ovenpaa wrote:Sim, if I was to look for a period underlever what would be a good model/calibre to consider and at what sort of price?
$64000 question!
There are a lot of lever guns out there and as you've seen, obsolete calibers command a premium. There are probably more of them out there as well because dealers can so easily import them. Winchesters again add a considerable premium and to my mind, for a decent market pool of choice, you have to look at Winchester or Marlin.
Obsolete calibers as you've seen can still be shot. The amount of dies and cases now around that no way near existed 10 years ago is staggering. So, if you want to shoot an obsolete caliber, you can. Personally, my collection of Marlins are all on ticket. Two reasons for this. Firstly, I don't want a gun if it's not a shooter and secondly, they are far cheaper. Likewise, Marlin is a far cheaper brand in the "period" market and it's a better gun to my mind!
Even with on ticket calibers, what we would call "pistol" these days, such as .44-40, they are more expensive than "rifle", such as .30-30.
An off ticket Winchester 1873, 1876, 1886 is going to be the thick end of three grand regardless of condition. An off ticket 1894 in say 32-40, around 1500 quid. An off ticket Marlin 1881, two grand. A 32-40 Marlin 1893, you'll be looking at 1000 pounds.
An on ticket Winchester 1892, say in .44-40, again, around a 1000 pounds. An on ticket Marlin 1894 in .44-40 about 400 quid! That said, my mate a Phoenix picked up a .25-20 Winchester 1892, with a 1901 manufacture date, for 300 quid! It had a great bore and a tight action, but someone had tried a not very good bluing job. That can be sorted though, it's whether it shoots or not. But, he also picked up a .40-82 Winchester 1886 for three and a half grand!!!!
So really, as I've realised I'm rambling, (This conversation is a topic that would be best suited over a beer and BBQ....) it comes down to on or off ticket, Winchester or Marlin. On ticket Marlin the cheapest (and best) off ticket Winchester, most expensive and then you have everything in between......
First choice? An 1893 Marlin in .30-30. The .30-30 was designed as a smokeless cartridge and good ordnance steel was used in the barrels and receivers. Bores should be good even when well used as long as they were taken care of and not abused. Thutty - thutty cases, dies and bullets are easily available and you can punch out a deer legal semi jacketed soft point, or a very sedate lead bullet at pistol velocities to use at 25 yards on indoor ranges.....
Price wise, I wouldn't pay more than 700 for a period (pre 1914) Marlin 1893 in .30-30. And for that sort of money, it would have to be a really good one!
Off ticket, again a Marlin 1893, but in .32-40. Cases, dies and molds/bullets are again easily available, but bores may not be as good as the .32-40 was a blackpowder cartridge. Likewise, they may have "Marlin Safety" receivers but B series barrels so really should be run purely on B/P. But the big "advantage" is, no one knows you've got it. Put it on your icket when you want o shoot it, take it off when you want to hang it on the wall. Price wise, around a 1000 to 1200 depending on condition and some are not good, but that's not a negotiating point as they are "not shooters, but curios".
barrel is the best bit about it