Winchester model 94 REFINISH?

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

Keeperfaith

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
235
My buddy just acquired a Winchester model 94 in 30-30. The gun has been around and not taken care of very well, rust, patina, minor pitting on the metal. The stock is not cracked but scratched up to all hell, like it was chewed on or dragged across a parking lot.

My buddy wants to know if it would "de-value" the gun if it was to be refinished (via Cerakote). I researched the serial number and it appears to be made in 1954. I further researched the selling price via Gunbroker for Win 94's in 30-30. The price ranges for rifles actually bid on are between 150-500 dollars. And those are in nice shape. So I'm thinking it wouldn't "de-value" this particular gun to Cerakote it so it lasts a lot longer and makes it look nice.

It is missing a rear barrel band screw and the sight hood.

So, your opinions are welcome to my situation.

PS: is this gun a pain to disassemble/reassemble? Never worked on one before...

Thanks
Steve
 

Attachments

  • 03-14 109.jpg
    03-14 109.jpg
    129.4 KB · Views: 117
  • 03-14 105.jpg
    03-14 105.jpg
    97.8 KB · Views: 93
  • 03-14 102.jpg
    03-14 102.jpg
    121 KB · Views: 96
  • 03-14 104.jpg
    03-14 104.jpg
    120.7 KB · Views: 103
I'd rather have it reblued, or just clean the rust off and let it ride with some "character." I've never seen a real traditional style firearm that looked very good with a modern spray-on finish on it, and they tend to look even worse once that new finish gets some miles on it.

If he doesn't want to put the money for a real restoration (like Ford's or Turnbull's) into it now, just clean and oil it and hold onto if for a few more years. The value will only increase.
 
Whatever it's value right now.............it'll be the same or lower when it's refinished. Usin' wise it doesn't make a lotta difference, to someone that appreciates a time and use worn classic it just devalues the heck out of it.

I too, would recommend just a thorough cleanup....after all it's value is not going to diminish whatever and it will not increase less you fork over at least a mortgage payment to someone like Turnbull!
 
Old gun looks good just the way it is.

Knock off any scale, oil it, and shoot it.

Would nauseate me to see that gun defaced with some sort of "space age" paint.

As for "value," who do you know that would be in the market for a painted Model 94?
If I ran across a painted one, the first thing I would think is, "How much is it gonna cost me to fix it?"

But, its your gun, so do with it what you want.
Just understand that you are stuck with it after you do it.
 
I think it looks OK. I wasn't signed in when I read the description so I looked at the link of a pic and signed in. It looks a lot better than I expected. Oil and elbow grease would lessen the rust and hide the scratches in the stock. Leave it alone. I have seen much worse and if it shoots and functions, it's fine.
 
It looks fine to me. One of mine....I had to drill and glue and pin the stock together...took me some time and 21 steel pins so I refinished the wood only but for the metal I just uses 0000 steel wool and gun oil and this was on a hundred plus year old action in .32WCF. The pins in that old girl really give her character and she shoots great. I made sure of that as I gave it to my niece when she was twelve and going to Alaska so she needed a good black bear rifle.
 
It's a Winchester 94. It is not rare variety. It is not in great shape. This specific rifle has no historical value. Why NOT refinish? If it will be more functional to your buddy in a nice matte coating and actually get shot, go for it.

It will not increase in value either way(except with inflation.)
 
It may be a bit beat up, but it's still a pre-64 Winchester. I'd give the wood some Scott's Liquid Gold. I'd go over the metal gently with some 0000 (4 zero) steel wool and lots of oil to remove any surface rust. Then I'd keep it oiled to so it didn't rust again.

Option 2:

Have it restored, with some careful metal polishing to maintain the original markings and contours (NOT bubba with a buffer) and a wood refinish with as close to original finish as possible. This needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing, and - no offense - if you don't know how to take it apart, you're not that guy. So have it done by somebody who DOES know how do it. It won't be cheap, but at least you'll have something nice at the end.

Do not cerakote it. It will destroy its value. It's fine for some guns, this isn't one of them.
 
Last edited:
I won't debate refinishing or rebluing, because I might do the same. But PAINTING guns, in my opinion, is the utmost in tackiness and borders on criminal. New guns made of polymer, paint away. But not an old Winchester! That's sacrilege. And FWIW, you can get a brand new stock set for it from Boyd's.
 
Yes, you can blue it.

The post 64's were the ones made from 'mystery metal' and are very difficult to re-blue.

rc
 
Oil and fine steel wool on the metal, a little cleanup on the wood, and shoot. It's survived 60 years with out a painted on coating.
 
