i finally found a "new" 94...

[kevin.303]

well, i've been wanting a new '94 for  while but th supply is now gone. of the 2 sporting goods stores in town, the one i work for is completely out in all 6 stores in western canada, and the other place has 3 , which they marked up $200 each. i accepted the fact that if i wanted a new condition '94 i'd have to settle for one of those commerative models. in the US some of them will appreciate in value, but in Canada, they don't they only go down in value, so i have no qualms about firing one. but i never liked the look of all that gold or silver all over it, too flashy for me. well low and behold in the local pawnshop i found one that turned my crank. in the one pawnshop here that does sell guns, there was a Canadian Centennial model. the only gold on it is on the tang where it says Canadian Centennial 67, has a few maple leafs engraved on the reciever but not bad at all. here's the part i like. a 26 " heavy octagon barrel, with a williams receiver peep and one of those round front sights that takes different inserts.i love it! has a few sctrachtes in the wood, might have been fired but not much. going to take it to range tomorrow with a few boxes of .30-30 to see what she can do, will post pictures when i find the cord for the camera

[Oldtimer]

I bought a Chief Crazy Horse in .38-55 some years ago.  It had been fired, and when I tried it with factory ammo, I saw why it was sold.  It would not feed at all.  I shot it as a single-shot and found out it was accurate, so I sent it back to Winchester and when it came back, it worked perfectly.  I wonder if they bothered to function test the commemoratives, since most of them went into safes and were never used. 

[kevin.303]

just got back now from putting 80 rounds through it.once i got used to the peeps, that 200 yard gong never stopped ringing, it was steady off hand and recoil wise, i was wearing a parka and i could have shot that thing all day, was a little rough feeling with cycling, as you said it might be, and was sometimes finicky when trying to load the magazine. that doesn't surprise me as they where never really built to be fired, so if neccesary i'll just swap out some parts with standard production '94 parts. all in all i'm very satisfied and finally have a rifle i've wanted since i was 8, when i first saw my grandfather's 94.

[mikedb]

I love the 94. I have only 2 now.  I agreed to sell one to a friend just before the announcement was made that stilled my heart.  I went through with the sale because I am a man of my word but boy I was tempted to tell my friend the deal is off.  Plus I let him have it for the $129 I paid for it.

[JHT]

Mikedb,

It's good to hear that your "word" counts and is important to you.  It would have been convenient to reverse your offer and rescind the sale, but as you stated "you are a man of your word."

Enjoy shooting your other 94.

JHT