As a young man, I probably owned half a dozen Model 94 Winchester rifles of various dates and eras. I remember one was a 1950's manufacture and the rest were various dates into the 1970's. All were standard off the rack guns. It was the most popular bush gun for deer in east Tennessee during the 1970's and 80's.

I have kinda had a hankering for another one, but the prices of these used beat up old 94's is ridiculous. I have noticed another trend though if you follow estate auctions...1960's Winchester Commemoratives that are unfired and new in box selling for less than a well used 1975 run of the mill 94??

I noticed recently several LNIB 1969 "Golden Spike" and "Legendary Lawmen" type commemorative unfired rifles go for as much or less than worn KMart Model 94's...I mean the $600-700 range.

Most commemorative 94's had much better fit and finish, usually had saddle rings and were generally new unfired time-capsule Model 94's. I guess people kept them in the box and thought they would be worth a fortune later, but actually they ended up being worth less than their worn sisters.

I think I am going to buy a 50 year old high end 94 Winchester commemorative and just shoot it rather, than a worn out pawn shop model of the same price.

Opinions on this?

ETA:....A 1978 "Antlered Game" carbine LNIB for a starting bid of $450 and estimated to bring less than $600.

Buying commemoratives on the cheap and using them is not uncommon. Unless what is being commemorated has some personal value to the buyer they generally are a poor investment. I have two John Wayne commemorative Winchesters and two Colts but they are in a different category to me. They seem to have held their values if not increased some over time.

I’ve heard such commemoratives referred to as “contrived collectibles” as their values is not so much inherent but promoted so by their maker.

A word of caution…check the action carefully…such commemoratives have been known to have assembled with little attention to internal fitting as the maker doesn’t expect them to be actually used…simply displayed. This is a cost cutting thing. While not a universal state t it has been known to occur.

Good point and I'll watch that, but until very recently, I never even considered a commemorative because, (in my mind), they were always top shelf price, but in reality, much like proof US coins..They are made with extreme attention to detail but never expected to be used.

I did see one a few months ago that was used...I think it was an Annie Oakley commemorative... The guy just used it like it was a regular gun, and it sure got the stares at the outdoor range...Shot perfectly, just had a lot of factory inletting and bling...Kind of a Rolex among Timexes.

I know of Colt collectors who buy commemoratives just because they are cheaper. They remove any embellishments and simply use them as any other handgun.

I have seen several folks comment that a "contrived collectable" 1894 is the only way to get a .32-40 or .38-55 in shootable condition for reasonable cost.

I have a Legendary Lawmen, 1977 production. It's a saddle ring carbine in .30-30 with 16 inch barrel. I bought it unfired but without the box a few years back from a co-worker who'd bought it new and needed a few bucks. I sighted it in and then took it out to the deer woods and took a nice doe with it. Seems I took a coyote with it as well.

I'll probably hand it down to my grandson at some point.

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- Change it back -

The Original Owner loved their Commemoratives but they died and their heirs; widow, children and grandchildren prefer cash.

Winchester did so many Model 94 Commemoratives that they killed their collectiblity. Seems like they were putting out a new one every month. People got tired of them and actually preferred the standard models. Commemoratives turned into a losing investment.
If you want one just to be a shooter, why not? It'll save you some money.

The only ones I’ve heard of that have increased in value are the Boy Scout 9422s. And now that the Boy Scouts are changing the name of their organization, well, who knows?

I’ve always considered Winchester commemoratives as something of a joke. The aesthetics reminded me of the word “classy” in the derogatory sense…..velour black light Elvis posters, Harley-Davidson Christmas dinnerware, and other accoutrements from the Bradford Mint (“as seen on TV”), etc.
I’m guessing I’m not alone in that sentiment if the values are as depressed as suggested.
On the other hand, kitschy is not without a certain tongue-in-cheek value. I’d love it if Winchester had made something like a “Bigfoot” commemorative, for example!

The idea of buying one on the cheap, specifically as a shooter might seem tempting. Honestly, though, I just can’t get past the mediocre fit and finish. They seem to be built to be flashy. Closer look at the details leaves much to be desired.
I would be concerned about buying a lemon.

On the other hand, I would like to suggest that if you want a shooter in a unique chambering, that you contact JES Rebore. For a very reasonable cost, they can rebore an existing plain 30-30, for example, to a 38-55, or a cool wildcat like the 35-30.
Their work is well respected in the cast bullet shooting community.

I absolutely approve! I hate to think of all those guns, manufactured alongside the "plain" models, then embellished and thus doomed to a life unfired.