Keeperfaith said:
My buddy just acquired a Winchester model 94 in 30-30. The gun has been around and not taken care of very well, rust, patina, minor pitting on the metal. The stock is not cracked but scratched up to all hell, like it was chewed on or dragged across a parking lot.

My buddy wants to know if it would "de-value" the gun if it was to be refinished (via Cerakote). I researched the serial number and it appears to be made in 1954. I further researched the selling price via Gunbroker for Win 94's in 30-30. The price ranges for rifles actually bid on are between 150-500 dollars. And those are in nice shape. So I'm thinking it wouldn't "de-value" this particular gun to Cerakote it so it lasts a lot longer and makes it look nice.

It is missing a rear barrel band screw and the sight hood.

So, your opinions are welcome to my situation.

PS: is this gun a pain to disassemble/reassemble? Never worked on one before...

Thanks
Steve
Click to expand...
Four aught steel wool with some gun oil on the metal, but not too much, sand and buff the old finish off the stock but not enough to get rid of the scratches and gouges that give it character, then use raw linseed oil on the wood. Lots of linseed oil and lots of hand rubbing.
But that's just what I'd do.
 
I got a hold of a model 94 that was is worse shape than that one ! A little steel wool and oil on the metal and bronze wool and tung oil on the wood added a set of Williams reciever sights and now she is a shooter ! Someday if i can afford it i will send it somewhere for re-blueing , but paint ? never !! Kevin
 
I feel that there is a difference between fair wear and aging and actual damage from misuse or neglect. I value the gentle changes from fair wear and tear but feel that damage is worth being fixed. And this gun has seen it's share of both misuse and neglect.

It's hard to say if the wood is varnished or oil finished. If it's varnished then the scratches will have torn away the film. If this is the case I would use a paint and varnish stripper and remove the old finish. Then I'd use a steam iron to swell the worst of the scratches back out and lightly sand the grain back to more or less even. At least you want to smoothen the wood so there's no risk of slivering. But do try to do all this with as little sanding as possible to maintain most of the patina in the wood. Following that I would refinish the wood.

I'm also not a fan of varnish and the plastic look it gives the wood. My favourite finish is tung oil. But not the usual furniture stuff. Instead I use Lee Valley polymerized tung oil. This stuff is a thick honey like consistency so it builds a finish pretty quickly. I thin the first coat with some paint thinner for better penetration but after that it's the pure product.

For the metal I would suggest that it's not so bad that it can't be rubbed down with the steel wool and oil as suggested and left alone other than that. But I tend to agree with the others that any coating isn't called for. The gun is simply not in that bad a condition with the blueing being only a bit blotchy and the rust pitting being pretty light.

I'm not a fan of
 
It often amazes first timers what a good session with some fine steel wool and oil will do to improve an old gun. Personally, that is all I would do with it and with care it will last a hundred years or more. I am not against refinishing, but only when the condition warrants it and only if a representative finish to what was originally used is recreated. Painting it is about the last thing I would want to do to that rifle.
 
like everyone else said... that's the way a 1954 Model 94 should look. Rub some tung oil into the stock, replace the screw and hood, wipe it down with rustpruf, and you're good...
 
Value, rust, blue....

1st off; if the weapon has surface rust, wear, corrosion, scuffs, etc then it already has "devalued".
You or your friend can fix it up but that would mean it's no longer original/factory.
People think firearms with custom features or modifications will suddenly be worth more or have "more value".
When you walk into a pawn shop or FFL place(gun shop), the clerks or dealers will haggle over the changes. :rolleyes:
Many don't even know what things like NP3 or Mag-Na-Port are. :banghead:

If you want to hunt with or shoot the firearm, Id clean it up, have a professional gunsmith check it then if possible, get it re-blued or add a surface treatment like Bearcoat, Black-T, NP3 Plus, Metailife, etc.
Dura-Coats or "paint" look cool too but I've heard they can wear quickly or scuff-mar. :(
 
i have quite a few older winchester lever actions,i use 0000 steel wool and oil afterwards and if the wood needs refinished i don,t sand the stock,just strip the old varnish off and give them several coats of boiled linseed oil. i will buy a rifle that has had that done,but will not buy one that has any kind of paint put on it. eastbank.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

L
  • Locked
Winchester Model 94 forearm
Replies
3
Views
310
Bazoo
Bazoo
4
  • Locked
Refinishing 1981 dated Winchester 94
Replies
1
Views
579
Old Fuff
O
J
  • Locked
Shortening 94 Winchester Magazine Spring
Replies
19
Views
2K
Drail
D
B
  • Locked
Shifted mag tube on old Winchester 94?
Replies
1
Views
763
simmonsguns
S
A
  • Locked
Old Win. 94 value
Replies
4
Views
667
mr2guru
M
Back
Top