winchester commemoratives finally going up

[veeman]

I had my CH drilled and tapped for the Skinner peep, helped alot.

[Eddie Southgate]

probably the only reason they're going up is because all guns are going up and are harder to find.

If people can't find regular guns they have to go for the bling.

bingo !

[Eddie Southgate]

People were duped into thinking the commemoratives were all wonderful and would increase in value. Truth is, most of them were no better made than standard off the shelf 94's. Some were actually very poorly fitted and assembled. The plating and medallions made them ludacrous .

Fixed that spelling on the last word for you !

[Eddie Southgate]

I wouldn't go so far as to say that...…….

I wanted a .32 Special Winchester Model 64, but since they've become too expensive for my wallet for hunting, I bought a new Canadian Rail Road Centennial commemorative for about 1/3 the cost of a pre-64 Winchester.

What's not to like: a nice stock, nice finish, engraved receiver, 2/3 magazine, new bore, receiver peep sight prep - looks better than a pre-64 (and I don't care if it gets some hunting wear).

They did make a very few that were not gaudy to the point that the average person could not appreciate them . Problem with them new was the price was way high and to hold value they had to sit unfired in the box with anything that came in the box . It's not just a Winchester thing , Colt was as bad or worse .

[Jeffro67]

Ive got the Centennial 66 in the rifle version 26 inch octagon barrel was $125 brand new when my father Bought 2 of them in 1966

[farmbif]

I don't care what anyone says, that's a really nice looking Canada spiker 32 spl. I love the 32 spl almost as much as 35 rem. with 1-14 twist is an ideal cast boo lit shooter right out of the box. i ve got an old ugly 1964 but it shoots great and only one mold needed rcbs 32-170.

[Baja_Traveler]

Show up to any lever gun silhouette match and you will find plenty on the racks. Most of the commemorative rifles have perfect weight and balance with the rifle length barrels for offhand silhouette shooting. My favorite is a Legendary Frontiersman 38-55 (round barrel), but I also use a Buffalo Bill 30-30 (octagon barrel) as a backup/loaner rifle. Some years ago they could be picked up new for $600, add a decent peep sight and they make a great match rifle...

[19112TAP]

My Dad picked up a Classic 30/30 carbine back in the 70's for $100 and thought it would be worth something some day and I think he shoot it 3 times. I always liked the gun because of the extra fancy walnut stock and octagonal barrel and a couple of years ago I was visiting Dad and he brings out the Winchester and hands it to me and said happy birthday, I took it home put on a set of Lyman peep sights and proceeded to shot it and boy is it a shooter I also don't care for the scroll stamped engraving on the receiver but it's shooting gun for me.

When I lived in Northern Iowa I rented off a gentleman that let me see his gun collection one day and his gun room was a sight to see but he had two of it seemed like every collector series that had been made up to that date and the boxes to go with them they covered two walls he said he was collecting them for his two sons. Maybe they will have a collection worth something someday but I thought at the time they looked terrible and was not impressed.

[indian joe]

Show up to any lever gun silhouette match and you will find plenty on the racks. Most of the commemorative rifles have perfect weight and balance with the rifle length barrels for offhand silhouette shooting. My favorite is a Legendary Frontiersman 38-55 (round barrel), but I also use a Buffalo Bill 30-30 (octagon barrel) as a backup/loaner rifle. Some years ago they could be picked up new for $600, add a decent peep sight and they make a great match rifle...

Mine is an Oliver F Winchester 38/55 - octagonal barrel - bought supposedly NIB unfired (I had sold a couple of 92's off as collectors for good money and used part of the proceeds) - it sat in the rack unfired for almost 12 months with a pack of commemorative ammo beside the butt - I walked in there one lunchtime, (must have had a bit of attitude going on) looked at that gold plated ornament, what a useless piece of junk!, grabbed it down and some loaded rounds, paper target was already up on my backyard range, I ripped three at 50 yards leaning over the bonnet of my pickup. holy smokes! cover those with my thumbnail! - next weekend I carefully loaded 10 blackpowder rounds and shot at 100 yards using a plastic fertiliser bag full of dirt as a benchrest - similar result ! this thing is a shooter - ooooops - ten shots leaning on that woven plastic bag had removed the gold plating off the sharp edges of the bottom of the action - aint NIB unfired anymore - now its a shooter for sure.

