An interesting find!

[Daytodaze]

We recently had to replace my grandmother's water heater and quite a bit of her flooring due to a flood. She's not much out of pocket (that I know of), and she's very happy with the new floors, as everything is original and the house is older than my parents!

The guys who did the repairs for her found an old Winchester 94 30-30 that belonged to my grandfather, stashed behind the old water heater. It's not in the best shape, but I cleaned it up and oiled it, and the action seems to be in good shape. She offered to let me keep it, and I'm pretty honored to have something so cool to help remember my grandfather. It seems to be a 1974 model, so probably not worth a ton if money, but it definitely has some sentimental value. Plus, I've always wanted a nice lever gun!

 

[pcravis]

i have the same but 1864

 

[Daytodaze]

Any thoughts on the best place to find ammo? It seems like $0.75/round is about as good as I can get, unless I reload my own.

 

[BSAGuy]

That's very cool, especially the family connection. Less ethical workers would have secreted it out of the house. Ammo of all calibers is just expensive. Reloading saves $$, but unless you already have the set-up and only need dies, it has a high up-front cost.

 

[Winchester38]

Great story! My father still has his pre-64 Model 94 that he bought as his first rifle when he was in his early teens. Great guns. Hunted for a day with it this past season.

As as for ammo, unless you're set up to reload, you don't have many options but to pay the going rate if you want to take it out and shoot.

 

[jlanger]

I have a 1968 model 94 which is probably quite similar. It's gotten lots of use over the years and has taken it's fair share of deer. It's a very good gun and one of my favorites.

I "borrowed" a pre 64 model from my father in law for a few years as an extra brush gun and found that I actually liked the post 64 construction a bit better, IMO it was probably familiarity, but I was a great deal more accurate with my gun than the older one. Anyways enjoy!

Yes Ammo is quite spendy, around the fall though I can some times find 30/30 ammo for $12-15 a case. These days I use copper ammo though so I only get the cheaper stuff for target practice.

 

[Toothpick]

Very nice!

 

[Daytodaze]

I really need to look into reloading. I also shoot .45 and .357 mag, which I've heard are pretty easy to reload, and RCBS has some rebates this year (maybe every year, I seem to remember this a couple years ago, as well).

For now, I picked up a couple boxes for about $17 each before tax. I'm going to take it out on Saturday after some mindless office work.

 

[GordoVB]

I inherited my grandfather's Model 53--its from the first year of production back in the 30's It was based on the 1873 model. Its a fairly obscure load .32-20 WCF rounds. Hard to come by, but Georgia Arms is a good company to google-they should have your rounds on the shelf. Great pick up!

 

[jkingrph]

i have the same but 1864

They did not start making those until 1894!!

 

[Vlamgat]

Super cool.

 

[rimfirejunkie]

I really need to look into reloading. I also shoot .45 and .357 mag, which I've heard are pretty easy to reload, and RCBS has some rebates this year (maybe every year, I seem to remember this a couple years ago, as well).

For now, I picked up a couple boxes for about $17 each before tax. I'm going to take it out on Saturday after some mindless office work.

Unless you shoot a lot. Its not worth the trouble. Components are still scarce. http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.a...0-30+Winchester+150gn+SP+20rd+Box&groupid=107

 

[Uncle Bertie]

We don't do guns in the Uk, the same way you do - but that is a cooool find, especially with the family connection.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Awesome story and an awesome heirloom (wish I had one...)!

Can't help but to think of that weapon and..."The Rifleman".

“Family stories [and forget-me- nots] make [some of] the most valuable heirlooms . Anonymous

 

[Wishoot]

What an amazing find. The sentimental value alone is priceless.

As far as ammo prices go, you're kinda screwed unless you reload.

 

[windrider]

Good for you! Love 94's.

 

[Kentos]

Whatta great story!

I reload .40, .223 and starting on .45ACP. Locally they sell for 320, 400 and 500 a thousand give or take depending on sales and what not. I have .40 down to 17 cents a piece, .223 23 apiece, and .45 even less than .40 since I load lead. Powder and primers come in sporadically but heads are plentiful. Guys that live on the mainland save even more.

The main benefit for me is not having to hope and pray the LGS has ammo stocked. Of course I still need to stock up on components, but the cost of them don't come close to the cost of loaded ammunition. In times of plenty I stock up for the lean times.

 

[Legion]

We don't do guns in the Uk, the same way you do - but that is a cooool find, especially with the family connection.

Haha. Same. If someone "found" a rifle here the police would be setting up a perimeter.

It's a shame, if I could own one rifle it would be a lever action Winchester.

 

[Bula]

I reload 30WCF. The savings really comes from me shooting my own cast bullets. I'd not recommend shooters to start investing in reloading setups right now. There has been a powder shortage for about the last 15 months. Use to be powder and primers, but the primers have trickled back in, albiet slowly. I stock pile powder and primers to get through these tougher times. I will tell you this, low powered 170g cast bulets over 10 grains of Unique, WHAT A BLAST TO SHOOT! Enjoy the rifle, maybe one day you can pass it to another hier.

 

[jlanger]

Haha. Same. If someone "found" a rifle here the police would be setting up a perimeter.

It's a shame, if I could own one rifle it would be a lever action Winchester.

lol Something about Winchester and UK always reminds me of this: