Help w Dad's gun

[Putoluto]

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum. While I own and shoot a variety of handguns, I'm not very educated on rifles. I recently inherited some guns from my dad. I want to learn what I can for it, and what a fair value might be for it. I would appreciate any insight or help you could offer.

It is a Savage Arms Model 110L in .257AI. It has a 40-degree shoulder, left-handed bolt, thumbhole stock, and a Leupold Vari-X III 3.5X10 scope. The serial number is 69XXX.

Thank you very much. I have a whole list of various manufacturers that I'm trying to value and sell.

If it matters, the gun is in Kalifornia, but has been intra-familially transferred to me via CA DOJ. The gun will be in a south-east state with much less regulatory issues in a couple months.

Puto

[Bigbuckdn]

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum. While I own and shoot a variety of handguns, I'm not very educated on rifles. I recently inherited some guns from my dad. I want to learn what I can for it, and what a fair value might be for it. I would appreciate any insight or help you could offer.

It is a Savage Arms Model 110L in .257AI. It has a 40-degree shoulder, left-handed bolt, thumbhole stock, and a Leupold Vari-X III 3.5X10 scope. The serial number is 69XXX.

Thank you very much. I have a whole list of various manufacturers that I'm trying to value and sell.

If it matters, the gun is in Kalifornia, but has been intra-familially transferred to me via CA DOJ. The gun will be in a south-east state with much less regulatory issues in a couple months.

Puto

I take it that it’s a 257 Roberts AI
is stock a Boyd’s or diff manufacturer

[Putoluto]

I take it that it’s a 257 Roberts AI
is stock a Boyd’s or diff manufacturer

Hey Bigbuckdn, Yes, I believe the caliber is .257 Ackley Improved. I did not realize there was a "Roberts" in there, my dad just called it Ackley Improved.
The stock is a wooden thumbhole. I do not know the manufacturer. I assumed it was a (this sounds weird saying it), a stock stock.

Please forgive the poor image quality.


https://i.imgur.com/56y2dIC.jpghttps://i.imgur.com/LLdYsQ3.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JrSxz8B.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/hLOYRfl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/m432Olm.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dKczz3u.jpg

[Bigbuckdn]

Unless the gun is new within two years it’s an aftermarket stock unless savage put out a wood thumbhole I am not aware of
the round 257AI is a great round (better if you reload ) if left handed I would keep it if you are not left handed
you have a $900-$1000 dollar rifle but used it’s gonna be a tough sell you might do better selling rifle and scope separate

[LHitchcox]

I believe it is a customized first generation Savage with an aftermarket stock. The first generation guns were very different and not easily rebarreled by the owner. Their value is considerably lower because of that fact. I do not know what its value would be for this version.

[Robinhood]

I spy a rear flip up sight. Nice rifle!

[tobnpr]

I believe it is a customized first generation Savage with an aftermarket stock. The first generation guns were very different and not easily rebarreled by the owner. Their value is considerably lower because of that fact. I do not know what its value would be for this version.

Looks to me as though it was rebarreled with a shouldered barrel (I see what looks to be a recoil lug- but no barrel nut).
.257 Ackley can be loaded to similar performance as the .25-06 and is more mild-mannered making it a great all-around rifle for varminting to whitetails. This is probably a 10 twist- meaning it probably won't stabilize heavier than 100's like a 9 twist would. The Bob is still a very popular round today. Check the twist with a cleaning rod...a faster twist would make it more attractive/valuable.

A lefty looking for a lightweight (it looks to be a fairly light thumbhole- but the scale will tell) hunting rifle with classic lines might find it's just the ticket. Depending on bore/throat condition (it should be borescoped if you're going to sell) I'd guess $300-$400 for the right buyer, maybe more- the optic is worth a few hundred itself to the right buyer. IIRC, those were $500 scopes...

[J.Baker]

The serial number is a dead giveaway that the original gun was made between 1958 and 1968 (no letter prefix on the serial number).

Barrel is most definitely not factory, nor is the stock. Basically what we have here is a custom rifle built off an early Savage action. Unless the barrel or stock are marked somewhere indicating the maker you'll likely never know their origins. Stock definitely doesn't look like anything currently offered by anyone I'm aware of. Maybe an old Fajen or Herter's? Possibly a modified Richard's? Like I said, real hard to say if they aren't marked.

Value-wise I think Bigbuck might be a little over-enthusiastic with his appraisal, while Tobnpr's appraisal is probably a little on the low side.

While it's true these early Savage actions are unique and for that somewhat less desirable to the "builders" looking for a rifle to customize on their own, but this one's already done - and done very nicely judging from the photos. Can you post a photo of the bolt face? I'm curious if maybe they replaced the bolt assembly with a newer one when they did the build as many do that when building on these older actions. From what little I can see I'm guessing it's the old-style, but if it's the newer style it will make it much easier to sell and help on the value some.

That said, as Tobnpr noted you will want to have a gunsmith bore-scope the barrel to gauge the wear in the throat area as that will be a big determining factor in value. If the barrel is shot out you'll looking at $500-600, maybe even a little more to have a new barrel made for it - assuming it has the original bolt face and modern pre-fits aren't an option. Assuming the barrel has some good life left in it I'd say you could expect to get $600-700 out of it to the right buyer, but $500-600 would probably be a more realistic goal if you want to move it quickly. If the barrel is toast then I'd say anywhere from $250-350, maybe $400 tops to someone keen on that thumbhole stock.

[Bigbuckdn]

After reading JBakers comments yea I was a bit high but I did not research the serial number
and did not notice the barrel

[Stumpkiller]

Not that the .257 Ackley Improved is the name Ackley used. But it is a wildcat so others may not have been identically necked and throated.

https://www.barnesbullets.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/257AckleyImproved.pdf

https://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?magid=7&tocid=38

[Putoluto]

Thanks for the input. I am sorry I have not been back to the thread, I spent March packing, April moving, and the last few months settling in - just left Kalifornia for the beautiful Southeast!

I have included the requested pix of the bolt face and throat. There appear to be no markings on the stock. the rubber butt pad is clearly Pachmayr.

Puto



http://i.imgur.com/d53Q4qb.jpg (https://imgur.com/d53Q4qb)


http://i.imgur.com/Rzp8V3O.jpg (https://imgur.com/Rzp8V3O)

https://i.imgur.com/xbVGVFL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/cc2Bv6C.jpg