Where to shop for "crummy" rifles?

BumbleBug · December 24, 2013, 02:16 PM

I would like to buy an older Remington 700 for building a custom rifle. As a matter of fact, I'd like to find ANY commercial older rifle - at a reasonable price (when I say this I mean beat-up). Of course all I'm really interested in is the action. Shopping gun shows & gun auction sites is not too helpful as the guns have to be pretty nice to demand a worthwhile price.

Is there a method to finding these? I don't spend much time in pawn shops, but is that the place to look? Other ideas...

TIA

CowTowner · December 24, 2013, 02:28 PM

Pawn shops are a great place to look for just those types of guns.
Ask the person behind the counter for exactly what you are looking for. You may find they have it in back.

FALPhil · December 24, 2013, 03:23 PM

I see first gen Savage 110s in pawn shops and gun shows for around $200 - $250. They are great for rebarrelling, because it is a DIY project waiting to happen.

I picked up a Stevens 200 (Savage 110) for $130 a few years ago. Bought a 300WM varmint barrel for it, along with some other parts, and turned it into a long range tack driver.

Jo6pak · December 24, 2013, 03:54 PM

A also vote for pawnshops, and small, out-of-the-way gunshops. Or around here, gun shows are a good place for such things also.

TXAZ · December 24, 2013, 04:22 PM

+1 Pawn shops. Many are on line.

Garycw · December 24, 2013, 05:08 PM

When in season, yard sales. Even if you don't see any... Ask. They're already in the mood to sell sell. Best deal I've found so far was a .303 Enfield with cracked stock. . $30

g.willikers · December 25, 2013, 11:01 AM

How about gunsmiths and gun stores that do repairs?
They might have some laying around that customers didn't claim.

BerdanSS · December 25, 2013, 12:39 PM

Look for swap meets in your ares, mainly the big ones that are in the same place every month.

We have one an hour from us that goes on every other Sunday April-October called Croy Creek Traders Fair. To my wifes dismay, I picked up 5 guns there this year

Everything from black powder-antiques to beat up modern project guns for $40 or less. everything but handguns. they don't allow those

Just what I came away from there with this year:

Nice old Ranger 34 .22 $50
Unfired TC renegade $125
Unfired TC new Englander (for my dad) $100
96% 1949 stevens 311 12ga SxS turned out to have BEAUTIFUL walnut $150
Great condition Marlin 1897 for $250

603Country · December 25, 2013, 02:13 PM

Pawn shops. I had a buddy that sold guns at gun shows, and he got all of his supply at pawn shops. I went with him a couple of times and we cruised pawn shops in north Houston on Irvington Street. He and the pawn shop guy would go back to these enormous safes and they'd be dragging out guns and handing them to me to lean against this or that. I bought several myself and got some great prices. They had tons of old guns that were really not pretty enough to put out front, but there were quality guns in there that just needed some care.

Skadoosh · December 25, 2013, 03:30 PM

Your local government "gun buy-back".

Set up a table, offer to pay an additional $50 bucks to what the official buy-back voucher price is set at ...and take your pick.

Clark · December 25, 2013, 05:14 PM

This is a Rem700 7mmRM ADL 12-8-2012 for $395 + tax at a pawn shop.
It came with a Leupold 3x9x40 vari x IIc scope
It was made August 1996.

Previous 700s have cost me $300 in 2012, $180 in 2001.

The real deal was last month I got a 20 ounce Kevlar Rem 700 long action ADL stock for $10, painted and textured.

kilimanjaro · December 26, 2013, 08:32 PM

Pawnshops. You should be able to find something you like for anywhere from $250 to $350 on the front rack, and for less if it's in the back room.

