Questions On My New '94

[RedneckRampage]

A friend called me and said her dad was having money trouble, so he's selling guns. I asked here to send me a list with prices. After getting a list, a "Pre 64 Winchester 30-30" and a "Wimchester '94 .44mag" caught my eye.

I went out to his house and met him.

First he showed me the .44. It's newer, but looks brand new, has the cross bolt safety blocked off/removed, and has the cool saddle ring. I paid him $350 for it!

Second was the one I really wanted to see, the .30-30. He told me it was made in 1919, my research shows 1909, it is in amazing condition! I'm not a collector, so the fact that it has been rebarreled doesn't bother me. The barrel has no stamps other than "30-30" on it. Anybody have any info? Serial number is 4848xx.

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[Joe13]

Nice score

I don't know a thing about it though unfortunately.

 

[filsonhand]

Hey redneck are you trying to find out who made the barrel since it's rebarreled ??

Sweet guns around that era I have a model 70 made within a few years or your 94. My great grandfather had it rechambered to 300 weatherby from 300 h&h the value dropped but the gun is so sweet

 

[Doc In UPlace]

Always wanted one of those, I guess I still do. My brother has several, down at his ranch in Yreka.
He wants my Colt 6920. I guess we're even.

Anyway you should buy some Powerball tickets tomorrow; you're on a roll, looks like.

 

[RedneckRampage]

Thanks guys. I would like to know about the barrel, how much it's worth (not for sale right now), and how much the new barrel dropped the value.

It's crazy how good of shape it's in for being over 100 years old!

 

[erudne]

Sadly, the value is nil, but as I'm such a nice guy, I'll take it off your hands for a reasonable sum
Just a guess on my part but it might have originally been a 38-55 and the bore corroded due to BP loads hence the re-barrel
A serious collector would not hesitate to screw a correct barrel into the gun so I would check what a 'correct' version sells for online then just deduct the cost of returning it to original condition.
As it sits it looks like a great deer rifle!

 

[orygun]

I'm gonna be a bit wrong, so hopefully someone with better Winchester 94 knowledge will correct me...

This gun has a rifle forend. (No mid barrel band, like a carbine would) It's a fairly short barrel, with a matching magazine tube, just like a carbine.

Looks to me like someone took a rifle and changed (or chopped) the mag and barrel to mimic a carbine without changing the forend. I'd guess it was done in the 60's or 70's, because it otherwise would say 30 WCF.

Still, very cool gun. If it were me, I'd change the forend to a carbine and add the mid band. Then I'd take it for a walk! (go hunting)

 

[erudne]

I'm gonna be a bit wrong, so hopefully someone with better Winchester 94 knowledge will correct me...

This gun has a rifle forend. (No mid barrel band, like a carbine would) It's a fairly short barrel, with a matching magazine tube, just like a carbine.

Looks to me like someone took a rifle and changed (or chopped) the mag and barrel to mimic a carbine without changing the forend. I'd guess it was done in the 60's or 70's, because it otherwise would say 30 WCF.

Still, very cool gun. If it were me, I'd change the forend to a carbine and add the mid band. Then I'd take it for a walk! (go hunting)

I agree about the stock/barrel but it in no way detracts from the piece, I think the rifle fore-end gives it a unique look

 

[orygun]

I agree about the stock/barrel but it in no way detracts from the piece, I think the rifle fore-end gives it a unique look

Everyone has their own opinion about what looks good, and that's way ok with me! Geez, some people just love AMC Pacers!
I do like the cap on the rifle forend, but I think the length of the forend is "wrong" for the barrel length. It wouldn't be hard to convince me to just shorten the forend and reuse the cap. That's a pretty cool piece all by itself. And, if you look closely it seems as if the forend wood has a missing piece up front. This mod would hide part of that.

Still, I jealous of the find. Wish it could have been me.

 

[RedneckRampage]

I agree that the parts are sorta mismatched, but I do like how it is set up. I'm not a collector, so it doesn't bother me that it's "wrong". I didn't know that it was a rifle forend, just new it was different. It is missing a piece of the forend, but it's been sanded and refinished. I plan to hunt with it if I ever need a brush gun (I hunt out east).

 

[erudne]

wait,,,what was that about my beloved Pacer?
The 1909 fore end is worth money,. serious money don't touch it!
Uberti made a special run of 78 carbines with the rifle fore end due to their popularity
Also the 'proper' way to operate the lever when shooting is with the off hand extended far out front to increase the geometric stability of the rifle when firing to keep the sights on the target.
I'll take a wild guess and say that the barrel is a Numrich arms replacement, though it could have been a custom job from a barrel blank there were lots of surplus 30 cal MG barrels in the 1960's as well

 

[RedneckRampage]

The barrel has a "different" type of crown than other lever guns I've seen or had.

 

[RedneckRampage]

And don't worry, I won't be making any modifications to the rifle, except maybe a sling.

 

[erudne]

If the rifle does not shoot consistently (into a regular group) it might be due to that crown. But if it shoots into Minute of Milkjug @100 I would say your GTG on deer!
Brownells sells a hand powered re-crown tool for the DIYS, it costs less than a gunsmith's work.
PS
do NOT drill a hole into that stock!
back out the butt screw and put in a thin piece of leather/plastic to tie your sling to put a tight loop around the barrel for the other end!

 

[orygun]

do NOT drill a hole into that stock!
back out the butt screw and put in a thin piece of leather/plastic to tie your sling to put a tight loop around the barrel for the other end!

I'd not drill it either, but I'd not put a sling on it.
But that's a nice idea. You could use erudne's idea and a "barrel band" on the mag tube without doing any work to the wood.

 

[mjbskwim]

Good job on the 44mag,that's a $700+ gun all day long before noon,at shows up here.So all morning long I guess.

 

[RedneckRampage]

I'll take your guys' advice and not drill it for a sling. I don't want to mess with the butt plate either, seems like every time I do, the screws become loose.

I know these .44s go for a lot, that's why I bought it even though I don't care for that new of a lever gun. Sure looks good in the gun cabinet though, and will be a great trail gun.

 

[OFADAN]

If you want a more traditional pre-Uncle Mikes sling swivel studs on your carbine then you can do what the old timers did like on my rifle. Look at my pictures and commentary on post #2. A no drill traditional alternative to consider.

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/sling-for-flintlock.146680/#post-945656

 

[orygun]

Dan,
That's a great idea! Both benefits of a sling and no screws.
Very nice

 

[madmax]

Pffff! Mod it how ever you want, and enjoy it!