What would be a fair price, for a pre-salt wood era, RKLT 20 Gauge, Grade I, Super 26 1/2", in 85 % condition, with the following molestations.
Some Goobers Intials in a little metal oval inletted into the stock, and the lower barrel threaded for a screwy choke. Just the lower barrel, looks fairly well done.
Just my opinion .. it has zero value as a Browning from any collector perspective, the stock oval can & probably should be buffed off smooth, if it bothers you. OTOH, it may make the gun easier to identify and should it have the famous 'RR' on it like the infamous auction site Purdey perhaps the provanance should be left to speculation & conjecture. justkidding! If it is cut deep, it may not be possible to just buff it smooth. Back to topic, if it suits you AS A SHOOTER then I'd put the value at $1500 tops, however that's just me. Others may have varied & substantively dif thots. Hope this helps.
tw - yes that helps, I am trying to ascertain the value as a shooter.
postoak: Are you saying that the choke tube is missing, and that you can't identify the make and suspect it is uncommon? If so, I'd be hesitant to pay even $1,500 until I was sure I could identify and locate a replacement. TT
TT, it has one choke tube, and just the lower barrel is Briley'd. The top barrel is full choke, un-tinkered with.
I'd take away away any consideration as a 'collectable' and put it in the utility catagory. As such, it's still a gun with some of the best combinations of weight, balance, and dynamics. If it's still in good mechanical shape and asthectically in good condition, it has utility value compariable to a more modern gun of similar charateristics. Such a comparision might be made to a LW Win 101 or Citori Lightning in the same condition.
Chuck, that make sense. About the value of a 101 20 Gauge ?
Upon looking at gun more closely:
It was made in 1957
Was Choked Mod & Mod, and so marked
Has the Ubiquious Pachmayr White Line Pad
The lower tube has a Briley's Screwed choke
It it a 95 % gun, otherwise
A great example in how to turn a 2.5 K gun into a 1.5 K gun
Postoak,
If you can a find 95% 20ga RKLT for around $2500, I think you've found a good deal. It seems they are creeping up. From what you've described, I think I'd still prefer this Super to a Citori or 101.
TW, I saw the RR Purdey this fall at the Vintagers and it is a screamer. Roy would be proud. Unfortunately, this Super is a thousand dollar gun at best. A high condition 101 will be worth more money next year than it is this year. The ruined Super won't be worth any more than a grand until it can be parted out. Unfortunately, it has no original parts except maybe a forend wood. It would be a nice thousand dollar bird gun though.
Thank you all, for the advice. a friend of mine owns the gun, and wants to sell it. He asked me to give him some advice, on what he should ask for it.