December 24, 2013, 02:16 PM	#1
BumbleBug Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2013 Location: Near Heart of Texas Posts: 870	Where to shop for "crummy" rifles? I would like to buy an older Remington 700 for building a custom rifle. As a matter of fact, I'd like to find *ANY* commercial older rifle - at a reasonable price (when I say this I mean beat-up). Of course all I'm really interested in is the action. Shopping gun shows & gun auction sites is not too helpful as the guns have to be pretty nice to demand a worthwhile price. Is there a method to finding these? I don't spend much time in pawn shops, but is that the place to look? Other ideas... TIA

December 24, 2013, 02:28 PM	#2
CowTowner Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2007 Location: Cowtown of course! Posts: 1,747	Pawn shops are a great place to look for just those types of guns. Ask the person behind the counter for exactly what you are looking for. You may find they have it in back. __________________ NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearms Safety, Pistol and Rifle Instructor *“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life......”* President John F. Kennedy

December 24, 2013, 03:23 PM	#3
FALPhil Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2007 Location: Racoon City Posts: 934	I see first gen Savage 110s in pawn shops and gun shows for around $200 - $250. They are great for rebarrelling, because it is a DIY project waiting to happen. I picked up a Stevens 200 (Savage 110) for $130 a few years ago. Bought a 300WM varmint barrel for it, along with some other parts, and turned it into a long range tack driver. __________________ _____________________________________________ Questions about 7.62 NATO and 308 Winchester? Click here.

December 24, 2013, 03:54 PM	#4
Jo6pak Senior Member Join Date: August 5, 2010 Location: West Coast...of WI Posts: 1,663	A also vote for pawnshops, and small, out-of-the-way gunshops. Or around here, gun shows are a good place for such things also. __________________ NRA Life Member, SAF contributor.

December 24, 2013, 04:22 PM	#5
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	+1 Pawn shops. Many are on line. __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes

December 24, 2013, 05:08 PM	#6
Garycw Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2011 Location: Ohio-Kentucky - florida Posts: 1,221	When in season, yard sales. Even if you don't see any... Ask. They're already in the mood to sell sell. Best deal I've found so far was a .303 Enfield with cracked stock. . $30

December 25, 2013, 11:01 AM	#7
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	How about gunsmiths and gun stores that do repairs? They might have some laying around that customers didn't claim. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

December 25, 2013, 12:39 PM	#8
BerdanSS Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2011 Location: to close to other houses Posts: 1,176	Look for swap meets in your ares, mainly the big ones that are in the same place every month. We have one an hour from us that goes on every other Sunday April-October called Croy Creek Traders Fair. To my wifes dismay, I picked up 5 guns there this year Everything from black powder-antiques to beat up modern project guns for $40 or less. everything but handguns. they don't allow those Just what I came away from there with this year: Nice old Ranger 34 .22 $50 Unfired TC renegade $125 Unfired TC new Englander (for my dad) $100 96% 1949 stevens 311 12ga SxS turned out to have BEAUTIFUL walnut $150 Great condition Marlin 1897 for $250 __________________ One day, Men in tall hats will thump their chests and proclaim..."oh, what a great sea of mud we lived in"--The unalterable fate of billy creek .... "Smoke.....it's what's for dinner"

December 25, 2013, 02:13 PM	#9
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	Pawn shops. I had a buddy that sold guns at gun shows, and he got all of his supply at pawn shops. I went with him a couple of times and we cruised pawn shops in north Houston on Irvington Street. He and the pawn shop guy would go back to these enormous safes and they'd be dragging out guns and handing them to me to lean against this or that. I bought several myself and got some great prices. They had tons of old guns that were really not pretty enough to put out front, but there were quality guns in there that just needed some care.

December 25, 2013, 03:30 PM	#10
Skadoosh Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2010 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,016	Your local government "gun buy-back". Set up a table, offer to pay an additional $50 bucks to what the official buy-back voucher price is set at ...and take your pick. __________________ NRA Life Member USN Retired

December 26, 2013, 08:32 PM	#12
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	Pawnshops. You should be able to find something you like for anywhere from $250 to $350 on the front rack, and for less if it's in the back room.