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Ain't This Fun Though?

6string hit the nail on the head IMO. I can’t see myself spending money on anything with Commemorative aesthetics at any price but that’s just me. YMMV.

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Some Might Say.

Back in the early part of the century when Winchester announced they were not making rifles in the US anymore,I rushed out to buy an American made one. The only thing left was an Oliver Winchester commemorative in 38-55. New in the box with hanging tag’s still on it. Price was $600 American money. I still have it and it’s my only safe queen. A few years later I did find a 94 in 30-30. So maybe I’ll shoot it sometime and see if that raises the value.

Have you seen one sell lately? If so, how much?
Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

It seems like a few years back the various NRA publications constantly featured ads for this or that commemorative. The thing was, the ads were never very clear about who manufactured them. So if I bought one now, I would make darn sure it was manufactured by Colt or Winchester before I bought it.

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You're shy a few manners.

I've always considered "Limited Edition" to mean
"Limited by how many we can sell"

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

When we had live local gun auctions around here I used to see lots of commemorative guns going far below what a non commemorative guns brought, and were usually unfired.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Yup- Usually just inside the American Rifleman cover on one of the first couple pages. I remember one time they had an example done up to resemble a Victory Revolver that was embellished to honor WWII Naval aviation. The funny thing, however, was that the gun was a Taurus, and not a Model 10.

Exactly, and they always have gorgeous Winchester wood with a lot of figure and sharp checkering, whereas the same off the rack model looks bland at best.

Also, a standard 1975 Winchester 94 is not exactly a well blued rifle. I have seen scores of them where the bluing just seem to fade and freckle right off the receivers and that was ten years after their manufacture.

i saw one of those for sale recently and I thought

It was not a factory commemorative though...Another company like Franklin Mint had those made up.

The Winchester 94 commemoratives of the late 60’s - mid/late 70’s were made in large runs, 20,000 or so each. It was a good way to get something a little different, but not really a good collectible that would make you a lot of money. My parents gave me a Winchester Legendary Lawman 94 for my high school graduation, it was a pretty rifle, I wish that I still had it

A few years ago I bought a Winchester 94 NRA Centennial Musket, still new in the box, never fired, paid $575 for it. The wood on it is gorgeous, I will shoot it one of these days.

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

Back in my cowboy action shooting days, I had an NRA Commemorative Musket .30-30 and a Legendary Frontiersman .38-55 and I used both. Long since sold, along with several Trappers including a .44 Magnum that I think might have had a name, too, plus a few plain models. I shot them all.

The only 94s I still have are my first, a pre-USRAC .30-30 that I added a Williams peep sight to and it's very accurate or it was last time I shot it, which was not yesterday. I also kept a nice Big Bore in .375 Winchester, and a rebarreled, very old M94 in .25-35.





No pictures of the really old one.

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Come and take it!!

I just made a Quick Look and found this from almost 4 years ago.

Winchester Model 94 Oliver F. Winchester Commemorative Rifle | Rock Island Auction

I’d say you got a pretty good deal.
Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

I bought my Legendary Lawmen when I was in college. It’s still unfired in the safe but I didn’t buy it as an investment, I just like looking at it.

I have a rather unusual commemorative Winchester 94. It honors the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. The gold plating on the barrel bands would probably scare the deer, so it has been safely resting in my safe for decades. It's never going to bump into a tree.

You're not the first one to figure that out. I've seen a few commemoratives getting shot for the same reason.

Winchester flooded the market with so many commemoratives it devalued them. Back in the day the joke was to walk into a gun shop and ask for the "Commemorative of the Month."

Another option might be to keep an eye out for "house" brand guns. I know Sears used to sell Model 94's under their name in two grades. The usual Model 94 which Sears called and marked as the "Ted Williams" model, and the plain Sears gun which was the same, only it had a cheaper "hardwood" stock." The blue on the Ted Williams gun seemed a little nicer too IIRC. There may have been a few other differences. Seems the cheaper one had a plastic barrel band vs steel on the more expensive one.

No idea what they sell for these days. I saw one on the rack at my LGS not too long ago, but really didn't pay that much attention to it. I'm not really a rifle guy.

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John 3:16 .

A couple of years ago I went through the same thing. My son always asked to use my rifle during hunting season which was fine since I don't really hunt much anymore. Looking for a reasonably priced used M94 was crazy. I ended up buying him a Canadian Centennial. Nice wood and in like new condition for about half of what I thought I was going to end up spending. The Canadian comm's just didn't seem to have a lot of appeal since I found a few that were reasonably priced. Anyway, that might be another one to check out.
Well, it looks like they've become a bit more popular (probably for the same reason we're discussing). I just checked and they have also gone up. I'm sure I paid well under $600 for my sons.

