Cut up a PERFECT Win 94???

[AKElroy]

I picked up a used deer feeder today from a guy on craigslist. While loading up the new purchase, he asks if I need a rifle, explaining that the family ranch had sold.

He exits the house with a LNIB Win 94, recent manufacture .30-30. (ugly cross bolt safety)

Perfect wood, perfect blue, perfect bore. He claims to have fired just 5 rnds through it. $100.00. I thought he was joking, asked if he was serious, and forked over the cash.

At that price, I checked the gun on hotguns.com & it is clean, at least on that website. I already have a really nice 1974 built 94, so I am thinking of modding this new purchase into a 16.5" trapper / scout.

First, any issues just having the barrel cut & recrowned, mag shortend, sights re-intalled? Is this an expensive job? Is the twist rate different on a 20" vs. what I may need in a 16.5" barrel?

What kind of accuracy / velocity penalty am I looking at? I am also looking at a scout mount & Leupold EER 4x for this rig. Is my project stupid, or can I get this mod done without breaking the bank? Any pics for any that have done this??

 

[AKElroy]

Would also welcome any other advice to confirm this gun is legit; price was really low.

 

[higene]

Good Faith

If you bought the gun in good faith and have a bill of sale it is a clean deal where I live. I bought a post 64 for $69 brand new in 1976.

If you are set on chopping up a 94 a post 64 is the one to do. If you modify anything but the sights you will be lucky to get the original purchase price out of it.

I hated the cross bolt safety when they first came out. When I hunt with one I just don't use it in the field, But it is a good idea to put it on when you are running the rounds through the chamber to clear the gun like when you are going to move by rig to another hunting area. I have seen several people run two or three through the chamber and then for some reason (hypnosis - loss of focus) pull the trigger and have the gun go off.

I would work with the gun the way it is before I bobbed the barrel. You could probably get a good start on a trade for a shorter barreled gun if you figure the cost of having the barrel bobbed.

Good luck and be Safe.

Higene

 

[kwelz]

Sometimes you just get a good deal. I would not worry about that. I almost had a chance to pick up a GP100 the other day for under 200 bucks. It was legit as well.

As for cutting it up, do what you feel is best.

 

[kanook]

it shouldn't cost more than a couple hundred bucks. Add the hundred you spent and you spent 3 hundred on a custom 94 that when you try to sell will any get offered 3 hundredfor it. or sell the thing make a profit, add some more money and get a marlin that has the 16" barrel to start.

 

[Acera]

AKElroy wrote:

I checked the gun on hotguns.com

Make sure you add the "z" instead of the "s" on the end of gun if you want to go to the actual website.
http://hotgunz.com/

You also might want to check here:
http://www.stolenweapon.com/

 

[Malamute]

Barrels are often available for reasonable. Numrich has them sometimes for under $100. Gun shows may turn one up. I got an early carbine barrel for free once, becaue someone had installed a ramp front sight and drilled into the bore. Most gunsmiths charge a LOT for simple things like a cut down. Some don't. I paid $50 to have a barrel cut, recrowned, front sight resoldered (it was an early type carbine) and blued, and another $20 to get it installed on the gun.

No difference in rifling twist. 16" mag tubes can probably be had for less than the cost of having one cut down, but it's a simple job to cut it from the rear end to fit.

The short guns are handy as truck guns, but they are noticably louder.

 

[CZguy]

It shouldn't cost more than a couple hundred bucks. Add the hundred you spent and you spent 3 hundred on a custom 94 that when you try to sell will any get offered 3 hundredfor it. or sell the thing make a profit, add some more money and get a marlin that has the 16" barrel to start.

I think this is probably the best way to go. Plus one.

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

Sell it for a profit and buy a used trapper.

 

[MountainBear]

Make it into a fun project. You got it cheap, so make it yours. If every gun was left original, they wouldn't be worth what they are.

Scout rifles are entertaining. There are some parts of the project you'll need a gunsmith to accomplish, but parts of it you can do yourself. Thats the fun part.