They want 16000 its all I want x-mass!

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

That last one looks to be on the (n)ever popular 44 action.

Lets think about that.... which would I spend my money on, the Winchester HW or the Stevens 44? Gee, that's really a tuff question.

THE STEVENS IS MISSING THE FALSE MUZZLE THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM AND A BIG DIFF. IN PRICE PLUS ITS NOT A 1885 I ALSO KNOW WERE A POPE BALLARD  WITH A FALSE MUZZLE BARREL #331 AND ALL THE X-TRAS IN THE SAME COND. FOR 15000

The Wall from Guns of Tahoe looks like a vary nice rifle, I hate to see rifles like that when I could afford to buy them. I would much rather walk away with lust in my heart, as when I can't. I know I've seen that Wall on this guys site for at least 3 maybe 4years. 

The thought that buying that rifle would be suicide (wife would kill me)keeps it at his shop and out of my keeping. 

There's sometimes a lotta difference between the asking price and the selling  price, especially if there's any trading in the deal. The real key to the value is, exactly how much currency, genuine green US dollars, actually changes hands?

I remember the story of The $10,000 Dog, and I have personally seen automobile auction scams whereby ridiculously high prices were supposedly 'paid' for cars, via 'trading', in order to drive up the cash price of subsequent auctions for similar and even the same vehicles. Actually, I have known of real cash auction gun sales at inflated prices where the item, by prior arrangement of the conspirators, was subsequently returned for a refund, but of course this fact is never made public.

I'm not saying that the Pope rifles aren't worth $15-20K, but I am saying that I would be very surprised indeed if any of us on this forum have any hard info about a legitimate cash sale at those levels.

Kinda like the guy bragging about  how much his item is worth, until you show him a similar one and offer it to him for noticeably less. He shuts up real quick then.
Just a thought, Joe

I cannot imagine Pope would ever have built a high-grade .33-40 rifle on a 44 action; can any of you?   More'n likely he would have cold-shouldered the miscreant who asked for such a thing right out of his shop.   Yet that does not look like a 44 1/2 to me, either, and I do have examples of both to look at.

Anyone care for the week-old mackerel I've got in my car trunk here?

I am with JD on this one.  If a rifle proves to be authentic and desirable, no fakery involved, cash talks.

Lay 10,000 on the table and see if he picks it up. Particularly if the dealer has had it a long time.  Most of these guys are not true lovers of fine rifles but traders and need to turn inventory.

However when you are talking about this much money there are lots of fakes out there.  Friend of mine used to be a High Grade Henry collector. He said at least half of what you see is miss represented.  Did you see in the latest NRA mag the Winchester that won a major collectors prize only to find out Doug Turnbull had refurbished it years ago.  Turnbull did the right thing and called it a fake.

Couple of reasons to buy a rifle like these. Becuse Harry did the work. To shoot, or to make money. On this board Harry Popes work is probably the only reason to buy, just make sure he built the rifle.

Boats

$15,000 or $16,000 is not an unheard of price for a Pope if it is the right rifle with lots of condition and if it is original, has good lines, false muzzle and maybe some tools. If you are talking about the rifles I see on those web sites I think we are talking in the $5,000 range.

32-35,
I am in agreement with you, mostly.  However, I don't recall ever seeing a low number Stevens Pope barrel (one that was probably made while Pope was still with Stevens) on a 44 1/2 action.  Not saying there weren't any, just that I've never run across one!  However, it is true that Stevens  made many "Stevens Pope" rifles on 44 1/2 actions after Pope left the company.  I have even owned a plain Ideal 44 1/2 sporting rifle with a Stevens-Pope 28-30 barrel!!  The barrel number was 1888.  I doubt that anyone knows for sure, but I suspect there were many more Stevens Pope barrels made by Stevens after Pope left than when he was with the company!
Cheers, 
Leon

Stevens - Pope #739 is a .22 short on 44 1/2.

Stevens - Pope # P 1223 is .28 - 30 on 44 1/2

Stevens  - Pope # P 876/2 is .32 - 40 on 44 1/2

Hi All. I saw a mention for a gun store called Guns of Tahoe here inyour comments. Due yourselfs a BIG favor and run as fast as possible from anything that has come from that dealer. I was working on a federal hyway project and stopped in there on the way back to california, I always thoght his guns were a bit pricey but after being in the actual store I was amazed. He deals mostly with rich tourists AND GOUGES THEM ALL FROM WHAT i COULD TELL. i WAS IN HIS STORE FOR APPROXAMATLY 30 MINUTES AND ONCE I HAD ID'd myself as a collector and a shooter he basicaly ran me off and said do not come back. I was amazed by his conduct until I thought again about his location. He is located on the shore of Lake Tahoe, big turist draw.
He did have some nice rifles but the prices were all over the place. My son who was with me asked to see a certain rifle, and we wittness the owner tear off a price sticker to allow him to jack the price up higher. then the owner said well, I do not know the price on this one as it is not marked, and he made a call to someone and asked what he should charge for it. I think these may be the fabled LEAVE ER RIGHT GUNS.
MIKE