Winchester 1894

[BillL223]

My father-in-law gave me a Winchester 1894 in Win 32 Special. It is S.N. 1194XXX. He bought at a pawn shop during the Depression. The blueing on the receiver is 100%, there is minor wear on the lever and barrel band. The wood has very minor scratchs that I'm sure would disappear with refinishing. I have shot it and thought I could do better with peep sights with my aging eyes. I am much more a shooter then a collector, and am considering refinishing the stock, adding a Lyman 66-A sight and replacing the steel butt plate with a recoil pad. I know that there are thousands of these guns out there and doubt that it has a high collector value but I might hold up the mods if it really would impact the value. Can anybody give some advice? Thanks.

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

I'll bet someone on the Leverguns.com forum can help:
http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/

 

[Brian Williams]

If this thing is as good as you say keep it original, get a replacement butt stock from Boyd's or something to put the pad on, or get a lace on leather pad. It should be tapped already and the Lyman sight should screw right on.


KIO

Keep it Original

 

[Jim K]

That gun was made in 1939, so it must have been at the tail end of the depression when it was in that pawn shop.

Is it a rifle or a carbine? If it is a carbine, does it have a saddle ring?

Those pre-WWII 94's are getting quite pricey in nice condition, with a carbine in 90% going something over $1500, a rifle a shade less. So I definitely would find out the going price of the gun before mounting a sight and bringing the value way down.

Jim

 

[BillL223]

Thanks for the response. The gun is not drilled and tapped for another sight. The barrel, measured from the breech is about 20". Does this make it a rifle or carbine?

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

It is a carbine, the rifle has a 26" barrel.

And PLEASE don't refinish the wood. Although there have been over 7 million of the rifles built, the older ones definately are bringing good prices in original condition.

I have a 1894 built in 1906, 26" octagon barrel, 32 WS, with a "take up" trigger. I ought to post a picture of this trigger, as most collectors I show it to have never seen one like it.

 

[Brian Williams]

Are there two screws about 3/8 to 1/2 inch apart on the left side of the action about 1/3 of the way front of the hammer. If so then those are filler screws where the frame is drilled for a receiver sight.

 

[steveno]

leave as it is. while there are a lot on 94's out there , I would say there are a lot more 30-30's than 32 Specials.

 

[Tony Mig]

I'll ditto the "leave it original"....

Too old, and too nice to mess with. I'd shoot it, but I wouldn't change a thing.....

 

[Tony Mig]

Nathanael_Greene.....

I tried to register on "Leverguns.com" but every time I hit the "agree" button, it just keeps sending me back to the same policy screen. There's no usable e-mail address posted to request help, and it won't let me post without being registered.....

 

[vwfool]

I'd leave it the same and just take it out and shoot it every once in a while.After all, that is what it was made for.

A few of the guns I have my grandfather got when he was very young. I don't carry them or hunt with them; however, I do carefully take them out to the range every 2 or 3 years. They may only get 10 rounds shot through them but at least they get out of the safe, get some fresh air, and do what they designed to do.

Being a lever action nut, I think you got a terrific gift from your father-in-law.

 

[Shadowman]

Thanks for the heads up on the forum.

Tony,

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