I am trying to get the value for my 218 Bee. I have a local gun appraisar as I think he was wanting to buy the rifle, he low balled on purpose. In other words, I don't trust the price he gave me. I know that you would actually need to see the gun to give the most accurate value but a "ballpark" figure is fine. It is a Winchester Model 65 218 Bee and I have been trying to get a value on and I find anywhere from $1000 up to $6000. I have included pictures of it. The serial # is 10042XX. I bought this back in the mid-70's and is still in the same shape. It is not blued but a steel/nickle color, no rust but some places have dark black shallow pitting. Wood stock is very dark, possibly walnut? Has peep sights and a plate mid barrel that can be tapped out and replaced with another sight. On the barrel is engraved, Winchester proof steel - Model 65 -Winchester trademark, on the stock receiver plate is Winchester - trademark - Made in U.S.A.
Everything is original as far as I know, it has simply been sitting in the closet for years and has not been fired for at least 8 years.
It is hard to value a gun like this as the only thing making it valuable is the 218 marking. The rest of the gun is below average for a gun of this age. The stock has been sanded and no original finish remains on any of the metal. The only way I personally would buy a gun like this is if I were to have instant equity in it. It's potential to greatly increase is limited by the condition. Keep in mind some of the sites with expensive Winchesters are asking prices and it is very hard to actually sell a gun for those numbers.
It was blued, it's just gone. That's called "patina". I don't believe the 65's had case hardened frames. I don't know if it's been sanded as wood will shrink away from the metal over time. Given what I saw on the auction sites it appears to me to be about in the middle of the pack.
With the amount of wear showing on the metal and wood,I would want to take a very close look at the bore. These early high velocity chamberings are known for washed out rifling.
If the bore is weak, a good portion of the value has gone with it.
Winchester wood does not shrink away from the tangs like this. The blue on the barrel is missing. It looks like the gun cleaned chemically removing all the blue. The barrel and Magazine tube typically hold the blue quite well. I am in total agreement on the bore condition being important on this gun as it is the only thing setting apart from others of the same model.
Cabela's had one in their gun library for $2699. It was in much better shape then your gun. I am not a gun appraiser but I think your local gun appraiser may have been right.
The Cabelas gun is much nicer but it does have 2 extra holes from a scope mount. Of the 2 I would choose the one from Cabelas.
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