Brand new late 60's to early 70's vintage 40x estimated value???

[steve123]

Looks like a high power type rifle with a heavy and long barrel, a repeater in 308. It has a mounting block on the barrel for a front sight and a couple other mounting blocks for what I'm assuming takes the old Lyman or Unertl scopes. Then there is a side mount for a rear aperture sight on the left side of the receiver. It also has a rail on the underside of the stock with hand stop attached to it. The receiver has a clip slot for top loading from a stripper clip and a cut out on the top front of the action port.

No paperwork or box came with the rifle but the previous owner said he bought it new, never bought any sights, and never shot it, it's just been put away all these years and is in near mint condition, i'd say 99% with a few small rubs and nicks in the stock.
[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/XN1Rj3W.jpg"}[/IMG2]
Any help would surely be appreciated. How much do you think it's worth?

I took some pics.

 

[pmclaine]

Not much you don't want it.

Just see if you can get it for $300 and rather than you take the loss on that POS I'll give you $500 because I like you.

 

[sandwarrior]

Nice try pmc!,,,

40X's have been selling in the $700-$800 range with a basic set of Williams/Lyman iron sights. Lots of people have them listed in the $1k-$2.2k range depending on what's been done with them. Very few of them are selling. Occasionally, there are bids on them, but a lot of that is knowing what's been done and who did what to the rifle. A big name in the accuracy world means a lot more than a local gunsmith, even if the latter is on par with the "accuracy" guy. Right now there is a barreled 40X action with no bids @ $825.00 on GB.

Bottom line: $1K in near mint condition.


Added: I stand corrected, there is a bid of $1299 on a .308 repeater...

Save​

Save​

 

[steve123]

Not much you don't want it.

Just see if you can get it for $300 and rather than you take the loss on that POS I'll give you $500 because I like you.

Haha! Yeah I'm a little ashamed, sure got a good deal on it. The guy is a retired doctor coming up on 86 years old. His kids asked him to start reducing his supply of gun stuff before he passes because they don't want to deal with them. He's also a former national Bullseye champion with some really nice vintage gear. Certain guns he won't sell and justifiably so, but last week he sold a period correct xp100 custom silhouette pistol in 7TCU to another friend for a third what it's worth. Ingram barrel, Wichita sights with globe front, trigger job, etc, all done right! I had called dibs on it but my other friend had cash and laid it down right then - a cash talks BS walks type thing. We got to shoot it with his old reloads from 30 years ago on a 200M chicken silhouette, he still had his sight setting from the 200M rams which was the last match he'd been to back then and the last time he shot the pistol, even with our old eyes we were hitting the chicken pretty easily.

 

[steve123]

Nice try pmc!,,,

40X's have been selling in the $700-$800 range with a basic set of Williams/Lyman iron sights. Lots of people have them listed in the $1k-$2.2k range depending on what's been done with them. Very few of them are selling. Occasionally, there are bids on them, but a lot of that is knowing what's been done and who did what to the rifle. A big name in the accuracy world means a lot more than a local gunsmith, even if the latter is on par with the "accuracy" guy. Right now there is a barreled 40X action with no bids @ $825.00 on GB.

Bottom line: $1K in near mint condition.


Added: I stand corrected, there is a bid of $1299 on a .308 repeater...

Save​

Save​

Thanks, that gives me a idea of the value. I think this one is straight from Remington, I'm guessing from the custom shop??? Too bad there's no paperwork and box!!!

Doc expects me to shoot it. I don't know if I can do that!

 

[FatBoy]

Thanks, that gives me a idea of the value. I think this one is straight from Remington, I'm guessing from the custom shop??? Too bad there's no paperwork and box!!!

Doc expects me to shoot it. I don't know if I can do that!

That's crazy. Get out there and shoot. If Doc can make it, bring him!

 

[sandwarrior]

steve123,

Without a box and paperwork, not shooting it is moot. Besides, it got shot at the factory It needs a good home and you're the kind of guy it needs to go to. It appears to me the guy doesn't need money so he isn't asking a fortune. But, like my guns, they're special to me.

My kids are kind of the same way as his, they just don't have the fascination I do with various arms and the conflicts they are tied to. When the rest of my collection goes out, I want someone to appreciate them like I do. If my wife and kids wanted money, they should have used their college educations better.

 

[steve123]

You guys are making a lot of sense.

#1 He sold his 40x to me to enjoy it, so that means un safequeening it.
#2 Although of reasonable value it lacks max collector value with the box and provenance missing, plus it isn't 100% mint, and if or when I do sell it, it should happen when I'm in a similar predicament as he is in now.
#3 My other buds want to shoot it as bad as I do, grin.