Have had thoughts about trying to remove all the bling plating and blue it - would look a lot better I bet but am told those actions are difficult to blue and how would we get all the bling off - would need sandblasting ----just a bunch of trouble - gain aint worth the pain. I reckon its about the best lever gun shooter I have had (theres been a good few)

[Bigslug]

Have had thoughts about trying to remove all the bling plating and blue it - would look a lot better I bet but am told those actions are difficult to blue and how would we get all the bling off - would need sandblasting ----just a bunch of trouble - gain aint worth the pain. I reckon its about the best lever gun shooter I have had (theres been a good few)

Four words: Gloss Black Spray Paint

You could tell everyone at the range it's the 1 of 100 Krylon Edition and say it's up for sale at $17,000.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

My cast boolit sillhouette gun is a Legendary Frontiersman 38-55 that I bought for $AU600 over 20 years ago. Locally these same "fancy" guns are selling for $AU800-1,000.

[indian joe]

Four words: Gloss Black Spray Paint

You could tell everyone at the range it's the 1 of 100 Krylon Edition and say it's up for sale at $17,000.

nah save that for your tacticool wannabe armyboy gunz. Mine has a wooden handle - wouldnt match the paint at all.

[indian joe]

My cast boolit sillhouette gun is a Legendary Frontiersman 38-55 that I bought for $AU600 over 20 years ago. Locally these same "fancy" guns are selling for $AU800-1,000.

Wallace - if you/we could get a Legendary Frontiersman NIB or nearly for $1000 would be a bargain price for a fine quality shooter I reckon. I woulda preferred a Frontiersman to my OFW ..................... I have a box of commemorative ammo that goes with your gun

[remy3424]

I will tell my father to try to unload his 2 John Wayne commemoratives and trash the worthless boxes he has been holding on to. Guessing there is no interest in them, so why trouble him....he seems to enjoy having them.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I have my dads 94' Canadian Bicentennial, a very pretty gun and tastefully done, not tacky looking. He bought it for the only reason he wanted a Winchester with a heavy octagonal barrel which this one has. Its a shame these are so under appreciated.

[Bigslug]

Bingo. When folks brought in their Idaho Potato Crop & Tractor Pull Commemorative Winchester. . .

Personally, I've been trying to track down the complete set of the "Voyage of Discovery Defecation Collection" which commemorated the significant bowel movements of the Lewis and Clark Expedition; Lewis's first on entering the Louisiana Purchase; Clark's first after reaching the Pacific; the entire company's on being charged by their first grizzly bear (.45-70). The rarest of the set are stocked with wood from trees Lewis's Dog Seaman are known to have lifted his leg to (gold plated). Those represent true class in arms making.

I also would not "gauge the wind" off any Gunbroker activity unless you are noting a significant trend in actual bidding, but I guess you could say they are probably the best source of low-mileage Winchester 94's out there these days. Some of the less blingy ones with "no box" depreciation are probably not bad options.

[indian joe]

Personally, I've been trying to track down the complete set of the "Voyage of Discovery Defecation Collection" which commemorated the significant bowel movements of the Lewis and Clark Expedition; Lewis's first on entering the Louisiana Purchase; Clark's first after reaching the Pacific; the entire company's on being charged by their first grizzly bear (.45-70). The rarest of the set are stocked with wood from trees Lewis's Dog Seaman are known to have lifted his leg to (gold plated). Those represent true class in arms making.

I also would not "gauge the wind" off any Gunbroker activity unless you are noting a significant trend in actual bidding, but I guess you could say they are probably the best source of low-mileage Winchester 94's out there these days. Some of the less blingy ones with "no box" depreciation are probably not bad options.

It would be interesting to poll the blokes slinging mud at the commemoratives and get an answer how many black paint and plastic stocked modern crap-o-matics they have stashed in the cupboard - picaninny rails - and flash hiders .................?

[cwtebay]

It would be interesting to poll the blokes slinging mud at the commemoratives and get an answer how many black paint and plastic stocked modern crap-o-matics they have stashed in the cupboard - picaninny rails - and flash hiders .................?

You are right Indian Joe. I am not cussing them at all, I have found them to be wonderful shooting guns!
And I do get your one man's trash implications!
(See below)

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[sharps4590]

You are right Indian Joe. I am not cussing them at all, I have found them to be wonderful shooting guns!
And I do get your one man's trash implications!
(See below)

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Hey!!! I saw that.....uhhhh.....rifle(?)....at what was supposed to be a gun show. Only difference is the one I saw had a single burner Coleman stove on a rail on the collapsible butt.

[farmbif]

gotta love the hood ornament on top of the scope