antler1 said
I just checked the tang and stock and they all match 906XX and 906 on stock. What nobody has ventured to address so far is how this mismatched letter to an obvious high grade 1886 will affect it's price.
  

Pat-

I'm afraid it's a long ways down that "excuse gun" trail. My personal feelings stop where the next buyer's pocketbook starts. I think it's a great gun but when the time comes to sell it the information contained in the letter will affect some buyers more than others. Most or all of us have had "excuse guns" and they're a tough sell. Someone with the required expertise and experience will recognize it as an honest gun, as I believe you did. In today's market buyers are sometimes afraid to trust their own judgement but with the high quality fakes we see who can blame them? Many buyers buy to re-sell and simply don't want the "excuse" headache. Letters are an integral part of this hobby but at some point we need to decide if we're buying a gun or a letter. I think Ian has a good feel for the actual numbers on probable sales price but also significant is the percentage of buyers who will eagerly buy a rifle like yours that matches the letter while declining to make an offer on this rifle. That number is hard to put a finger on but certainly a factor.

Mike

antler1 said
I just checked the tang and stock and they all match 906XX and 906 on stock. What nobody has ventured to address so far is how this mismatched letter to an obvious high grade 1886 will affect it's price.
  

It’s actually unfortunate that it isn’t in the range that doesn’t letter.  Then you base a rifle on merit only.

It’s obvious that this is most likely an error in the ledgers, or, more correctly, an omission.

So, if I had two identical rifles like this one side by side, and one lettered correctly, and this one did not, I would value the other rifle more or this one less.  So, it had to have an impact on value.  But, then again, rifles like this don’t come along every day, so I’m going to guess 0 to 20%, with most knocking it about 10%.

Zebulon said
Steve, if I can find my Rennenburg text on the 94, maybe I can find images for comparison. 
Whatever, your 94 is stocked with some handsome Walnut.  
  

I agree, the whole rifle looks amazing. Congrats!

TXGunNut said
I generally unload my 1894 hunting rifles the same way I load them; through the loading port. Simply depress the cover and manipulate the cartridge case head to clear the stop and the magazine spring pushes the cartridge into your hand, not onto the ground. Saves wear and tear on the cartridge and they don't get dirty or wet. Simplifies muzzle control, don't forget to cycle the action a time or two after removing the cartridges from the magazine to ensure it is unloaded.
 
 
Mike
  

Mike,

I found this interesting as I've also done this in the past, mainly not to spook game in a heavy brush area we hunt in PA, on our family property, and to keep the noise of racking the action down, as we have to unload our firearms at the end of shooting times. It's been a few years but I've done it, as I've also unloaded the conventional way that Steve mentioned also.

Tony

I'm in agreement with the other members, as we've seen the lack of information in the ledgers on various models, hence the letter issues we see and have as members. I wouldn't let it stop me, as you're rifle is a very nice specimen, and I can understand you're frustration.

oldcrankyyankee said
Does the numbers on the tang match the wood? 
  

I also would like to know what Tom is asking about the tang.

Thanks for sharing!

Whatever, your 94 is stocked with some handsome Walnut.  

BOLT ACTION RIFLES: 

Top prize must go to the Weatherby Mark V safety. When the tab is rotated to vertical, the firing pin and sear are blocked and the striker/pin assembly is lifted out of concentricity with the primer. You can drop it from 50 feet, butt or muzzle first, onto a steel deck or reinforced concrete - nothing happens. Unload the magazine by tripping the baseplate release. 

Runner Up is the Model 70 safety and the Ruger 77 semi-clone. Same as above but the firing pin remains concentric with the primer. In the middle position, the pin is not locked. Dropping from a tree stand in that condition theoretically can result in an inertial discharge. I don't climb trees or ladders anymore and any Model 70  suits me fine.

The vintage Winchester bolt action rimfires just have sear blockers but the box magazine versions are my favorites.

PUMPS:

Has anybody else almost been fooled by what appeared to be the follower tip of a tube fed .22 -- but wasn't? As much as I love my Model 61,the acrobatics the next round up performs to get inline with the chamber before the closing stroke of the bolt can confuse a novice staring into the ejection port to see if he's fired the last round. I may be biased because Dad owned a Model 90 in his youth but my reblued, shooter grade Model 62 is the very last rifle I'll give away. It comforts me that the whole top of the receiver opens up.  Half cock vs. Trigger blocking push button are both the bare minimum. 

LEVER ACTION RIFLES: 

A Browning BLR Gen 1 requires the shooter to lower the hammer and rotate the hammer face out of reach of the inertial firing pin. Browning "otherness". What sells me is the removable box magazine. No dumping of cartridges required. Ever. 

The inconspicuous tang safeties of the reissued Winchester 1886, 1892, 1894, and 1895 models are very useful when climbing down from a tree stand and cycling live rounds through the action. I can do what Mike suggests with a 25/20 Model 92 but it doesn't work for me with big guns.  Aged fingers, perhaps, but torpedo length. 45 caliber rounds aren't happy making sharp turns in confined spaces. Test dummies are indicated. 

The new Model 73 rifles have no tang safety and it's the half-cock sear notch or nothing. I'm going to try Mike's unloading method with these bigger pistol cartridges because it would be a comfort to do it that way. 

My problem with a half-cock safety is not what I do with it. It's what the other guy does with his while within rifle range of me. Like the cretin who put a .32 Special round between my feet after loading up his (borrowed) vintage Marlin 336 Sporting Rifle. At 4:30 AM in the Moonless dark. Nice rifle.  I had to be restrained from giving him a proctoscopy with it. It didn't have a full length magazine.

I think it’s neat you took a deer with your 1903 SRC.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news—and perhaps you are aware of this already, but it’s been reblued and the wood was heavily sanded prior to refinishing.

Top Colt is a Case colored 45 LC made by Uberti. Next is a Winchester 38/40 made in 1910, A great shooter with a pristine barrel.  Next is a beautiful case colored 45 made by Miroku and imported by Browning. Bottom is a beautiful 44/40 also made by Miroku and imported by Browning. These are some really Beautiful Rifles. I have another one hanging on the wall in a glass case in the living room. It is also in 44/40. It is a museum piece. A “1 of 1000”. There were only 25 of these made. It is really beautiful and has some stunning wood and engraving.  Check them out. Let me know what you think? Next I will post some of my Model 1892’s

426crown said
Me thinks it was an error in the ledger.....................Bill
  

Sounds logical. I've had a nice 1894 that didn't letter with a PG but the 1886 has the serial number on the lower tang so it makes the Frankenchester theory a bit of a stretch. Certainly presents as an honest gun, very nice wood and desirable configuration. 

Mike