Last Thursday I was chasing guns up Bozeman, Montana way when I came across the coolest, niftiest, cutest Winchester 94/22 I had ever seen!
It was the Winchester 94/22 (L.R.) "Trapper Model".
I had never seen one before and I looked it over VERY carefully.
It was flawless and had very nice wood (Walnut) on it and the checkering was perfect.
The main reason I did NOT buy it was the price - $1,800.00 (one thousand eight hundred dollars - no sales tax in Montana!).
I was just not familiar with this model and my year old Blue Book showed a 100% gun to be $1,150.00 for this 16 1/2" barreled Trapper Model.
If anyone is interested the Rifle is at the Schnees Boot store in the back gunshop called The Powder Horn - 1-800-922-1562.
Anyone have any thoughts on that $1,800.00 asking price?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

In this day and age you might as well throw any "Blue Book" out the window. My LGS had a 94/22 .22WMR priced close to $2K and it didn't last but a couple days.

Tmitch: Thanks for that.
I have been on a terror buying Colt, Smith & Wesson and High Standard pistols and revolvers of late, and indeed many pistols and revolvers I thought were priced high (much higher than in my "Blue Book") got sold out from underneath me.
Case in point - just a month ago I was dealing/drooling on a near mint condition Smith & Wesson Model 17 revolver in a local gunshop and I actually saw it sell for $250.00 more than my year old "Blue-Book" rated it at?
Another quick case in point - a nice dwarf type fellow who frequents the gunshows in NW United States (Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and taxington) had SEVERAL Winchester 94/22's for sale (all new in the box by the way).
I tried everything to get him to come down just $100.00 in his prices (which I thought were very high!). - but to no avail.
This went on for the last year and a half.
Just saw him at the Bozeman, Montana gunshow and low and behold he has sold all those N.I.B. Winchester 94/22's!
Your advice on relying to much on the Blue-Books is no doubt valid - I still use them a LOT for establishing rarity and identifying most of the offered options on guns.
Thanks again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I Agree with Both of you Guy's on the Blue Book of Gun Values, as it is useful for information, but as Far as price goes, yeah , your better off, using today's tools,(internet), Gun Auctions, etc..........IMO!
The Winchester 94/22's are nice, especially in the Trapper Model, but that's still a lot to pay for them! At least with the Gun Auctions it can help to see what their going for.

Thats a Grail gun for me,but no way I could justify that price.

I almost went back for an early model 9422 magnum that was priced at $1050.
It had some wear on it but was the early uncheckered model and I missed out.
In hindsight, after looking online at completed auctions I should have found a way to get it.
I may never see another one.
If you really want it then I agree with the above post that you can throw the Blue Book out the window.
We are in an historic time of rapidly increasing home prices, used vehicle prices and firearm prices.
The older wood/blue rifles that many of us clamor for are becoming fewer and farther between.
I have very few on my short list but if I run across one, I'm not going to be shy about paying for it.

I had a pretty vast collection of 9422’s and still own several. I personally wouldn’t pay that much for it, but I have 2 Trapper models left, new in the box and wouldn’t sell them for $2000. You won’t get hurt at that price, just depends on how bad you want it. You never pay too much for a Winchester, you just buy too soon at times😁

Blue Book isn't worth the paper it's written on. Prices ALWAYS obsolete. For more realistic prices check closed auctions on the big sites like gunbroker or guns America.

Tmitch, The Happy Kaboomer, WFR, HunterShooter58: All of you's - I had some time on my hands after perusing this thread again today and theres this!
I went to 5 (five!) on line "gun auction sites"!
And I found just 1 (one!) possibly 2 (two) comparables - they might have been the same Winchester 94/22 Trappers?
So theres one maybe two Winchester 94/22 Trappers and NEITHER had a bid placed on them - let alone a "sold for price"!
So theres that to contend with when shopping for a Rifle.
AND... the asking but "unbid" on prices were for the two (maybe one?) Trappers I found were $3,999.00 (three thousand nine hundred and ninety nine dollars!) and $3,599.00 (three thousand five hundred and ninety nine dollars!).
So theres that to deal with when shopping for a Rifle - no examples to see that were sold to "compare with"!
I realize the "short-comings" of the Blue Book Of Gun Values as "I" have been dealing with them for the last 42 (forty two!) years now.
Having said that I will NOT be throwing out my latest edition of the Blue Book Of Gun Values as I continue my gun trading/selling!
I consider the Blue Book Of Gun Values to be worth the money paid for them although the latest edition (Volume 42!) was a gift to me from my VarmintDaughter!
So theres that.
I travel a lot to gunshows and gunshops, very often LONG distances, to said gun venues and I can't take along my computer but I can take along my latest edition of the Blue Book Of Gun Values.
Relying on a computer (even for those that have a portable computer) to get accurate prices on arms is NOT completely reliable (as I have illustrated above!).
And theres this, unfortunately there are other considerations that come into play for gun auction site reported sales - they can be scams!
I know, I have been offered/asked to send in phoney bids and buying prices by some unscrupulous folks I have dealt with in the past few decades - in other words I am sure NOT all sold for prices are actually sold for prices!
And theres this - the Winchester 94/22 Trapper is NO longer at the Gunshop in question - I assume it has sold!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

This is what I found:

I’ve owned a trapper but was talked out of it years ago. Still own a few 94/22s.
Excellent guns and the trappers are cute lil buggers.
If a fella wants one - better buy it at todays price. I believe they won’t go down.

