Winchester 94 experts.

[splithoof]

They're out there, but people are starting to get wise and hanging on to them. The sweet spot if you want a shooter but a pre-64 will be post war until 1963.

I found a beautiful 1947 at the gun show a couple months back, chambered in 32 Win Special. Got it for $1,000 or $1,100 I can't remember. Notice the longer forestock in front of the barrel band, I think they shortened it a bit in 1950. I've shot this gun and it is an absolute joy.



These guns are sexy as hell IMO.

The angled screws on the receiver.

[200Apples]

^ ^ ^ As long as you have the matching hat.


The pre/post '64 debate centers around the fact that the Winchester management at the time made manufacturing changes to reduced the cost of each unit. Roll pins were now used instead of solid pins, etc... machining steps were reduced and so on and so forth.

However, from what I've read on the subject the accuracy of the post '64 guns was just as good, so the argument, and the desire, is in favor of guns that were considered to be "better made"...

There have been over SEVEN MILLION Winchester Models 1894 made since the very late 19th Century, as opposed to the revolver-cartridge chambered Model 1892 with just less that two million made.

[bigbossman]

Is the pre-1964 really that much of a better rifle?…..
After all, the rifle that started this topic has already been hacked, so installing a replacement stock isn’t going to bring it back to it’s originality.

It is a better rifle, yes. Better made, and more desirable. It could be argued that the rifle in the OP can be made original again just by installing a vintage set of furniture. Not original to that rifle, sure. But as originally made. A pre-64 has value just because it is a pre-64, and made with forged parts, not stamped sheet metal and sintered receivers. A post-64 will function ok, and will not lose value getting pimped out - it has little value to begin with.

From what I’ve been told, I can use .30-30 cases and expand to .32 for when my supply of .32 Special cases runs out.

Yes, .32WS brass is easily made from 30-30. 25-35 brass can be made from 30-30 as well, but it is a trickier operation and benefits from an "intermediary" sizing die to squeeze the case body down.

However, from what I've read on the subject the accuracy of the post '64 guns was just as good, so the argument, and the desire, is in favor of guns that were considered to be "better made"....

I have pre-64's, and have had post-64's. Functionally, they both work about the same. The pre-64's have forged/machined receivers, the post 64's ushered in the era of sintered receivers, stamped steel parts, roll pins, and other cost-cutting measures. Those guns are rattle traps and the fit and finish suffers greatly in comparison. But yeah - they are functional and will hit what you're aiming at.

[200Apples]

I have pre-64's, and have had post-64's. Functionally, they both work about the same. The pre-64's have forged/machined receivers, the post 64's ushered in the era of sintered receivers, stamped steel parts, roll pins, and other cost-cutting measures. Those guns are rattle traps and the fit and finish suffers greatly in comparison. But yeah - they are functional and will hit what you're aiming at.

Details, details...





Sincerely, though: I do appreciate a better-made machine. If able to hold in the hand the quality differences are felt immediately. The eye can see it too, when it comes to firearms.

Thanks for your contribution, bbman.

[Bullets&Whitewalls]

Open bid, five days to go. The seller told me he thinks it's going to go for $2K, I say he's smoking dope. If someone buys that based on his "100% original" claim he's going to have a mess.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/905355886

[200Apples]

^ ^ ^ TRAP55 is indeed the person you're thinking of. He has posted in this thread, Posts # 21 and 25.

[Bullets&Whitewalls]

^ ^ ^ TRAP55 is indeed the person you're thinking of. He has posted in this thread, Posts # 21 and 25.

I totally missed that lol

[Bullets&Whitewalls]

The face palm is for me lol. I’m posting from my phone

[bigbossman]

Details, details...

LOL....

What do I know, I'm just a schmuck that likes old Winchesters. I get that the details mean everything to some folks, and almost nothing to others. In the end - if it's yours, do whatever you like to it...... makes mine more valuable!!

[200Apples]

No worries. B&W. We've all done it.




BBM, you are absolutely right, LOL not about the schmuck part but about the "whatever you do to yours - makes mine more valuable" part! Hee!

[ACfixer]

The more I look, the uglier it gets:

Wow, that is ugly. And that's why we start threads like this when the spidey sense goes off! Looking at the pics on my phone when I first locked into the auction it looked pretty sweet and I was hoping for factory checkering via special order or whatever. The wheels have sure come off that wagon!


This is just my opinion her splithoof, so it's worth what you paid for it. Here's the way I see it...

I have been shooting a post '64 model 94 for 47 years since my dad bought it in 1974. It is still gorgeous, and still shoots 100% as well as it ever did. But the fact of the matter is the pre-64 was more difficult and therefore more expensive to make. And since we are 58 years removed from 1963 there are less and less still left in good condition and therefore by the very nature of things, it's more valuable and one might say a little bit "sacred" in the Winchester world.

Do I think a pre-64 is a "better" gun? I don't know, maybe, or maybe not. It's just that it has achieved heirloom/collector status so the general school of thought is that if you are going to mod it, just buy a less expensive post '64 because it will shoot just fine and at least at this point in time you're not forever altering something historic in nature.

Like anything else, once you buy it, it's yours to do with as you wish right?

[TRAP55]

Bigbossman already had a Winchester addiction when I first met him. Then I hooked him up with Bert at the Reno show, where he got a crash course Winchester education. Moving to the land of the free made it much easier to feed his addiction. Now it's too late for intervention, save yourselves!

[ACfixer]

Bigbossman already had a Winchester addiction when I first met him. Then I hooked him up with Bert at the Reno show, where he got a crash course Winchester education. Moving to the land of the free made it much easier to feed his addiction. Now it's too late for intervention, save yourselves!

I've bought three Winchester levers since moving to Tennessee less than a year ago. Two 94's and a 9422M. Like you said, much easier.

[bigbossman]

Wow, that is ugly. And that's why we start threads like this when the spidey sense goes off!

Believe me, I learned The Hard Way to pay close attention to auction site pics before dropping my cash. It's hard enough evaluating them in person.....

Bigbossman already had a Winchester addiction when I first met him. Then I hooked him up with Bert at the Reno show, where he got a crash course Winchester education. Moving to the land of the free made it much easier to feed his addiction. Now it's too late for intervention, save yourselves!

All true. And Bert has saved me a couple of times from making a costly mistake.

It's a double-edged sword, though. If you find something online and ask questions online, you invite eyeballs to your party that may well swoop in and grab up the prize from your hands if it is a legit deal. I learned that the hard way, too, having had guns bought out from under me while I tried to get educated. But to not ask questions invites the tragedy of being snookered. Even with books and exhaustive internet searches, the opportunities to get burned abounds.

What to do, what to do.......

[bigbossman]

I've bought three Winchester levers since moving to Tennessee less than a year ago. Two 94's and a 9422M. Like you said, much easier.

I have two nice 94/22 XTR's (and a pair of Marlin 39's), but do not have an example of a 94/22 in .22Mag. Wanna trade?