Went to the gunshow yesterday and stumbled on a table with an assortment of Winchester 94s. Several were plain jane ranger models in 30/30, one was a Trapper in 45 Colt, and the last was a 24 inch Black Shadow in 30/30. Price tag was $450 and it looked brand new! I asked the dealer if I could see the Black Shadow and he about fell over; apparrently I was the first person in five shows to know what a Black Shadow was.
He told me it was indeed unfired NIB, but he did not have the box. He had purchased the guns from a collection in Arizona a woman had inherited from her daddy. She had gotten 250 assorted rifles and had driven home to Arkansas with all of them wrapped in blankets and stacked in the back of a pick-up truck! She had left all the boxes behind in order to (get this) "have enough room to get them home"!
It felt really good and shouldered quite well. It also had a Tasco 2-7x32 wide view scope mounted to it. I regretfully put it down as I have a personal rule about not committing any transaction until I see every table, and continued on.
About an hour later (plus a snack break and TWO bathrroom breaks for my 4 year old and seven year old daughters!) I made it around the show and came back to the
Winchester table. The dealer nodded me over and said, "Are you going to take home that Shadow today? Tell you what, I will take it easy on you if you are serious about it."
I told him I was interested and offered a NIB Rock Island Armory 1911 in trade. He consulted a bit and came back with a need for an additional $75 dollars (as wholesale on the RIA is kind of low). I hemmed and hawed about it a lot. After a few minutes, I started to set the gun down and think on it some more. He looked at me and said, " You can shoot me a counter-offer if you like"
Long story short, I offered $50 and he shook my hand. I now own a Black Shadow 94 Winchester! I am so ready to try this girl out, just can't get out to shoot right now! I am thinking about switching out the black synthetics for the wood off my 94 Pack rifle in 44 Magnum. They are both pistol grip and 2/3 magazine tube equipped rifles.
I remember seeing an article on the 30/30 by Paco Kelly and he mentioned results with a Black Shadow and several cast loads. Got to dig it out and start researching loads. PICS to follow later.....