I bought a 94/17 on close out at a Galyens Sporting Goods years ago for $240. Had I known what they would go for years later I would have bought all they had. Can’t believe how accurate it is and a blast to shoot. Dave

Jsgwoodsman: I concur with your assessment of future prices!
I see NOTHING in the way of arms and armament coming down any time soon. That includes optics and reloading components.
Sad in a way.


Ackleydave: I have told this story once before on this site.
Years ago I was on a bodyguard assignment in Bend, Oregon and at shift change my partner and I stopped in at a small gunshop in Redmond, Oregon.
On the rack was a new and beatifully stocked Winchester 94/17 HMR with pistol grip stock.
I looked it over and decided I would come back the next afternoon at shift change and buy it - I should have put it behind the counter with a deposit!
It was gone when I got there the next day.
I have been trying to "find" another 94/17 HMR for 19 years now!
IIRC that N.I.B. 94/17 HMR was in the $350.00 range?
Oh well.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, many of the vintage firearms in new condition are fast becoming far too valuable to shoot.

And you’re 100% correct, they will not be going down in price anytime soon..if ever.

We’ve been picking up minty S&W’s and Colt’s for a number of years now. It’s shocking how fast prices escalated in just two to three years. But we’re very picky in what we buy.

A firearm NEVER becomes to valuable to shoot. If you feel that way about one you should sell it someone who will.

The happy kaboomer: I think you are misunderstanding?
Indeed any particular firearm is originally made to be able to shoot but MANY firearms would lose so much value if fired that the owners prudently don't shoot them.
I own many such firearms!
And indeed the day may/will come when "I" choose to sell the guns - if the buyer wishes to pay the price "I" am asking for my unfired specimens then he/she can do so.
But I would MUCH rather retain the increased value of my unfired collector guns and realize that increased value when I sell them - I literally have hundreds of guns I shoot and have shot so I am not tempted at all to shoot ANY of my valuable unfired guns.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

JB in SC: Pardon my slow reply - I agree totally with your contentions!
Both Smith & Wesson and Colt revolvers and pistols are extremely strong in values today.
And yes, much of that value has come about in the last two years.
Only thing sad about this is the fact I did not buy MORE of the above listed guns six to ten years ago!
Oh well can't see into the future they say.
I do foresee/predict that the collectible arms will be holding their values and increasing in value for the next couple of years at least.
Hold into the wind
varmintGuy

I have to constantly remind myself that it's not so much an increase in value of our guns, but the lessened value of our dollar. Are tangible goods such as guns the way to prevent hyperinflation from rendering our bank accounts? Collectibles vs utilitarian? (read- EBR's.)
Stocks, bonds, bitcoins? Land and real estate? Whatever your vehicle, you best move quickly, the next few years are going to be bumpy.

Gary

I've got a 94/22 magnum that I bought several years back. It has a small blemish on the receiver from not being taken care of but is otherwise perfect. It amazed me how well these little guns shoot.

You don’t see clean used 9422 s going for much less than that these days. The Marlin 39 is a 22 lever in the same boat as the 9422. Both discontinued and going up in value used.

Blue Book is the guide you use to buy from people who don't have a clue.

Fair price

Or the book gun shop owners use to fleece people who show up to sell firearms. The book hasn't been close to accurate for at least 30 years.

Rodney482: Buried in one of my latter posts is the fact that the Rifle I wanted others to know about has sold't!
Yeah I probably should have made a strong play for it when I first saw it - but alas its on down the road now.
Amazing the prices that the clean Winchester 94/22's and 94/17's are selling for nowadays!
So many guns - so little time.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

If it's profit you're saving for/counting on. You'd make more in a savings account.

The Happy kaboomer: That is an idiotic statement!
Have YOU even been to a bank lately and seen the laughably low "savings account" rates?
You have earned a "sheesh"!
Sheesh.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I had a 94/22 s,l,lr and a 94/22 mag in the safe until last week. Sent the lr version to a friend in WY for his little girl to grow into. Much better use for it than just being another gun in the safe. The mag version will stay and go to one of my grandsons someday.

The prices are quit variable. I have bought '50's era model 17 's in 98+condition for $900.00 to 1000.00 in the last 5-6 weeks.....and I don't really need anymore.


However, I can't pass 'em up.

As for 94/22's the Trapper model is about priced right. Now, if you think that is expensive, try to buy a 9422 Factory Color Case Hardened or a 9422 Yellow Boy.

I shoot almost everything Have . I was at the Riveria Gun Show in Vegas man-years ago. The Riveria is gone now. Last hour or 2 of the show I bought 2 NIB Winchester 63's , I had been watching.

2 different sellers. I made a offer 1 guy took it. Next guy I made lower offer , I had shot my wad over 3 days. I started to leave and owner called me back.

Now I get home, broke as hell and a bunch of nice guns. The 1st thing I did was put one of the 63's together and shot it. I couldn't help my self. I would do the same thing again.

NIB guns own you... what the hell good are they? Yes, investments. I have sold most of the NIB stuff . Have 7-8 9422's and 94/17's. Great guns and fun to shoot.

The Blue Book is the most over-rated reference book out there.

So the 94/22 LR I have might be worth a few buck, eh?

I'm not getting rid of it tho...

Just go buy it. You will soon forget the price and find the joy of shooting and using a very nice gun.

Chase a gun you like, pay what’s necessary, enjoy. Constantly chasing a “deal” is a fool’s errand.