70 Years Ago - Prices for Rifles

[257 STW]

Still have my first shotgun. Savage 311 20ga SxS Want to say I paid $75 in the 70s

 

[Quintus]

I bought my first rifle in 1983 at 11 years old. I made the money mowing lawns and tending brick layers. My Dad brought me to SEARS! and I got my Remington 788 Carbine in 243 with a Bushnell Banner 4X for $78. I looked at Scheels (then known as Scheels Hardware) first and drooled over a Weatherby, but they were $400. My Dad said "You'd have to be rich or stupid to spend $400 on a gun". Weatherby ammo was $8.95 a box...more than double the Win. Super X I shot in the 243.

 

[Muddyboots]

 

[Sockeye66]

Remember like it was yesterday, my dad telling the fella behind the counter if he could look at the Ithaca 37, handed it to me and said "Merry Christmas, let's go duck hunting", no more unburnt powder in the face for this lefty. Broke the buttstock breaking up a dogfight in the field, Uncle Carl made a new one and still have it today. Thanks for the post.

 

[levers4life]

My Grandfather's first and second rifles. Remington Model 6 in .32RF. Winchester 1906 .22RF (hopefully I can restore it). I also have his last rifle, Browning AB in .270 we bought him back in the early 80's for Christmas. Great post & thread!

 

[william baird]

My dad purchased a:
Marlin 336 in 32 Special June 21, 1952
Savage Pump 22 model 29 in July 2, 1952 (his 26th birthday)
Savage 300 Model 99 and a Savage Stevens SxS 12ga October 27th 1952.
I posted pictures of the receipts. My dad saved everything.
He paid:
$70.95 for the Marlin 336
$49.00 For the Savage Pump Model 29 - 22 RF
$1.20 for several boxes of 22s
$109.25 for the Savage 300
$75.00 for the Savage Stevens 12 ga SxS.
$47.95 for a Weaver Scope & Installation
$1.95 for covers
$1.85 for a box of shells to sight in Savage 300. Sighted in at 100 yrds with a 4" group!
$3.90 for a rifle case
$1.85 for another box of shells
$0.95 for Gun Oil
$3.25 for more shells

I still have the Marlin 336 and the Savage 29. Both in GREAT condition.

What we all would do to buy at those prices! Lol. Thanks for sharing (history).

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

What we all would do to buy at those prices! Lol. Thanks for sharing (history).

Every time I look at or hold those firearms I remember all the good time with my dad like it was today! I sure miss my dad!

 

[Rosebud]

In 1952 if you made a $1000.00 A month you were rich. In 1975 I went with a friend to pick up the Ford F 150 4 wheel drive he paid $1750.00 for.

 

[billcaldwell]

In 1972, I was on a USAF C-141 trip to Rein Mein AFB in Germany. We had a 24 hour layover, so I went to the Rein Mein Gun Club. I told the gentleman who ran the store that I was interested in a Remington 7mm Magnum. He said the best we have is the Sako Finbear, or the Finbear Deluxe. I asked him the price difference, and he said the Finbear is $188. and the Finbear Deluxe is $205. I said, "I'll take the fancy one!" I still have that rifle, but it has a new barrel.

 

[YZ-80]

View attachment 336194View attachment 336196View attachment 336198View attachment 336195

Here's a couple of Pics. A Marlin 336 .35 Rem Texan that I have. This was in my Mom's side of the Family. Her parents had lived in Buffalo and retired to Port Colburn Ontario back in the mid 60's. My mother's uncle shot his wife back then and then, offed himself. I guess they saved a lot on lawyers fees. Anyway, in the aftermath of that unfortunate circumstance, my grandfather was given custody of the deceased guns. Grandpa asked Dad if he wanted them and Dad put them in the station wagon (The Texan, a .25-20 and a Remington Model 31L 20ga.) and brought the home (no questions asked, across The Peace Bridge in Buffalo). Dad worked at Ithaca Gun at the time and managed the deal with SKB arms to build the 600 O/U shotguns and the Model 900 XL, which Ithaca was building to Compete with the Remington 1100 at the time (I was a toddler). Anyway here's a pic of the Texan (circa 1959) and the Remington model 25AA .25-20 (circa 1930). I don't know if my Moms uncle used any one of these to perpetuate the crime but I'll leave that up to Forensic Files. For now, they are in my safe. I use the Marlin and it's a beast. Cool guns from a bygone era.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

