Winchester 1894 - info? I've been offered a trade.

[TheCoachZed]

Hey guys,

Someone offered to trade me a Model 94 .30-30 for my Squires Bingham M16 lookalike (known as the Armscor M1600 in the US I believe). The M16 clones are uncommon up here, and are popular, since you don't need to have a restricted licence to take them out and shoot them (unlike an AR-15). They commonly sell in the $250-$350 range depending on the condition (mine is worn).

I've been offered a Winchester 94 with a saddle ring a supposedly newer 20-inch barrel (I think), Marble rear sight, lots of blueing wear, crescent buttplate, and drilled and tapped for sidemount scope, serial # 145*** for a trade. What year would this have been made? I've searched the net up and down for an answer with no luck.

Am I an idiot for not jumping on this? The "M16" was hard to find, especially at what I paid for it ($235 shipped), but I rarely shoot it, the peep sight sucks for hunting, and I have a Rossi pump .22 on the way in the mail. But, I already have a .30-30, a Savage 170 pump carbine. I don't really like it, but it sorta works.

I'm thinking of maybe trading the guy my Savage and the Squires Bingham for his Winchester 1894 and a Winchester 190 .22, but I don't know if he'll do it.

And besides, that "M16" was so hard to come by . . . Someone talk some sense to me either way!

[Rangr44]

That 6-digit SN would indicate an 1898 manufacture - close/clear pics of the barrel stampings, etc will show if it's of the same generation as the carbine, since they were changed from time to time.

FWIW, I would have made a 3-to-1 trade like that, just as soon as it was offered - but, that's what appeals to ME. 

YOU should follow your own heart.

.

[TheCoachZed]

I think I will take it. Even if it's ruined as a collector, a re-blue job will at least make it a nice rifle for ME to hunt with.

Question - when did they stop making saddle ring carbines?

[TheCoachZed]

From what I've seen of his rifle, serial # aside, it's only worth about $250 based on condition alone.

[Rangr44]

[Question - when did they stop making saddle ring carbines?]

ca.1925, for  pre-64's, IIRC.

Several different post-64 models were so equipped.

.

[TheCoachZed]

That about jives with what I can figure. Even if I'm off a digit on the end of the serial number (and I thought I got it right), it's still fairly old.

[Happy]

If the reciever is good ( not worn out )and the barrel has been replaced , it is just an older Winchester . The Savage bolt if in good shape sells for about three up here in Canada . Our Dollar about roughly 95Cents to the US.
As far as saddle rings go we Have them on our newer trapper AEversions in 357 and 44 Mag . Unless you want to hunt and tie the rifle to the saddle Horn, what makes this a item to care about ?

So the trade might be good/bad for both until you actually have the items in your hand .

Just my 02 cents

[TheCoachZed]

If the reciever is good ( not worn out )and the barrel has been replaced , it is just an older Winchester . The Savage bolt if in good shape sells for about three up here in Canada . Our Dollar about roughly 95Cents to the US.
As far as saddle rings go we Have them on our newer trapper AEversions in 357 and 44 Mag . Unless you want to hunt and tie the rifle to the saddle Horn, what makes this a item to care about ?

So the trade might be good/bad for both until you actually have the items in your hand .

Just my 02 cents

It's a pump rifle, not a bolt.    Mine is the carbine with a shorter barrel.

I am wondering how I'd know if the receiver was worn out? The Savage 170 is not a great rifle, but it is pretty accurate and easy to scope. I don't think I'd miss it, as it has jammed on me at a couple of inopportune times.

[Happy]

There is usually some metal wear or scaring . Then too have a few dummy rounds and make sure the rounds feed from the tube then in and out of the reciever .If a round ends up under the lifter , you might be looking for a link replacment which may have to be made .
As with your Savage pump . Is it dirty and in need of cleaning, or is some thing like the shell extractor or lifter worn? You might have something good already at home , if you checked it out . Is it a sows ear or a piece of silk yet undisovered ? Some solvent might just tell the tale .
I have seen some fine old rifle's from the early 1900 and some older yet . But some were not mantained and the insides look like weathered White metal.They were just a tool to hunt , then put away as they were . 

Having been blessed with good only for  a tomato stake a few time not knowing what really was in my hand , I learned over time . The old Marlin was as good as new , but that Mauser with a dirty barrel was dirty 'cause the rifling was just worn . Then take the first step and tell the guy the Savage hangs up at times , and he might be honest about that Winchester too " If ' there is a problem .
Never bought a used car driven by "that ol' Lady" just on Sundays, to church !!

[TheCoachZed]

The Savage has a sticky slide lock. They are notorious for this. I know how to work around it, but it's not conducive to fast shooting. I've stripped it down and cleaned and re-assembled it, and I don't think I will ever improve it much.

I don't think he's shot the Winchester much. He jacked some rounds through it to show me it worked OK. The bore looked like it had plenty strong rifling, but some surface rust starting inside.

[Happy]

So  What is there to gain  in the trade ? If the bore has some rust there is some question if it will clean up . but it never be a gun of value .Just a shooter at best . Trade .
Then to what is your winchester twenty two like ?

[TheCoachZed]

Well it's his Winchester .22, a Model 190.

I didn't look it over too closely. They were never a great gun, although they sold a lot of them.

[TheCoachZed]

Well, I traded him my "M16" straight up for his Model 94. Only time will tell if I've been a fool.

[torpedoman]

I think I will take it. Even if it's ruined as a collector, a re-blue job will at least make it a nice rifle for ME to hunt with.

Question - when did they stop making saddle ring carbines?

collector value was gone when they changed the barrel.

[TheCoachZed]

I'm not so sure that the barrel was changed, but it was certainly drileld and tapped, so its a shooter, not a collector. I'm hoping to take it to the range next week to sight it in.

[Happy]

Are you going to run a bore snake through the barrel first to see if it is going to clean up ?

[TheCoachZed]

It's already been cleaned up.

My next item of business is the dang Marble's rear sight. It's crooked - looks like someone didn't install it correctly, because the sight itself doesn't look bent, but it's not centred.