Does this modification help or hurt value?

Hokkmike

Hokkmike

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Found a beautiful Model 94 in .30-30 dated 1953 at Brownstone Trading Co. in Carrol county MD. It is perfect in all respects except that it has a Lyman peep sight installed with a red blade on the front in lieu of the normal buckhorn sights. In your opinion does this hurt, increase, or have negligible effect on the value of the gun?
 
If holes were added to put on the sight, yes, value reduced. Original front and rear can be replaced. On higher dollar guns, additional holes may represent -$50-100 each. I don’t know when the holes were made standard but my Win, Mar, Savages all have them.
 
Value is in the eye of the beholder.

And the dollar cost value is only what you can get out if it at any given time from any given person.

Collectors, as an aggregate organism composed of people who have, typically, set the terms by which particular items may be judged as "valuable". And it isn't always simply how much an item may be "original" or "like new". One-offs have a value all their own. Items that were owned by famous or historical people have a value all their own. And often, famous people modified their item and the fact that THIS person modified THAT item in THIS way contributes to it's value as a collector's item.

While your find may not be considered a "collector's item" by some, it still holds some value. It may also be increased in value if it were to be carefully "restored".

That said...if you like the item, you can use the fact that it's not all original to maybe haggle a bit on the price and end up with a mighty fine piece of history, Lyman sights or no.
 
Value of a shooter grade, which is what all 94's are unless they are in nearly 100% condition, would be minimally affected, since it's a somewhat desirable feature. The cost of the included sight would offset the loss in value to the firearm.
 
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These fellows all seem to think that a 53 M94 was drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. In fact, post #3 says a Lyman receiver sight could have been a factory option, and he's a high ranking official of the Winchester Collectors Assn.

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Contemporary installation of the sight is likely a very little influence, and at worst would be a net wash. If it's a factory up-mod option, it's likely a value-adder. Overall, there have been SO many of them with contemporary sight replacements, and SO many of the collectors out there who buy fired condition models would want that sight upgrade, I don't think you should expect a depression of market value, but would have a strong argument (as long as it's not a factory upmod) that it should be a net zero influence - a value-add for the upgrade but value-deduct for the modification. Trading nickels.
 
If it were a pre WW-2 rifle unfired with the box and papers it would have an effect on value. That rifle is shooter. Some people might pass on its others might pay a bit more if that is what they wanted. Either way I don't see this making much difference
 
Mods are what I look for in Guns! All that FREE STUFF. But my buy pitch is… Modifications don’t add to the value, So I’ll give you market price
 
I am in the camp that as long as the rifle is not altered with additional holes and screws and if the original parts were retained or could be gotten to restore the rifle then the value would not be affected.

Or if the parts are of high quality, professional and factory in appearance and of a common nature to the rifle then it might not be a negative.

Or if the mods were offered by the factory. A current example is that Marlin offers at least one version of the 336/1895 with Skinner Sights and Remington offered a version of the 1895 with the genuine Lever Rail and current Marlin offers a similar rail and I think Henry does similar things. If Winchester offered these or very similar sights then I do not think the value affected much.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
Items that were owned by famous or historical people have a value all their own.
Click to expand...
Or guns that were involved in an historical event.

In the Rock Island Arsenal Museum we have a trapdoor carbine that has been authenticated as having been recovered from the Little Bighorn battlefield. It was an Indian weapon that was doubtless discarded for a better weapon.

It looks like it was dragged behind a truck on a gravel road...and then attacked by a three angry beavers and a colony of termites. It would be graded NRA "poor." It is by far the ugliest gun we have on display.

And it Would rival our un-altered and never fired1903 serial # 1 as the most valuable gun in the room...simply because of where it was found.

I'll post a pic tomorrow.
 
Thanks for all your replies. The gun is in renaarkable condition. Two independent searches on the serial number both agreed on a manufacturing date of 1953. The seller, when asked about the superlative condition, replied that it was a safe queen. I tried to determine if thr stock had been redone but I am not savvy enough to tell. The blue on thr metal is 99% which leads me to believe the seller.
 
Anyway you slice it she is a 53 and a shooter. Value is in the eye of the beholder on this one. Model 94s are a dime a dozen and have been in production for over 100 years...
 
All true. As long as the sights were knocked out and installed from the proper direction. People can and do open up dovetails and that chaps my hide.
Like buying a motorcycle with carb screws ever so slightly buggered. WHAT have they done.
 
I wonder what would happen if you contacted the Winchester Collectors and tried to get a history of that rifle based on the serial #. I'd think if the Lyman was original to that rifle from the factory it would add to the value, especially if you could prove the provenance. If that can't be done, then a Lyman correct for the early 50's would be totally legit no matter who put it on.

Either way, an aperture rear sight is a superior sighting system and you're better off if you plan to shoot it.
 
WIthout a look at its condition, and with the sight modifications, it's a shooter in my book....and a far better one, again IMHO, with those sight modifications. A peep in conjunction with a good front sight post or flat bead, will shrink your groups by a considerable amount.

With my Marlins and a cpl of M94's, the peep/flat bead front, reduces my groups by 50% at 100 yds...were I looking for a pre-64 Winchester 94, I'd snap that one up if the price was suitable. Regards, Rod
 
Rodfac said:
WIthout a look at its condition, and with the sight modifications, it's a shooter in my book....and a far better one, again IMHO, with those sight modifications. A peep in conjunction with a good front sight post or flat bead, will shrink your groups by a considerable amount.

With my Marlins and a cpl of M94's, the peep/flat bead front, reduces my groups by 50% at 100 yds...were I looking for a pre-64 Winchester 94, I'd snap that one up if the price was suitable. Regards, Rod
Click to expand...
Thank you. My intention was always that my “older” 94 would be s shooter.
 
Don't know if this helps, a page from Winchester Collectors about factory drill/tap receiver sight holes. Post #3 seems to indicate they were factory starting in 1952. I have a 94, that serial # dates to 1951, and does not have the holes.

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More from Castboolits

'94 Winchester receiver sight mounting hole locations

Hi there; I have a 1906 vintage Winchester 1894 in 38-55 - manufactured before they started drilling / tapping them for receiver sights. I have a Williams receiver sight I'd like to mount (in the factory correct location). Does anyone have or know of drawings that would show the exact location...
castboolits.gunloads.com
 
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Tell you, there are those who buy firearms to look at, and there are those who buy firearms to shoot.

I hate buckhorn rear sights and have removed them from the two Marlin lever actions I own. One, a 30-30 Winchester, I scoped. The other, a 44 Magnum, I installed a Williams rear peep sight. A sight like this, I would consider that desirable on a vintage rifle.

8lal3Wl.jpeg
 
I have a 1947 carbine in 32 Special and it wasn't drilled for the side mounted receiver sights. Kinda wish it was cause my eyesight has gotten so bad and a peep sight would be a big help. As mentioned above, it was "feature" starting in the 50's.
 
Another bit suggestive that 1952 and later were drilled for receiver sight.

Receiver Peep Sight - 5D Series - by Williams Gun Sight Company

Receiver Peep Sight - 5D Series - by Williams Gun Sight Company - This Williams Gun Sight Company manufactured 5D Series receiver peep sight is made to attach to the left side of the receiver on the Winchester pre-64 model 94 top eject lever action rifle
cfnparts.com cfnparts.com
 
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