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Thread: Lever action 30-30

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy

    bishopgrandpa's Avatar
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    Lever action 30-30

    In the S&S is a 30-30 going for $830. I bought my first brand new 30-30 in 1958 for $69.95 and a used one for $35. To me that was a boat load of money and my son now has that first rifle and still uses it. Took all summer to raise that money.
    Last edited by bishopgrandpa; 03-17-2021 at 10:16 AM. Reason: make correction

  2. #2
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    Times and the economy change, don't they? I bought a used post-'64 early last July for $450 shipped. It needed a little cleaning up, but turned out nice. Used to be that Win. '94 and Marlin 336 were the common choices, some Savage 99s. Now Mossberg makes one (I've got one of those also) and they seem like a good rifle. Chiappa, and I think Uberti, have now gotten into the .30-30 lever market with replicas.
    There were so many Winchesters and Marlins made that I think a guy can still find a good deal if he shops around. 1958? Sounds like we're about the same age. I got my first high powered deer rifle in 1956, a Lee Enfield .303.

    DG

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    I remember seeing mdl. 94s on sale at Western Auto for $69.00, I didn't have that much.
    grit yer teeth an pull the trigger

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    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Prices are just crazy for everything right now. 30 30 ammo is selling for what the guns were selling for 20-30 years ago.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bishopgrandpa View Post

    In the S&S is a 30-30 going for $830.

    I bought my first brand new 30-30 in 1958 for $130 and a used one for $35.
    You should not be surprised...….. Here's a reality check:

    The purchasing power of $100 in 1958 is equivalent in purchasing power of about $910.08 today - an inflation/increase of $810.08 over 63 years.

    The dollar had an average inflation rate of 3.57% per year between 1958 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 810.08%.

    This means that today's prices are 9.10 times higher than average prices since 1958, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index

    .
    Now I lay me down to sleep
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  6. #6
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pietro View Post
    You should not be surprised...….. Here's a reality check:

    The purchasing power of $100 in 1958 is equivalent in purchasing power of about $910.08 today - an inflation/increase of $810.08 over 63 years.

    The dollar had an average inflation rate of 3.57% per year between 1958 and today, producing a cumulative price increase of 810.08%.

    This means that today's prices are 9.10 times higher than average prices since 1958, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index

    .
    Sounds about right for how the dollar is value at now.
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  7. #7
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    Most gun prices aren't much different than they ever were, and some are cheaper when you consider
    the inflation rates and economies of scale.

    I remember gas being about .30 a gallon when min. wage was $1.15, and I was earning $1.35 an hour.
    An hour's pay bought 3-4 gallons of gas.

    Now, it ain't much different for someone making a little bit over min. wage.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


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  8. #8
    Boolit Master elmacgyver0's Avatar
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    Many years ago I bought a 30-30 Winchester from a young man who was saving up for radial cartalogy (spelling wrong I know) to fix vision.
    He wanted to be a commercial pilot. This was back before laser vision surgery.
    He asked $220.00 for the rifle, I gave him $250.00, also bought a Peruvian Mauser in 30-06 from him.
    Lost track and never found out if he became a pilot or not.
    I hope it worked out for him.

  9. #9
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    ive got a Winchester 30-30 that is in what I consider excellent condition that I could part with. to be perfectly honest I like my old ugly rusted one the best, never have to worry I'm going too damage it out in the woods.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I'd like to find a pre 64 winchester carbine in clean user condition. I have a 70s made one that's "ok". But I like craftsmanship and honest wear.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I had a shop from 76 thru 92. We were always fat on Marlin/ Glenfield and Win 30/30s in used rack.
    Average out the door price $100. We got to point we would close up and celebrate when we sold one. That wasn’t pre 64 Win 94 or pre 336 Marlins, they brought good bit more. Savage 99s in 303 went for $100 too. Around this area I can still kick out a nice pre 64 m94 for $600 and post 64 for $300. $800 for post 64 is a joke.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Dunross's Avatar
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    Lever action 30-30s historically have always been so common in the used gun racks we seldom even looked at them. Historically that is.

    About nine months ago - maybe three months after the pandemic started, the rioting was just taking off, and, of course, the presidential election - I decided to finally pick one up. Wanted a used Marlin. Well, surprise, surprise. There were none. Not Marlins, not Winchesters, their store brands, or any other manufacturer. Looked in gun stores in three counties to find nothing used or new.

