Please help ID this 38-40 14 1/2

[oneoldsap]

Looks like you have the year of Manufacture correct . As far as value , I'd suggest going to GunBroker.com and checking closed/sold auctions on that model . You'll know what they are selling for , starting bids on open auctions are not an indicator of value , only what the seller would like to sell it for !

[Tom H]

You have a 14½ rifle, made, according to the serial number, in 1915. Build codes did not start on this particular model before 1922, and would have been two letters. The "M" is probably the guy who assembled it or inspected it, and I find "M"s on guns ranging from 29000-70000. Other individual letters occur in different number ranges. In 1915, they made a total of 8514 model 14s and 14½s. There are no records available, but it is believed that the total number of 14½s made is somewhere around 8-10000, with the majority of them chambered for the 44-40. The suggestion to check out the guns sold on gunbroker is a good one to find out what they sell for. I keep a database on these rifles and when I had 1260 recorded, 94 were 38-40s and 150 were the 44-40s.

[nambujim]

Hemphill nailed it for you, not much else to say except the pics make it look like it might have been reblued but with these guns that doesn't affect the price too much. The fact your wood is intact, has the original sights, and overall is in nice shape makes it a worthwhile piece that you will find fun to shoot.

Merry Christmas!

Jim