Lever action 30-30

[samari46]

When I lived in NYC 25 years back, most gun shops wouldn't pay a lot for a used Win 94 or a Marlin 336 and consequently you could usually pick up a nice Win 94 or Marlin from anywhere from $100-$125 and walk away happy. Pre '64's of course were always more money. But as the saying goes, condition,condition condition. Used to hunt in Pennsylvania and you'd see Winchesters,Marlins, and Savage 99's. Mostly the older hunters had them and for them it served one function. Putting meat on the table during the winter. My cousin had an old Marlin 1893 in 30-30. Used it for deer and killing the two hogs he raised each season. Frank

[GregLaROCHE]

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.

Gas was probably less than 20 cents a gallon back then too. Inflation. We’re stuck with it and will probably be having a lot more in the near future, to pay for the Covid damage.

[FergusonTO35]

These days, I think the best value in .30-30's is the Mossberg 464. Very glad I already have two Marlins and two Winchesters, no way I would pay what they sell for today unless the rifle was really special.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Ferguson, I completely agree with you. The Mossberg 464, sort of a Win. '94 clone, is a very good rifle, as was the Mossberg 472, sort of a Marlin clone. When looking at the current prices of other gun makers I am convinced that Mossberg's motto of "More Gun For The Money" is accurate. Their guns are rarely ornate, but do the job well.

DG

[farmbif]

I must have seen a real dud of a moss berg when I saw one at a cabbalas a couple years ago, I much prefer my marlins from the 60's and 70's and even winchesters from the same era. but some of my favorite guns are the old ugly rusted ones that shoot just as good as new.

[OBXPilgrim]

I'd been looking for a decent shooter M94 for a couple months, or a Handi rifle 30-30! But they were just not to be found. Wasn't that picky either, a 64 to 79 era would have been just fine. Finally found one that was around $200 more than I thought it was worth. Just could not see me letting this one get away.

[pls1911]

Ammo as much as lever guns sold for new 50-60 years ago?
Yep, but still crazy for a woodsman's nominal tool.
I mean it's not Holland and Holland or W.W. Greener.

It makes me wish everyone could cast bullets and reload from components stocked over the years.
30/30, 38-40, .44-40, .38/.357, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, 45/70 or .405 Win. are reloaded at a recurring cost a little more than .22 mag.... maybe less.

[FergusonTO35]

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.

Until the mid-2000's all the shops here were filled with lever actions and revolvers gathering dust at very reasonable prices. Something in the taste of gun buyers has changed over the years because used lever actions and revolvers sell really fast regardless of price or condition. Heck, new ones sell pretty quickly too. At my side job shop we get a pretty steady stream of people walking in ready to spend close to a grand on a new Henry centerfire and they get disappointed when we tell them the last one sold after being on the shelf for an hour.

[Char-Gar]

My first centerfire rifle (1957) was a Winchester 94 takedown rifle in 30 WCF. The price was $25.00. My last Win. 94 carbine cost me $110.00 from an El Paso pawn shop in 1984. I still have it. I also have two Marlin 336s, a Browning Traditional Hunter and a Savage 340, all in 30-30. I like them all, but the leverguns are still my favorite.

[Drm50]

I’m not interested in guns made after a certain date that made major changes in quality of the gun.
I’ve still got several lever actions, 2 from 1960s and 7 from 1927 back to 1904. Year before last I took a Marlin-Glenfield NIB 30/30 and a post 64 Win m94 30/30 on trade against a S&W m19 357.
The Marlin went in a few days for $450, I drug Win 94 for a year and blew it out for $350 to get rid of it. Younger guys might buy them but old guys want the pre 64. Say what you want but I can tell the difference in the dark.

[FergusonTO35]

I like the post-64 94's and crossbolt safety Marlins for working guns that it's ok to get some scratches and dings on. I have a really ugly 1980's Winchester 94 that is loose as a goose but shoots as good as any other I've ever owned. Perfect rifle for targets of opportunity when taking a stroll through the woods or on the tractor.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

New Marlin 336C .30-30, 1964, Hess's, Allentown, PA $53.95, I was 13. Sometime in the 80's, NIB 2 Savage 99 358's closeout - Woolworth's, Denver, CO, $150.00 each, also Savage 99 .375 NIB $150.00, Marlin 1895 45-70, $125, could not sell a 'lever action brush gun' in the 80's in Colorado. Never had trouble killing elk with the .358 or 45-70. Wife and I still use them for elk.

Today's prices are just part of everyday life and economics. The LAW of Supply and Demand cannot be repealed.

[John Taylor]

Sometimes a customer will want something special and when the job is done the customer has died. I have a 94 old model in 30-30 with a 30" octagon barrel, takedown with full length mag tube. All new wood, the whole thing looks brand new. Probably never get my money out of it.

[Jbiker]

I'd really like to see what an old 03A3 in aut 6 would go for now !!!LOL

[FergusonTO35]

Numbers matching, about a grand.

[shtur]

I never had a need for a lever 30-30, then I read all the loads from mild to full on this forum and bought one. Wow, I have a lot of fun with it. It's worth the price they are asking these days, for just the fun factor it gives me.

[Kyle M.]

A buddy of mine recently bought a post '64 Winchester 94 .30-30 for $220 private party. I think he stole it. Then again it's one of those ugly commemoratives with the bright receiver and medallion in the stock. I've thought about buying it from him but after owning a 336 and a Pre '64 94 I'm just not a huge fan of the .30-30. If it was a .32-40 or .38-55 I'd be all over it. I keep telling myself someday I'll find a nice Savage 99, a local shop has about 15 of them including a .250-3000, .22 Hi-Power, and a .303 Savage takedown. The .303 Savage takedown is cheap because someone put a recoil pad on it. I thought about buying it recently but when I did a search I could find brass but no dies unless I wanted to pay a kings ransom on eBay.

[samari46]

Local wal mart in the next town over used to sell Winchester Silvertips for $10 a box. Where I live was $11 a box. Then the other wal mart closed and the one I now use locally always had them in stock. Before covid they were $20 a box, now with all the crazyness going on it's anybody's guess what they are getting for either the silvertips or power points. Have a couple of the Serbian Monarch and they shoot pretty well. I've always had a lever action Marlin and Winchester around. Frank

[dverna]

My best buy on a .30/30 was from a widow I was helping out over a decade ago. We were able to sell most of her late husbands guns for a good price but no one wanted the .30/30. It had some initials scratched into the stock and a bit of rust on the barrel and receiver. After a few months she called me and told me she had to get rid of it. She told me I could have it for $25 less than I had valued it. It was her way of saying "thanks", so I took it off her hands. I still have not shot the gun but recently got a Pearson mount for it so hopefully will get some rounds down it this year.

BTW, came very close to selling all my .30/30's lever actions as I have no use for them. Decided to keep them in case the Dumborats come after AR's. It is called the Appalachian Assault Rifle for a reason. They offer decent range, accuracy and firepower without looking "menacing". One big advantage is the ability to cast bullets for it that are about as good as factory rounds.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Kyle M., you should buy that 303 Savage, Prvi brass is available and works well, you can use a 300 Savage or 308 Win Sizing die to neck size until the 303 Savage dies show up. Both Lee, CH4D, and Redding make the 303 Savage, though finding the dies might take some time. The 303 Savage does use 'normal' 30 cal bullets, most 30-30 kind of bullets and bullet molds work plus some of the 'pointy' ones.