My 40 X "problem"

[Scarface26]

Gents,

I'm asking you all for your advice on how to proceed with an extra bolt gun I have. It's a 40 X - repeater chambered in .308, and I have it for sale in the PX. It's too good a rifle to give away so I've about decided to keep it - for now. I've come up with a few COA's.

1. Keep it as is and maybe put her in a new stock and work up data and leave in safe. Already have a bolt gun that's my dream - Stiller, rock creek, McMillan A-5, SB 4-16, jewell, can't get no better. Do I really need two custom bolt guns in the same caliber? Don't answer.

2. Re-finish, re-stock, basically rebuild and then sell - but that mean I have to get even more money out of this.

If you'd recommend the re-build route, seems like there's a bigger pool of potential buyers from our "crowd" than the target crowd - what this rifle was set up for. How much do I hurt the resale by re-finishing the receiver - it's got six numbers followed by the letter C?

If you have an answer to a question that I haven't asked, please provide it. I figure with all the smart people on here there are bound to be a few good ideas come out of this.

Thanks and God bless America

 

[Sendit6.5]

You might as well sell it for what you can now or keep it. No matter what you have done to it, it's still a factory rifle and you're never going to make more of what you have in it. I mean, the profit margin isn't going to improve even with custom work. In fact, you COULD spend a bunch of money "customizing" it and end up losing even more money than you would selling it for the best offer you have now. If taking a factory rifle and improving it meant you could sell it for more, everybody would be doing it. Maybe some super famous gunsmith could do it occasionally but definitely not one of us plebes. Lol!

Unfortunately, it's a buyer's market. You're going to lose money, most of the time, selling any rifle; but particularly factory rifles. Only classic rifles in high demand will bring a profit. If you can't accept the loss, find a way to keep it and be happy about it.

It's not uncommon for guys to value their guns more than most buyers. Nobody is going to pay more for a rifle than they have to and lots of guys are willing to take a significant loss when selling their rifles.

Nothing wrong with having 2 rifles in the same caliber! One thing you could do is, say, cut the 40x barrel to 16" or 18" and make it a shorty that's really different than your custom. Or do something else to make it different than your custom. I'm finishing a custom 6.5cm when I already own a Savage that shoots as good if not better than most customs. Plus, I own a .260 Tikka CTR - it's not much different than a Creedmoor.




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[Scarface26]

Sendit,

Sage advice. Seems like everything I bought happened at the top of the market, now, the shoe's on the other foot. That said, I'm going to see Matt Stewart at Stewart Rifles (www.stewartrifles.com) for his advice and assistance on this project. Matt's a great guy and really works to get your business for the long haul. Talented and reasonable.

Photos before and after forthcoming.

God bless America