Well, if you ever visit the USA, there might be someone here able to let you actually shoot a 30-30. When some London dwelling friends were here, they loved a trip to the range of a club I belong to. Once other shooters there heard the Brit accent, they had the opportunity to shoot firearms beyond the ones we brought. Yes, they liked my Winchester 30-30. I would take it on elk hints as a spare in case my magnum rifle developed a problem. Luckily, it never did, because I consider it a pretty weak caliber for Elk.

Anyway, be sure to post before you visit the USA...

I did the same sort of thing when I bought an M1A. I liked the M14 very much when I was in the Army in the '60s. I shoot it once in a while at my neighbor's place.

The John Wayne Commemorative is a 94.

That giant loop lever is the coolest thing.

While we are singing the praises of lever action rifles... I was at an auction and there were a few Miroku lever action guns. Their actions was as smooth as silk. Beautifully made.

Yes. I have two at the present time, an 1886 Extra Lightweight Rifle in .45-70, and a Model 71 in .348 Winchester. They are the finest lever guns I have ever owned. Better than original, American made Winchesters - better fit and finish, and far more accurate. As good, functionally and accuracy wise as my Marlins, and far nicer aesthetically.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1576898476.jpg

It’s been said...

I hope you also drive all the cars you buy.

I had a Browning B92 made by Miroku in .357 mag. Should have never sold it....

as my eyes scanned this page I thought I read "just purchased my first wife" lol

How else do you get one?

Last I looked they were very expensive.

Much more expensive to get rid of...:eek:

LOL....wife or rifle....shoot 'em if ya got 'em ;)....

My Henry in .22lr is silky smooth too....I blame Pelican for two of mine....Higgins and Toddstatic and a few others :D

If you don't plan on keeping ammo at home, please buy some snap caps so you can load and cycle the action.

Congrats on becoming less of a Subject and more of a Citizen

Exactly!

I see you are in Australia. I think it's customary to drink a whole lot of cans of Victoria Bitter then line 'em up on the back fence...

Under the forestock where the barrel meets the action there is a date stamped in the metal.

pre 1964 makes the gun more valuable. milled parts instead of stamped IIRC.

I've one marked 1949.

I believe at least one has to be perched on your neighbor's head.

I'm not sure the '94's suffered as much as the Model 70's. The Model 70 was about a 50% redesign, most notably eliminating the full length Mauser style claw extractor and its attendant controlled round feed. They replaced that with the cheesy little Sako style extractor and made it a push feed. That, and stamped checkering replaced cut checkering. All parts were still machined, however - they never did resort to stampings.

I don't believe the '94 action changed in the least. It did change much later, with the addition of that hideous button safety, however. I believe that was in the '80's or '90's, though. Most '94's are not checkered, so they were, for the most part, spared that insult.

That said, pre-'64 '94's are, indeed, more valuable. Just general fit, finish, and attention to detail were far superior. Take your 1949 issue '94 and compare it to any of them made post '64, and it's hard to believe the same company made both. Just no comparison. Hang on to that thing - you have a real keeper.

When I wuz a youngin'....I had hairy palms from shootin' my .30-30....at least the Winchesters make that harder unlike the Marlins. Now someone else has hairy palms tho' :D....

No scopes allowed!

I had been told the transition from machined to stamping was the difference, pre '64 vs post '64.

If that is not it, Jeff, what significant change did the factory make that "cliffed" the value in '64?

The one in my possession came from an older military fellow who had it a long time and took good care of it. the patina is very nice and besides the classic "carry" wear, it is otherwise near perfect.

I bought it because it is a keepsake......... perhaps I have but 20 or 30 rounds through it in 10+ years........

Some day I will have to pass it on, just as did the fellow I acquired it from. I wonder what it is worth..........

I think that as far as the Model 94 was concerned, it was more perception than anything else that affected it in 1964. The Model 70 was the rifle that they cheapened so significantly that caused such a big stir. I think the 94's just got caught up in the backlash against Winchester. They really didn't change anything about its design or materials; about the only thing noticeable is the decline in "craftsmanship" - the care and attention given it during assembly.

fascinating.

Thanks Jeff........

I learned something today.

yeah "the rifle that won the West" was The Henry repeating rifle..