Appreciation in Value?

[Brown016]

I have a lever action Winchester 88 .243 that was inherited following the passing of a family member. It looks great, it is in great condition, and I do not hunt. I had it appraised a couple of years ago and it has a decent amount of value. Would anyone have an idea of what the long-term prospects may be in regards to value for this rifle?

 

[Augie]

Really hard to say, pictures would help. Pre 64 with cut checkering in high original condition may continue to appreciate, post 64 with the basket weave pressed checkering not so much.
High original condition means no recoil pad added, no extra holes, close to perfect wood and metal finish.

 

[Brown016]

I will try and post a pic, later. It is a pre-64 with all original finish and componentS.

 

[Brown016]

Win 88 .243

The image is attached. Not sure how to embed in the post.

 

[Augie]

It looks to be in very nice shape and being .243 is desirable, the vast majority were .308.

2 concerns from the one pic, looks like the rear sight is missing, common when early Winchesters were scoped to remove it.

Other concern is the stock finish, most that I have seen had more of a shine to them, kind of like the one in this ad,
http://www.gunsinternational.com/gu...-model-88-243-winchester.cfm?gun_id=100517210

If the stock has been refinished it kills collector value and makes the gun a very nice deer rifle.

All in all it is a very nice rifle, they don't build them like that any more. Welcome to the forum!

 

[Brown016]

Thanks for looking and giving some insights!

I understand where some of the value comes in for this type of gun but, is it worth keeping as something my girls can sell when they are older (or give to husbands, like what happened to me)? I have managed to keep it out of my wife's way since she would prefer I only have 1 firearm I the house. I tried explaining that it has and can appreciate in value and that we can do something with it down the road or, if the zombie apocalypse comes, we have a second rifle for knocking down the deer in our yard. She is not excited by either prospect. I'm conflicted since the cash would allow me to buy a pistol I have been looking at but, I don't want to necessarily sell off something that can increase an appreciable amount.

Is the juice worth the squeeze when it comes to holding onto this rifle?

 

[Mack C-85]

I have managed to keep it out of my wife's way since she would prefer I only have 1 firearm I the house.

I'm lucky to have a better half that is into guns as much as I am.

Only one gun in the house?

I know what there would be one less of....and it wouldn't be out of the gun safe.

BTW - Nice Mod 88, my Dad has one in .308, He brought it back from Cuba, on the USS Intrepid in 1956.

 

[Brown016]

My wife is a very organized person that usually goes by a code of something new coming in, then something old must should go out. She views this as another way for me to keep stuff I don't use...she is mostly right. I sold off about 9 other rifles and shotguns but, that kept me as a temporary member in good standing.

Thanks, I think it is a beautiful rifle. I wish I knew if it had a story behind it like your father's! My father in-law kept a lot of stuff but I could never figure if he collected or accumulated over the years since there was an odd variety in the things he had.

 

[Biggfoot44]

In the long run, the M88 has a strong collector intrest, and they aren't making any more. In the short term specific models can fluctuate.

Even if it were * only * an average firearm, it is a good thing to pass them down the family for multiple generations.

Unless you are in a situation where you need every last $ to put food on the table and roof over the head, there is an issue with you being Allowed to only own one gun. Only own sufficent to fit in one gunsafe could be a semi-reasonable talking point. Only one gun total is a wife problem, not a rifle problem .

 

[Derwood]

Gunbroker will give you a general idea of current prices. Maybe do some searches and watch all the auctions to see what they're going for. Most firearms appreciate in value if they're kept in good condition. Nothing like a good ol Winchester401k.

http://www.gunbroker.com/All/BI.aspx?Keywords=winchester+model+88

 

[Mini14tac]

My wife is a very organized person that usually goes by a code of something new coming in, then something old must should go out.

If my wife acted that way in regards to my firearms, I would have to bring a new girlfriend home, and I guess you can figure what would happen to the wife! "Out with the old and in with the new" Fortunately I don't have this problem!

And BTW, I have a Model 88 in 308! It is a great rifle and is very accurate once you find out what it likes. I have hunted with and killed deer with mine.

 

[Threeband]

My wife is a very organized person that usually goes by a code of something new coming in, then something old must should go out. She views this as another way for me to keep stuff I don't use...she is mostly right. I sold off about 9 other rifles and shotguns but, that kept me as a temporary member in good standing.

...

How many shoes do you allow her to own?

 

[Brown016]

How many shoes do you allow her to own?

Shoot...she LIVES her code! The only thing she collects are gift cards for restaurants/stores we can go to. I'm better off because of it, too! The amount of crap/useless junk I accumulate is a little silly. She helps keep me honest with most of my junk and introduced me to online selling so I can feel better about getting rid of some things. She lets me get away with a few things as long as I don't get sloppy.

For the issue with the guns, I get what she is saying and I agree for the most part. I just don't want to let something go that can be rather valuable one day. I'm still secretly bitter about my Garbage Pail Kids cards getting tossed by my mom, knowing what they are worth now. If I could get rid of the gun with the confidence in knowing the value won't increase an arguable amount over the years, then I would let it go.

 

[Russ D]

You don't belong here.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Seriously, the unit of measurement needs to be " fits into one gunsafe" handles the clutter issue.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Is the other half limited to one pair of shoes, one piece of jewlery, one outfit of fashonable clothes,one cooking utinsel, etc ? One gunsafe would be parity to one jewlery case, one closet, one kitchen cabnet , etc .

 

[d33rhunt3r]

Thanks for looking and giving some insights!

I understand where some of the value comes in for this type of gun but, is it worth keeping as something my girls can sell when they are older (or give to husbands, like what happened to me)? I have managed to keep it out of my wife's way since she would prefer I only have 1 firearm I the house. I tried explaining that it has and can appreciate in value and that we can do something with it down the road or, if the zombie apocalypse comes, we have a second rifle for knocking down the deer in our yard. She is not excited by either prospect. I'm conflicted since the cash would allow me to buy a pistol I have been looking at but, I don't want to necessarily sell off something that can increase an appreciable amount.

Is the juice worth the squeeze when it comes to holding onto this rifle?

Has she seen World War Z? After seeing that my girlfriend is very thankful for the arsenal in our home.

 

[Sewer Rat]

Seriously, the unit of measurement needs to be " fits into one gunsafe" handles the clutter issue.

crap.. I got a "clutter" issue in the gun room without that rule...

 

[Ripster]

If I could get rid of the gun with the confidence in knowing the value won't increase an arguable amount over the years, then I would let it go.

Simple answer? As long as you maintain it's current condition, it will increase in value.

 

[RoadDawg]

You don't belong here.

Yep... This forum will wind up getting him divorced when he brings home the third rifle.

Of course, he can use this forum as an educational tool. Since he is "allowed one of each"...
1 rifle
1 pistol
1 revolver
1 shotgun etc...