Which Winchester 1894s are must haves?

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Stopsign32v

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I'm wanting a 1894 Winchester in 32WS but I'd like to get one that can be a shooter but is also a collector. Not knowing too much about them I figured I'd ask what are some of the ones to look for? I'd like a real early one but I've read a lot about the "flat band" ones.

:confused:
 
Winchester made .... 6? Million of 'em? Something like that. Maybe it was 5 million ....
I'm not sure any of them have a fantasmagorical value. Even commemoratives haven't really gone anywhere significant in value .... maybe if you have an unusual one with box and all the paperwork.
I guess if were I you I'd go to gun shows and maybe pawn shops, or other places where used gun are sold and check out any old ones from the 1900s through 1950s. If you find one in 32 that looks nice and in good shape, go for it.

If you're looking for the high value 1894 .... maybe Winchester made one out of diamond.:what:


What do >>>>>>>you <<<<< value in old rifles? I have a 1990s Win. 1894ae in .30-30. It's only value to me is its the first rifle I bought. To anyone else, it's just a quarter century old Winchester 94 in .30-30.
 
flat bands are not early, made in the mid-late 40,s. I think the 32 spl came out in the early 1900,s-1902. I like the ones with nickel steel marked barrels.
 
I have a flat band 1947, 94 carbine in 32 WS. The flat band versions were only made for a couple or three years I think.
Mine shows it's age and usage but it's fun to shoot and well made.
The 94 is a Classic. :thumbup:
 
Winchester made .... 6? Million of 'em? Something like that. Maybe it was 5 million ....
I agree. Winchester '94's are so common that they are hardly collectible. Also, the model came out a little too late for the classic Old West, and it wasn't really used in any war. Yes, Win '94's were used in many Western movies, but usually as anachronisms.

If you want a classic Winchester lever gun, consider a '73, either as an original or as one of the modern copies.
 
I like the ones with nickel steel marked barrels.

This is the type of information I was looking for. The oddities that the 1894 have. Which years had these marked barrels and other than the 'flat band' rifles what other oddities do 1894s have?
 
Anyone who says Winchesters are not collectible is looking at the broad spectrum and not the minutiae. Winchester lever guns are probably the most collected rifles in America, if not the world. However, a plain-jane Model 94 in 30-30 or 32 Win Spl are probable the least "collectible" of all the Winchester lever guns.

To begin, rule out anything manufactured post 1964; those are worthless other than to take the range and bounce around in your pick up truck. (And they're very good at that.)

I suggest you obtain a copy of the Standard Catalog of Firearms-any edition will do. It will show the models of lever guns produced, years of manufacture, calibers produced, and in what numbers.

That last piece of information is important. With that knowledge, you can map out what your collection might look like. You can start looking for those rare calibers, of which few were made. Those will be your collector items. Also, pay attention to what was standard production and what was "custom order." The true beauty in collecting Winchesters is that, prior to 1964, customers could special order almost anything they wanted. Subsequently, there are a lot of unique, one-off rifles out there. Those are the guns that fetch the really high prices. As mentioned earlier, anything that is "Fancy Grade" (high grade) or similar will be a premium.

Condition is everything. Learn the NRA grading scheme. A refinished gun, no matter how rare, is no longer collectible; don't let anyone with a refinished gun to sell tell you different. It doesn't matter who did the reblueing, either. However, this is where your "hunting/collector" gun comes in. If you find that old lever gun you like but want to hunt with and it's in very rough or refinished condition, then that's the old gun you take to the field.

Lastly, buy the gun, not the story. Any gun with provenance must have some way to authenticate the story, otherwise, it's just a story. (Look for a letter from the Cody Firearms Museum in Cody, WY.) Old Winchesters come with all kinds of cool stories. Listen politely with a smile, but buy the gun, if you want it, not because the seller has some cool story to go with it.
 
Anybody who thinks Winchester 94s aren't collectible never looked at the first fifty pages of any R.I.A. Auction Co catalog. Anything out of the ordinary is what attracts collectors. Engraving, special grades of wood, non-standard barrel lengths, special sights.....all of these catch the collector's eye. Also, there were some lean years for 94s. The "post 64" stigma seems to affect all Winchesters. Collectors prefer the earlier guns. The 94s started out life chambered in 32-40 and 38-55, the 30-30 didn't come along until 1895, the 32SPL in 1901. A 94 in 32-40 is a rare bird.

As with any collectible, originality and condition are paramount. A plain Jane , run of the mill, average 1894 won't excite a collector, but one that is all original and near new, say 98%, most assuredly will..

D.B.s post is an excellent guide.
 
The "post 64" stigma seems to affect all Winchesters.

Absolutely. That's because the changes made in 1964 were applied across all models: the 94s, the replacement of the venerable Model 12 with the 1200, the Model 70s, pretty much everything.

PS: And THAT'S another thing any prospective Winchester collector needs to learn and know: how to look at a firearm and recognize the differences between the pre and post 64 guns.
 
IMHO stay away from mass-produced commemorative anythings. They are really only valuable to those who bought them first, especially if they commemorate an organization one may belong (or may have belonged) to. After that, the resale value (and ability to find a buyer) just isn't worth any sort of premium over the price of a field-grade gun in the same make/model/caliber unless it's something ultra-uber-rare...and in that case it's (hopefully) been unfired with all the goodies intact since the day it was bought.