The John Wayne- The Duke models are increasing in value. Other than that the models produced in 38/55 have a market in states that require a straight walled cartridge, minimum 38 cal to be legal for deer. The rest are so much fluff. I know guys that would buy everyone that came out for investment purposes. I guarantee you that they are a big lose across the board just in the value of the dollar issue, not counting what that money would have accumulated in interest during same period of time. If you are out to make money on such items the fast turn over is only way to do it.

After looking through this thread,

The more I think about it, the more I think:

Ain’t No Sense To Hunt With An UGLY Gun!👍😀

Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

When I was young(er) and dumb(er) I wanted a .30-30 and an LGS had one of the Canadian Centennial rifles for a reasonable price. It had a 26" octagon barrel if I recall. And had maple leaves engraved on the sides of the receiver. It was from 1967.

It was never very satisfactory. Accuracy was so-so and the action didn't feel very good. I guess that was because it was a post-64 and I had a friend with a pre-war Model 94 for comparison. The finish was some kind of black chrome which I also understood could be subject to bubbling or peeling. I didn't keep it for long. I think Winchester just made too many types of commemoratives and that diluted their value and appeal.

Never bought on because they were not based on the Model 1873-1876 which would have been period correct for the guns. Yep made too many different commemoratives to hold decent value down the road. Friend bought the Oliver Winchester Comm. back in 80 for $600 new in 38-55. Probably not worth much more today. I would rather invest in a 1873 model today made by Uberti or Miroku.

I bought a 686-3 unfired for the same price as a new one - it was s 1989 Treasury Commemorative. It is now my favorite 357 shooter.

A few thoughts here:

1) Most Winchester commemoratives were made in far greater numbers than are reasonable for a “collectible” firearm, which is largely based on rarity or scarcity. But to be fair, Winchester called them what they were “commemoratives”. If they were limited editions, Winchester was pretty open about the numbers to be made. It they were not a “1 of 100”, 1 of 1000”, etc, the buyers could expect them to be not particularly rare.


2) Quality varied.

The not so good:

For example they made just over 102,000 Centennial rifles in 1966, they made just over 97,000 Canadian Centennial rifles in 1967, and they made just under 113,000 Buffalo Bill commemoratives in 1968. Those are huge numbers for a commemorative and about 100 times the number for a truly collectible rifle. Quality in terms of fit and function was also no better than the immediate post 63 Model 94s.

Winchester started to taper off on the numbers with just under 70,000 of the Golden Spike commemoratives and around 52,000 of the Teddy Roosevelt commemoratives in 1969, around 27,000 of the Cowboy and around 38,000 of the Lone Star in 1970, and around 44,000 of the NRA Musket in 1971.

After that Winchester capped the most prolific of the commemoratives at 19,999 (and most were made in far smaller numbers) with the exception of 49,000 John Wayne commemoratives made in 1981.

The really good:

On the other hand the commemoratives made during the XTR era were completed in terms of fit and finish to the higher XTR standard. That’s partly why they were made in smaller numbers. Winchester started using the “XTR” grade in 1978 and it was preceded by higher quality in the commemorative rifles, and a commensurate jump in price, in 1976.


3) These 1978-1989 XTR era commemoratives can be very affordable means to acquire an otherwise hard to find rifle.

For example I have two Legendary Frontiersman rifles. At the time, Winchester was not producing the Model 94 in .38-55, and even now, you can find an LF for around $800 in mint to excellent condition compared to around $1800 for a standard Model 94 rifle or north of $2K for a comparable deluxe model.

Accuracy wise, both my LFs compare very well to my Miroku made Model 94 in .38-55 in terms of function and accuracy. The checkering and finish is also excellent.

More significantly, the LF has a 24” lightweight profile round barrel that gives it exceptional balance, compared to the current 20” and 24” Winchester Rifles, weighing the same as the current 20” rifle, but with the ballistic efficiency of a 24” barrel.

The fit and finish is slightly better than the current Miroku made guns, and to be honest the Uberti in the center has better wood to metal fit than either of the Winchesters.

It’s true that most comparatives do not appreciate in value. But if you purchase one used, they will generally hold their value quite well when measured against inflation.

In contrast if you buy a new Uberti or Miroku you are going to a) pay a lot more and b) eat a lot on depreciation.

