Any Idea what this is worth? winchester model 94 30-30

[lambene]

My father has this gun, given to him from his father. He just spent a pretty penny having it fully restored (I think $1200) he is wondering how much it is worth and what amount he should have it insured for. Any constructive comments would be helpful. The serial number is 453396

Manufactured Date 1908

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[lambene]

I can take other pictures if needed.

 

[tac]

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but as I live around five thousand miles away I guess I can take the flak, but the money spent on having it 'restored' has made it into just another Winchester Model 94 like any other Winchester Model 94. As far as you are concerned, with family connections like that, it's priceless, but Mr Blue Book just doesn't see it that way now it has been prettied up and lost all its mana.

You'll never see that $1200 again.

tac

 

[CHLChris]

First, you need to know the year of manufacture. If it was pre-'64, you screwed up big time, hurting its collector value by quite a bit. If it is post-'64, it was never worth much anyway. Assuming post-'64, I bet you could get $600-700.

The markings sure make it look before the modern era, though I am no expert by any means. It is a beautiful rifle, but the $1200 actually took its value DOWN, not up. I'm betting it would still be in that $600-800 range, but only to someone who knows it is no longer a collector's item, just a really cool-looking rifle to pull out now and then.

Again, I'm no expert and don't know a lot of values. I just know that a non-collector's Win 94 30-30 seems to have almost no value these days for some reason.

 

[The Heretic]

I grew up with a rifle like this.



My grandfather bought it from a Trask native American for something like $5 and a bottle of liquor - or so the family story goes.

It will never be sold. Three generations have taken deer, bear and elk with that rifle - mostly by my grandfather who was a jack of all trades and outdoorsman of the old school.

My older brother has it now but it will pass on to me as apparently none of his kids want it?

Ours is not restored.

The comment about value after restoration is somewhat correct; most of these rifles are better left unrestored if you want to sell it. Value can range from under $1K to $3K for older full length 94s made 60+ years ago, depending on when they were made, the specifics of the rifle and so on. First thing is to find out when it was made and go from there - to do that you need to share the serial # range with someone who can look up the year for you (I don't have that info - I know ours is at least 70 to over 100 years old).

You might get that $1200 back out of it even though it is restored, but given the history of it and the fact that it is restored I would just keep it, my family plans on keeping ours.

 

[The Heretic]

Does it say .30-WCF on it? Or .30-30 Winchester? I could not make it out from the pics. If it says .30-WCF then it is probably and older rifle.

Wait - it does say .30-WCF. So it is probably pre-64 and maybe quite old.

 

[CHLChris]

And if you keep it in the family, value doesn't matter.

 

[The Heretic]

And if you keep it in the family, value doesn't matter.

For the most part yes. It depends on the history and the family and the firearm. I sold some of my dad's firearms, but we kept some of the ones that have at least a bit of history - especially that .30-30.

 

[STUKA]

He spent $1200 to make a $1200 gun into a $600 gun,IMO.
It does say .30 WCF,which makes it early production.."octagon" barrel no less.
Shame.

 

[The Heretic]

He spent $1200 to make a $1200 gun into a $600 gun,IMO.
It does say .30 WCF,which makes it early production.."octagon" barrel no less.
Shame.

A lot of the early full length rifles were octagon barrels - mine is. I strongly prefer short barrels (having lugged that heavy long rifle all over the place), but I love octagon barrels on a lever action after growing up with one. To me a lever action really needs to have an octagon barrel - to the point that I have considered having some of my lever actions re-barreled. It is so hard to find a short barrel lever action with an octagon barrel.

 

[Xaevian]

Take it to a certified appraiser, especially for insurance purposes. You will only get opinion online, and some of those opinions, though popularly held online, may be wildly inaccurate, especially when based on just a few pictures and little info...

This is not directed at a particular post in this thread, FYI.

Edited to throttle autocorrected incorrectness. Lol.

 

[Medic!]

Pre WWII buy the tang markings.

 

[lambene]

Updated with the serial number #453396. Not really wanting to sell it just wanted to know how much he should insurance the gun for

Manufactured Date 1908

 

[The Heretic]

Winchester Model 94, winchester model 94 values, Winchester 1894, winchester model 94 prices, model 94 rifle, winchester lever action, 30-30 lever action

Updated with the serial number #453396. Not really wanting to sell it just wanted to know how much he should insurance the gun for

Manufactured Date 1910

 

[tac]

Make it an even thousand dollars.

tac

 

[Medic!]

To someone. I think $1000 is right.

And that stock damage should have been an easy fix.
Did you ask to keep it?

 

[3MTA3]

If that were my Grandfather's and Father's rifle before me it would be priceless and would be mine until I passed it on to the next generation. Get it appraised, and if your Dad wants to sell, were it me, I'd come up with the money if I had to sell my gold fillings to get it.

 

[lambene]

not wanting to sell, just insure.

If that were my Grandfather's and Father's rifle before me it would be priceless and would be mine until I passed it on to the next generation. Get it appraised, and if your Dad wants to sell, were it me, I'd come up with the money if I had to sell my gold fillings to get it.

Not selling just insuring but thank you.

 

[RVTECH]

It appears the loading tube is a couple inches short (unless that is an optical illusion). There were some variations of load tube length but the typical 26" Sporting Rifle this appears to be would have had the tube flush with the end of the barrel. Regardless the 26" Sporting Rifles were pretty high production (early carbines are the highly sought out models). The rifles however are still very desirable but unfortunately condition is everything and it starts with 'in original'. I bought # 124,XXX a couple years ago and the owner and I had it appraised by two collectors before making a deal and it was given a fair plus to a low 'good' condition. The thing both collectors liked was how tight and smooth the action was and the screws appear to have never been removed, or if they were the proper screwdriver was used as the heads and slots are sharp and proud. I got into mine for the total value (trade and cash) of $750. There has been a steady resurgence in the popularity of lever action rifles (especially 30-30) and you would no doubt find a buyer for it if you were wanting to sell but at no were near what you might have got if it were still in original condition.

 

[CHLChris]

With the idea in mind that this rifle is staying in the family, that $1200 was probably well-spent! Now that it looks great to every eye, it will be even more treasured.