Man, you guys are killing me! You don't know how bad I want to shoot this rifle! Now I have to think about throwing it in the back of the safe and forgetting about it...
Take it out and shoot it, clean it, take it deer hunting, take care of it, and leave it to your heirs to worry about value.
The Winchester 94 is/was arguably the most popular hunting rifle for most of the 20th century. To date, they've produced appoximately 7 million of them and the bulk of that (about 4.4 million) was produced after 1964. They are still in production by the way.
Your rifle was one of almost 130,000 produced in 1976. Of that 130K, 19,999 were Bicentennial models, most of which probably remain unfired today. My Bicentennial is still in box which is inside the factory shipping carton and after 38 years its value hasn't even kept up with inflation.
Maybe--just maybe if you had the original box, paperwork, hang tags, sales receipt, and proof that the gun had never been fired, in about 30 or 40 years, it might just be worth something to your grandson.
In the meantime it will be going to waste in your safe. I have four 94's and excluding the Bicentennial, I shoot them all--even my 1915 SRC that's close to 80% condition.
Oh, and to the poster who offered $200 plus a 90% gun for your 100% gun, jump on it. The latest edition (35th) of the blue book of gun values---lists a standard Winchester model 94 carbine in 30-30 caliber produced between 1964and 2006 in 100% condition at $425 while one at 90% is valued at $350.
That's only $75 difference---not $200. The main point here is that we are not talking big money to start with
100% generally means NIB, and they don't list a 100% condition unless there are enough in the market place to assign such a grade. The prices quoted in the book are just guidelines, but they are still slightly better than nothing.
Don't put much faith in the prices that dealers ask for used firearms on internet auction sites or gun shows. They are trying to make a buck, and will generally ask 30% to 100% over blue book value and conversely, if they are buying, they will offer you 30 to 50% less than blue book. They do this because there is always somebody out there with more money than knowledge.
Personally, I think you got a very good price on a great little lever gun, but since it's not particularly rare or nor is it a museum piece, go out and have some fun with it while you are able. Remember, you can't shoot it from the grave.
Cheers
