OK, you are entitled to you opinions.
I will agree that $100 is a bit too much for a bolt to complete the rifle, plus it will not be a matching bolt. But the rifle as it is now I think $150-175, maybe more if some collector has to have this variation.
Things are worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it when you go to sell it. Redrover could run a 2 week auction on Gunbroker, and find out definitely what it is worth right now in the market. Things have slowed down with the economy a bit, but I still think more than $100....... even without the bolt.
I have collected WW2 weapons for close to 40 years now, and I have guns like a US&S .45 that I paid $300 for, an M1A1 carbine I paid $450 for, a S&W 1917 for $100......the list goes on and on. I still have them.....and they have been very good investments also to say the least. The days of cheap WW2 guns is gone.......but there are finds to be made still.
The key to what you say is "I worked for a number of years" ?
Is this past tense?? How long ago was this, what auction house?
I would buy Japanese trainers all day long at $40 -$100 if they came up for sale. There are advanced Japanese collectors who "just" collect training rifles. Not everybody buys a Japanese rifle to shoot it. (although I have shot both my t99's
)
Regards, Steve
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