Favor, if anybody has a set of appropriate aperture sights they are willing to sell for this old rifle please PM me. Or advise on which ones to get.

Thanks all.

 

[Quarter Horse]

Buy it and use it. There might be some collector out there who might stand up and pay some real money but that would be a narrow niche. I agree that it is probably a custom shop rifle but I have no idea whether Rem. has a research dept. that could provide you with info.

I like FB's thought. If the doc is interested take him with you. Bring along something that is contemporary and low recoiling. Doc might be interested in trying it one more time. Have him give you a letter that has the rifle's history. Maybe try an F Class match. If I remember correctly you have the chops to do the old girl justice.

 

[Quarter Horse]

123, you posted again before I got mine up. Congratulations, you've got a wonderful piece of history. Be sure to get a letter from the doc. It could add significantly to the value. In the early-mid '60s I bought a 40X that appeared unfired. It wore Redfield Olympics front and back.

 

[FatBoy]

You're probably looking at Redfield Palmas or Redfield Olympics. They are inexpensive sights as far as sights go and they come up for sale often. You really want the period correct look wrspp a rubber band around the elevation turret to the windage knob. Takes the play out

 

[steve123]

Thanks for the tips QH and FB!

I've been trying to talk Doc into shooting long range with me for the last couple years, hopefully he'll relent.

He did start shooting Field Target air rifle comps with me 4 years ago. He's won a match too, I think he was 83 at the time. A couple weeks ago he showed up a little late to our Wednesday afternoon shoot fest and shot the relay as last shooter, this time was Bullseye with combat pistols at 25Y. I was about to go get my pile of quarters thinking I'd won with a 48/50 but he had shot a perfect with 50/3x. You don't mess with a former national champion even if he 85, lol.

He was telling me he used to shoot 50,000 centerfire and 50,000 rimfire in a year for practice in Bullseye, can you imagine, lol.

 

[Quarter Horse]

Wow! This thread keeps getting better and better. The letter from Doc should include his shooting accomplishments and should follow the rifle wherever it goes.

 

[pmclaine]

Wow! This thread keeps getting better and better. The letter from Doc should include his shooting accomplishments and should follow the rifle wherever it goes.

Meh! No pictures.

Let us get eyes on that fine looking 40X.

Its like describing a hot girl. Who cares.

Picasso could describe a beautiful women and than when he painted us a picture what a mess it was.

 

[sandwarrior]

Meh! No pictures.

Let us get eyes on that fine looking 40X.

Its like describing a hot girl. Who cares.

Picasso could describe a beautiful women and than when he painted us a picture what a mess it was.

Like some kindergardener got into the cake decorations...lol

I agree with pmc, though. We need pics

 

[steve123]

I used to use photobucket so now I need to figure out another image hosting site.

I called a XTC and Highpower acquaintance I hadn't talked to in a couple years and it looks like he might have some sights I could buy.

 

[pmclaine]

I used to use photobucket so now I need to figure out another image hosting site.

I called a XTC and Highpower acquaintance I hadn't talked to in a couple years and it looks like he might have some sights I could buy.

IMGUR works just like photobucket.

or

you can just use the attach icon and upload to the Hide from your computer.

Congrats on the sights.

 

[steve123]

It took a while to figure out Imgur but I bumbled my way through and hopefully the pictures post.

Said friend had a Mid front sight with aperture and a Redfield Olympic rear sight without iris, I bought them for a reasonable price. He said the Redfield Olympic model had a different thread pitch for the iris vs the International or the Palma, is this correct? I want to order a adapter and iris or I saw on Champions Choice they listed a adjustable iris for the Olympic. Just not sure which way to go yet.

Interesting morning because I shot the 40x anyway with the giant hole where there should have been an iris. I messed with the knobs on the sight, both elevation and windage last night and look where by happenstance my first shot went at 25Y.

This is at 25Y [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/aNnBFwI.jpg"}[/IMG2]

 

[pmclaine]

Call it a day, and just tell everyone that is typical for rifle and shooter but will probably tighten up with reloads. Ask $5000 to sell.

Looks promising. Good luck with it.

 

[steve123]

Then at 200Y without further sight adjustment

[IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/XtmsjO1.jpg"}[/IMG2]

 

[steve123]

My pics are giant so one per post til I figure this out.

 

[steve123]

 

[pmclaine]

Pics showing up good size for me.

On IMGUR at the bottom choose large thumbnail and copy from the forum/blog box to copy/post here.

Man what a classic rifle.

 

[pmclaine]

PS - sweet pedicure and tactical sandals.

 

[pmclaine]

You need a Unertl.

Contact RTH1200 from this board. He had some beautiful Unertls last year - minus the 20X I bought off him.

 

[steve123]

Call it a day, and just tell everyone that is typical for rifle and shooter but will probably tighten up with reloads. Ask $5000 to sell.