As noted above the Canadian Centennial riffles were the second most produced commemorative rifles with just over 97,000 made. And they were a product of their time, at the low point of the post 1963 changes to the Model 94.


—-

There is a huge amount of misinformation out there about the finishes on the winter forged receivers Winchester used from 1964-1981.


From 1964-1968 (SN 2,700,000 - 3,185,691) they were blued with the Du-Lite 3-0 process. In short, on a 1967 Canadian Centennial there is no chrome used and nothing to flake off.

From 1968-1972 (SN 3,185,692 - 3,806,499) they do use black chrome plate. I have heard claims of flaking chrome plate, but I’ve never personally seen it. Like any chrome plate, if you get a scratch in it, and allow a solvent like Hoppes No 9 get under it, it will start to remove the copper plating under the chrome plate.

From 1972-1981 (SN 3,806,500 - 5,024,957) Winchester plated the receivers with iron and then blued when with the normal Win blue process.

Back before joining this Forum, I was pretty much into Colt's and during a trade I accumulated a Gettysburg Centennial, 22 revolver. I really had no interest but it was "part of the deal" and I did want the 6" Python so this thing came along to my house.

Some research showed that Colt only made 1019 of this particular gun, and mine serial numbered in the first production run of 100 in January 1963.

I basically forgot about it until wanting to free up some funds for some nice S&W's I began seeing so put it up for sale...took 4 years!

There was zero, zip, nada interest from most all sources until one day a Collector of these Colt Scout Commemoratives lacked only this Gettysburg one to fill out his entire collection. He paid the asking price promptly, I shipped promptly, story over, haven't bought another, and won't consider them.

PS: Another anecdote, I live 9 miles from a company in Ashland, Virginia called America Remembers (also called The American Historical Foundation). These are the folks that advertise in the gun rags....all blinged up 1911's, Thompson machine guns (semi-auto I'm sure), Cap & Ball, basically anything you want for big giant dollars, lots of gold plating and hero scripting. I really don't know who buys them, but somebody sure must. Their factory and office is not your suburban warehouse look. It is nicely landscaped, nature park type setting, etc. so they must be doing OK.

Haven't seen any of their offerings up for sale, even on the I-net, so there must be a lot of gold plated safe queens somewhere.

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

Thanks and this is OP here....I think you get what I am saying about fit and function versus grandpa's old overpriced junk that is for sale everywhere.

I think many in this thread misunderstand what the original point to the thread and that is this....A junky, worn, nothing-special, post-64 1976 Winchester 94 with poor condition wood and worn and freckled receiver from being left in the rain or truck or whatever is now pusing $700-$900 which is probably at least $300 too much for an old abused gun from the 70's...They were nothing special to write home about even when new, except for the old west nostalgia, ease of ammunition at every corner store and The Rifleman playing on black and white re-runs avery afternoon.

Most if not all of these commemoratives were the same exact rifle, but just a little better fitted, with better wood and most stayed new in the box because Gramps thought it would be worth a fortune later and it wasn't.

Fast forward to now and those same new in the box fancy 94's are bringing hundreds of dollars less than their bland $125 K-Mart cousins.

if you are looking to buy a shooter anyway, why buy an overpriced worn out Model 94 when you can get a time capsule new in the box fancy model that has never been shot for far less?

Case in point is the 1978 Antlered game commemorative that I showed. It has sharp XTR wood, never been fired and still has hang tag...It still has no bid and will go for less than a worn out one with a scratched up maple stock and bluing all flaked off the receiver.

I have given up on rifles but I always wanted one of these muskets. they are so cool. This and the stubby Legendary Lawman like Faulkner posted are my faves when it comes to commemoratives. I do not like gold trim except the 1966 rifle that came with a gold frame in tribute to the 1866.

I was 11 years old when the NRA Centennial musket and rifle came out and always thought that the muskets were really neat. A few years ago I decided that I needed a Winchester 94, 30-30 and remembered the NRA muskets and decided to look around on Gunbroker. After a week or two looking around I put a bid on a NRA Musket, new in the box, never fired with all the original documents. It is really a nice rifle, nice fit and finish, the wood looks like a lot nicer walnut then other early 1970’s Winchester 94’s that I have seen. It is a very handy rifle and not as long as Winchester 66 and 73 muskets that I have handled in the past.

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

I don't have much use for lever action rifles and the only one I have is a Uberti 1873 deluxe sporting rifle in .45 Colt to go with my Colt single actions. But I did apply the same reasoning to my latest Colt purchase, a second generation 4 3/4" .45 Colt. It has the best fit and finish and the most precise timing and lock up of all my Colts. It also shoots exactly to point of aim for me. It was an unfired in the display case NRA Centenial that I picked up for $1500. I pulled the hideous wood grips and slapped on a set of perfectly fitting stags that I had laying around.

