side of me. I have to like it to go after it. I have acquired collections, and moved pieces to pay for my purchase, operating on house money so to speak.

I like the src, that you posted, as it’s a tool well represented of it’s time, gone by. I also like the caliber, like many others do. Many of us die hard Winchester collectors, have earned our stripes, so to speak, and will go after what we like, not what the guy next to us likes. Although friends can be influential, as some relatives can be. Birds of a feather, so to speak. It’s fun to spend time with like people who get along and share hobbies with each other.

mrcvs said,

An example of how society now is. The very wealthy, and the downtrodden, and not much in between. Those in between are dwindling, and more and more of them are college educated and anti 2 A. And there will always be a market for the rough sub $1500 Winchester for the downtrodden. These won’t appreciate at all, or at least anywhere near inflation.

I like many others noticed this many years ago, as I saw this coming, and would discuss this with a few close friends and my late Brother in Law, who I did a lot with, and learned a lot from. With that in mind, I started switching up, and consolidated, changing gears as we all know, if the younger generation wasn’t gonna be interested, why be left holding the bag, or a bunch of stuff that others might not be interested in. I made several trades and even sold some pieces, to upgrade and acquire stuff to leave to my family. Don’t get me wrong, as I kept a lot also, but the high condition, hard to find, and or rare pieces also. A lot of double and triple of ones I had we’re being moved. Many other collectors we’re doing the same. I have no complaints, as it’s an enjoyable education, and it’s nice when you’re collection owes you nothing!

Life changes, and we have to adapt. IMHO!

Anthony

Zebulon said
And this is for Steve004. About Marlins. 

The only Marlin I own is a 1958 Mountie I always wanted and it is a really slick, finely made little repeater. It wears a Williams FP-39 and is a favorite. Impossibly expensive to make action design, of course. 

I think you fellows are broad-minded enough so I’ll say it out loud:  I honestly believe the Marlin rifles now coming out of North Carolina – and those that will eventually come out of that factory in time — are the best and highest form of the original Marlin designs ever produced. 

I’m fond enough of the brand to have owned several JM carbines and have seen enough of the prewar guns to understand they were finished to a higher standard of quality. 

But if you haven’t handled the new Model 1894 guns, you are in for a treat. In particular, the .44 magnum caliber barrels have lost their too-slow rate of twist and Micro-Groove rifling and are built with 300 grain cast lead in mind. The build and finish quality is superior to any Marlin I’ve seen that was made after 1950, at least.

For some bizarre reason, I want ….NEED.. my vision of an Urban Assault Rifle:  a Marlin 1894 .44 magnum/special caliber,  stainless steel with a laminated wood stock, rifle forearm cap, 24″ octagonal barrel, Skinner receiver sight and express front bead.  That full length magazine holds how many rounds? 

The Sandman just walked in…

  

Bill – I haven’t kept up with modern Marlins for many years.  I have a M1894 .44 magnum carbine.  I bought it in the early 1980’s and it was used at that time.  I killed many deer with it but was never impressed with the accuracy.  Fortunately, the distance of the shots I took were not far.  It is heartening to hear that the current crop of Marlin rifles are looking favorable.  

Some additional thoughts on the gun in the OP, first is relative condition. For a number of reasons a rifle in this condition is common but a carbine in this condition is what I would consider a fortunate find. Even though I seem to prefer rifles I would be more likely to buy a carbine in this condition than a rifle. Also my investment experience is in a much more volatile area so I appreciate the relative predictability of Winchester values when taking into consideration our aging demographics and current market conditions.

While I appreciate Jeff’s efforts in assembling a reference collection my goal was to assemble an “experience” collection that would allow me to explore as broad a representation as my finances and gun safe capacity will allow. Initial goal was to shoot every gun I own, will need to work a bit harder on that.

Mike