Need help with valuation (308 mag)

[Bob R]

I have a line on a FN 308 Mag (norma 308 mag). It is a Mauser action, marked FN with a date of 1951. It has a 4x Leupold scope on it, probably from the 60's/70's

It is a nice looking rifle, I just can't seem to find a value on it anywhere.

Here is a pic of the rifle. I would have to restock it, it is in a RH Monte Carlo stock. I have no use for a cheek piece on that side of the stock.

Any ideas?

thanks

bob

 

[gregintenn]

That looks more like a Redfield scope. I'm guessing it'll cost you a grand anyway. That also doesn't look like a monte carlo stock. What am I missing here?

 

[Bob R]

It doesn't have a raised comb, but it has a raised cheek piece on the other side. Soooo, semi monte caro?

bob

 

[mkk41]

FN rifles are of excellent quality and somewhat collectable , but the caliber and currently soft market (regionally) for bolt action hunting rifles will hurt ya. That rifle would probably bring about $500-600 retail , a reputable gun shop should offer ya about $300-375 if ya walked in looking to sell.

Best thing to do would be to look on Gunbroker and find another FN Mauser in similar condition and see what it sells for.

 

[Wingmaster]

I would look at the price of 308 Norma ammo. It won't take long to have more money in ammo than you have in the gun.

Wingmaster

 

[Beaver]

In my part of the world, the gun looks like a $500 rifle. The scope looks like a $50 at the most. The wood is pretty, I'd try to modify the cheekpiece, instead of replacement. Commercial Mausers are just about my favorite rifles.

 

[Bob R]

I would look at the price of 308 Norma ammo.

Well, you know, that Norma ammo uses gold to make the brass a little softer.....at least that is what the pricing looks like.

I think with all of the bullets and powders avaiable now that weren't aailable in the 60's when this gun was new will make this a serious rifle for reloading. Everything I have read about them say they were very accurate back when and with modern bullets and powder it should be even better.

bob

 

[310Pilot]

I think what you have (or may have) is a custom rifle built in the late '60s or early 70's, as the .308 Norma Magnum cartridge did not come out, IIRC, until the mid to late 1960s. Probably an FN action (more than likely mil-surp) with a custom barrel and a sporter stock with a cheek pad. Very hard to put a value on a one-off like that, probably in the $300-$400 range, but could vary greatly with the quality of the build and overall condition. The caliber doesn't help it in value, either, as .308 Norma Mag, while a good, flat-shooting and hard-hitting caliber, is not very popular (almost a wildcat in terms of market penetration), and finding ammo for it is, to say the least, difficult, and it is quite expensive, as well. An old 4X scope is worth just about nothing in the current market. Given the foregoing, and the need (for you) to invest in a new stock, I would say the value (to you) is quite a bit lower, as you really are buying, in effect, a used barreled action, and that assumes the bore is good, action is excellent, no bulges in the barrel, etc. Hope this helps.

 

[Frank237]

I think what you have (or may have) is a custom rifle built in the late '60s or early 70's, as the .308 Norma Magnum cartridge did not come out, IIRC, until the mid to late 1960s. Probably an FN action (more than likely mil-surp) with a custom barrel and a sporter stock with a cheek pad. Very hard to put a value on a one-off like that, probably in the $300-$400 range, but could vary greatly with the quality of the build and overall condition. The caliber doesn't help it in value, either, as .308 Norma Mag, while a good, flat-shooting and hard-hitting caliber, is not very popular (almost a wildcat in terms of market penetration), and finding ammo for it is, to say the least, difficult, and it is quite expensive, as well. An old 4X scope is worth just about nothing in the current market. Given the foregoing, and the need (for you) to invest in a new stock, I would say the value (to you) is quite a bit lower, as you really are buying, in effect, a used barreled action, and that assumes the bore is good, action is excellent, no bulges in the barrel, etc. Hope this helps.

Astute evaluation...add that you also HOPE the whole mess was put together by a smith who knew what he was doing.

I stay away from ANYTHING "Custom" like the plague. Been burnt too many times over the years.

FN in MT

 

[cussedemgun]

It is VERY difficult to evaluate a one-sided gun.

The bolt shroud appears to have the safety notch cut in the top indicating "military surplus action" which would also have the military trigger. If the action has the thumb relief notch (for stripper clip use) in the left side, that would be the clincher.

310pilot is spot on with his evaluation & I agree. His 'guess-temate' of $300/$400 would be "$300 for military-$400 for commercial" action.

Jim

 

[gregintenn]

I'd sure like to stumble across some $300-$400 FN mauser rifles.