Win 94 - Is this a good deal?

[garandsrus]

Hi,

I found a Win 94 in 30-30 with a serial number that shows it as a 1965 manufacture date for $299. I wish it was a Pre 64! Is this a good deal? Here's some more info:

The wood on the rifle looks pretty good. It may be a replacement stock, I really don't know. There is no blueing on the receiver or the magazine. Were these originally blued? The loading gate is blued. The receiver is in pretty good shape. The magazine tube looks a little rough but is not dented.

Now for a bad thing, there is a side mount with a scope on it. I am guessing that this means that the receiver was drilled and trapped. The scope is probably a throw away so it doesn't add any value.

Thanks,
John

[hpdrifter]

Meself, I'd think it's a bit high. Of course, I haven't tried to buy one since the summer. I bought a couple during the summer, one a top eject of mid 80's manufacture and paid $225 with a side mount scope. This means I'll have to buy a replacement bolt pin screw because the one for the mount is longer and a couple of plug screws for the mount holes or get a receiver sight!

Tother was a angle eject, which was completely painted camo and I got for $168. It had those darn "see thru" mounts which I quickly disposed of.

Both were in fairly good shape. Almost all of the bluing with the top eject have just a few small rust spots.

But, it's been a few months out of production, so I'll let some others chime in here and say for sure.

[Old Ironsights]

From what I've seen, anymore that's an really fairly decent price - even if you have to re-blue it.

[PatMarlin]

If you have the time to keep looking, I have seen some deals on pre-64' on gunbroker. Specially ones that need refinished, if you don't mind a restored peice.

I have seen some 400-$500 real nice 30-30 pre 64's go for that range too...

[NickSS]

The 65 vintage rifle is one of the first "new models" that winchester cam out with unless it was made with some old parts chances are this one has a stamped sheet metal lifter and the reciever is some sort of cast iron that does not take bluing. They painted them with a gloss black I think. I had one when they first came out about 1965 and it was far from smooth working. Shot well enough but all the gratting etc put me off of lever guns for years. I dumped it and would not even look an a post 64 94 Winchester until they started using cast parts inside and making the recievers out of something that could be blued properly. The price is high for that vintage rifle. Especially when you can find a brand new Marlin in WalMart for under $300

[Char-Gar]

I have no idea what the "market value" of that rifle is, but it would not be worth the asking price to me. Too many good Marlins out there to get torqued up and buy some semi-junk Winchester.

[garandsrus]

Thanks guys... I will pass on the rifle.

John

[PatMarlin]

Check this one out for instance...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=60986762

For $165 or so more bucks you can have a well made 94 why deal with junk? That's the way I look at it anyways...

[PatMarlin]

THis one right here has been re-listed. Nobody bit at $300 with no reserve.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=61457905

If the bore is nice, and the wood hasn't been refinished, I wouldn't hesitate on this rifle. The peepsite and blue wear doesn't bother me. The rifle has character, and looks to be a definite bargin IMO.

Pre-64 winchester for $300!!!! Gotta shop..

[tom barthel]

You said you will pass on the rifle. Unless you are a collector, there are a lot of inexpensive used rifles out there. Some people want to dump their rifles because THE RIFLE doesn't shoot straight. A lot of these just NEED a good cleaning to restore accuracy. I tinker a bit. I don't mind the extra effort needed to find accuracy. I usually start with a serious cleaning with LOTS of scrubbing. I have some really cheap rifles that shoot sub moa groups, if I can hold them steady. I usually shoot bad because of me. I never blame the rifle. I know, I can miss with anything. If you find a good deal, grab it and don't look back. Just clean, shoot and have fun.

[garandsrus]

Thanks for the comments... I will keep looking for a Win 94 in 30-30 or similar caliber.

The .32 Special looks interesting except that I don't have any molds for it!

John

[PatMarlin]

Kid in my area has a 32 Win mdl 94 and that thing is a scary tack driver..

[mtngunr]

Just further pricing anecdotes....just today, went in to gun shop down the street looking for a Christmas beater '94 or 336 for my youngest (17yr old and who doesn't take care of stuff for beans)....found an 85% late post-'64/pre-USRAC top eject with the better later internals with speckled purple receiver,....worse, still, was the pre-'64 eastern carbine right next to it, solid 95% gun, and I ended up committing for both, for $680 out-the-door......the post-'64, I could have gotten solo for $180 out the door....

[jh45gun]

I paid 180 bucks a couple of years ago for a 1964 Winchester that had a peep mounted on it which I wanted. It's action is fine does not grate and yea it has that cast reciever and the stamped lifter but it works and shoots great. Now I will say from what I have seen in the local gun shop Win levers are scarce and the ones they do have they are asking more money for. In fact one clown has a 64/65 vintage one there on consignment that is mint looks like it never was used even the reciever is not faded like they get. The kicker is he wants 500 bucks for this gun it will be a long time on the rack I feel. Still other ones that have come and gone there lately have been 50 to a 100 bucks more since Win Closed the doors.