Originally Posted by
Merc
I would agree that any rifle’s looks and performance should determine it’s value if there’s no provenance. But, as a long time Civil War antique collector, I know if there’s a good story that goes along with the antique, then that will always add value.
The friend who sold me the rifle bought from the CMP in 2001. He had no idea of its history and therefore sold to me as a strangely marked M1903, wearing an 03A3 stock, a new barrel, covered with a hardened preservative that he never tried to clean, never checked things like ME, TE and headspace and never had it to the range. I also had no idea of its history when I bought the rifle but cleaned off all the gunk, checked it out, shot it and then started doing research. I think he would have probably asked more money for it had he known the provenance and I probably would have thought it was cool and paid it. I’m impressed by the rifle’s history and I think it’s one of the more interesting guns that I own.