Winchester 300 Mag. What exactly do I have here?

[andykim]

Hi all, 1 of my dads guns recently found at his house. I know the gun but what is the year, model? value? Through friends and research...I have gotten all sorts of different answers. I'm no vintage gun expert. There are NO other markings on the rifle anywhere. ? (scratches head)
Any help would be appreciated. I remember this from my childhood and what stands out in my mind is the pain I incurred when firing said gun! ( young,dumb= OUCH!)
Thanks for any help.


edited to add: I could not get my digital camera to go under 640 x 480 pixels. every image got rejected. Will try again

[jdonovan]

Hard to know what you have there without some of the information that should be on the gun.

Prior to 1968 there were no standards for marking the receiver. Many/Most did put their name, place built, a serial number etc... but sometimes in strange places.

In the post WW II era a lot of war bring-back Mauser rifles made it to the US and were 'sporterized' into hunting rifles. 300 win would have been a less common, but possible conversion. Some of the conversions included removing a lot of the original markings. So this could be a possibility.

Photo's would be a definite help.

[andykim]

OK...went to tinypic anf here are photos....Sorry to all.






I was thrown off by the markings...don't know how to date this and values are all over the place. Someone with knowledge and a levelhead should be able to offer their opinion.
Thanks to all who respond in advance.

[BertMacklin]

May be a Fabrique Nationale or Zastava M70 Mauser, my guess based on the curve of the bolt and the location of what appears to be the safety just behind the bolt handle.

[andykim]

btt

[Palladin]

Have you had the stock off of it? Maybe I'm imagining things, but there looks like more under the "300 Win. Mag." marking.


Also, what do you perceive the marking on the buttplate under the top screw to be? I can't make it out in the photo...

[ProShooter]

What exactly is written on the gun?

[andykim]

Hi Guys, Good eyes out there.
Under "300 Win Mag "
. . . . . . There are 6 dots

on up the the gun unseen under stock is : " F W Heym" or " F W Peym" or " FW 4eym " ??? " Made in Germany"

Palladin: on butt it says :" F A JEN " or " F A JEH "

Ok guys....hope you can help me out. I'm liquidating some of dads stuff and I need to know what I have here and Age if poss ? and approx. worth.

Very , Very nice of you folks to help. This is just out of my wheelhouse. Just a sport shooter and plinker.
Thanks

[jdonovan]

sounds like
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heym_(gun_manufacturer)

[jdonovan]

now that I've had a chance to find my blue book of values, and look some things up.

I can't see the photos well enough to really make a super solid guess.. this is the leading candidate.

model SR20N & classic - mauser action 24" barrel

there are a bunch of variant models, but they all started importation after 1989/1990 so if this is an 'old' gun of dads, probably not a match.

I'm guessing its been used on some hunts, and has a few rubs, nicks, etc.. which lower its value

my book is probably 5 years old or so, but this model isn't a super rare, highly collectible, so i don't think value may have changed by a tremendous amount.
90% - 800
80% - 750
70% - 650

adjustments:
+ 300 for mag caliber
- 70 no iron sights
+260 for classic mode

These would be full retail value, on a local dealers shelf.

my estimate, assuming my assumption about model and condition are correct would be about a $1000 retail, and $800 in a private party sale. Probably $400 as a trade-in, or over the counter purchase from a dealer. These are not well-known rifles by the general public, and interest in the standard models is lower. Their double rifles, and drillings, are a different class

You have found no import marks therefore I still think this is a pre 1968 rifle, but it is definately post WW II... so 1950-1968 range?

My best guess. Others have thoughts?

[Palladin]

JD for the win!

I'd say it's worth what you can get for it. It has sentimental value for you, and moderate value as a big woods hunting hammer for someone getting started.

Good luck to you with the liquidating. That kind of work always leaves me wistful and down.

[Palladin]

...maybe Id'ing the old scope model could help narrow the date range?

Just a thought.

