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I've got a Winchester M94 Trapper sitting in my closet. It's of pre-safety vintage with a saddle ring and in very good to excellent condition. It's chambered in 30-30 Winchester. I've shot it less than 60 times and it was nearly new when I got it. It has only one flaw, the guy I bought it from put a metal butt plate on it and threw away the original plastic butt plate (I expect I could pick up an original for less than $10).
Well, I've been toying with the idea of selling it to gain space in my closet. What are these things going for these days? When I see them at gun shows, which is rare, they want way too much for them - around $900+. On gunbroker they go for around $700. I don't see a lot of them so it is hard to determine the price. On top of that, I couldn't imagine paying more than a couple hundred bones for one, maybe three hundred tops (I've owned a couple and mostly traded for them), but then I still can't understand why I should pay more than 12 or 13 bucks for a good pair of new jeans or more than 35 cents for a taco. So, please tell me what you think is a fair price in today's market for one of these Trapper carbines. Thanks.
Even $700 sounds high --- i paid $450 and $500 for 2 .45 Colt SRC Trappers within the past 2 years
The $450 model is pre-safety and the $500 one in in 100% condition but has a safety
Using that as my personal point of reference, -- i would say i got a pretty good deal on the $450 model , but pricing between 500 and 600 seems about normal ................
.............UNLESS
unless the 30/30's command a price premium over the pistol calibers -- that could be a slight game changer
Around here a really nice one would go around $450. I sold one not long ago for a buddy that was finished challenged for $300 and it took about two weeks.
The appx 78-80/81 30-30 Trappers just Pre USRAC--what I guess yours is (give us the first few serial #'s)--are not plentiful and represent an era where Win had finally been improving upon the immediate Post 64 maladies and iffy quality bits. Up to that point they're also the only (non safety/AE).30-30 Trappers made since Pre WWII--Trappers were never catalogued in the "Pre 64" period (WWII thru 1963). If you want an unadorned (un-lawyered, non-AE) Trapper for an amount that's not a King's ransom (Pre War), this is it. Those "in the know" are selling nice ones in the $500-700 territory, depending on the specific condition. I've seen a few NIB selling for $800+ and seldom see a serviceable one for much under $450 anymore. As a few have pointed out, lucky finds are out there, just not many.
gak wrote:The appx 78-80/81 30-30 Trappers just Pre USRAC--what I guess yours is (give us the first few serial #'s)--are not plentiful and represent an era where Win had finally been improving upon the immediate Post 64 maladies and iffy quality bits.
Mine is a Winchester made in 1982. It is well built with good wood and good blueing. I own other Winchester 94s, including a pre-64 carbine. But my Winchester's from the era you mention are as good as any I own or have seen. Funny though, my go to Winchester 30-30 is a beat up old Ted Williams from the "painted on blue" era. It is ugly and full of zits, but sure shoots good, and never cares where it lays down or what rubs up against it. Thanks.
Nate C. wrote:There's one for sale in a pawn shop hereabouts for $400. It is in pretty good condition, but hasn't moved off that shelf for a long time.
That would be a tempting price for me if i saw it ---- your not North Texas are you?
Sadly, with the price of gas now , too much of a road trip would take the luster off a good upfront price
gak wrote:The appx 78-80/81 30-30 Trappers just Pre USRAC--what I guess yours is (give us the first few serial #'s)--are not plentiful and represent an era where Win had finally been improving upon the immediate Post 64 maladies and iffy quality bits.
Mine is a Winchester made in 1982. It is well built with good wood and good blueing. I own other Winchester 94s, including a pre-64 carbine. But my Winchester's from the era you mention are as good as any I own or have seen. Funny though, my go to Winchester 30-30 is a beat up old Ted Williams from the "painted on blue" era. It is ugly and full of zits, but sure shoots good, and never cares where it lays down or what rubs up against it. Thanks.
Unless you're one of the first USRACs, you're one of the last Winchester Trappers. Those late "Post 64" Wins are a pretty well kept secret. I've had the same observation--right up there near if not at my beloved Pre 64 levels in many ways. A year ago, one of the LGS had no fewer than five regular 20" carbines lined up, all the same ca 1979-80--and near new. If I didn't already have a very nice one just like them and the Trapper, the fantasy of having a whole rack of them like that would have been hard to resist fulfilling--"just because"!
This was a parts gun that I bought about 3 years ago... $450 and I upgraded the wood. I wouldn't take $700 for it... but could be tempted for more....
I think gunbroker prices are artificially inflated... but, in the final analysis, if a buyer is willing to pay a price, then obviously THAT gun is worth the price to THAT buyer.
If it's a top eject (pre-1983), then IMO, it's worth more than simply a pre-safety (1983-1992). Given today's economy, probably in that $500-700 range (more if you have the box and tags). Various parts of the country vary widely in their pricing for mdl 94s. What type of metal buttplate was used? If a checkered flat steel (like came on earlier Winchesters), then... it might not have dropped the price as much as it would if it were just a generic steel buttplate.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession! AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Griff, that's a nice carbine. Mine is top eject, in fact it is a 94 model without any of the modern touches - no AE, no safety, no rebounding hammer, etc. It has good blueing, is well fitted with a really nice piece of walnut and has a checkered steel butt plate. Heck, I think with everyone's help I've talked myself into keeping it. Thanks guys.
Idiot wrote:Griff, that's a nice carbine. Mine is top eject, in fact it is a 94 model without any of the modern touches - no AE, no safety, no rebounding hammer, etc. It has good blueing, is well fitted with a really nice piece of walnut and has a checkered steel butt plate. Heck, I think with everyone's help I've talked myself into keeping it. Thanks guys.
Cool ! the prices i was throwing out earlier were for AE models --- non AE likely worth quite a bit more to the right buyer
So, please tell me what you think is a fair price in today's market for one of these Trapper carbines. Thanks.
