What would you do? Winchester 1894 RCMP

[RVTECH]

My personal observation of the commemorative Winnies is that they are clacky, sloppy, and just not very well built.

Some are some aren't. Kind of like a 'built on Monday or Friday' kind of thing.

Both of mine are pretty decent however the '66 100 year did not cycle properly and would kick loaded ammo out upon cycling. Also the finger lever did not close level with the tang and would not release the trigger safety without squeezing it fairly tightly.

I examined it and compared it to my 'working' '68 BB and discovered the carrier was not operating properly and seemed out of time.

Well, long story short I took it apart and discovered it was pretty 'rough' inside - along with the gold wash on the receiver had left 'flashing' on the edges and had never been trimmed off.

I carefully cleaned up the receiver and discovered the carrier spring was very rough at the point were it made contact with the carrier, so I took the spring out of my '68 BB and put it in the '66 and it cycled perfectly. I also had to 'adjust' the finger lever to properly align with the tang to reach the safety properly when closed.

I took the rough spring and carefully stoned the curvature spot where it makes contact with the carrier smooth and rounded like it should be, put it in the '68 BB and it cycled just fine as well.

It's just a guess but it's possible the Commemoratives may have not gotten any post build adjustments or tuning as it was probably surmised very few were ever going to be shot so maybe they were given a test fire, wrapped up and boxed for delivery.

I remember my '68 BB being a bit rough when I got it as well. I was told it had been fired twice as I was given a 1967 box of ammo that had two rounds missing when I bought it. I eventually took it apart and found it to be a bit rough inside as well, and gave everything a 'smoothing up' and now it works very well.

 

[Mark W.]

I stood next to my dad in 1966 when he picked up the 66 centennial rifle he ordered through a friend's sporting goods store here in Silverton. Dad never even opened the action for maybe 30 years. He took it out of the plastic bag maybe 2 or 3 times to show it off. He paid under $125 for it new. When he died in 2002 I looked up perfect condition examples were selling for on gun broker. The best I saw at the time was around $600. That amount has risen since then. Sadly dads second wife saw $$$$ when she looked at that rifle so none of us 3 boys got to inherit it. And now its gone she's dead and no clue where its at.

I bought a 1968 Buffalo Bill commemorative Rifle I think I paid $500 for it i doubt it had 2 boxes of factory through it. No box paper work etc. I put $200 worth of Williams and Montana arms sights on it and its very accurate. I enjoy shooting it as a two shot with Nosler 125gr Ballistic tip handloads one in the chamber one in the tube. Its a very nice looking rifle that shoots very well so thats its value to me.

 

[DunRanull]

Sorry about your Dad's rifle.. I think there's a special place in hell for people like that...

 

[Spitpatch]

I stood next to my dad in 1966 when he picked up the 66 centennial rifle he ordered through a friend's sporting goods store here in Silverton. Dad never even opened the action for maybe 30 years. He took it out of the plastic bag maybe 2 or 3 times to show it off. He paid under $125 for it new. When he died in 2002 I looked up perfect condition examples were selling for on gun broker. The best I saw at the time was around $600. That amount has risen since then. Sadly dads second wife saw $$$$ when she looked at that rifle so none of us 3 boys got to inherit it. And now its gone she's dead and no clue where its at.

I bought a 1968 Buffalo Bill commemorative Rifle I think I paid $500 for it i doubt it had 2 boxes of factory through it. No box paper work etc. I put $200 worth of Williams and Montana arms sights on it and its very accurate. I enjoy shooting it as a two shot with Nosler 125gr Ballistic tip handloads one in the chamber one in the tube. Its a very nice looking rifle that shoots very well so thats its value to me.

View attachment 1372206

...and that's how ya do THAT.

 

[Mark W.]

Sorry about your Dad's rifle.. I think there's a special place in hell for people like that...

She was a grade school teacher so I am sure she has her place LOL. I've talked to people who had her and they told me to think about the Pink Floyd song Another Brick in the Wall part II You know "we don't need no education" She ended up with about half dads collection pretty sure they went to her kids. But what ya gonna do?

 

[nehalemguy]

The full-stock design on the RCMP Commemoratives is reminiscent of the Winchester 1876 Musket: designed for military use, and the barrel protected in combat by that long stock.

For those who might believe the design is less than "cool" looking, I would gently refer them to Tom Selleck's choice of guns in Crossfire Trail.

I was referring more to the gaudy gold plate and Victorian crown on the stock.

-E-

 

[orygun]

For those who might believe the design is less than "cool" looking, I would gently refer them to Tom Selleck's choice of guns in Crossfire Trail.

My wife is watching that in the other room right now.

 

[Spitpatch]

My wife is watching that in the other room right now.

Aw, Geez!

 

[Spitpatch]

All ya need to rescue good-lookin' widows from the clutches of Mark Harmon.

 

[old greg]

Wow guys, this is all great information. Wish i could reply to you all but that maybe another page just for my post!