I have a "Golden Spike" 1894 commemorative that was given to my Dad, and then to me. They made a lot of them, they're nothing special. It was shot by the previous owner, and a sling swivel added. It's waaaay too gaudy to take into the field or range as the gold-tone receiver and parts shine too much, and it's value is less than any post-'64 plain-Jane 1894 .30-30 since it's been fired, no box and/or sales tag, and it's been altered with the sling set up. I wish it was just a regular 1894, to go along out and about with the three other 1894's I already have (and shoot).

I also have two DU dinner guns, unfired, that were also given to me. I don't want to shoot them and ruin what value that may have to someone else, but they're really too nice to take into the duck blind or dove fields if I wanted to...so these, too sit in the safe taking up real estate. I wish they, too were just a field grade 12 ga A303 (Beretta) and 20 ga 870...then they would get used.

Follow the above very good advice; do some due-diligence and locate a nice older gun with some cool features or rare caliber/options (especially with genuine provenance :thumbup:) and have at it.

Stay safe.
 
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IMHO stay away from mass-produced commemorative anythings.

I totally forgot to mention those things, but I completely agree with you. In the 1980s and early 90s (essentially during the last days of Winchester and, later, U.S. Repeating Arms Co.), Winchester tried to drum up interest and business by making a bunch of "commemorative" guns. You can find a Model 94 that commemorates almost anything or anyone. Riomouse911 is spot on here-none of those guns are worth any kind of premium whatsoever.
 
What do >>>>>>>you <<<<< value in old rifles? I have a 1990s Win. 1894ae in .30-30. It's only value to me is its the first rifle I bought. To anyone else, it's just a quarter century old Winchester 94 in .30-30.

A 25 year old .30-30 that, depending on its operator, will probably get the deer and look good doing it. My first deer was killed by a top-eject example with a 1971 serial#.
 
I think the John Wayne commemorative might be worth something that’s about it
 
The older 94’s are neat, I like them very much, but the one that really gets my attention are the big bores. I especially like the .375 Winchester. I know there is probably nothing about these that would interest a collector. I just think .375 Winchester is a very neat, excuse my language, bastard caliber. I bought one years ago and ten boxes of the Winchester big bore ammo that was put out to promote it. It is one of my favorite hog guns. It speaks with attitude and authority. Also a whole different can of warms is the 1895. I bought one of these when Winchester made the first run of them, in 405 Winchester. The 1895 in 405 kills on both ends. At my age now, I don’t know whither I would be just as well off standing in front of it as behind it. I love the big caliber lever actions.
 
I like the two old '94s that I picked up in a pawn shop back in the late '80s, one a rifle and the other a saddle carbine. Both were far from new at the time and both were priced at $99.00 each.
I've never felt a need for another Model '94.
 
Anything is collectible.
Not everything is sellable.

I know folks that collect post ‘64 “commemoratives”. It’s their hobby. If that’s what you like, knock yourself out.
Are commemoratives “must haves”, like in the OP? Nope. But there are a couple I wouldn’t mind having. Like the John Wayne commemorative or maybe and NRA commemorative.

A lot of what people “collect” also depends upon their budget and how they can go about paying for their collection.
When you ask about “collectibles” on a gun forum you find a lot of people willing to help you spend your money on things they deem important or collectible. You also find folks that look down their noses at some things because of one bias or another, like; folks that lose their minds over S&Ws with locks because of political views and such. (If your blood pressure has gone up a tick by reading my post I apologize)

You have received some good info here on collectibles but I think the best advice is getting your hands on the Standard Catalog of Winchester Firearms. You can learn a lot of history and learn about many unique guns. I would also recommend that you hit some gun shows and websites to look at pricing to be sure that monetarily your dream can be fulfilled at some point.

Good luck and have fun...oh, and get yourself a post 64 Winchester 94 to play around with and enjoy and don’t learn to be a snob too early in your collecting gig. ;):D
 
I would get an 80 s made XTR , as they are pretty nice pre safety and cheaper than a pre 64. If you really want .32 special then the 16 " barrel big loop lever Era Wranglers are out there in .32 for reasonable $
 
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I would get an 80 s made XTR , as they are pretty nice pre safety and cheaper than a pre 64.

for a more serious reply then my previous one I agree. not only are they pre safety but my xtr has a traditional hammer sear with no rebounding hammer arrangement. bluing, wood quality along with fit is awesome. dc
 
Oh man that's nice! I hate big loop levers, is it able to be swapped out for a normal sized one?

Yes.
Here are a couple of links for parts. They have finger levers in stock. The Wrangler Trapper is a post 64 94AE (angle eject) The name “Wrangler” designates the large loop finger lever. “Trapper” designates it a Carbine with a 16” barrel.

https://www.midwestgunworks.com/winchester-94/parts.html?page=2

http://www.homesteadparts.com/shopcart/56/Winchester_94_POST_64.htm
 
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$700 and free shipping , yes you could swap to a regular lever but keep the original one, I think this model will be worth more as time goes. Has very vey nice wood, nice etched engraving too. Best of the years of post 64 production era no safeties no MIM. Check out the wood to metal fit !

.
 
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