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OK, so here is a little eye candy for the “not so faint of heart”. This one has been sitting in the back of the closet for three generations. It’s a 1903 vintage 1894 in 25-35. I can only imagine grandad picked it up as a parts gun and promptly forgot about it. Notice the $15.00 price tag still on the brazed up finger lever. If he paid full sticker price, I doubt it was much of a bargain back in the day. 
Huck Riley said
clarence said
1892takedown said
Although it doenst show in the pic, the metal is pretty rough…I see some of it–a sandblasted effect. Took some real neglect to achieve this, as the climate around Austin is not a humid one.
I like coming here because I pick up new terms. For instance, I learned “brown” here. Now I pick up “beater” and “sandblasted” effect. These all apply to what I (sincerely) like; and that which I would prefer to own. (I also learned about cosmoline: good look!).
The problem I find is this: I don’t see a whole lot of brown, beater, sandblasted guns for sale when I look around. I see more “nicer” guns for sale. I don’t know why that is? Intuitively, I’d think there would be more of the former, and I would think they would be less expensive. But apparently I’m wrong. Oh well, it is what it is. I’ll keep waiting around for the seller who thinks he/she has crap and will sell it accordingly.
Huck,
If you want to see brown beaters and no condition, with a bit of Bubba tossed in take a ride to the UP. The old Winchesters up here were strictly tools and nothing more. Unfortunately the guys selling them figure because they are embossed with a Winchester logo think the base metal used is gold .
Erin
Mark Douglas said
OK, so here is a little eye candy for the “not so faint of heart”. This one has been sitting in the back of the closet for three generations. It’s a 1903 vintage 1894 in 25-35. I can only imagine grandad picked it up as a parts gun and promptly forgot about it. Notice the $15.00 price tag still on the brazed up finger lever. If he paid full sticker price, I doubt it was much of a bargain back in the day.
That there is what I’m talking about!
Erin Grivicich said
Huck,
If you want to see brown beaters and no condition, with a bit of Bubba tossed in take a ride to the UP. The old Winchesters up here were strictly tools and nothing more. Unfortunately the guys selling them figure because they are embossed with a Winchester logo think the base metal used is gold .
Erin
I’ve got kin out of Iron River so I guess I’ll put some feelers out. Although the “gold” portion throws me out of the running. 
And as mentioned above about “parts guns”, all I can say is OUCH! I’ve looked at parts, wondering if I could throw one together from ebay but I think it ends up more that way. Oh well, back to hiding and waiting . . .
Erin, Now your talking about Gods country, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. My wife’s from there and I do deer camp with the boy’s. You might be surprised the 94’s that show up in the woods. I bought a 1894 dlx, half oct, full mag, 23inch barrel from a guy still deer hunting with it. The checkering was worn from being carried but it still had half the finish, rare gun. In the woods no need for a scope, the 94’s, 64’s, and 71’s rule. T/R
Mark Douglas said
OK, so here is a little eye candy for the “not so faint of heart”. This one has been sitting in the back of the closet for three generations. It’s a 1903 vintage 1894 in 25-35. I can only imagine grandad picked it up as a parts gun and promptly forgot about it. Notice the $15.00 price tag still on the brazed up finger lever. If he paid full sticker price, I doubt it was much of a bargain back in the day.
I’ve had worse. LOL. Two I have completely refinished since the metal was smooth and bores were good. A .25-35 rifle and a .30WCF carbine. Both got new wood and blue, plus a couple of parts. Ring and stud for the carbine and a front sight. No parts for the rifle, but the barrel and magazine were buggered so it got shortened to 20″. I hunt with the .25-35 and not worried about ruining the condition since it isn’t original anymore.
Shoot low boys. They're riding Shetland Ponies.
Mark Douglas said
OK, so here is a little eye candy for the “not so faint of heart”. This one has been sitting in the back of the closet for three generations. It’s a 1903 vintage 1894 in 25-35. I can only imagine grandad picked it up as a parts gun and promptly forgot about it. Notice the $15.00 price tag still on the brazed up finger lever. If he paid full sticker price, I doubt it was much of a bargain back in the day.
I’ll give you a chance to double Grand Dad’s money. $30 and I’ll cover shipping.
Shoot low boys. They're riding Shetland Ponies.
Huck Riley said
I’ve got kin out of Iron River so I guess I’ll put some feelers out. Although the “gold” portion throws me out of the running.
And as mentioned above about “parts guns”, all I can say is OUCH! I’ve looked at parts, wondering if I could throw one together from ebay but I think it ends up more that way. Oh well, back to hiding and waiting . . .
There’s a few to be found but a long stretch of road in between finds.
As far as building one from parts: NAH that would be the equivalent of building a car from an auto parts store. Much better off with a “project gun” that might need a few parts with poor condition. (the same animal that’s being torn down for parts because it’s worth more than as a whole)
TR said
Erin, Now your talking about Gods country, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. My wife’s from there and I do deer camp with the boy’s. You might be surprised the 94’s that show up in the woods. I bought a 1894 dlx, half oct, full mag, 23inch barrel from a guy still deer hunting with it. The checkering was worn from being carried but it still had half the finish, rare gun. In the woods no need for a scope, the 94’s, 64’s, and 71’s rule. T/R
Without a doubt, there are a few treasures to be found but they certainly are not abundant, The moral majority fitting the heading of this topic.
