$6,000 bid on a M94 trapper?

[Dosing]

Cody museum survey up to serial #354000 (1906) on the 1894 Trapper lists,
19 - 14"
272- 15"
104- 16"
2 - 17"
12 - 18"
Not all included as production continued into late 1920's and an estimated 325 Model 92's with shorter than 18" barrels also made. There are two 92' trappers-a 14" & 15" for sale on GP for $24,000!

Of all things the US Antiques Roadshow highlighted one about 10-15 years ago, citing why the sub 16 inch barreled versions were so valuable.

 

[marshall]

On an Alberta auction site, there is a $6,000 bid for a M94 30-30 Winchester trapper with a 15 inch barrel. It is an interesting rifle - what makes it remotely worth that price? Maybe relatives bidding on it?

That is not the case with this auction.

 

[Raton57]

Gun Post has one for $24,000 and I am told its a reasonable price from a top notch collector

 

[Brutus]

I have a Gun Guide magazine from 1954. There's a chapter on collecting Winchester rifles. It advises that trapper length barrels below 16 inches could be more readily ID'ed because the super short factory barrel had a front site milled right with the solid barrel.
Sounds like a very expensive method. I wonder if they stopped this practice and when?

 

[9.3mauser]

The style of the front sight changed about 1931. I'm assuming that it was then a separate piece, but definitely by the '50's it was.

 

[iron cat]

I replaced the butt plate on a very early '94 trapper for a friend many years ago , the original had been lost when an extension was out on it . This one had a very unique convertible front sight with an ivory post and an aperture .
That was the first original trapper I had seen and I eas surprised that the front sight was an original piece , or maybe it was put on at a later date, I dunno.
Cat

 

[9.3 Hunter]

junk

 

[Brutus]

The style of the front sight changed about 1931. I'm assuming that it was then a separate piece, but definitely by the '50's it was.

That's kind of interesting because the NFA was just around the corner in 1934.

Oh. BTW I thought I seen on Guns International a Model 92 with a factory 14 inch barrel. Current bid of $9,000 real dollars.