Values on rifles rechambered to odd calibers

I've been watching for a reasonably priced 257 Roberts and two have come up recently. One is an older wooden stocked (well worn) 110 that's been re-chambered to "257 Roberts Rem Imp" which could be a 257 Roberts Improved (28 degree) or perhaps the 257 Roberts AI (with the 40 degree shoulder). It's been sitting in the shop untouched for at least 10 months. Dies for the 28 degree flavor are not cheap.

The second is in the hands of a friend's father. Blued, in a synthetic stock, pre-AccuTrigger. 257 Roberts AI. Dies for an AI are easy to find.

I'm of the thinking that the odd chambering brings the value down some in relation to the standard chamberings such as 270, 30-06, etc. Thoughts?

With Savage, I always mentally "part them out" whenever I buy used (or new, for that matter)...

Consider what you think the barrel's resale value is and maybe give $225-250 for the action. The rest is nothing.

Regardless, I would make your agrument to the seller. It's not that those are not attractive cartridges, there's just fewer buyers and most people who want them would prefer to just get their own new custom barrel for them.

I am a fan of the 257 Roberts my self. I have owned a few over the years. Great cartridge as is. Never understood the "improved" version of that caliber. As is its a great Maine woods gun with plenty of reach on the edges of fields and power lines. If you want a serious upgrade to a 257 Roberts why not a 25-06? Anyway exotic calibers only have value to the ones that seek them out. That tends to be a small number of people. If a gun shop wants to sit and wait for that person to come along then all the power to them. They can continue to dust it off for another 10 months and tell people what a "rare" find it is.

The Ackley Improved version of anything based on the 7x57 case is a "best bang for the buck". Very little case stretch, so little trimming and about a 10% increase in case capacity. But the two "Bob's" that I built both shot patterns and I know that is unusual.

Bill

Values on rifles rechambered to odd calibers?? = Whatever someone is willing to pay and how bad they want it.

I prefer odd cals. A look in my safe has 10-15 AI cals, 6.5 and 8x68 as well as a 9.3x64 and a 6.5 Roberts. Rifles in odd cals do not scare me as long as dies come with the sale!! If dies don't come with the sale , then yes I would pay $75-$150 less than a standard cal. I would think that the 257 AI, 30-30 AI and 280 AI (the 3 most common) would sell for the same as a standard cal. After all - standard cal ammo can be fired in them.