What part of the UP do you hunt. It’s awful slim pickings in some area’s for deer. Wolves really put a hurt on some area’s. The West end being one of the worst. I’m centrally located, between Escanaba and Marquette.
Erin, I hunt a little south of Houghton, on my wife’s farm, established in 1913 by her grandfather. The last 15 years we’ve had a large wolf pack in the area which is heavily wooded, hilly, and remote. When the wolves come thru they drive the deer in the cedar swamps and then you can forget deer hunting for 3 or 4 days. Deer are larger than we have in Wisconsin, perhaps because the deep snow culls the smaller deer during the hard winters. I started hunting in the U P 49 years ago while stationed there, hunting was slow then and is slow now. Guns were tools and well used with an abundant supply of 94’s. These guns put meat on the table, in my mind they are not beaters, they are “well used”. T/R
November 7, 2015
Online
Perhaps I should define “beater”, or at least what it means to me. In the automotive world, at least in some areas, a “beater” is usually an older but solid vehicle suitable for daily driving (and sometimes parking) in all the places and conditions you may not want to take your nicer vehicle. A beater vehicle is generally a little rough around the edges but mechanically sound. My beater is a 10 year old Grand Marquis with 185,000 miles. It meets my transportation needs and costs little to operate. It’s also tough as a mule and easy to work out of. I really like this old car, for me (like most car guys) “beater” is a term of endearment. It takes the beating of everyday driving so the nicer vehicle can stay home.
Beater may sound derogatory but I don’t mean it that way. I like my beater guns for the same reason I like my beater car. It’s been there, done that, and I’m not afraid to use it the way it was intended to be used.
Mike
TXGunNut said
A beater vehicle is generally a little rough around the edges but mechanically sound. My beater is a 10 year old Grand Marquis with 185,000 miles.
10 years, you say? Barely broke in. Mine is a ’99 Cherokee, my “winter beater.” Then there’s my ’96 GMC 4×4. Then there’s my ’80 Land Cruiser. If I owned anything as new as 10 yrs old, I’d save it for the Easter Parade.
Mike, That describes a Yopper gun to a tee. You will find it loaded behind the door and for some deer season started whenever you picked up the gun. Those days are gone, now the the wolf population keeps the deer numbers down not the Yopper. T/R
My last 94 purchase was from a fellow on the Upper Peninsula. He hunted with it for 35 years on and off, but it’s in great condition. I like it because it has three special order sights, and although the Lyman 21 receiver sight might not be original, it is period and the only Winchester I own that has one.
Yooper T/R……. For you fella’s that aren’t familiar with the term. A Yooper is a born and raised resident of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We get a fair amount of “Trolls” visiting here. That’s those Michiganders from Below the Mackinaw Bridge.
Here is a prime example of a Yooper rifle: Mechanically sound with trashed furniture. (maybe a bit too much blueing left on it tho) It doesn’t look like this any more…..
Erin, Sorry I misspelled Yooper, I should have consulted my wife the Yooper. When I go to deer camp somebody always says “welcome to the U P where men eat ring bologna and wolves eat venison”. Was that gun chewed by a porcupine? T/R
TR said
Was that gun chewed by a porcupine? T/R
I’ve got no history on it what so ever. Picked it up at a local show for $350. Cost me $150 for the semi inlets. (always had it in the back of my head I wanted a 401) I actually took all the crap off the back end of the original butt stock, mixed up some Acraglas gel, stained it dark walnut, filled the crater on the top of the stock and put a used recoil pad on it and sold it for $60 on GB. Here is the same Yooper special. I don’t believe I hurt the “original condition” value !
I have no problem with the way it looks now vs the way it was. Purists are shuddering in their boots.
Shoot low boys. They're riding Shetland Ponies.
November 7, 2015
Online
clarence said
TXGunNut said
A beater vehicle is generally a little rough around the edges but mechanically sound. My beater is a 10 year old Grand Marquis with 185,000 miles.10 years, you say? Barely broke in. Mine is a ’99 Cherokee, my “winter beater.” Then there’s my ’96 GMC 4×4. Then there’s my ’80 Land Cruiser. If I owned anything as new as 10 yrs old, I’d save it for the Easter Parade.
As a dealership parts guy I spent a lot of time hunting obsolete parts. I also very much dislike working on my vehicles or paying anyone to work on them. For a vehicle I depend on I’ll admit a preference to newer beaters. For the miles I drive it’s cheaper and easier that way. I like old cars, just don’t have the patience or funds for them.
Mike
Here is one of my favourite Winchesters. Even though it is a beater, it is unmessed with (i.e., no one has ever done anything to ‘fix it up’). It is a Model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine chambered in 44 W.C.F., serialized in 1913. This carbine came out of northern British Columbia. Judging from its external appearance, it spent way more time outdoors than merely hunting once per year. I’d guess it was a trapper’s carbine. Inside, however, it is a beauty with an excellent bore and smooth action. I can put five rounds into a 2 & 3/8″ circle at 100 yards with my own soft cast bullets. The honest history, speaking of a carbine that earned its keep, coupled with amazing accuracy, makes it one of my favourites even if it is a beater.
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