Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Centennial 66 Winchester, to shoot or not shoot?

I have a Centennial 66 Winchester. It's in it's original box and to the best of my knowledge it's never been fired. It takes up space in the back of my gun safe which is full of old guns that I can shoot.

From what I gather the 66 isn't really worth a lot, of course that depends on your reference point, I'm guessing it's not over $1000 and more like $500 range give or take a few $100. The rifle is nicely made and from what I've read they shoot just as good as any model 94.

I'm contemplating shooting this rifle and get some use out of it. I could of course trade or sell it off for a shooter. But then why not shoot a good rifle with a perfect bore for once in my life.

Is shooting this rifle really going to degrade the value? I don't see the prices really rising on these. My 1894's built in 1902 & 1904 will probably hold and rise in price but 66 may only after I'm dead.

IMO shoot it.

Beanie Babies get played with, because they're not the real deal either - Shoot the snot out of it.

.

I bought a Centennial 66 carbine earlier this year, NIB unfired. (I mainly bought it because as much as I love the looks of the brass-receivered Henrys, seems like there are as many guys that love Henry's service when their rifle breaks as guys that love their Henrys as is.......) I promptly "devalued" it over the summer with about a hundred rounds.........



I guess I don't think it's worth much as a rifle if it isn't used as a rifle sometimes. But my rear sight has a bit of a twist to it so I'll be "devaluing" it further anyway.

Sounds like everyone is thinking the same thing. What good is a rifle you can't fire.

In my opinion early post-64 M94's (even special runs) won't gain enough value in our lifetime's to be worth sitting on them vs. shooting them. Shooting one doesn't ruin the value, it only lowers it to a buyer of unshot guns - the gun will still have the value that any other similar vintage M94 in similar condition has. Be careful working the action if it has the stamped blued steel lifter - it bends easily if stressed by a mis-fed cartridge, leading to more poor feeding. Many were retrofitted later in that era with a new one machined from a casting - but an unfired gun probably doesn't have the refitted lifter.

I can solve your dilemma by shooting it for you.