lookin for a '94

[Rusty]

MY son has thought it over and is now ready to buy his own Win '94. Not being an expert on Winchesters myself I'm not sure how to steer him. I know a pre '64 would be the best if he could find one at a fair price but given today's market that might be easier said then done.
In the post '64 versions out there what should he look for and look to avoid?

Thanks for the help,

Rusty <><

[oregon73]

Just the basics....I'd say his choice depends on whether he can live with the safety (there are plenty out there without the safety) and will he ever want to mount a scope (I know it's not for everybody...) But if he might want to scope it, then an angle eject is the way to go (94AE).

In my experience they all shoot well enough. I know its a totally different gun, but he could get a used Marlin 336 for a lot less money. (Assuming he wants a 30-30.)

Rob

[KirkD]

I'd recommend a Winchester or Marlin 30-30 from the 1950's. They are still relatively reasonable in price, and are a first class gun that will last him for all his life, and you can't go wrong with the caliber.

[Rusty]

Yep, he DOES want it in .30-30. I didn't know if the AE's were any good or not. Personally I find one with a safety kind of appalling.

Rusty <><

[oregon73]

Yep, he DOES want it in .30-30. I didn't know if the AE's were any good or not. Personally I find one with a safety kind of appalling.

Rusty <><

Yeah, I don't think you'll find many fans of the Winchester safety on this forum....

Rob

[Lastmohecken]

If he is going to stay with iron sights, then IMHO beg, barrow, steal, or get a second mortage, but somehow scarpe up the extra money to get a pre-64 Winchester. I have had pre-64's, Marlins, post 64's all of the way through the angle eject, crossbolt safety models and the pre-64's are my favorite, hands down.

My second choice if I wanted a scope gun would be an older Marlin 336 before they started putting cross bolt safetys on them.

I think I would probably try to stay away from the eairly post 64 Winchesters made shortly after 64 with the sheetmetal shell carriers, but I understand that one can change out that more flimsey version for the better one, without much problem. Also some of those guns in that time frame seem to lose big paches of bluing on the receiver, after a little use.

If you plan to stay with the stock issue open iron sights, then the Marlins usually have better quality open sights in all years then the post-64 winchesters. However, the pre-64 winchester rear sight is my favorite issue open iron sight of all and much better made then the post-64 Winchesters. I have never been happy with the post 64 open sight on the Winchesters, and I have always ended up changing them, quite often because they tore up in use, or when I tried to adjust them. That part really got cheapened up on the post-64's.

I have a Post 64 Lenendary Lawman Trapper, right now, that I broke one side of the spring steel sight where it meets the sight blade, when I was trying to straighten it up, where it looked level when I sighted down it. I have not fired it yet, but I am still trying to make up my mind on wheather I want to replace it with better open sight, or go to a receiver sight.

And I have a Windchester Antlered Game Commerative that's a shooter, but when I got it, it had a broken sight, so I ended up replacing it with an open sight, which was removed from a Browning 1885 I had laying around. Then I have an Angle eject 44mag Trapper that I ended up replacing the sight on, also.

Maybe, what you ought to do is just go handle a lot of different Winchesters and Marlins and see which feels better to you, most all of them can be turned into good shooters. But don't buy a top eject, and then plan on adding a scope, although it can be done, using a side mount or scout configuration, neither IMHO as desirable as a regular conventional mounted rifle scope, and not as cheap either.

[J Miller]

I would suggest a nice mid to late 1970s vintage carbine. They are usually in good shape, the prices are usually reasonable and they are great for someone who hasn't had a lot of experiance with lever guns.

If you can find a late pre-64 that's good to, but I wouldn't exclude any of the post-64 guns.

Now, unless he's dead set on mounting a scope on it .... God forbid ... I wouldn't even look at an AE model.

JMHO

Joe

[brucew44guns]

I have finally started to understand in my own mind, that I am only going to live so long, so I ain't got a lot of time for ugly women, old wore out trucks, and really tired out old guns. Stuff needs to be good to start out with for me at least at 63 years old. That said, I hope your son will save up his money a little bit longer, and search the net and other sources, till he finds an extemely nice pre 64 Win that is in really good shape, excellent in appearance, and is a very nicely priced rifle as well. I saw a pre 64 Win in 32 special just today on Gun Broker.Com in the Model 63 section for some reason,for 499.00 that I believe looked decent. I did not bid. But if he will shop diligently, and save his money, he will have a gun that he will not ever regret, and it sets the stage for wanting BETTER guns all the way through rather than cheap shooters. Bruce

[brucew44guns]

well, I went back and looked again at Gun Broker, could not find that 32 Special this time, there was a re-done 32 for 495.00 that was sweet looking. Other one vanished, or my brain is not working too good first day of 08.