Looks promising. Good luck with it.

Thanks!

I like the rifle so far. The only powder I had on hand that comes close to a 308 burn rate is R15. So I looked up some loads for the Nosler 155CC and put 42 grains in LC match brass and used CCI 200 primers. The load seemed like a good one as far as pressure signs and how the primer looked.

 

[steve123]

You need a Unertl.

Contact RTH1200 from this board. He had some beautiful Unertls last - minus the 20X I bought off him.

That would be cool but I'm tapping out. I've been spending too much money this summer.

 

[steve123]

PS - sweet pedicure and tactical sandals.

It's funny the stuff one doesn't notice when snapping off the camera, lol.

Them are my take it easy and kick back shootin sandals.

 

[pmclaine]

That would be cool but I'm tapping out. I've been spending too much money this summer.

Yep, feel your pain. We are in a golden age of great rifles and stuff being available. Sadly some of that is from the aging/passing of great shooters like your friend

 

[steve123]

I found out from the expert at Champions Choice that it's the Redfield Palma that had the larger thread pitch and diameter iris. The Olympic and the International take the same smaller one. Now to decide whether to buy the adapter to take Gehmann and other Co's iris which opens up the opportunity to use filters, etc, or buy just the PH510 which doesn't accept filters, etc.

Off to give the barrel a good first cleaning, cause I don't know why - break in I guess, we don't do that around here much. Gonna be a long time before I clean it again.

 

[mrbig]

man that is nice,,I dont care what it`s worth as a kid growing up in the 70`s and reading through all the gun magazines daddy would bring home that is THE rifle I always drooled over and lusted after,,

if mine I would mount my Palma sight and strap on my Turner sling and start with the 175 SMKs and IMR4064

 

[sandwarrior]

Thanks!

I like the rifle so far. The only powder I had on hand that comes close to a 308 burn rate is R15. So I looked up some loads for the Nosler 155CC and put 42 grains in LC match brass and used CCI 200 primers. The load seemed like a good one as far as pressure signs and how the primer looked.

That shouldn't be a hot load at all. That amount of Re-15 is what's behind a 175 for M118LR.

 

[steve123]

man that is nice,,I dont care what it`s worth as a kid growing up in the 70`s and reading through all the gun magazines daddy would bring home that is THE rifle I always drooled over and lusted after,,

if mine I would mount my Palma sight and strap on my Turner sling and start with the 175 SMKs and IMR4064

I literally prayed to the God of heaven for a rifle like this a few months ago, seriously, and all of a sudden here it is from out of nowhere.

It's a somewhat recent thing that I got a desire to own older guns and shoot with iron sights. Too bad my eyes aren't the best anymore.

I'm ordering a rear iris today. It's not easy looking through the sights without a iris but it's surprising how well one can do anyway.

 

[steve123]

That shouldn't be a hot load at all. That amount of Re-15 is what's behind a 175 for M118LR.

The load and rifle did well yesterday! Hardly missed the 200M chicken and hit the 10" round at 675Y with the last three shots. I think I'll leave this load alone and use it as my fun load because it's so light recoiling.

Later I'd like to try some 185 Jugs with Varget or...

 

[pmclaine]

I literally prayed to the God of heaven for a rifle like this a few months ago, seriously, and all of a sudden here it is from out of nowhere.

It's a somewhat recent thing that I got a desire to own older guns and shoot with iron sights. Too bad my eyes aren't the best anymore.

I'm ordering a rear iris today. It's not easy looking through the sights without a iris but it's surprising how well one can do anyway.

The rifles/pistols that are meant to be ours are out there right now,

You just never know how/when the meeting will occur and you will take possession.

Ive missed guns that I hesitated on and lost.

Inevitably in short order another gun will come along that's better than the one I lost.

I also note that fortune smiles on me with overtime or unexpected money when I come across a buy I wasn't intending.

Last month this happened when a Smith & Wesson 952 came available. My mortgage company sent me a check because my escrow account had too much money. The refund was half the cost of the pistol.

God likes us to have our swords.

 

[steve123]

Those are good ways to look at it. I'm looking forward to the next "meeting"!

I call this kind of happening "the spice of life"

 

[steve123]

Well it turns out there were two iris thread sizes in the Redfield Olympic sight, 7/32 and 9/32. The bad news is the Gehmann adjustable iris and it's attached 7/32 adapter didn't fit my Olympic (of course right???) but I have two good news things that happened. It did fit my old Remington which has a old Lyman peep, boy that thing cleared up the front sight! Also my friend found a Merit adjustable 9/32 that fits the 40x! I'll "see" (pun intended) how much nicer those irises are to use on both those rifles soon.