Pawn Shop Find: Sears "Ted Williams" Model 100 (Winchester 94 in Plain Clothes).....

[canoeguy]

Pawn Shop Find: Sears "Ted Williams" Model 100 (Winchester 94 in Plain Clothes).....

I have been looking for a Sears "Ted Williams" Model 100 for at least ten years now, but haven't been able to find one at a decent price. Lucked into one the other day at a pawn shop, I was there when they brought it out of the back to put it on display. All the other pawn shop "Hanger's On" where distracted by other guns, so I got to look at it first.

Now, as you probably know, a Sears "Ted Williams" Model 100 is a Model 94 Top Eject, 30/30 caliber, made by Winchester for Sears. Some minor differences, a plastic forend cap, no ramp or hood on the front sight. This one looked lightly used, and missing the freckles found on most 70's vintage Top Eject 94 receivers. Got it in a package deal with a like new 2009 vintage Marlin 336W, one of the last ones made in North Haven CT, with "JM" proof mark. $300 apiece, $600 total for both 30/30 rifles...

Here's some pics:

Here's a pic of the Marlin 336, not a mark on it:

Don't know why I have been attracted to the Ted Williams rifle, but I have. I guess it harkens back to the day when Sportsmen had so many choices when it came to rifles, every hardware and department store cairried them. I do have a feeling that as time passes, more and more people will be attracted to collecting the store brands

One more thing, as I first handled the rifle, it seemed lighter than my "Real Deal" Winchester 94. I put it on my postal scale when I got home and it was lighter, 6.2 pounds vice 6.7 for the Winchester. 1/2 pound lighter, maybe they used less dense wood on the Sears brand....

Anyway, I'm now flush with 30/30 rifles. Won't be able to shoot the Ted Williams till next week, I'll post a range report then.

 

[DumpStick]

I was with my Dad about 1967 in the Sears store when he purchased his Ted Williams shotgun, complete with a PolyChoke - a Winchester 1200 in mufti.

I was given that shotgun about 20 years ago, it sports a rifled slug barrel now. I still have 1/2 box of the paper-wrapped shells he purchased at the same time.

 

[alwslate]

Looks like you got a great deal for $600 for both rifles. The store brands
remind us of those times when life seemed to be more simple and
peaceful.

 

[The Norseman]

30WCF

Wow! Congratulations. Great condition Sears "TW"
lever release bolt rifle.

I too would have snatched it up.

Thank you for the Story, Memories, and Pictures.

 

[Fishinfool]

Nice rifles. Back in the late 1970's, I found a "Ted Williams" 100 / Winchester 94 in pretty rough shape, finish wise. The finish on the receiver was about gone, the wood a scratched, cloudy mess. Bought it cheap.

When I stripped and re-finished the wood, it turned out to be about the best looking piece of walnut I have ever seen on a factory gun. Absolute stunning grain. I also found that the receiver could not be re-blued do to the metal alloy they used at the time (the post 64 switch). I just removed what was left of the finish, and polished the metal bright. Planned to keep it, but someone liked it a lot more than me, and offered to much $$ for it to turn down.

Larry

 

[CajunBass]

The wood is probably the difference in the weight. IIRC, the Ted Williams gun would have had a "hardwood" (birch IIRC) stock, where the Winchester had a walnut one.

I once bought a Winchester Model 70, 30/06 from a Sears store. I compared it to the Ted Williams version of the same gun, and I seem to remember the Sears gun was lighter. The Sears gun also didn't have a magazine trap door (I don't remember the proper term, I'm not much of a rifleman) which was the main reason I went with the Winchester.

Most of my other long guns have come from Sears though. The first gun I ever bought with my own money, was a Sears double 12, otherwise known as a Stevens 311. I've also got a Sears 12 gauge pump that I got about 1976. Until just recently I had a Sears Model 200, 12 gauge pump, that had been my fathers. I have never used it so when my sister's boy said he'd like to have it, I passed it along to him. It still looked like new.

Heck, I was out of high school before I ever saw a gun store that wasn't also a Sears store. My ex-wife knew where to find me when we went to the mall.

Edited to add: BTW. That's a nice TW 30/30 you got. I might have grabbed it myself, even though I'd have had no use at all for it.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

The first FN factory rifle I ever saw was one a cousin bought at the old big Memphis Sears Store.
And I bought my 20 Ga Single Barrel there.

 

[Narragansett]

Congrats on a couple nice lever guns. Nice Marlin,glad you got a North Haven gun. Remington will ruin them along with everything else they touch

 

[Old_Cop]

Many folks will not recognize Ted Williams, or that he was a real sportsman.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I love this picture!
So I’ll post it again.
Ted is visiting the AF at K13, Suwon after crash landing.

 

[murphydog]

Cool finds. Other guys at the pawn shop were probably looking at the tacticool semi-autos that were $1200 3 years ago, and are now 2 for $600, just like the ones you bought. Except no wood and less steel.

"...a magazine trap door..."

Also called a hinged floorplate.

 

[gman51]

Yeah you did good.
I sold my Marlin 336c JM 80's model for $400. I bought it from a pawn shop for $360 out the door about three years earlier.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Looks like you got a great deal for $600 for both rifles. The store brands
remind us of those times when life seemed to be more simple and
peaceful.

Small towns had a Monkey Wards and big ones had a Sears.

Life was good.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

Some guys have all the luck!!!

 

[CajunBass]

"...a magazine trap door..."

Also called a hinged floorplate.

THAT’S it!!

 

[shouldazagged]

You made out like the proverbial road agent on the JM 336 alone. The package was an outstanding deal.

 

[Chukar60]

OP congrats on a superlative deal!!!
I am not a lever gun fan, but I probably would have snapped those two up.
The other Ted Williams deal that people miss are the FN bolt rifles. Commercial grade FN Mauser in 270 and 30-06. May have been some other calibers that I am not aware off. Dont think the average person realizes the quality in those either.

 

[poprivit]

Sears "Ted Williams"

How would you like a Sears Ted Williams T3 .22 semi-auto rifle with a Simmons scope to go with your 30-30?

I've one in my safe that's in excellent condition. $200 plus shipping to your FFL.