W. German Weatherby Varmintmaster In .224 For The Collector $4,500

[RR 314]

This is a special gun and my Weatherby guru friends told me it should go with a bottom price of $5K at auction. Figured I would try it here first as I have never done an auction/auction site.

Why $5K+ for a $3k gun? I’m glad I asked that question. . SN 112X does not have the “S” prefix it should for the JP Sauer manufactured Weatherby Varmintmaster. This was apparently a pre-production gun made by JP Sauer for Weatherby. My father bought it in W. Germany while stationed there. He bought the Maynard Buehler rings at the same time and topped it with a gloss Weaver scope.

Rifle has not been shot in decades and is in great shape. Bluing is deep and effectively perfect. A little thin at end of barrel. Stock is very good with only a few imperfections. Two dark spots close to the butt below cheek rest. Original Weatherby pad in very good condition.

I am no photographer. . Bluing is so deep and reflective you can see lighting in my office. These are not imperfections.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Q: Do you have any brass or ammo for it??

 

[RR 314]

Q: Do you have any brass or ammo for it??

I may have some at my dad’s house. Anything there will be 50 years old. I will check. He may have dies.

 

[RR 314]

Oh, just hit me. 24” barrel.

 

[RR 314]

Q: Do you have any brass or ammo for it??

Dug through stuff at my parent’s house. Hours later, my 87 year old dad says, “I gave all that .224 stuff to Mark Doyle in 1988.” Hell, that would have been nice to know. . Funny thing is I found the box to the rings (or he had similar set up on another gun).

 

[C.W. Richter]

The ones without the no s designation are amongst the first built and yeah they built them on the 24 inch barrel with 1 to 14 rifling.

 

[RR 314]

One time bump. No doubt a suitable elephant cartridge for the likes of Karamojo Bell. Step right up!

 

[PARA45]

You may want to visit the Weatherby Nation Forum, and there is also a Weatherby FB, you may get someone who collects Weatherbys to step in. Not sure about the 5K price tag. You may want to show pictures of where it was made "Germany" in this case, both sides of the actions.

I own several Weatherbys, and would love to one day own the elusive 224. Unfortunately, this one is out of my price range. Good luck, beautiful rifle.

 

[RR 314]

You may want to visit the Weatherby Nation Forum, and there is also a Weatherby FB, you may get someone who collects Weatherbys to step in. Not sure about the 5K price tag. You may want to show pictures of where it was made "Germany" in this case, both sides of the actions.

I own several Weatherbys, and would love to one day own the elusive 224. Unfortunately, this one is out of my price range. Good luck, beautiful rifle.

If I get more serious about selling, I need to have someone take the pictures you described and list it on an auction site with more exposure. Have never done gun broker/guns international but one of our family friends follows Weatherbys closely and he gave me the valuation after I figured out the SN and confirmed approximate valuation with one of my contemporaries. They may be wrong, but both estimated 5K would be the bottom number they would expect in an auction (but then there are fees etc). I wouldn’t mind keeping the gun, and may, but if it sells, I am giving the proceeds to pops.

 

[hohlspitz<523>]

Because I can't stand scrolling:

 

[RR 314]

Man, I forgot I posted this. I was going through some stuff at my parents house and found a B&L Balvar (6-24 I believe) and asked my dad about it. He said he bought it to put on this rifle but never got to it. I took it home and mounted it and brought it back over and he said, “I should have done that 50 years ago!”

 

[Rifleman97]

Man, I forgot I posted this. I was going through some stuff at my parents house and found a B&L Balvar (6-24 I believe) and asked my dad about it. He said he bought it to put on this rifle but never got to it. I took it home and mounted it and brought it back over and he said, “I should have done that 50 years ago!”

Good timing, weatherby just officially relaunched the varmint master and is making ammo and brass for it now!

 

[Esoteric Junkie]

Send it to auction and let's see what it brings. Remember the 20% sellers fee plus a listing fee if it does not bring the mentioned $5k minimum at auction, shipping both way, insurance, etc. GLWS...................

EJ

 

[bobdahunter84]

I own quite a few weatherbys, few Mark Vs, few Mark XXIIs, and also a half dozen of their old fancy shotguns (Regency, Athena).

The $5k price Tag seems steep. Most recent Mark V I bought was an immaculate deluxe (wood stock) in 240 weatherby, manufactured in early 70s. I paid $1800 for that. In buying some of my weatherbys, I do know there can be some variation between German made and Japanese made and Italian made guns. But the variation in price is hundreds in my experience, not thousands. But I'll also be first to admit I don't know much about this specific model/variation.

Recent auctions dont seem to indicate $5k is likely.

https://truegunvalue.com/rifle/weatherby/mark-v-varmintmaster/price-historical-value-681

 

[RR 314]

Well, Bob, you may be right, but my friends that do know about this specific model, commonly described as a pre-production (although admittedly, that is a misnomer as it was obviously “produced“) have told me it is priced under market. Granted, it probably needs more market exposure than on here. I have a screenshot that he sent me a while back from a pre-production one effectively identical. Perhaps someone that can look up sale prices can tell you what it sold for. It was at $3125 with seven days to go and I’m not sure where it ended, but I bet it was well north of $4k not including tax etc. I did not look at your cited values, but I doubt there is a category for the non-prefix sales.

 

[bobdahunter84]

Well I hope your buddies are correct. However, I'd bet if you don't put a reserve on the auction, it would top out around $3500 on gunbroker.

 

[RR 314]

But I'll also be first to admit I don't know much about this specific model/variation.

Perhaps you should have just stopped with this line. . Good day!

 

[Muskox]

Weatherby is making 224 Weatherby ammunition again. Not cheap but it is available.

They also relaunched the cartridge with a 1 in 8 twist.

They are making new Sheridan made Varmintmasters again.

 

[bobdahunter84]

Perhaps you should have just stopped with this line. . Good day!

That seemed like an unnecessary response. I was trying to be helpful in terms of providing you a link to show what other Used Varmintmasters of that vintage have sold for. The most recent sale was quite literally a West German made Varmintmaster that sold 3 weeks ago for $2325. Is your gun worth double that gun because of a letter missing in the serial number? Maybe to someone. Folks can ask whatever they want for a gun.... I've seen the Serial Numbers 1 & 2 Winchester Model 70s listed for $1,000,000 for years--that's the what the seller thinks they're worth, no one else has.

To keep it in the Weatherby category, there is a Weatherby Athena with the serial number 1 listed for sale on Gun Broker right now. A typical 12 gauge Athena sells for appx $1500 - $2300 depending on the gun condition and level of engraving. Seller has letter from Weatherby on it being first produced gun of that year, etc. Guy put it up for sale with a reserve north of $10K, and bidding topped out at $3,000, so roughly a 30% premium over the high-end of typical sale prices. Now it's listed again, no reserve, with an asking price of $11K--and there it sits with no interest for weeks...

Maybe someone will come across that is willing to pay a premium of 100% or more on account of the serial number, but they'd probably be in a bidding war against themselves at that point. Takes a person educated enough to understand the nuance and then also that specific person caring enough about the nuance to pay that kind of premium....

GLWS

 

[Muskox]

There is a 224 Varmintmaster made by Sauer here on our online auction website and the bidding is at $50. This is with factory sites.