If considering buying a worn Model 94 Winchester, what about a NIB commemorative?

[MelvinWalker]

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.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

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.

 

[MelvinWalker]

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.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

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.

 

[.455_Hunter]

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.

 

[Faulkner]

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.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

... 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 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.

Opinions on this?

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

 

[Grayfox]

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.

 

[JackM]

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?

 

[6string]

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.

 

[OutAtTheEdge]

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.

 

[Valmet]

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.

 

[Walkin Horse]

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.

 

[boykinlp]

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

 

[Jack Flash]

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.

 

[deadin]

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

 

[H Richard]

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.

 

[.455_Hunter]

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.

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.

 

[MelvinWalker]

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.

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.

 

[MelvinWalker]

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.

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.