Your Opinion? Change out Receiver on altered 94?

LeverBar · Post by **LeverBar** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 8:56 pm

Many of you know I recently purchased an original Winchester 94, 26" octagon barrel, crescent butt. Nice gun except it has been resanded, reblued (poorly), and has had the upper tang replaced with a piece of metal that kills the originality and value of the rifle. --The Shady-Seller hasn't responded to my request that he do the honorable thing and take the rifle back. (He could be out-of-town for a bit?)

I have the notion that maybe I could find an original tang, which means the receiver, I think.

I'd buy the receiver, and swap out the one that is on the rifle to at least give someone the pleasure of having a Winchester that looks good like a rifle should! Heck, then maybe I'd keep it myself? Hmmmmm. No, likely sell it cheaply, or give it to a young Winchester fan. That would make a pretty good first rifle for a young hunter/shooter.

What are your ideas on swapping out the receivers, and where would I be able to find one?

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:03 pm

Several thoughts;

There was an eBay seller named Ponhook in Canada that sold severed upper tangs. I know he's in Canada and you're not, but it's possible you might find a correct tang in the U.S..

Send it to our own Mike Hunter and have him restore it. It WILL be right when he's finished with it. And then it will be a treasure to own.

Contact forum members 20Cows and or Griff. Those two have hogged the 94 receiver market with their home made rifles. They might be able to guide you to a new or at least better receiver.

Or as you said use it to train up a young lever gunner. It sure can't be hurt any more.

Joe

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:09 pm

My 2p.

Guns are tools. Sometimes tools get broken. Some of my favorite tools are tools that either I or someone else has repaired.

It sucks the long barrel that you were sold somthing that wasn't as advertised/percieved.

OTOH:

I know if my grandfather had been a gun guy, fixing his 100y/o 94 like that would have been just the thing he would do. (Ok, maybe not buggering up the screw holes, but you know what I mean).

OK. So, it's not a "collector's" peice, and not worth "collector's prices (i.e. what you paid) because it's been repaired.

But then, who'se to say that that repair wasn't lovingly made by somone else's grandfather?

As described, the gun doesn't sound "bubba'd", just repaired.

Guns (REAL guns) are TOOLS. They get used. They get broken. They get repaired.

I would rather have a banged-up 100y/o shooter than a Museum peice.

Every nick, ding and bald spot is history.

A 100y/o NIB gun is just like a 1950 NIB GI Joe. A bit of history, removed from history with no conection to reality except date of manufacture.

Give me a good old shooter any day... and that gun sounds like it may be just that.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:10 pm

Tell me you didn't get this from someone here!

I like the idea of using it as a "shooter" for a young buck. That becomes a "two-fer" - it gets used and you hook another future levergunner!!!

Post by **Hobie** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:14 pm

You fix and you shoot it. Mike Hunter can restore it properly and you'll love it.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:16 pm

Ysabel Kid,
Read this thread, that will answer your question.

http://www.sixshootercommunity.com/leve ... .php?t=609

Joe

levers · Post by **levers** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:19 pm

If the seller's not going to make good and you're done pursuing him, then:

I'd say either use it as is and be happy with it or sell if for what it will bring. On a 94 like this, I don't think you can make it worth more than the cost of the repair. I mean, if the gun's worth $700 now and it costs $300 in repair to it, you've got a $1000 gun when it's all done....and you've now got $1300 in it.

Please post the seller's name so that I can make sure not to ever buy a gun from him.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:25 pm

J Miller wrote:Ysabel Kid,
Read this thread, that will answer your question.

http://www.sixshootercommunity.com/leve ... .php?t=609

Joe

Gunbroker, huh? Don't they help with guns that don't match their description?

Junior · Post by **Junior** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:27 pm

+1 on what levers said. . . . And there's a moral to this story. Before you buy a gun, a horse, or a woman, look at their teeth.

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:37 pm

Canadian Cowboy may be able to turn up an upper tang from an old wreck of a gun. He turns up with odd parts sometimes.

I doubt there would be any problem sending a part like that from Canada

Post by **Hobie** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:56 pm

Junior wrote:+1 on what levers said. . . . And there's a moral to this story. Before you buy a gun, a horse, or a woman, look at their teeth.

LeverBar · Post by **LeverBar** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:00 am

Thanks again, Folks.

There is reason to the view that it is a tool. I too would have similarly repaired it if I hadn't the funds/connections to get a Winchester tang for it. The only problem with that is my mind-set; it has to be pretty for me!

And you are wise to look at the cost of the restoration, given my feelings about this rifle now. It isn't really worth my endeavoring to return it to a Winchester stamped firearm, unless I fall back again on my mind-set.

Right now, I don't know of a young person I can hand the rifle to. Maybe I can visit the local gun club and the SASS club to find a candidate.

Yup, look at the teeth. Odd, but one of the things that attracted me to my wife was her teeth! Kinda bugged her when I mentioned them to my buddy while we three were together one evening. But she married me anyway.

I've always been anxious regarding over the computer purchases of firearms. The handfull of guns I've bought, the sellers have been mostly understating the condition of the weapons. I am too trusting of people, I guess. Now, I'm going to request a three-day inspection period prior to bidding. If the seller obliges, great. If not, then I don't need the suspense.

As for posting the Shady-Seller's name, I will do so in a day or two if I don't hear from him that he is going to join the human race.
Is it acceptable to include his real name with his seller name in an informative post to you people on this forum?

Ysabel Kid, I doubt he is one of us.
J Miller, I emailed Ponhook.

Killer Kanuck · Post by **Killer Kanuck** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:37 am

J Miller wrote: There was an eBay seller named Ponhook in Canada that sold severed upper tangs.

I actually know that seller personally (usually "wheel and deal" with him at every gun show, sometimes before they start) so if you want me to check to see if he has any cutoff tangs, just let me know.

Colt1849 · Post by **Colt1849** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:24 am

LeverBar

Did you buy this rifle from GB or AA, I would complain... At least give us his name so that someone else won't get taken.

Are you sure that the upper tang has been welded, can you see the weld?

If not what's the sn of the frame? possibly its a later frame w/o markings.

Anyway I agree with the folks that say if you can't return it, then keep it as a shoother, wood has been sanded, poorly reblued, so I assume the edges are rounded. In a 94 that equates to a shooter or parts gun.

Mike Hunter

Post by **Hobie** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:02 am

Leverbar (and anyone else with such an idea),

You can, and I think should, post "feedback" about dealers/sellers here. However, there will be rules.

First and foremost you must include both the "handle" AND real name if known (or thought to be known) because we don't want to confuse one person for another.

Next, you need to detail the transaction and the seller's failures. E.g. in this case would be the deliberate avoidance of sending a photo depiction of the tang.

Finally, I suggest a "lessons learned" portion of the post in which one lists the steps by which one could avoid a repeat of the experience. E.g. ask for photos of missing parts, conducting some portion of the transaction via US Mail, saving copies of the auction description (file, saveas, *.mht), detailed questions about the item and recording of the answers.

Prohibited would be rants, undocumentable claims, etc.

LeverBar · Post by **LeverBar** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:08 pm

Killer K, I'm not looking to weld another tang on the receiver. Rather just change out the welded one with a complete original receiver.

Killer Kanuck · Post by **Killer Kanuck** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:37 pm

LeverBar wrote:Killer K, I'm not looking to weld another tang on the receiver. Rather just change out the welded one with a complete original receiver.

Just thought I'd offer in case decide to go that way.

LeverBar · Post by **LeverBar** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:59 pm

Thank you for that.