Winchester Commemoratives

Caje

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A friend recently contacted me who's father had died and left four Winchester Commemoratives from the 1970's. They were the Sioux, Apache, Comanche, all in 30.30, as well as a Little Big Horn in 44-40. All are unfired with boxes and accessories. I am mostly into milsurp so I know very little about these guns except what I have gleaned from a search on the net. I was wondering if anybody would have an idea as to their their value here in Canada.
 
The Commoratives are pretty shytey guns... the .30/30's unfired in box, probably $800 and the .44/40 unfired in the box around $1000... I would take a beat up Pre-64 M94 for $400 every day and twice in Sundays over that gaudy crap... but there are a few people around with God-Awful taste.
 
Some rare ones have high book values assuming you find a buyer....

The not so rare ones seem to be dime a dozen and I find the gold ones very tacky looking (in real, better on pics). Personally I like the chromed ones.

I bought one for the price of a normal one and so it just a nicer looking 94
 
A year or so ago, I sold 7 for $850 each, no boxes, all unfired, no scratches. One I sold for $800. I had them at gun shows. They all had the levers tied closed, as everybody and his dog has to pick up a lever action rifle and crank the lever several time, "to make sure the action works".

Someday I will find a badly ruined old lever action and weld the bloody lever shut and put it on my table. :p
 
They're like the commemorative spoons of the gun world.
To sell them you have to find the right buyer, who is usually distracted by all things shiny and have a certain misguided delusion regarding the projected value of these extremely plentiful and sub par constructed rifles.
 
Despite all the poo pooing, these rifles often end up as someone’s gift to a friend or a son, etc. They also end up as shooters. Yes, I know the new Winchester 94 is a better rifle, but for the average dude, one of the commemorative rifles would do just fine. Still a “new” rifle and a fair bit less money.
 
Not my thing at all, but they seem to be coming into their own a bit love wise. Fifteen years ago they were cheaper than a good clean blued one often as they were considered tacky. Now they’re beating a clean blues example.

I agree if you are comparing a "new in box" commemorative versus a clean blued carbine... but in equal condition, ie. "New in Box," I think the original blued models still win.
 
A friend recently contacted me who's father had died and left four Winchester Commemoratives from the 1970's. They were the Sioux, Apache, Comanche, all in 30.30, as well as a Little Big Horn in 44-40. All are unfired with boxes and accessories. I am mostly into milsurp so I know very little about these guns except what I have gleaned from a search on the net. I was wondering if anybody would have an idea as to their their value here in Canada.

http://https://winchestercollector.org/winchester-commemoratives/

You decide....

There is/was a John Wayne Commemorative earlier this morning for $2200, but I have yet to see where it fits in rarity.
Silver in colour, big loop and in 32-40.
Tight Groups,
Rob
 
The Commoratives are pretty shytey guns... the .30/30's unfired in box, probably $800 and the .44/40 unfired in the box around $1000... I would take a beat up Pre-64 M94 for $400 every day and twice in Sundays over that gaudy crap... but there are a few people around with God-Awful taste.

I agree with you except I do like the looks of the Legendary Lawman rifle. They seem to have nice walnut and not to flashy receiver.
 
I've had no issues with the commemoratives I've had over the years. I shot the piss outta the buggers with reloads. Most all of them shot well with loads they liked.
Me current ones are best served with hardcast 165 gr boolits @ 1500 fps. I do find lots of 'em to be too gaudy fer me taste, but every Win 94 fan should have at
least one pimped out unit in the pile to hit the range or go critter poppin' with.

Psst! Hey fellers, the ladies like shootin' these buggers. Good fer brownie points (Giggity) plus the young'uns won't whine about recoil much either. ;) :runaway:
Fit a Lyman or Williams receiver sight on 'em fer best results.
M94 Musket 2.jpg
 

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I don't think the "collector" factor has much to do with the slight price increase (4 to 600, now up to 800), more that folks are realizing that they are a good value as a shooter for a casual plinker as opposed to the $14-1,600 for the "Japchesters".
 
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