Please delete, posted in error.

I developed an interest in antique firearms at a very young age, well before my 18th birthday, and the stuff I was handling then was by no means as nice as this rifle, nor, for that matter, even as nice as most of what I have collected now.  I decided that I would work for a corporation that would pay me handsomely enough to collect virtually anything I wanted to, not even fathoming that a firearm could ever run 6 figures or more.  A great plan, except these corporate job offers never materialized.

Putting this all together, this is why you and I are on this forum, the die hard collectors dreaming, fantasizing, and commiserating.  And the lucky winner of this rifle is not on this forum, it’s a trophy, firearms probably aren’t even in his blood.  Or, another way of thinking of it. We should be using our energy to create the next Nvidia and then decide to collect, and not the other way around.  It’s VERY difficult to succeed in the bottom up approach without a lot of luck and connections.

i know an individual in the meat industry, his brother showed up one day, an M.D. in a very expensive sports car, bragged about how he had another ten just like it.  Then his brother told me he went to medical school to finance his expensive car interests, had no interest in helping folks get better.  And showed up to borrow money from his sausage-making brother as he couldn’t support his lifestyle.  Moral behind that story:  Don’t bite off more than you can chew.  It sounds like the purchaser of this rifle can afford to bite off a lot, as he supposedly won several items in this auction.  Most items approached or exceeded the annual income of most individuals in this country.

 I have used RIA surprises to direct me to like gun purchases before the rest of the market reacts. Most of my purchases in the last 5 years have been trying to find the next gun that will appreciate rapidly or at least be a easy sale or trade.

 In the case of the 6 million dollar Henry it was serial number 1 and a famous owner during a historic time in history. Any one of these three things raise the price of any gun and all three raise it a lot. The sale of this Henry does not affect the price of other Henrys. I come away from this auction understanding the value of serial number 1, a famous owner, and key times in American history.

                                                                                               T/R

Yours has the expected bolt sleeve.  The hole in the side for a safety retaining pin (distinguishing Versions 1A and 1B) was added early in 1938 more or less around serial number 14,000.  That bolt sleeve was then used for the rest of Type I (pre-war) actions.

Thanks,
Lou

The resale value of my 2009 Toyota Tacoma is not influenced by the going collector price of the Mercedes Benz 300SL presented by its maker to Juan Manuel Fangio, the great Argentine who once drove for the marque. That both are cars is irrelevant.

Even If my car were a 1956 Corvette instead of a Toyota truck, the price of Fangio's ride would still not affect the value of my Vette -- unless GM had presented it for some unknowable reason to Stirling Moss. 

I am unaware of any formal program for returning pre-war Model 70s to have their bolt sleeve/safety exchanged.  Unless a side mount was used, the "conversion" of a pre-war action would also involve drilling at least one hole in the bridge for a scope mount.  Usually these modifications were done by the consumer, although I'm sure Winchester would let you send a gun back (for a fee)...  

The Version 3 "dogleg" safety came along in 1948, so to have been factory converted before the initial sale would have required the rifle(s) to have sat in inventory for nearly a decade (1939-1948) and be pulled from the warehouse and sent back to assembly.  That is unlikely.  

It may seem surprising, but the Model 70 300 (H&H) Magnum was fairly popular before WWII.  At the time, there was nothing like it on the market (bolt action sporting rifle in a long magnum cartridge) unless you wanted to pony up and buy a custom gun from Britain.  Americans seem to have always been "magnum crazy" (the bigger/faster/more powerful the better)!!!  According to a factory report, annual "Net Orders Received" between 1936 and 1943, there were (2812) orders for 300 H&H Magnum Model 70s (6% of the total), making it the 5th most popular chambering, behind 30-06 (27,758), 270 WCF (6053), 22 Hornet (3390), and 220 Swift (2997).

If you can provide a single photograph of the right (bolt handle) side of the receiver showing the bolt sleeve and safety, we may be able to give you a little more info.  As a WACA "Guest" you cannot post pics directly on the forum.  You either have to post to a third-party site and put the link here or you can send the photo to me (luttrell@musc.edu) and I'll post it for you.

Good Luck!!!

Lou

TR said
 It has been said that when the minty high grade guns go up in value it drags the lower grades up. If that's true the value of my collection just went up. If that's true the flip side is so did the guns that I might buy. Double edge sword.
 RIA is good at marketing, my hats off to RIA. T/R
  

I'm not so sure this tide raises all ships. I think it's more like someone left the water running in the bathtub. But yes, RIA works hard and spares no expense when it comes to selling high end guns. 

Mike

Rick C said

Hi honey, I’m home. Oh, how did you make out at the auction today? Pretty good, got 3 rifles. Only spent $7 or $8 million.
Shorts and flip flops 😂. 
  

Yeah, I left early, contemplating my life decisions and tax bracket.

 RIA is good at marketing, my hats off to RIA. T/R

Mike

Jeremy P said
Right after the gavel, it was pulled from the display case and shepherded to the back rooms...until the end of the auction I assume. The winner was not dressed much above shorts and flip flops and stayed to bid on other stuff....I mean, why not?
I've been having trouble posting photos for awhile now for some reason, but here's the display greeting you as you walked in past check-in...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NAePSCQvtNLBsJyX6
  

Hi honey, I’m home. Oh, how did you make out at the auction today? Pretty good, got 3 rifles. Only spent $7 or $8 million.

Shorts and flip flops 😂. 

tionesta1 said

Bill Hanzel said
Says 5,000,000(on-site).  Don’t know if that’s with the juice or not…. Auction is still live on proxibid, I just scrolled up to see
  

Hey Bill,
I'll bring it to the next OGCA show for you to see it.
Al
  

Please do! Hopefully that’s not all you bought?

fred.lasor@gmail.com said
An interesting goal, and a very attractive display.  Thanks for sharing.  The only first year I have is a Model 1892.  I'm a piker.  But I have a Model 1894 action from the first year. 
  

I agree, I've had a few four-digit guns but none were first year.

Mike