    A month after I started looking I came across a barely used Remlin. It seemed to have been from the first year or so of Remington production and the fit & finish were so bad I wouldn't even consider it. The shop wanted $700. Finally a month or so later I found a NIB Remlin in a shop in a different county. The fit and finish on that one was excellent. Wasn't the barrel length I wanted, but given it was the first one worth considering that I'd seen in two months I took it for the same $700 I wouldn't pay for the earlier Remlin. Hard to believe I had to pay so much for a not collectible lever action 30-30, but we were in a new world by then.

    Afterwards came the finding ammunition for it adventure. Damn good thing I reload! Between the 30-30 and the 327 lever action I was finally motivated to start bullet casting since that was the only way I was going to be able to shoot.

    I'd put the quality of the Remlin I bought up against any Marlin I've handled made in the last thirty years so while it was expensive I'm happy with it.
    Chance favors the prepared mind.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy freakonaleash's Avatar
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    I've been buying pre 64 94's in very good condition for $1000 in the past year. They are far better built guns than what is available from the factory today. I might add, where I live you don't find old lever guns in gunshop racks. You do find alot of new made lever guns with black plastic stocks... what's that all about anyway? You just don't see alot of older high power rifles in Iowa, It's mainly shotguns around here.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    ive seen on gun broker the commemorative models are finally after all these years coming up in price. it about dang time

  15. #15
    Boolit Master ktw's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I'd like to find a pre 64 winchester carbine in clean user condition. I have a 70s made one that's "ok". But I like craftsmanship and honest wear.
    15-20 years ago these used to run around $225-275 around here. The price started to rise on them when they moved the factory down south and the asking price for new ones jumped to over $1,000. I ended up with 4 of them before the price went over $350-400, at which point I stopped looking. Not because they aren’t worth more, just that I already had as many as I wanted/needed.

    -ktw

  16. #16
    Boolit Master Murphy's Avatar
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    I think quiet a few of us fall into that 'I remember when I gave...etc' for a certain gun. One of my high school friends and fellow gun accumulator have this discussion often. 30-30's? We got em'.

    I live in a very rural area and worked part time in the local Pawn & Gun shop on days off. Back in the mid 90's, it was a regular routine for some folks to run out to Walmart and pick up a Winchester 94 just before deer season (the last week of November in our area), only to show up at the shop in mid December and sell it for $100, needing Christmas money. Most of them came with a box or two of ammunition with only 3-4 rounds gone out of them. Then the SKS rifles starting coming in by the boat load. That pretty much ended the run on $100 30-30's. These days around my neck o' woods, finding a Win 94 in 30-30 for $350 or less is a challenge.

    Murphy
    If I should depart this life while defending those who cannot defend themselves, then I have died the most honorable of deaths. Marc R. Murphy '2006'.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by farmbif View Post
    ive seen on gun broker the commemorative models are finally after all these years coming up in price. it about dang time
    These were very well made firearms and undervalued as shooters the last 20 years - I have an Oliver F Winchester 38/55 top eject - its a darn fine quality rifle, 24"octagonal barrel, quality wood, nicely checkered, scary accurate - I would like it a lot better without the gold plated finish - CCH reciever and blued lever would be super nice.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    That 38/55 would bring hi dollar here in Ohio. 38/55 being a legal deer shooter.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    Fed rate tries to keep 2%/yr.
    Whatever!

  20. #20
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    I remember buying my old marlin 30-30 a couple decades back for $200-$250ish dollars. It was "a bit high" BUT it was an OLDER marlin 30-30 without a bunch of useless safeties and a stock that looked like real wood instead of looking like a 2x4 that a shop student attacked with a wood rasp. My brother bought a "slightly newer" one for $200 a couple years later. I can't count the number of Sears and Roebuck Ted Williams model 100s I've seen on gun racks for $100, then $150, then $199, then I stopped looking. Most of my life I've never been able to afford the smell of an older winchester, still can't. When I had the money I was too busy to buy one, then I didn't have the job and money anymore.

    One of the slew of "cowboy gun importers" in the '90s had a lever action half octagonal half round barreled 30-30 I drooled over. One of them even had a "30-30 musket" (nope, wasn't smoothbore they just thought it sounded good) that had a LONG barrel, mag tube, and stock that I kinda liked. Both the cowboy gun, and the "musket" were more than a good used pickup, so I liked 'em, just not THAT much.

    I once traded three broken down old push mowers to a fella for half a dozen boxes of 30-30 ammo, and a little cash. Nowadays I could sure get more than that for that ammo, and less for them old mowers.

    Things cost what people will pay.

    God Bless

    Richard
    Yes I can be long winded. Yes I follow rabbit trails. Yes I admit when I am wrong. Your mileage may vary.

    Keep your powder dry. Watch yer Top knot.

    "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!"

    Yes there were "Short" 45 Colts! http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/45_short_colt.htm

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