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Exactly. It’s a good way to get a basically new condition Model 94 for comparatively little money.

——

Given the success of the Canadian Centennial rifles, Winchester tried marketing an upscale model 94 rifle, cataloging the Winchester 94 Classic. It had a 26” octagon barrel, very nice wood, machine scrolling on the receiver and a gold plated loading gate. That loading gate and the engraved “Model 94 Winchester Classic” on the barrel often results in it being mis identified as a commemorative. Ironically, they only sold about 40,000 of them over 6 years, 4 as a cataloged item and 2 more years before they finally sold them all. So it’s less common than six commemorative Model 94s and two more commemoratives come very close to it in numbers made.

Great call! Stag grips are just right on a Colt .
Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

I really like the shotgun butt as opposed to the curved type that doesn’t seem to be exactly like the old original crescent butt shape.

Picked up a glitzy 29-3 a year or so ago, NIB as is the usual condition for a commemorative. Paid less than the SWCA said as standard NIB one would go for. Its a good shooter.

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Even older, even crankier....

I have the Ted Williams model from Sears. It's drilled and tapped fr the side mount scope off to the left. It has everything for that but the scope. Coincidentally, my son's friend is looking for a Model 94. HMMMM! So I sent John my pictures, description, etc. John said he only has $600 to spend! Bad move on his part. Told my son I'll take $300 from him and he can get any leftover. On top, I have about 60 30-30 cartridges that I won't be needing. I was going to throw them in with the sale, but now they will be extra...for me! I hope the dude doesn't read this thread!

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There's a Monster on the loose

OP, buy a nice one and shoot it.

I don't do a lot of rifle shooting anymore, and I had a Model 94 Classic that I never shot so it got sold. Only got about $600 for it here on the forum.

Also had a post 64 Model 94 that was my first rifle. Son has it now thru convoluted means. Seems I spent $75 of my 1976 paycheck on that gun and went home without grocery money for the week. A year later, when I bought my 760, young Mrs Raljr1 says, you don't need two rifles, so sell the old one.
(HAHA)

My dad bought it and gave it to my younger brother. I tried for a dozen years to buy it back, no dice. Fast forward, my son is 12 and wants to hunt, so brother loans him the 30-30. He uses it for a year or two, Brother still won't sell, so I start looking for a gun. I find a Savage bolt action 30-30. Great gun for kids, safer than the 30-30. Take it home, son says, Ï don't like that one, I like the model 94."I say, "Tough, this one is yours, that one isnt."

So a few weeks later I relate the 'story to my brother. He says, "Bolt action 30-30, I'll trade ya." So Son ends up with my first rifle and still has it.

Of course the $150 I paid for the Savage was less than half of what I offered my brother to buy back the 94.

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

The worst Commemorative firearm I ever saw the "Tribute to Valor" (WWII) "Victory" model offered by the "American Historical Foundation" back in 1989. It wasn't even a Smith & Wesson revolver; it was a Taurus Model 80. The revolver sold for $795 (a LOT of money 35 years ago!) plus an exhorbitant amount of $175 for the display case for a total of $970. IMHO it was hideous. The last one I saw auctioned a few years back went for $150. I wonder how many old WWII veterans bought, or their unsuspecting families bought for them. It about made me sick.

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Reading through these threads makes me realize that prices are still affected by location, even with the internet.
Just in the past few months I've seen three very nice pre model 94s priced in the $650 to $750 range. All 30-30s. The 650 dollar rifle was/is sitting in a gun shop in Sunbury, Pa. It sports a receiver peep and has QD swivels mounted. The other two sold in the mid 700 dollar range at an auction. Both were pristine, unaltered rifles.
But I've also seen very worn, overpriced guns sitting in shops and at gun shows tagged at $800+.
Around here, commemorative are selling in the $500-$900 range. More for high condition guns with original box, paper work and etc.
So my take on the OPs query is to take a little time and get a nice standard rifle. But I realize that I live in a Winchester rich area that has an aging gun owner population, an ideal combo for finding estate sales and full racks of used guns at the local shops. Most of my own collection will be headed that way within the next decade or so.
I've never been one for painted ladies or glittering do-dads.

John

About 30 years ago a good friends Dad passed away and left him every one of the Winchesters. IIRC took friend 25 years to sell them.