Winchester 1894 30 WCF, manufactured 1912 value?

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Omenator

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BC, Fraser Valley
I traded into a really old Win 1894 recently and am trying to estimate the value. It is chambered in 30 WCF (30-30 WIN). Manufactured in 1912 according to serial number. It is stamped "CITY OF TORONTO" on one side of the butstock.
Condition of the steel is fair, no pitting, rust or major scratches I could see. Some of the screw heads are a bit chewed up, but I'm assuming it has been apart a few times in the last hundred years.
Could not find any cracks in the wood, but it's a bit dinged up.
Rifle has been sitting in an old lady's closet for about three decades, but I shot it a but and sights are stilled lined up and it functions fine.

Link to album, lots more photos here:
http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/Omenator/library/Winchester%201894

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Nice find !
Looks like an old TPS service rifle in decent shape at least on the outside.
Sometimes cop guns get a lot of use.
How's the muzzle crown and rifling?
Any pitting in the bore?
What it's worth is a subjective thing and depends on the rifles overall condition (inside and out) and how much someone is willing to pay.
I paid $550 for an almost new 1949 vintage Winchester 94 in 30 WCF not that long ago.
That would be about my top end.
They made those things by the millions.
Not exactly a rarity.
 
What's with others on the EE asking $800 to $2k for similar age Win. 1894s in similar condition?
Although there are a couple of guys asking around $600 for theirs, which seems reasonable to me.

The barrel crown is fine, the bore is a 3 out of 5, some light pitting, but the rifling is still good.
 
You will see the guys asking the big bucks generally post and post and post. Even at 600 a lot of the guys have a hard time selling them. 1894 is a great rifle but they made tons of them. Also some of the higher priced ones are deluxe and have little blue loss on the receiver which increases the valve a lot.

You have a good shooter/hunting rifle go enjoy it and think about selling it later!
 
I went and shot it some today, blowing up frozen milk jugs at a 100 yards offhand (redneck recycling!).
Lots of fun and the sights are still dead on.
I'm gonna go get a deer with this one, shoots too nice to stick in the safe and leave it.
 
With the OP asking what it is worth, he/she is asking for an appraisal of it. An appraisal is what is its value, based on recent sales of a similar product in an arms length sale. It is hard to appraise this rifle, because of its history with the Toronto Police Service.
Is there anyone out there who has actually seen a similar marked 30-30 sold within, even recent years in an arms length sale? Remember, supply and demand.
How long did the TPS use the 30-30 for this and what was the first year of them using it? If this was the first year the TPS used the 30 WCF, Winchester 1894, it would certainly put a premium on this one.
In short, what would a collector of TPS artifacts pay for such a fine example of an ancient rifle once used by them?
If I owned the rifle I would delve into its historical value, including what years the 30 WCF rifle was used by them, what was the first year, etc. before I put a price on it.
Also, I would not be influenced by all the recent threads on here about the high prices on the EE, the use of such terms as "scarce," or any other rants we read on here.
It would not surprise me if the true value, the price someone would pay for this rifle, would be well in excess of $1,000. After all, a lot of buyers are paying over a thousand dollars for a gaudy, recently made up 30-30 Winchester of cheaper quality, just because the factory stamped, "RNWMP," on the serial number!
One could not expect to sell this rifle for its true value in a few hours on the EE, like a great many guns to sell. Just have patience and find the right buyer.
 
I'm with H4831 on this one. I wouldn't be in a hurry to sell it. A police collector will pay more than a guy looking for a vintage carbine. I would try to find an original rear sight to put it back to original trim. Might cost you a couple hundred but increases the value by roughly the same amount. Looks like a nice condition example uncleaned and unsanded wood, this is important. With the correct rear sight and cut the rawhide off the saddle ring(if you don't mind the rattle as deer hunters wrapped the ring to quiet them down) I wouldn't sell it for less than $1000. Asking prices on the EE don't mean a whole lot as some guys have unrealistic expectations.
 
The fact it still has the saddle ring intact is a great bonus.
Getting the rear sight back to original is a positive recommendation.
Nice old gal you have there.
 
Omenator said:
What's with others on the EE asking $800 to $2k for similar age Win. 1894s in similar condition?
Although there are a couple of guys asking around $600 for theirs, which seems reasonable to me.

The barrel crown is fine, the bore is a 3 out of 5, some light pitting, but the rifling is still good.
Click to expand...

A Winchester 1894 Rifle will sell around $800. But for a carbine you'll never get that kind of money.
 
City of Toronto could be Don Jail too. Is more likely to be a cop rifle though. That adds a bit of value for a collector(shooting it is bad for the collector value), but you'd have to find somebody who wants it.
U.S. values mean nothing here, but 1912 94's are running a bit over 2 grand, Stateside.
 
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