Ill get some photos up, we are currently moving so its stashed deep behind a bunch of boxes i need to unpack so it maybe a couple days.

For more info and a kinda general "reply all", the gun was inherited from someone who does not hold a special place in my partners heart. Shoot the bore out of it, let it rust in the basement, chuck it in a dumpster i dont think my partner cares either way but we only still have it because of me and my interest in it. Now for my crazy part, i just want to shoot it. Always have. I dont believe in garage queen cars or safe queen guns, but ive not shot this one because i dont know how bad the value would change. Heres the other part, I regret every gun ive ever sold and my partner knows, understands, and respects that mindset so I doubt this shiny winchester would ever be sold. But I refuse to own a new car cause i dont want to put the first scratch in it, which is why i havent shot this yet. "Too rich for my blood" unless i rip the bandaid off and shoot a few boxes through it and damn the resell that's irrelevant to me anyways.

 

[old greg]

And yes its gaudy, like golden toilet gaudy. But its the only lever gun i own so thats kinda neat.

Also, someone mentioned anecdotally how the commemorative rifles feel less refined like they didnt get that last round of fitting. Having cycled the actions a couple times over the years id concur with that, i always expected these things to cycle like a "hand of god" sorta thing but this feels crunchier than a nagant. Ya dont need to boot the breech open but still, not as satisfying as a new Henry 22lr or well worn non commemorative winchester (my lever gun experience is limited)

 

[Mikej]

Wow guys, this is all great information. Wish i could reply to you all but that maybe another page just for my post!

Ill get some photos up, we are currently moving so its stashed deep behind a bunch of boxes i need to unpack so it maybe a couple days.

For more info and a kinda general "reply all", the gun was inherited from someone who does not hold a special place in my partners heart. Shoot the bore out of it, let it rust in the basement, chuck it in a dumpster i dont think my partner cares either way but we only still have it because of me and my interest in it. Now for my crazy part, i just want to shoot it. Always have. I dont believe in garage queen cars or safe queen guns, but ive not shot this one because i dont know how bad the value would change. Heres the other part, I regret every gun ive ever sold and my partner knows, understands, and respects that mindset so I doubt this shiny winchester would ever be sold. But I refuse to own a new car cause i dont want to put the first scratch in it, which is why i havent shot this yet. "Too rich for my blood" unless i rip the bandaid off and shoot a few boxes through it and damn the resell that's irrelevant to me anyways.

I totally respect those that believe in leaving a gun un-shot. But man, I'm thinking like you. I'd be more of the mind, if it were really worth anything large, sell it for the profit and buy TWO guns I could shoot! But then I'm no youngster, so I get my pleasure from shooting the gun that was in someone's hands, a month after WWII started, for instance.

 

[Jay Walk]

I would keep it.
I can't imagine selling a 50 year old pristine family gun.

I would also shoot it, lowering the value means nothing because I will die before selling any of my family guns.

Buddy and I shot his inherited 6" smith 357. Washington state patrol engraved, unfired, commemorative, fifty year old piece. It's a gun. We did put it back in the fancy wooden box however.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

What would I do with it...?
Sell it or trade for a firearm that I am actually interested in.

However it ain't mine...
So a better question would be....
What you ( as in you the OP ) want to do with it....?
It is your firearm now.
Doesn't really matter just what someone else would do with it.

Something to consider here :
It can be good and fun to own things....however it it wise to not let the things that we own , own us.
As in ....
Having a firearm and not getting enjoyment or use of it , for worry that by doing so , it will somehow make the firearm less valuable for whatever reason.
Andy

 

[Jay Walk]

I bet the guy with 300 magazines would sell it for more magazines.

We all are so different as to what firearms mean to us.

 

[Mikej]

It can be good and fun to own things....however it it wise to not let the things that we own , own us.

Words to live by Andy!

 

[orygun]

I've owned some safe queens, but I've shot every single one of them. The only one that I know for sure hadn't been shot was the Blackhawk SRM in 357 Max. I couldn't wait to shoot that gun! It came with ammo and Saturday morning I pulled the trigger. Later I had the top strap drilled and mounted a scope on it. I had it for quite a while and had a good time with it. When I sold it, I didn't lose a dime.
Would I do it again? Hell yes, I would! Well, I'd probably not scope it, but I'd shoot it.

Guess what I'd do with that Winchester.

 

[Spitpatch]

I had a rifle new in the box that I intended to shoot, then acquired a better rifle for the job. (Browning B78 45-70). I think it is the only rifle I've ever owned and deliberately did not shoot. It did increase in value while dormant, and I sold it to a friend with a caveat:

I got to shoot it first.

 

[orygun]

I had a rifle new in the box that I intended to shoot, then acquired a better rifle for the job. (Browning B78 45-70). I think it is the only rifle I've ever owned and deliberately did not shoot. It did increase in value while dormant, and I sold it to a friend with a caveat:

I got to shoot it first.

And I drool all over just thinking about that gun. Coulda, shoulda, woulda....

 

[Spitpatch]

It's in Alaska. Dormant again, I believe.