Cabela's yesterday

[richhodg66]

Had to pick the wife up at the airport yesterday afternoon so we swung by the Cabela's in Kansas City to peruse used guns. It was a Winchester collector's dream for some reason.

There were at least 12 very nice Pre '64 Model 70s of various calibers and configurations. Four Model 52 Target rifles and one sporter. A nice and original Model 1873. Made my palms sweaty looking at all those rifles.

SAw one I never saw before, it was a post '64 push feed variant of the model 70 in a Mannlicher stock. I'm sure it was factory, but I don't remember Winchester ever selling a variant like that, maybe they did and I missed it.

All of them too rich for my blood, bu nice to look at.

[lefty o]

lol , yup the stuff in the cabelas gun room is usually waaaaay over priced.

[richhodg66]

And most of these were, but they weren't in the gun room, they were all out on the rack where you could handle them.

My interests have kind of changed towards classic Savage guns, but the Model 70 has always held a certain mystique for me. I can't remember ever seeing anywhere near that many Pre 64 Model 70s at once before.

[TXGunNut]

Sometimes they buy a collection from an estate, have seen that several times at my local store. They bought over 30 first and second gen Colts from a collection last year, many 2nd gen Colts were NIB. In 2013 they bought a similar collection containing several nice third gen Colts, one came home with me. For awhile last year they priced more than a few guns at what I felt were pretty reasonable prices. They're also open to offers and I've done some good in that area as well.
As you may recall I found a nice Savage at my local Cabelas last year, the buyer doesn't much care or know much about them so it was quite reasonable, IMHO.

[Scharfschuetze]

it was a post '64 push feed variant of the model 70 in a Mannlicher stock

I remember seeing the Manlicher stocked Post 63 Model 70s in the Winchester catalog shortly after the big switch in design. It's a favorite style of mine; but, as I recall, Winchester designed it with a modern Monte Carlo style butt stock which seemed a little odd to me and seemed to unbalance that unique and classic style of an original Manlicher sporter.