..seems dirt cheap but let's keep in mind what the average wage was! I remember paying $0.24 for gas, problem was I only had a $5.00 bill for the weekend..lol

 

[entoptics]

My dad purchased a:
Marlin 336 in 32 Special June 21, 1952
Savage Pump 22 model 29 in July 2, 1952 (his 26th birthday)
Savage 300 Model 99 and a Savage Stevens SxS 12ga October 27th 1952.
I posted pictures of the receipts. My dad saved everything.
He paid:
$70.95 for the Marlin 336
$49.00 For the Savage Pump Model 29 - 22 RF
$1.20 for several boxes of 22s
$109.25 for the Savage 300
$75.00 for the Savage Stevens 12 ga SxS.
$47.95 for a Weaver Scope & Installation
$1.95 for covers
$1.85 for a box of shells to sight in Savage 300. Sighted in at 100 yrds with a 4" group!
$3.90 for a rifle case
$1.85 for another box of shells
$0.95 for Gun Oil
$3.25 for more shells

I still have the Marlin 336 and the Savage 29. Both in GREAT condition.

He paid:
$70.95 $821.27 for the Marlin 336
$49.00 $567.19 For the Savage Pump Model 29 - 22 RF
$1.20 $13.89 for several boxes of 22s
$109.25 $1264.61 for the Savage 300
$75.00 $868.15 for the Savage Stevens 12 ga SxS.
$47.95 $555.04 for a Weaver Scope & Installation
$1.95 $22.57 for covers
$1.85 $21.41 for a box of shells to sight in Savage 300. Sighted in at 100 yrds with a 4" group!
$3.90 $45.14 for a rifle case
$1.85 $21.41 for another box of shells
$0.95 $11.00 for Gun Oil
$3.25 $37.62 for more shells

Not all that different than today...

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

He paid:
$70.95 $821.27 for the Marlin 336
$49.00 $567.19 For the Savage Pump Model 29 - 22 RF
$1.20 $13.89 for several boxes of 22s
$109.25 $1264.61 for the Savage 300
$75.00 $868.15 for the Savage Stevens 12 ga SxS.
$47.95 $555.04 for a Weaver Scope & Installation
$1.95 $22.57 for covers
$1.85 $21.41 for a box of shells to sight in Savage 300. Sighted in at 100 yrds with a 4" group!
$3.90 $45.14 for a rifle case
$1.85 $21.41 for another box of shells
$0.95 $11.00 for Gun Oil
$3.25 $37.62 for more shells

Not all that different than today...

My dad sold the 300 Savage for $150.0 after my youngest sister was born.
I did a full restoration on the Savage Stevens Side by side only because of handling and not shot much. Sold to my neighbor's father from Spain for $250.00 in 2020. Alfonzo was his name. we were supposed to go on a Argile Sheep Hunt together, but politics go in the way of Countries. We both put up $10k and had the guides and permits all setup. then it was canceled. My good friend Alfonso shot over 3 dozen Elephants while living in Africa for 20 years.

I still have the Marlin 336 and the Savage 22 Model 29!

 

[memtb]

My "blast from the past" only goes back about 57 years. Bought my first centerfire rifle @ 14 …..a Winchester Model 88 in .308 Win. It was $112 as best I can remember, I'd have to find the receipt to be certain.

It took me quite a while picking up enough pecans plus an occasional lawn mowing @ $2.50 to get the money saved. I have no idea what that yard mowing would pay today. memtb