[salvo]

I have finally started to understand in my own mind, that I am only going to live so long, so I ain't got a lot of time for ugly women, old wore out trucks, and really tired out old guns. Stuff needs to be good to start out with for me at least at 63 years old. That said, I hope your son will save up his money a little bit longer, and search the net and other sources, till he finds an extemely nice pre 64 Win that is in really good shape, excellent in appearance, and is a very nicely priced rifle as well. I saw a pre 64 Win in 32 special just today on Gun Broker.Com in the Model 63 section for some reason,for 499.00 that I believe looked decent. I did not bid. But if he will shop diligently, and save his money, he will have a gun that he will not ever regret, and it sets the stage for wanting BETTER guns all the way through rather than cheap shooters. Bruce

Very wise words brucew44guns! I have came to the same conclusions.
I have also noticed that the prices have generally leveled out on nice 50's vintage Model 94's. I figure if someone was restrained enough to keep one close enough to like new for me to shoot today, it is worth saving up a little more to buy it If I can ware em in a bit before I pass them on I've done good.
Around $600.00 should be about tops for a 50's vintage 94 in like new condition and I think it's worth saving a little more and finding one.

[meanc]

Rusty,

I guess the first thing you ought to do is just buy one of the cheapest well working ones you can find.

Let him haul it around the woods a while, shoot it, and get to know it, etc... without worrying about the finish.

That's what I did with my daughter when she said she wanted a 9422. Bought one for $250 last year that had some freckles on the reciever and muzzle and wear on the stock.

We cleaned it up as best we could and redid the stocks.

Now she doesn't want a nicer one, it's her first and she loves it.

If he decides he wants a nicer Win94, that'll give him a good reason to do his chores and save up a little money.

[Marlin .35]

Get the best you can afford. It is well worth while. Let him feel every gun in every store if that is what it takes. I had a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington, several years ago. It was an old model and I loved it. It was very accurate. So I have been looking for another and found a mint one. Took it home and shot it. It was definitely not like that old one. I shot one box of factory out of it. Accuracy was OK, but the thing is too bulky, too much wood, and does not settle in my arms like the old baby did. I will be on the lookout for something less bulky, Win94, Marlin 1894, even if they are not as good shape as this .35. Take your time looking!!!!!! Art

[LeverBar]

Rusty,

If I may get a bit personal: How old is your son? How much do you not want to spend? How much would you spend?

[Rusty]

My son is 19 now, but he still lives at home. No problem there. He's a first year apprentice in the IBEW electrician's program. I don't have a dog in this fight so he's on his own as far as the money he wants to spend. I was thinking a decent post 64 would be OK for him for now I just wasn't sure as to what to look for. I knew those flimsy little sheet metal cartridge lifters were trouble but I didn't know if they could be changed out, so that's good news... they can.
There's a gun show near here the last of this month. He'll most likely try to do something there.

Thanks for the help so far,

Rusty <><

[LeverBar]

My oldest son is a fan of electricity too. He's been building his own inventions since he was 7(?)--an electrical genius. He's in college now--electrical engineering.

I have a Winchester 1894 .32 WCF, 26" Octagon Barrel, Full Length Magazine, DOM=1906. Original sights. The upper tang has been replaced with a non-Winchester tang--only one screw hole. If a person were to want to mount a tang sight on it, they'd need to drill and tap another hole. The rifle is in used shape--the wood has marks and has been sanded. The receiver has a cold-blue reblue. The rifle is not rusted, nor corroded. It cycles easily. Has a good bore. I might be selling it soon.

Would your son be interested in an older Winchester?

(You are up late...or early!)

[24thMICH]

A little over a year ago I picked up a '94 30-30 made in 1952, the year I was born. I bought it for $400 from my local dealer. It looks as though it was hardly ever fired by the previous owner. My dealer has come across a few other '94's since, but nothing this nice from what I've seen.

I spent some extra dollars and put a Marbles tang sight on it. The gunsmith had to D&T one extra hole in the tang for the sight, but I'd say without hesitation it was totally worth it.

I also own a Marlin MX .308 with a Nikon 3X9 scope on it. Interestingly enough, I'm not sure which rifle I like better. With the little Winchester really liking the 30-30 Leverevolution ammo with its enhanced ability to reach out and touch something at a somewhat better distance than standard 30-30 ammo, I can't honestly say whether the .308 is necessary for my area in Michigan. But for deer hunting when the light isn't the greatest in the morning and at sundown, the scope carries the day. I'd never put a scope on that little Winnie; the Marbles tang sight is perfect for it on many levels. Recoil for both rifles is about equal, with the .308 being significantly louder, however.

I'd say your son is making a great choice by going with a pre-64 Winchester in 30-30. Keep looking. You'll surely find one in great shape if you keep your eyes open.


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