What to do with my Winchester

[elginrunner]

I have a conundrum. I have been wanting a 30-30 or 45-70 lever for a farm gun for some time. I was set up at a funshow (selling my handcrafted knives) and jokingly made an offer at the next table. I said if you don't sell that winchester I will trade some knives for it. Well a couple hours later the gentleman did come over and looking at my wares, wanted five knives for his Winchester 94. It looks NIB, and unfired. He traded for it and can't say. I used to hot-blue guns and can spot a reblue pretty far off. I don't think it's been fired. It has the box, and warranty cards and such. From the serial numbers it's a late 66' model "antique". It's got the curly cue scroll work on the side.

Now, should I make a farm gun out of it and use it well, or pass it to a collector who would appreciate a fine older Winchester? I don't think that they are "that" valuable, but .....one never knows

Just looking for some advice... thank you gents...

[john.k]

IIRC,the antique was a standard carbine with a pseudo case color reciever.,....now the classic with the hex? barrel is a bit of a cut above......I should have got one with the 24"hex?barrel,but they were $40 dearer.,which was 1/2 a weeks pay in those days.

[elginrunner]

Yes it's the standard gun with case hardened color action with brass ring and load gate. It's round barrel and plane jane straight grain wood.....

[Jeffrey]

Go here to get an idea of its possible worth. https://www.gunbroker.com/Lever-Acti...=13&ca=5000053

[dverna]

If it were me, I would not turn it into a beater. If the gun is like NIB, you can buy two beaters for what is worth.

[northmn]

Dverna has a point and Winchesters go for a bit around here. However I would check the lifter on a 66 model. Most worked, but after 64 Winchester made some production changes and lost a lot of appeal to many Winchester fans. They had some flimsy looking parts that some have now replaced. I had a 94 made for Sears that had some of those parts in it and it worked but they gave the Winchester a black eye and I don't know if they really recovered. Many 94's were made as Commeratives that I see going through and were not made to be shot, however there are those that have shot the heck out of the Crazy Horse model as it was a good 38-55. I still like Dverna's point and would look into more trading. You might get a more worn one and a little boot.

DEP

[scattershot]

I would agree, see if there’s any collector interest and buy another beater with the proceeds.

[pietro]

Yes it's the standard gun with case hardened color action with brass ring and load gate. It's round barrel and plane jane straight grain wood.....

The Winchester Model 94 Antique was made from 1964 to 1983, had a gold plated saddle ring & loading gate, scrolling rolled onto a faux case colored receiver made of sintered metal that cannot be refinished if the CCH colors wear off. (a leather thong tied to the saddle ring will keep it from scoring the receiver finish)

The stamped lifters used on all Winchester 94 made from 1964 to 1970 are easily swapped out for a later solid/cast lifter available from multiple parts vendors.

A NIB Model 94 Antique will usually trade hands today (not whenever) for about $600 (+/-); one w/o the box/papers and with visible wear about $350 - which poses a few things to consider:

1) Did the value of the handmade knives you traded with make economic sense for the trade ?

2) Do you want to resell the Model 94 Antique (including all the effort required to do) & look for a beater - or keep/use it ?


Decisions, decisions, decisions........


.

[elginrunner]

I went outside to take some pictures for clarification.






The box could be better but heck, it's older than I am....

[veeman]

Shoot it. Thats what it was made for.

[Hick]

Looks very nice. I wouldn't use it as a beater but I sure would shoot it. Just get a good soft case instead of leaving it around outside the case. Those two tiny screws on the upper left side of the receiver are covering factory tapped holes for a receiver mounted peep sight (Williams has a great one). I have a '68 model 94 with that same receiver. I hear it is very difficult to re-blue, but if you show reasonable care you won't have to -- the finish holds up fine. If it has the stamped cartridge lifter you can just order one for a newer model (70's) as mentioned above. That's what I did and I am very satisfied with the results.

[Texas by God]

I would try to trade it for a NIB JM Marlin in one of the rarer variations- but that's just me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[elginrunner]

I was talking to my brother today.... seems he wants it.... LOL now lets see what kind of trading fodder he can come up with!!

Thanks for the replies gentleman. It seems I always get good advice here, and that's why I stick around....

[starmac]

I would try to trade it for a NIB JM Marlin in one of the rarer variations- but that's just me.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

And I am just the opposite, it would have one special marlin for me to trade a win for. lol

[9.3X62AL]

I had one of those I bought used in 1996 for $250. It was LNIB. I sold it in 2014 for $475, after having put about 2500 rounds through it, mostly castings of #311041 and #311291 flavor. It was a good, solid little carbine--and only went down the road when a MUCH NICER 1950s-vintage Marlin 336 came on board. I have no need for multiple 30/30 leverguns.

[smkummer]

If I were to keep it, I would put some wax on the case colored receiver and some leather on the ring. You will tire of the noise that saddle ring makes. And yes, I would be firing a bunch of 311041 or 311291 out of that gun in short order. Of course that would bring a nice price on gun broker especially with shooter who used to own one and now want to rediscover 30-30 shooting.

[MDC]

There are currently two on gunbroker. Bidding is at $405 for the highest and the other has not met the reserve

[Shawlerbrook]

Shoot it and enjoy it. They are pretty common and it may be a few lifetimes before it will make you rich

[osteodoc08]

The thing with Winchester collectible editions is that, in general, they’re not really collectible. It sure is purty but id still shoot it. Keep it oiled and in a scabbard and you’ll be GTG for a long time.’