How valuable is a pre-64 Winchester 94 ?

[gsxrken]

Was looking at a nice Winchester 94 in 30.30 built in 1959 and had a very nice feel to it. The bore looked mint but the action was a little notchy to me although I have no basis for comparison.
The bluing looked great but the stock and fore grip had some dents and scars, not terrible for a 55 year old gun but wouldn't ever be mistaken for new either.
Shop wanted $800 and I just don't know enough about them to make what felt like a blind purchase without more research.
Any ideas?

[azasadny]

Depends on condition, originality, "comnpleteness" and what the market will pay. I've seen these all over the map, depending upon these factors...

[John Rogers]

The price is relative to how bad you want it. If it has been used as you say but not abused then buy it. The bore is what is important although I have seen some that were scary and shot great! Did you look all the way down with a borescope, as the first few inches above the chamber can get pretty erroded.

[HHI944]

My 94 is a 59 as I recall....i think 800 would be about top end, at least around here.

[Seahawk]

So much depends on what you want it for. I bought my son a Marlin 336 because we were not looking for an investment, rather, a field gun we wouldn't obsess over.

Some comparisons: Marlin Model 336 and Winchester Model 94 compared

We shot it a bunch in the last few days, deer hunting early tomorrow (even though I have a pestilence permit).

Buy it, but please shoot it.

[id10t]

You wanna collect it or just shoot it?

[enzo1]

watch a gun episode on Pawn Stars and ..... offer 650 cash( , see what they do. Take pics. Have fun. If you don't get it, Oh well. But if you do, no buyers remorse. You can always go up.

[romad]

650 offer 300...... made millions of them

[Tobra]

My brother has a Winchester of about that vintage. Some sort of commemorative edition. Never been fired, stores it in the original box.

[gsxrken]

Thanks for the feedback and Paul thanks for the link. I'm not a collector but in general I do like to follow the "buy right, buy once" mantra.
This is a second deer rifle for some upsate NY property we have and my sons are coming of age. I handled the Marlins and the 94s, and for me it was the 94 hands-down, and this 94 in particular spoke to me. It was very hard to leave the store empty handed and my pal, who picked up a Single action Colt while we there, didn't make it any easier.
The owner wasn't there and the staff wouldn't budge. I left my phone number for the owner to call me.

[targa911S]

30-30 is the most common cal. so they don't bring as much. Condition is everything. Original original original. $800 is dreaming. $475 to $600 is tops in my book for a 30-30.

[GWN7]

Gunbroker shows 418 listings starting at $400

Firearms for Sale - Buy Firearms at GunBroker.com

[on2wheels52]

Gunbroker shows 418 listings starting at $400"

But only 23 pre-64's.

"$475 to $600 is tops in my book for a 30-30"

krikey, I've sold some for more than that
I'd get $350 for a for a pretty scruffy one (pre-64).
Pre-war ones (WW II) are higher, under a million serial# another jump.
A blue chip gun around here.
btw, I'm looking for another saddle ring carbine if anyone has one available.
Jim

[targa911S]

they made 7,500,000 + of them to date.Shop around.

[targa911S]

they are blue chip around here during hunting season as well. After season we buy them back for half price.

[Jeff Higgins]

$800 for a '59 Model '94 is insane. Twice what it is worth, easily. Another near crook trying to capitalize on the "they don't make 'em anymore" panic. Pretty tough to panic, though, in a sea of 7,500,000 of the damn things.

Oh, and there is a marked difference between various vintages of "pre '64" Winchesters. The ones made in the '50's show markedly inferior workmanship compared to pre-war examples. Another term folks like this try way too hard to capitalize on. They are not all created equal.

[targa911S]

Some of these have a "sintered iron" ( Sintering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) receivers. Then they are flash plated with steel so they will take a thin coat of bluing. Break through the steel as you would in the buffing process to reblue or normal wear and they will not take any type of bluing well. That is why you see some that have a purplish cast to them. They can be cold blued but that offers little protection. They come out all kinds of crazy colors, from a copper tone to the purple. Stay far away from any of those.