Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Are pre-64 Model 94's just for collectors?

With the scope unfriendly receiver and the inherent limitations of tube fed .30-30 ammo, does anyone besides a collector/plinker buy a pre-64 Winchester Model 94?

I had three for a while: a .25-35, a .30-30 and a .32 Winchester Special. I carried all three when I was still down on the ranch, the .25-35 the most. I have slowly let them go since moving to "town', and I often wish that I had one or two back. I may buy another one if it shows up at the right place at the right time.

I don't get the question. A scope is not a necessity for all hunting situations and the .30-30 is not a limitation in the woods.

That makes good sense.

But are the people buying later pre-64 94's on Gunbroker buying them for hunting or for the novelty

I shoot alot lions and bears out of trees with my pre 64 30 30. Works every time its tried. Interestingly enough, I have shot 2, three shot groups off the bench with it that measured 1".The distance was 100yds. Open sights, factory federal blue box ammo. Pretty good for an old carbine.I believe mine was made in the mid 40's.

Novelty? By far the most popular U.S. manufactured centerfire rifle with over 2,600,000 produced, I think not....

No way.... Great gun for hunting.... In the south there are tons of places you cannot see long ways.... I plan on killing a few this year with some of my 94s just for fun

Really nice ones are getting pricey, but good pre-64 shooters are still around for acceptable prices, especially if you can tolerate a .32 Special. Wish I still had the nice 1950 model I foolishly sold.

Whittakers has new Miroku .38-55s for sale at a decent price. Except for that dang safety, they're probably better guns than the last bunch out of USRAC.

I prefer the .32 Special. I shot my only Bear with a pre 64 .32.

They sure oughta be at near 3X the price!

It only hurts for a little while.

They're not expensive. In my opinion, if you're looking for a hunting rifle not one thats98%, the price is quite reasonable.
I bought a pre64 model 64 (30-30) that someone reblued and professionally refinished the stock with expert checkering, action tight, accurate enough for 200 yard deer for $700.
I bought a pre64 model 94 in 32 Special for $450. This one was not refinished, no rust, patina.

Both wear steel Lyman aperture sights.

I shoot 170 grain jacketed in the 30-30 and ~170 grain cast in the 32. I have a large box of 30-30 bullets, which I bought for about 90% off retail. If that runs out I'll probably shoot cast in that.

The pre64's are a pleasure to carry, they're more accurate than the post63's and they hold they're value.

Yes I shoot the pre 64 Winchester lever actions.

The only post 63 I have is a Jap 1886 in 45-70. I'd preferred the pre-64 1886, but they are not so inexpensive as the 94's and 64's.

The 32 Special is a little more powerful than the 30-30 and I like it a little bit more.

I miss my pre 64. I shouldn't have sold it.

Not in our house.
I still hunt with lever action rifles and my 1941 M94 in 30-30 is in the mix.
The price on them certainly has escalated (I guess the days of finding them in pawn shops for $150.00 are gone) but with a little shopping around you can find nice rifles for around $500.

StarchedCover

I read the above and got this '1952 undrilled .30-30 94 for my decade-type birthday coming up this year:




I know the scratches on the butt make it worthless as a hunting rifle, but at least it has the tang thing that goes up. And who would want a rifle with a fold down rear sight.

Range report soon as I can

I shoot both of mine.. Not a lot, but every year..

Based on information from another subforum I was taught that this 1952 had an extra post factory hole for the tang sight

I contacted the seller before it shipped to my FFL. He was a real gentleman about MY mistake, and he is cancelling the sale. I offered money for his trouble and he said no.

I have my Dad's in 30-30. Manufactured in 1927. Haven't killed anything with it since 1968 (it was out of my possession for 25 years), but it is my walk-about gun up here. It too will shoot about an inch group with the aperture sights at 100 yards on the bench. And with my eyes - that's probably luck!

It's about due for a moose.

I have re-blued it, and refinished the stock. Probably due for another re-blue.

Yes, I would say they are primarily for collectors and (in the same vein) shooters who like to use a piece of history.

Functionally, a pre-64 is no better or worse than a post-64, or even a current production Marlin or Mossberg lever.

Similar with a new manufacture Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. Is a pre-64 functionally different? No. I may happen to like my older model, but I am using it for my own sentimental reasons.

For the surplus military crowd, you may have a genuine WW2 sniper rifle, or a recent "clone". They don't shoot any different, but if you want to know you are shooting a genuine WW2 model, then that's what you want.

This 1957 .30-30 94 is now in the fold: