Hi Canebreak-

That’s a tough one, since the only honest answer is that they’re worth whatever you can get for them…

Considering the M70 358 Featherweight, my observations (from watching recent auction prices) are that significantly altered M70s (for example, rifles with refinished stocks or non-factory recoil pads) are still bringing 50-60% of what a true collectable original would bring.  This surprises me a bit, since once the purist collector value is gone what you’ve got (IMHO) is the value of a shooter M70.  Not CHEAP by any means but not worth the premium people will pay for a collector gun these days…

So… (Please do not dump on me… I’m replying because I’m curious what others think about this current crazy market…  I usually get ripped when I am dumb enough to reply to questions like this…)  

Let’s say a genuine .358 WIN feather in 98% condition is worth maybe $4500 to a collector.  (Am I high or low here???  There have been a few rebored/remarked fakes sold/auctioned recently and I’m personally gun shy when it comes to this one)…  95% maybe a little less depending on where the finish wear is (meaning a worn floor plate or butt plate might be easily/undectectably swapped out so a buyer might not care).  

I’d say a 95% example with a non-factory stock (if otherwise original) would be worth 50-60% of that at most…  The value of the rifle as a shooter is probably much less given the known extraction problems that caused Winchester to discontinue the .358 WIN feathers after a year, but some buyers will value the gun based on its “restoration potential” rather than it’s value as a kick ass hog shooter…

Am I totally wrong????  What do others think?

Best,

Lou

Hi Cane-

From my experience I’d have to agree with you about not understanding the claims about an extraction problem.  I only have one pre-64 M70 feather in 358 WIN and I’ve not fired it b/c it’s a ‘collection gun’ and in very nice condition.  

BUT… I like the cartridge and have taken whitetails on the farm with both a Ruger M77 and a Browning BLR in that chambering.  No problems with either of them on the range or in the field.  

Any way you look at it, your genuine 358 feather is worth a heck of a lot more than you paid for it…

Best,

Lou