Well one of those Winchesters could easily still be the best of the bunch. Do any of the model 12s have a rib? Deluxe wood? What are their chokes? Riot gun? Is the 1897 a Pigeon grade? Riot gun? Trench gun? All of that will figure into the value.
I myself was also attracted to the Marlin initially. Then the other one is a Colt. All good guns. I would have a gunsmith look at them, as you said, and unless any are 99%, shoot them.
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Winchester 73, the TFL user that won the west
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