Winchester Centennial '66 scout rifle?

[Phillyfan]

So I read this article by Chuck hawks (Rifle Review: Winchester Centennial '66 (Win. '66)) that talks about shooting the Centennial '66. He bought one back in the 1960's and mounted a scope with extended eye relief forward of the receiver. He thought the 26" barrel would add to the accuracy of the rifle and it worked. The article says that he was getting consistent 1.5" groups out of it at 100 yards using flat point bullets.

So, of course, I started to think. What could that set-up do with todays optics and the pointed Leverevolution ammo? I have a '66, unfired NIB (like most of them), and thought this might be a really cool deer rifle.

Am I crazy, or do you guys think this would work pretty well?

If I did it, what would be the best scope to use?

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[samuelm16]

you are crazy i would keep it unfired and in the box

 

[Phillyfan]

I guess I should mention for those who don't know that the Centennial '66 was a commemerative Winchester Model 94 30-30 with a 26 inch long octagonal barrel.

 

[Phillyfan]

you are crazy i would keep it unfired and in the box

Well the thing is that they made like 100,000 of these, and almost all of them were kept in this condition. So I don't see it appreciating in value that much over time. Most seem to put the value at around $600, and the market for commemoratives isn't great. Why not shoot the thing and enjoy it?

 

[samuelm16]

yeah i dont know anything about them just saw the year and nib and winchester part haha who knows what 5 or 10 years can do to the value though? why not just beat the brush with a marlin 336

Well the thing is that they made like 100,000 of these, and almost all of them were kept in this condition. So I don't see it appreciating in value that much over time. Most seem to put the value at around $600, and the market for commemoratives isn't great. Why not shoot the thing and enjoy it?

 

[jbett98]

Is this rifle drilled and tapped for a scope?
My 1936 "94" was, and I mounted a free Simmons scope on it. It shoots pretty well considering it's an offset mount. Takes a little getting use to.

 

[Phillyfan]

Something about a sub-moa lever action model 94 different than anything anyone else has just draws my imagination. It would definately be the coolest gun in camp! Of course you would have some people shaking their heads with disbelief that you dared do that to a model 94, but that would be part of the fun. The hard part would be finding a way to mount a scope on an octagonal barrel. I think the top is flat so maybe I could mount a rail on it.

The receiver plated with 24 carat gold might be a problem for hunting. I could see that reflecting a lot of light.

 

[Phillyfan]

Is this rifle drilled and tapped for a scope?
My 1936 "94" was, and I mounted a free Simmons scope on it. It shoots pretty well considering it's an offset mount. Takes a little getting use to.

Not drilled and tapped, and I don't think I could bring myself to deface the receiver on this gun, too pretty. How does your rifle shoot the leverevolution ammo, or have you tried it?

 

[Mark W.]

They made 102,666 of the Winchester 66 Centennial. And yes about 2/3's of them have been kept unfired wrapped up in the plastic. They sold new in 1966 for $125.00 (My dad bought one I was standing right next to him when he did it) Today in the box unfired with NO played with dings or marks. The will fetch about 600-650.00

Thats a whopping 520% in 46 years

A new Winchester Model 94 Sporter with the 24" barrel sells for $1153.00 on line at BUD GUNS.

SO the idea that a 66 Centennial is going to increase in value buy sitting in that cardboard box another 10 years is silly. Sure it will go up in cost a bit. But its value isn't there are fewer and fewer people interested in this tye of premade collectable rifle all the time.

I have been looking for a shooter version of one of these for a couple years and one of these days money in hand and finding one will happen at the same time. And I'll have me one to shoot.

By the way when my dad passed his second wife decided she wanted the Centennial cause she knew it would be worth a lot of money one day. That was 9 years ago the value of the rifle hasn't changed 50 bucks in that time.

 

[Member 18201]

They made 102,666 of the Winchester 66 Centennial. And yes about 2/3's of them have been kept unfired wrapped up in the plastic. They sold new in 1966 for $125.00 (My dad bought one I was standing right next to him when he did it) Today in the box unfired with NO played with dings or marks. The will fetch about 600-650.00

Thats a whopping 520% in 46 years

A new Winchester Model 94 Sporter with the 24" barrel sells for $1153.00 on line at BUD GUNS.

SO the idea that a 66 Centennial is going to increase in value buy sitting in that cardboard box another 10 years is silly. Sure it will go up in cost a bit. But its value isn't there are fewer and fewer people interested in this tye of premade collectable rifle all the time.

I have been looking for a shooter version of one of these for a couple years and one of these days money in hand and finding one will happen at the same time. And I'll have me one to shoot.

By the way when my dad passed his second wife decided she wanted the Centennial cause she knew it would be worth a lot of money one day. That was 9 years ago the value of the rifle hasn't changed 50 bucks in that time.

If the rifle was worth $ 1,000 today, that is still less than a 5% annual return.

Do what you like with the rifle !

I think they were made to be shot, and enjoyed.
$.02

 

[Phillyfan]

So am I the only one who thinks this could be a really nice shooter?

 

[Phillyfan]

I have a 1969 Teddy Roosevelt model 94 that has a 26" barrel as well, but a smaller magazine. Should I do it to this one instead?

 

[Phillyfan]

Somebody did it! A user named lllyman contacted me a few weeks ago asking if I had ever moved forward on this project. I told him I had not.

Today he sent me pics of his rifle, 8 years after this discussion was posted! Coolest part about it is that he didn't drill and tap it to mount the scope. The rail fits into the rear sight dovetail. He said the trick was getting the scope far enough forward so that the ejected casings didn't hit it.

I think it looks awesome and can't wait to hear how the combination of Levevolution ammo, a 26" octagonal barrel, and a scouting scope work out.

 

[The Heretic]

I had a few Winchester lever action commemoratives over time - most are just roll marked "engraving" in a cardboard box with some fancy printing on it (I still have some of the boxes if anybody needs them). Some of the nicer ones are a little better. Most are nothing to write home about.

I sold the rifles because I didn't care for the modern '94 actions and I wanted a Marlin 336 carbine. I've got a 336 youth model with a scout scope mount, a stainless short barreled '95 in .45-70 with a carbine barrel, scout scope mount, and a loop lever (IIRC) and a carbine Rossi 92 in .44 mag. I also have a takedown lightweight SS BLR in .308 All of these will make good Scout rifles and the BLR would maybe be the best of them all IMO.

My only gripe is that the conventional lever actions (not the BLR) are not octagon barrels, but it is very hard to find a lever action with a 16-18" octagon barrel, and I do not want anything longer than that. I grew up lugging around a '94 with a 26" octagon barrel. That rifle has been used by 3 generations of my family (I am the third) and while it took elk, deer, bear and assorted other animals, it was heavy and long and therefore not a great brush rifle. While I love octagon barrels on lever actions, I like them short and handy, and yes, with a pistol scope mounted forward on the barrel.

 

[Mark W.]

I went a different route adding a Williams Receiver mounted Peep a convertable front sight and a level to mine. I like to run 125gr Sierra FP HP as fast as I can get them moving.