Lever Action Gun Show shopping?

[Ringer]

Any tips for Lever Action gun show shopping? Not that I'm set on buying anyting this weekend, but am going to the show to browse around. I've been wanting a lever action in 30-30 and will have my eye open. I have recently seen some Win94's in the $200 range at a local shop. Anyting to look for in that price range.

I've heard a little about the pre-1964 Winchesters and am a little intrigued. What kind of price range would be expected and are they that much better than the new models?

Thanks!

 

[six 4 sure]

Are you planning on putting a scope on the gun? If so this is easier to do with the angle ejects. If not, I'd look for an older top eject. Look for something under a 4,000,000 sn to avoid the spring trigger (they suck). The pre-64's will be higher, and possibly more than you want to spend. That's the limit of my advice, hope it helped.

six

 

[Chipperman]

I have not been actively searching for another lever gun, but it seems to me that the average gun show prices on levers are actually HIGHER than store prices.

Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[Ringer]

My experience with gun shows here recently has been like that, prices equal or higher to what I could already find locally. I do see a few decent deals, of course never on anything I'm interested in at the time. Mainly I go because you can see and handle alot of different models at one time for comparison. Hopefully one of these days I'll stumble onto something.

As far as the scope, not really sure but it's a possiblility. I'll keep that in mind while shopping.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Well if that 30-30 has the word "Cowboy" anywhere near it, expect to pay $100 more.

This is true of Marlins as well.

 

[Ringer]

Are there features/qualities that come with the word, meaning it is worth the extra $100? Or are you saying the "Cowboy" designation just jacks the cost up?

 

[4v50 Gary]

Stay away from post '64 to about '90. The metallurgy sucked and once the blue wore off, a trip to the bluing tank gave you a purple gun. Turns out that those guns had to be plated before they could even take a blue. The later guns are better, but I'm not sure what year Winchester changed the metallurgy.

 

[Ringer]

A friend showed up Saturday morning and says "Want to go shooting this afternoon?"

I could only fit one "gun outing" into my weekend schedule so was faced with a decision. Go look at guns or go shoot guns. Thought long and hard (about 5 seconds) about it. Oh well the gun show is back in two weeks

 

[Dr.Rob]

Cowboy models may have octagon barrels (a nice feature but I'm not sure it's worth the extra 100).

And its just a preference but I'd pick a Marlin 336 over a Winchester, esp. if I was buying a used rifle.