My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
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My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
A week or so ago, I stopped into the local candy store to see what he had in the way of levers. As I walked in, a guy was just leaving, and a clerk was holding a 94 and was rubbing at some rust on the receiver. I could see that it was a pre-64 WInchester and he could see that I was interested, so he handed me the gun.
Someone had installed a sling stud in the forestock and it was split. There were two small cracks at the wrist, and there was rust speckled on the barrel, mag tube, and both sides of the receiver, but especially on the left side. I peaked down the barrel and was surprised that it was in very nice shape, considering the condition of the outside of the gun. The action was tight, sights were original, and the gunshop owner hollers from the back room, "I just paid that guy $275 for it, if you want it as-is, you can have it for $300 OTD. If I have to clean it up it will be more!" I told him to set it aside for me and I'd be back with the cash. I've been lusting after a pre-64 for a while now, and the cheapest I've seen were $425, and more recently were $525. I figured I could clean it up and use it for a truck gun.
This is a picture of the forestock with the hole and split.
This is after the repair. I didn't take a lot of time with this because of the overall condition of the gun, and I figured to get some new wood for it anyway.
The rust cleaned up with steel wool, except for the left side of the receiver, which is pitted.
I was still working on the stocks and debating about what I should do about the pitting, but I was really curious how accurate this old girl was going to be, so I took it out and shot five rounds. All I had was a box of factory Remington 150 grain corelocks. The first shot was kind of a lets see how this is going to work shot and was 2.5 inches to the left of the POA. The next four shots speak for themselves in this picture. They grouped just under 0.8" at 50 yards.
I am REALLY going to like this gun!!
Someone had installed a sling stud in the forestock and it was split. There were two small cracks at the wrist, and there was rust speckled on the barrel, mag tube, and both sides of the receiver, but especially on the left side. I peaked down the barrel and was surprised that it was in very nice shape, considering the condition of the outside of the gun. The action was tight, sights were original, and the gunshop owner hollers from the back room, "I just paid that guy $275 for it, if you want it as-is, you can have it for $300 OTD. If I have to clean it up it will be more!" I told him to set it aside for me and I'd be back with the cash. I've been lusting after a pre-64 for a while now, and the cheapest I've seen were $425, and more recently were $525. I figured I could clean it up and use it for a truck gun.
This is a picture of the forestock with the hole and split.
This is after the repair. I didn't take a lot of time with this because of the overall condition of the gun, and I figured to get some new wood for it anyway.
The rust cleaned up with steel wool, except for the left side of the receiver, which is pitted.
I was still working on the stocks and debating about what I should do about the pitting, but I was really curious how accurate this old girl was going to be, so I took it out and shot five rounds. All I had was a box of factory Remington 150 grain corelocks. The first shot was kind of a lets see how this is going to work shot and was 2.5 inches to the left of the POA. The next four shots speak for themselves in this picture. They grouped just under 0.8" at 50 yards.
I am REALLY going to like this gun!!
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
Thats was a great buy. Good luck with it.
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
Congratulations! nice to know it's found a good home
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
[A week or so ago, I stopped into the local candy store to see what he had in the way of levers. As I walked in, a guy was just leaving, and a clerk was holding a 94 and was rubbing at some rust on the receiver. I could see that it was a pre-64 WInchester and he could see that I was interested, so he handed me the gun.]
In life, "timing" is EVERYTHING ! Congrats !
.
In life, "timing" is EVERYTHING ! Congrats !
.
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
geobru,
Congrats on the find. Unless you intend to do a complete reblue job why not just clean it really good, lube it, fix the existing wood and use it.
It can't be hurt by what you are doing with it and it will make a dandy work gun.
Joe
Congrats on the find. Unless you intend to do a complete reblue job why not just clean it really good, lube it, fix the existing wood and use it.
It can't be hurt by what you are doing with it and it will make a dandy work gun.
Joe
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
George
That is exactly what I have been thinking. Not just a truck gun, but a very accurate one too.
Joe,J Miller wrote:Congrats on the find. Unless you intend to do a complete reblue job why not just clean it really good, lube it, fix the existing wood and use it.
It can't be hurt by what you are doing with it and it will make a dandy work gun.
That is exactly what I have been thinking. Not just a truck gun, but a very accurate one too.
Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
AMEN!Pete44ru wrote:[A week or so ago, I stopped into the local candy store to see what he had in the way of levers. As I walked in, a guy was just leaving, and a clerk was holding a 94 and was rubbing at some rust on the receiver. I could see that it was a pre-64 WInchester and he could see that I was interested, so he handed me the gun.]
In life, "timing" is EVERYTHING ! Congrats !
.
Sincerely,
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
Congradulations on your find. And I like your fix on the forend. But be careful those pre-64 model 94's have a way of multiplying when you least expect it. I have three and they are hard to part with, once you aquire them.
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
I think you done real good on that one. There just ain't nothing like honest wear on a Winchester 94. Oil the fire out of it and carry it everyday, you'll love it.
JerryB II Corinthians 3:17, Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
Nice rifle. That rust, the cracks, and other blemishes are called "character". Clean it up a bit, go shooting and hunting and enjoy it.
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
+1. If not for the character, your dealer might not have given you such a deal. Great carbines. Probably my favoriteModoc ED wrote:Nice rifle. That rust, the cracks, and other blemishes are called "character". Clean it up a bit, go shooting and hunting and enjoy it.
Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
rather be lucky than good any day.Hobie wrote:AMEN!Pete44ru wrote:[A week or so ago, I stopped into the local candy store to see what he had in the way of levers. As I walked in, a guy was just leaving, and a clerk was holding a 94 and was rubbing at some rust on the receiver. I could see that it was a pre-64 WInchester and he could see that I was interested, so he handed me the gun.]
In life, "timing" is EVERYTHING ! Congrats !
.
careful what you wish for, you might just get it.
"BECAUSE I CAN"
"BECAUSE I CAN"
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Re: My First 30-30 - 1951 Winchester 94!
That seems like a fun project. My dad just got a Marlin 336 30-30. it looked basically like yours (all beat up and such). He took it out to the range and it clover-leafed at 25 yards. I think it will turn out about like yours. Fun gun. But I bet the Wnchester you have is even more fun.
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