[OleMan]

It sounds highly likely to me that it is a Heym model SR 20. Heym is an old and very respected sporting arms mfgr in Germany. My brother had a Heym (probably a SR 20) in .270 Win. The rifle was brought back to the US in the 1950's by a soldier who served in West Germany - he had to let my brother have it to help pay back a loan. It was a light rifle and was ordered with a set trigger to set the firing trigger to a hair setting.

The rifle was a genuine 1-MOA shooter. On my brother's death, it went to his son and was later stolen in a burglary.

Having fired it and knowing what success my brother had hunting with it, I know the claims about Heym quality and accuracy were true. While I don't know anything about it's value - if it is in good shape (no pits in the barrel or major damage), it should be a great hunting rifle.

If you haven't fired it and can get to a 100 yard range, it will likely prove to be very accurate.

Heym is still in business and their new rifles command a high price - check out the page on the prices of their double rifles.
http://www.heymusa.com/heym_bolt_action_sr21.htm

[andykim]

Ol Dummie here. THANKS to you guys taking the time to help me.
Since my last post , I have been digging and could only get as close as pronouncing this gun the SR20 by Heym.
The stock is not checkered like every other Heym similar I have found. I went to gunbroker and found a couple pretty close..but not exactly the same thing. It seems these types of rifles are higher dollar and ALL over the place in terms of value.
I'm still not sure how to price it since so many Gun Guides are at odds concerning price.
While one forum I went to had this gun at 800 to 1600.00 ( Quite a range!) I have to keep in mind that a lot of these guides are just that...guides. So, I'm back to the ol " Its worth whatever someone will give you for it " quote (sigh)
It sucks to be so uninformed when attaempting to sell a item. Generally (with antiques and such) you can get a general date and maker and previous sales to help determine...this one is a puzzler.

I do know, I really have no use for this currently.

I had a 1937 Mauser that was just as puzzling...I have it sitting by my desk in my office as a statement to all who enter (grin).
I'm just an old country boy who grew up around guns and hunting and we just viewed guns as a tool...never really got too involved in details , value, worth etc etc. We simply went hunting, knew which one we liked most, which ones we liked plinking with and which one we would want in a " situation" (Ahem!).

Just about as far as my mind goes. I'm no gunsmith. Not a dealer and just like my guns. The ones I don't like, I sell or trade.

If anyone has anymore insight, feel free to offer or just speculate.

Thanks to ALL here. Very nice forum we have.
Sincerely,
Andy

[jdonovan]

I went to gunbroker and found a couple pretty close..but not exactly the same thing. It seems these types of rifles are higher dollar and ALL over the place in terms of value.

You need to look at completed auctions, not just the ads. A price asked, and not sold, does not fair-market make. Some people ask prices so high, all they are doing is letting the world know they own the item, at the price asked it will never sell. I've seen more than a few items on GB used, for more than I can buy it new from my local dealers shelf.

I'm still not sure how to price it since so many Gun Guides are at odds concerning price.
While one forum I went to had this gun at 800 to 1600.00 ( Quite a range!)

I didn't give the about 90% grades, but...
100% - 1825
98% - 1425
PLUS the premiums I listed before.

Given a very low use, safe kept, you could easily be over $2000. So that EASILY explains the ranges you are seeing. Collectors want perfect, and are willing to pay for it. Once you get off the near zero wear, the price drops FAST. 100% to 90% is a 50% reduction in value.

Also you are dealing with a less common maker, and fewer collectors of their rifles. Its not like 1000's sell a month that allows the market to get a very good feel for pricing across all the grade.

[andykim]

Hey JD , Thanks for all of your info and thoughts. (tips hat in your direction).
Yes, Ebay,etsy,amazon,craigslist,armslist,gunbroker or antique store! SOOoooo many items priced way above market retail...COMPLETED does matter...AND also (as you point out) you need a chain of recent purchases of the very same make,model, caliber to REALLY get an idea...and we don't have that with the rifle in question. (sigh)

Oh well, I guess its one of those items you just price high and take the best offer on. You can always go down but you can never go up (in regards to price when selling) with exception. I have had things on internet before that get no action...I double the price and BAM...someone buys it??? (strange thing this internet)(grin)

Good day
Andy