Fair price for Model 94 .25-35 WCF|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

Yep. I bought a 25-35 SRC from 1908, a nice one, and I paid over $3,000 for it. Traded it and another M1894 for a beautiful M1886. I also had a 25-35 Flatband and traded it off too. Now, I don’t have a 25-35 any longer. Oh well.   Big Larry

I know I’m late to the game on this post but just picked up a model 94 SRC in 25–35 WIN. at closing time at the Reno show. Probably 80% on the conservative side. Made in 1952.

 The seller  said he needed money to get home ! 

I paid 1k. Just looked up ammo prices and they are sky high.

Never shot one so will have to dive in I guess.

Bill

Blueliner said

I know I’m late to the game on this post but just picked up a model 94 SRC in 25–35 WIN. at closing time at the Reno show. Probably 80% on the conservative side. Made in 1952.

 The seller  said he needed money to get home ! 

I paid 1k. Just looked up ammo prices and they are sky high.

Never shot one so will have to dive in I guess.

Bill  

A few years back, on Sunday everyone was packing up to go home at the Reno show and I still hadn’t found a filler for my M94 carbine collection. All the shortwood carbines were priced too high in my opinion. Just at the door to leave, my buddy spotted a drippy mint 1960 vintage carbine in 30-30. The seller wanted $900 for it so I looked in my wallet and I had $800 and a 500 mile drive home. We went back and forth, and he agreed to let me keep $50 to get home on, and I got that beautiful carbine for $750. At that same show, I saw a real nice, late 25-35 for $1,700 and I went back to my table to borrow some $$$ from my BIL, and when I got back to the 25-35, it was sold. I did good at that show. I had over $5,000 when I got there. Big Larry

Win61 said
I acquired a model 94 25-35 S/N 1601244 (1949) with 5 boxes of ammo through a trade about 10 years ago. The gun is 99%+, not a mark on it. Now the bad news – the previous owner shot it 5 times then decided to have swivels installed. He never shot it again and I have never shot it, just kept it in my safe. It still looks new.

Now my question – how much does the swivels devalue the gun?  NOT FOR SALE – Just wondering. 

Dick  

Probably most collectors like me, would not buy that carbine at any price. I know some will not like what I am saying, but that’s the way it is. The stock can be replaced and it depends on how the front swivel is attached. Even at that, the carbine is still worth near $2,000.   Big Larry

Big Larry said

Probably most collectors like me, would not buy that carbine at any price. I know some will not like what I am saying, but that’s the way it is. The stock can be replaced and it depends on how the front swivel is attached. Even at that, the carbine is still worth near $2,000.   Big Larry  

   Thank you for your comments.

    The front swivel is clamped around the magazine tube. At one time I considered swapping wood with a 1949 30-30 in the same condition. Since damage  might have been done to one or both guns I left them alone. Since the guns will be passed to my sons then to my grandsons it was decided by all parties to leave it as is.

    Mostly I was looking for insurance value.

                                                                      Dick

Mark Fischer said
All,

I am very curious about the comment regarding the undesirable nature of the sling swivel added after the fact.  Can understand the desire for original state, but would like to get some feedback on the notion that the gun in question can’t specifically be verified as to original state; i.e. no letter from CFM can be generated.

I see that knowing it is no longer original now changes its status if originality is your driving consideration.  What I guess I am really questioning is how you can put originality as your first priority for guns that you know originality can’t be verified thru a third party. 

Another question would be how many Winchester letters actually identify sling installation at the factory?  I have a fancy sporting rifle model 1886 with sling swivels and no mention on the letter; while I also have a SRC 1894 that is SN 980XXX that has sling swivels that look as original as the rest of the gun!

I am on the fence in my career as a collector regarding originality, rarity, condition as to which takes priority and am just wanting to get some clarity on what others think about the topic.  Can see value in all.

Thanks  

    I agree – not all things that Winchester did can always be verified by letter or other means. I do not feel this makes a gun uncollectable. Later Winchesters that fall out of the letter range and or other means of verification that have period correct additions may have been factory installed.

    I have a Winchester Model 61 s/n 66006 (1942) that is in 99+% condition that appears to have been fired very little (possiblly test fired only). It has a period correct Lyman 56B receiver sight that looks original to the gun. The only thing that raises a question is it has a Marble #5 front sight. According to Old Gunsights it probably should be a Lyman #3.

    Is this original condition? – probably not – who knows? Is it collectable? No – not to the high-end collector. To me it is and it was affordable.

    I welcome comments.   Dick

Mark Fischer said
All,

I am on the fence in my career as a collector regarding originality, rarity, condition as to which takes priority and am just wanting to get some clarity on what others think about the topic.  Can see value in all.

Thanks  

Mark, this has been the thoughts of many over the years about which way to go. Some will say high condition investment pieces only, others want guns with a little wear so they can shoot them. I started with shooters & eventually progressed to condition. Over the years I’ve finally landed at where I feel comfortable & like to be as a collector. I now only buy 100% original, minimum 80% condition(subjective), & scarce or rare guns. Unfortunately thinking something is 100% original is not always the case so I end up on a quest to correct any non original fallacies.  

As some have said here before, some guns are too nice to shoot & they don’t collect those ones. I can appreciate those thoughts so each collector has a different perspective on what they collect. 
For me I can never go wrong buying a rare or scarce piece. I’ve had very good luck and interest in any guns that are hard to find whether it’s configuration or special order & options & to go back to your comment about swivels I like a gun that letters with them or comes standard with them. I wouldn’t normally be interested if not lettered for the guns where they were an ordered option but once again I would be dismissing approx 7 million 94’s that don’t letter when they could very well be factory installed with no mention on the ledger. My rule is if everything looks correct and I have no red flags or reason to suspect non original configuration, it will get my attention. I only have to convince one person when buying and that’s me. Putting it up for sale & having to sell a story is always a consideration that I don’t particularly like. I’m not dismissing the value of a letter & the times it’s saved many from making a bad purchase, I would just be giving up on a very lot of nice original collectable guns.

RickC

steve004 said
It took me a while to realize this thread was started about six years ago.  

Yes same here Steve. That would explain the 12889 views this post has which I initially thought was the Russians again!