Need opinion on gun price Winchester model 1894 made in 1910 30-30

[MaryB]

Model 1894 30-30 with 26 inch octagon barrel, serial number 578757. Bluing is mostly gone, stock has a gouge and some other scratches/dents. Original finish, hasn't been fired a lot. Owner has had it in the family since new. Looking to buy it form him and trying to get a price nailed down. Sights are not original, rest is. Once I figure out how to get pics off my phone from texting I will post them.

[starmac]

I have looked at one similar to your description that has been at every gunshow here for the llast 4 years, he was asking 700 for it at first, and still was the last one. That doesn't really help though.

[MaryB]

Buying from a friend so if a bit over regular prices I am fine. Always wanted a 30-30 for plinking and maybe deer hunting in one of the spots I can drive in and walk 50 feet to my ground blind.

[BrassMagnet]

That Model 94 should be capable of 1 MOA. I would suggest $700 - $800 would be fair to the buyer and the seller.

[starmac]

I need to be a bit more clear about the one I see at the gun show. When I said similar to your discription, I meant appearances only, it could be totally junk on the inside, The stock is probably worse that yours, at least thet is the reason I never checked it out any closer.

[MaryB]

Couple pics of it
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/30-30-pic-2_zps4911d48b.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/30-30-pic-1_zpsca6c0d6b.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/30-30-pic-3_zps07ef5968.jpg

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/30-30-pic-4_zps0ede8d3c.jpg

[smokeywolf]

Mary, that's a swell looking rifle, Good year too. I'm not up to speed on values, but this would definitely peak my interest. KirkD on this forum would have considerable knowledge on this firearm and its value. You might try PMing or emailing him. He's a pretty busy guy, but if he's home I'm sure he would be more than willing to offer an opinion.

I'm nuts about Winchesters. This is one of those that grows on you; the more you look at it the better it looks. If the bore and action are good, that's a real nice find.

smokeywolf

[MaryB]

In good shooting condition. Friend who owns it shoots it a few times a year just for fun. Bore is great, crown is good, action is smooth and like new.

[smokeywolf]

After studying the pics a bit more, the receiver appears to have 1 or more buggered screw slots and also may have been scrubbed down with a scotch brite pad, evidenced by the softening of the edges of the serial numbers and by the too even and consistent coloring and finish of the receiver. I might still consider it a candidate for acquisition.

smokeywolf

[starmac]

That rifle is considerably nicer than the one that has been for sale up here for so long. I have no clue about the real value in most places, but up here it would not last long at 7 or 8 hundred bucks.

[MaryB]

Yes I think it was cleaned up... would have been better left alone. But it was his carry rifle for 45 years so the bluing was worn from riding in the truck scabbard, being drug around the farm etc. He never shot it much unless there was a predator to take care of. So worn finish but well working, fine by me I am buying it to use not hang on the wall.

[smokeywolf]

Glad she's gonna continue to live a proud and useful life in your hands. Nothing sadder than a nice old Winchester hung on a rack to gather dust & rust. Looking forward to a range report.

smokeywolf

[cbrick]

Nice to see it's a shooter. Several years ago I bought the same Winchester as the Canadian Centennial, circa 1967 I think, deep blue finish, 26" barrel & fired very little. After I got it I discovered why I got such a great deal on it, nobody could make it shoot. Had to really deep seat boolits & it leaded worse than anything I had ever seen. The bore scope showed why very quickly, here's a photo taken through the bore scope of the beginning (start) of the rifling.

115355

It left the factory that way but a little time spent with a finishing throat reamer turned this into a sweet shooting lever gun. I added Marbels tang peep sights to it.

Don't know what fair value would be today for this rifle, if memory serves me correctly I paid something like $300 but again, it shot very poorly plus that was before Winchester turned into radically over priced Japanese imports.

Rick

[MaryB]

I won't get it in my hands until Thanksgiving or Christmas probably. Will depend when he drives over from MT, could be next summer but he will hold it for me.

[Outpost75]

A pre WW1 1894 with shootable bore, worn exterior finish with "character marks" on metal,but not refinished, worn, but serviceable wood with no cracks, is worth $800 at retail. A special order gun with custom features, such as extra-light, shotgun butt, half-magazine, odd barrel length, with factory letter is worth $300-500 more, if original and not modified or refinished. In VG+ to Excellent or Very Fine collector condition, perhaps $2000 at auction in the right market.

$800 is a fair offer to your friend if stock appears to be old, but well done refinish, but metal worn, with wear marks and patina, butnever repolished or reblued. If metal has been polished or reblued,, reduce by HALF!

[Bad Water Bill]

Dan burnit MaryB now me n Girty had to dig deep in my bunker and haul out my grandfathers old reliable.

#26800? is a 38-55 RIFLE that rumor said he purchased NEW.

Very little bluing left and you have to look hard to see any lifling.

Appraised at 1 MILLION to our family.

This was his GO TO weapon when he was in the Texas Rangers.

Yes this old gun has earned the right to just hang on my wall remembering the good old days.

I only wish she could talk about those days.

[smokeywolf]

She can talk to you Bill. Sit quietly with the old '94 in your hands, clear your mind and you'll start getting mental pictures of your grandfather on his favorite horse, "old reliable" in the scabbard or butt resting on his hip, reins in his left hand and your grandfather looking out over the terrain, looking for game or perhaps that wanted man that he's been hunting.

smokeywolf

[Bad Water Bill]

He rode his horse with the rains in his teeth and rifle blazing at the 7 horse thieves.

Then he was shot in the head explaining the blood stains on the stock.

A year later he was riding in the same area and found 7 skeletons, their hands tied behind their backs and a hole in the back of their head.

Yep Texas ranger justice was quick and permanent in those days.

That explained 4 of the 9 lead boolits he carried till the day he died at age 93.

[MaryB]

Wish I had grandpa's old rifles but the military confiscated them when they had to flee to Fort Ridgely during the Sioux Uprising. They lost feed, several cows, and food to the army to supply the fort. Were given vouchers but the government never paid them back.

[Mumblypeg]

Wish I had grandpa's old rifles but the military confiscated them when they had to flee to Fort Ridgely during the Sioux Uprising. They lost feed, several cows, and food to the army to supply the fort. Were given vouchers but the government never paid them back.

Imagine that..... good ole government for you....

[Gator 45/70]

I traded for this one several years ago 38/40 Mfg.1898, I was told to take no less than 1200.00 for it.

[smokeywolf]

Well, it's a model '92 in rifle configuration with straight wrist and crescent butt. That's about all that can be seen.

[MaryB]

Sound slike my original $450-900 guess is in the ballpark. Being a good friend he will likely go low on price to see it go to someone who will shoot it instead of his greedy kids who would sell it for $200 to buy drugs

[MaryB]

I offered $800 he said he thought it was to much and he would think about a price