doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Value of a Safari Express?

Could anyone tell me an approximate value of an Winchester m70 Safari custom (1965) with muzzle brake, .458 Lott in excellent condition? Google has failed to provide me with anything to go by. I'm looking at purchasing one through a private seller.

Given that a new M70 Safari Express with controlled round feed lists for $1400 and I have seen used ones for $1,000, and given that a 1965 is a push feed and likely lower quality than the current models (as well as having the muzzle brake), I would think somewhere in the $700-750 range.

IMO:
Collectors value close to none
If your going to shoot the rifle for fun $400 - $500
As a DG gun, because of the weak extractor configuration, worthless
IMO

Save your money spend a little more and you can get something that fulfills all 3 categories above.
If you want a pre 64 M70, in a 35 cal that will put a 250 grain A-frame bullet at over 3000 fps, honest to god been to africa rifle for not alot more send me a PM

Gun is in Minnesota

Thank you both for the advice.

LRF,
That 35 cal. M 70 sounds like a 358 Enterkin, is it?
Mike

Mike, no, back in the 1980's a toolmaker here in this area wanted to build the ideal long range Elk gun. He designed the case and made all the tooling, reamers dies and such. Although he passed on before his time he did prove its value on Elk. That gentlemen lent the reamers to the guy who made this particular rifle. The barrel on the gun is a Krieger and it is my understanding that this is the first 35 cal barrel Krieger ever made. I won't testify to that but I have no reason to not believe it. This gun was taken to Africa hunting plains game and more. The builder sold it to me. I call it a 35 Zmag

LRF,
In the late 1950s, my friend Gene Enterkin came up with the 358 Enterkin( he said it came to him in a dream),which is a full length H&H mag case blown out and necked to 358".One of his friends made the first reamer and dies. It runs a 250gr bullet over the screens at 3000fps also(no correction for distance to screen,altitude,temp, or anything)it was usually at 3008-3016fps.He marketed rifles and ammo, until he passed away 15 years ago.The avaliable bullets would not hold up to the velocity so he bought swaging dies and made his own bullets and marketed them also.His favorite was the 250gr bonded core boattail,but he also made dual core. He killed Cape buffalo, lion, plains game,and a "pile" of elk(one at over 500 yds., he commanded the Marksmanship Training Unit at Ft Benning,so 500 yds was no problem for him).He had his loads tested by HP White Labs before marketing the ammo.I was lucky enough to be able to buy the pressure barrel,reamers and headspace dies from his wife.You can tell I miss him.
Mike