Gun advice wnated

[Ray Cover]

Here is the situation.

I have two guns...Well actually two barreled actions and wood.

One is a Ruger Number one safari gun in 375HH Mag with a very nice English Walnut rough milled stock blank and forend

The second is an Anzchultz .22LR model 61 heavy barrel target action with a nice fancy figure walnut stock

Here is my problem. I need to decide If I am better off selling the barrelled actions and stocks, finish them out and sell them or engrave finish etc. and sell them.

I have no use for the Ruger #1. I bought this and the wood when I first started engraving with the intention of engraving it, finishing it out and use it for a show piece. At this point I am not real excited about finishing it out, but....... at the same time I have some money tied up in it and would like to move it.

Being a rimfire man I wanted the Anschultz .22 for myself and I originally intended to engrave it with squirrel hunting scenes and keep it. I have the wood fitted, it is glass bedded, the barrel is floated and I have shot it. It is that close to being finished as a gun although not engraved yet. All it really needs now is a butt plate fitted and a good sanding and stock finish. The problem is the best groups I can get is about 3/8 at 50 yards. Compared to my other Anschultz that is very poor shooting and I am no longer interested in keeping the gun.

I guess this is the big question on these two guns. Would I be better off financially to:

On the Ruger
1. Sell the barrelled action and roughed out stock as it is
2. Finish out the gun and sell it.

On the Anschultz
1. Finish out the gun and sell it. Or trade it toward for a Volquartsen 17hmr
2. Engrave the gun to dress it up (not a full blown job like I had originally intended) and finish it out and sell it.

I really don't have a lot of time to engrave the ruger and I am not interested in doing that. That's why I have not listed that as an option. The surface on the 2 is small and would not take tins of time.

Oppinions? Suggestions?

Ray

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Ray

This is my thoughts on it....................

Sell them as is, where is. Your hearts not in it anymore and you are better off cutting your losses and getting something that you want.

You can spend a whole lot more time on them and the monetry value could possibly be questionable.

The dilemma is that you spend more time on them.......the price goes up.......the potential buyers list goes down and it takes longer to sell them.

Cut your losses, get the money and move onto somthing that you really want. Lifes too short to work your butt off to maybe gain a few extra bucks. Spend that time engraving a rifle for yourself or your kids. It's time better spent.

Just my thoughts

Cheers
Andrew

 

[pilkguns]

Ray,

excuse me while I put on my Olympic gunsmith hat.


Okay, back now.
yep that Anschutz ought to shoot better than that. I would question bedding, crown, leaded bore, ammo, etc . If you wanted to send it over we could go give it a good looksee. but yea, it could just be a lemon. The Germans call it Montag arbeit, or Monday work, funny how we Americans call it Friday afternoon work. If you like the Anschutz, and really wanted to keep it, and worse came to worse, you can always put another barrel on it, it doesn;t cost that much. For sure if selling it is your goal, then you will take a bruising selling one that is'nt a tack driver.

Anyway, if the Ruger has decent wood, it is going to be most bang for your buck selling. I definately think you are better off selling it as is rahter than finishing it and engraving, you will not make your normal engraving wage on a package deal like that. Custom guns bring big bucks when they are custom, not somebody else's idea of custom. I have always wondered why the gun market is that way and the knife market never was.

 

[Sam]

My Anschutz 1422 will stack 10 shots in one slightly ragged hole at 50 yards with Eley Match. Not bad for a sporter with a 3x9 scope.

 

[Ray Cover]

My Anschultz model 51 shoots like yours Sam. At 50 yards I get one slightly ragged hole. To top it all off its pet ammo is CCI green tags. I have tried all the high dollar match ammo out there and those green tags shoot better than anything else.

My 51 shoots so good I was really disappointed in this one shooting so poorly

Scott,

If I still have it then I may bring it with me to the engrave in this summer and drop it off and let you guys have a look at it. I think I will go ahead and finish this the stock out and and try again and see if the grouping improves.

I have a real bad itch to own a Volquartsen 17 HMR semi auto. The one I want is about $1,300 to $1,400. I have a mind to sell these two and get the 17.

What should I expect to get out of the Ruger? Its a never shot tropical with the heavy barrel and sling mount band on the barrel. Chambered in 375HH mag. The wood is nice English walnut. It is not the best I have seen but it is very pretty with good grain and contrast and is roughed in. I think I paid $125 for it 10-15 years ago and I felt at the time I got one heck of a deal.

I would still have interest in the 22 if it could be made to shoot like my other one but Andrew is 100% right about the Ruger. I have absolutely no passion to put any work into that gun. I would just as soon sell it.

Ray