Here is another example of crazy supposed values of a rifle.  I have now seen this rifle for sale four individual times in 8 years.  It was first sold at Julia's in March of 2018 for $9200.  It was subsequently listed at Merz for $15,000.  Then, in October of 2025 it was "sold at RIA" for $5875!!!  THEN.. agian it was listed at Merz in March of 2026 for $27,500 where it still sits.  https://www.merzantiques.com/product/w4463-special-order-winchester-1892-pistol-grip-checkered-rifle-in-caliber-25-20-m/
Back to your original question.  The OP's trapper is probably worth someplace between $6000 and $20,000.  Or much higher if the Poulin buyer, and his competition are still in the game.  Or maybe not.
Michael
  

Michael - 

Not to make this a competition but I've seen it for sale more times than four.  And Merz has had it up for offer at least three times - spanning 37 years. Here it is in his 1990 catalog.  A large part of his catalog #67 featured the James Huntley Model 1892 short rifle and trapper carbine collection.  This rifle was mixed in with it so I wonder if Jim hadn't owned it?

I sure wouldn't have minded buying it for $5875!  I wouldn't even mind paying the juice on that amount.

Great article, and it is truly sad to hear that your friend Steven has passed away.  His articles and contributions to the hunting & shooting community will be sorely missed!

Bert

We met at gun shows talking about these kinds of guns at display tables where hunting and firearms were discussed with passion. Steve wanted to do some articles on some of the guns I have and I was happy to oblige him.

When I showed him a picture of a mule deer I had gotten with a Winchester 1885, he wanted to do an article on the 25-35 and incorporate the picture in the story.

Eventually he asked me if he could do a story for “Sports Afield” about hunting with these vintage guns. It was easy for me to supply him with these guns as he always did great research on them and he would inevitably find history and provenance on them, which makes them that much more interesting to me.

It was mutually beneficial. He always felt he was in my debt for providing him with these Guns and I felt the same for him to do these kinds of articles.

It is sad to come to the end of the trail with Steve, as we shared many stories, guns and time together shooting them.

This is his next to last article, the last will come out in the next issue of “Sports Afield” and it will be on Jerry Fisher’s personal hunting rifle that he built for himself and hunted for years with it…

Bob

Jeremy P said
I've never seen those catalog images/descriptions before but $250 in today's money is roughly $10k...wow!
  

You're about a decimal place off for what you can buy one today. They sell from time to time upwards of $100k and/or more at the big auction houses like RIA, etc.

A few years back you might could of bought some newly made / reproductions from Turnbull Restorations for around $10k mark, depending on the model and level of engraving and inlay and carving.

TXGunNut said
At the end of the day (or when the auction ends) it's worth whatever a willing buyer and seller say it's worth. It doesn't have to make sense to us. 
 
Mike
  

Mike -

I agree.

I also understand the dilemma owners/sellers are in when they try to figure out what they should ask for their gun if they want to sell it. Auctions are one way to go but they're not for everyone.  

Mike

Anthony said

Rick Hill said
Just to add some content to the discussion:  Anthony referenced "the late Don Grove’s collection and what he was selling".   When I first met Don Grove about 30 years ago, I was impressed by the size of his offerings at the major gun shows and asked him "What do you collect"?  His answer was "My collection is on my tables" which was usually at least four or five 8 footers.  Don was not a collector.  He was in it for profit only!
  

Rick,
I had spoken with him at different shows years ago also, but never bought anything from him. You're point is well taken on him not being a collector. Which really explains things to me.
Steve,
I think maybe the size of the picture flips them, as I've been told to use a smaller size picture, hence less bytes! I still struggle with it.
You're 95, which is in nice shape, shows how the sharp corners wear first.
Tony
  

Tony - 

Exactly.  The rifle Ian posted - it was used to the point the wood needed to be refinished - and it still looks kind of distressed.  Yet there would be no sharp corner wear on the metal?

Regarding Don Grove, I followed his guns for decades.  Actually scores of years.  He had a lot of pieces that were purported to be original.  Some, I didn't have my doubts about.  But some...

Rick Hill said
Just to add some content to the discussion:  Anthony referenced "the late Don Grove’s collection and what he was selling".   When I first met Don Grove about 30 years ago, I was impressed by the size of his offerings at the major gun shows and asked him "What do you collect"?  His answer was "My collection is on my tables" which was usually at least four or five 8 footers.  Don was not a collector.  He was in it for profit only!
  

Rick,

I had spoken with him at different shows years ago also, but never bought anything from him. You're point is well taken on him not being a collector. Which really explains things to me.

Steve,

I think maybe the size of the picture flips them, as I've been told to use a smaller size picture, hence less bytes! I still struggle with it.

You're 95, which is in nice shape, shows how the sharp corners wear first.

Tony

Tedk said
I’ve chased PA and NY bucks for the last 45 years with a 270 topped with a 4x Leupold. Never needed or wanted anything else
  

I think most of us could do that, although I found a low power optic to be useful when I was able to still hunt on forested land. On the few occasions I was able to jump a deer out of its bed, at close range, the lower the better. 

When stand hunting overlooking a wide mesquite flat at last shooting light, when a buck stepped out of the treeline, the ones I observed were disinclined to wait for you to put binoculars away after counting points. On some Texas leases, you are required to count points and inside spreads because the lease terms forbade shooting a buck outside certain limits. A variable scope of 6 to 8 power or so can be very useful.to avoid a mistake. And a surprising number of young male Whietails are hard to distinguish from does at last shooting light during doe season. 

I think there's room for variables, for me the low to mid range.

Few of us rely on one rifle for game and varmints..But I know a dedicated coyote hunter who likes a .270 topped with a really big variable, using the high end most of time but occasionally cranking it way down when a coyote surprises him at close range, sees his mistake, and puts the hammer down.