Since I lost a number of rifles and shotguns in a burglary back in February I have slowly been replacing those ones that I use regularly.
Two I thought I would not be able to replace were my Winchester '94 in 30-30 and my Chinese Norinco copy of the Winchester '97. Both a range guns, the Norinco for CAS Wild Bunch events and the '94 for long range lever action rifle.
The Norinco was a replacement for a previously stolen original pre 1940 Winchester '97 takedown. Somewhere along the line the barrel had been hacksawed back to 20" but it still shot well on steel CAS shotgun targets, although I was careful never to use full charge 2 3/4" shells. I had a store of paper 2 5/8" 12 gauge I was just about through shooting and was just getting into some light CAS "Cowboy" loads that are loaded here when the shotgun was stolen back in August 2017.
I managed to replace it with the last of 20 Norinco '97 copies my LGS had imported about 8 years ago. The only reason they still had out back it was that the action would lock up occasionally. It had been sold twice but bought back each time as "broken". The local gunsmith had looked at it but could not find anything wrong.
After some trial and error I worked out that if I opened my left palm before pulling the trigger it worked fine, but if I held the stock into my shoulder with the left hand it locked up. It sounds bad but actually, once I worked it out, closing my hand after firing, racking the slide and then opening my hand again just became natural.
When it was stolen I asked around. Norinco were no longer making the '97 copies. CAS shooters were trying for Model 12's (equally scarce if not more so), and second hand Norinco's were usually grabbed by new CAS shooters as soon as word got around one was for sale.
I put an ad in the Pistol New Zealand Trading Post section and a few weeks later got a reply. An almost new Norinco, about 100 rounds through it, that was being sold as part of a deceased shooters estate. The price was just under what I had paid 3 years ago for a new version so I snapped it up. I have not been able to shoot it yet, but on my next free range day I'll drag it along and run a few rounds through it.
Dry firing however there is no lockup if I close my left hand on the forestock.
Second hand '94's are also in short supply, especially pre AE models. I have seen two new '94's recently. One was a presentation model with heavy 24" octagonal barrel and a NZ$4,500 price tag. Last week my LGS put up an update on Facebook with a new Moruku manufactured '94 for NZ$3,500 (prices here are going crazy. None of the importers can get in everything they want right now so prices are going
up).
I called the LGS but when told it was new (and right out of my price range) I just reminded them to call me first if a used '94 came in.
An hour later Jason from the LGS calls me back.
"Have I got a deal for you".
"Yeah, what is it".
"That new '94 has just been sold, but he traded in a used one in 30-30. It has some wear but overall is pretty good".
"How much".
"Oh, you better come down and see it. We'll put it out back and give you first refusal if you can get down this week" (The shop is 45 minutes away).
"I'll be down Friday on my way to Taupo. I'll call in then".
Friday arrives and I walk in. As soon as he sees me at the door, Ken, the owner, goes out back with a huge grin on his face. He comes back with a beautiful (to my eyes) '94 with checkering and still nice blueing.
He hands it to me saying "The only wear is on the bottom edge of the receiver where it has been carried over the shoulder".
Sure enough only the bottom and edges of the receiver are showing wear.
"How much"?
"Make me an offer I can't refuse".
I think about it for a few seconds and name a price 3/4 of what I am prepared to pay, just on the off chance.
"No, I said make me an offer I
can't refuse" says Ken.
"Give me some idea of what you want for it" I reply.
"You can't buy second hand '94's for under a grand" says Ken. "Last one I sold was not as good as this one and I sold it for just under NZ$1,500" (Now reduce this by 2/3 to get U.S. dollars. Like I said earlier, things are getting scarce and prices only going one way).
Shoot! I'm not prepared to pay
that much for a '94. Should I take my chances on getting another, cheaper (and not as good) one down the line?
Turning to Jason Ken says "What do you recon is a good price for this rifle"?
Jason gives his answer with my top dollar adding "You'll both be happy at that".
Ken gives me another grin and I say "Sold. Put it out that back and I'll come back early next week as I don't want it with me all weekend".
Today I drive down and complete the transaction. for an extra $8 I end up with the rifle, two sling swivels and a new leather sling. I guess he took another $100 off the price for me.
I still need to get a Lyman #2 peep sight to go on the tang, but it is good to see the old "thutty, thutty" in the safe again. Also on the next range day I'll be taking it along and checking the POI with my 150 gn lead bullet handloads.
Oh, and the new safe is now at about maximum capacity.
Finally, one Winchester and a copy
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