Winchester 94 30-30 (1975 VTG)

[Georgian]

Hey yall. My mother purchased the above rifle for my father as a Christmas gift in 1976. She says it was purchased at "Gibson's Discount Store" for the whopping sum of $163 (on layaway)....including tax and a box of ammo. Ads from the time list the price at $119.35 (1975) to $130.95 (1977). Sales tax at that time in Georgia must have been relatively high or the store charged a royalty for layaway sales. I would imagine a box of 30-30 would have been around $5-$8 a box back then.





Growing up, this the was the first "high-powered" rifle I had ever shot, and still cherish those memories. Shooting it today, it stills seems pretty damn high powered in my eyes!

Anyways, I recently got the ole girl out and decided to properly zero it on paper. I initially thought to zero it at 50 yards....where it shot approximately 1.5-2" group....but about 7 inches right and 3 inches high from the point of aim. That day, I did not have a hammer/punch available to shift the rear sight.

My second range session, I decided to switch to a 25 yard zero. Given that I primarily shoot 150gr soft points, I available ballistic data shows a 25yd zero will keep round no more than 2" high all the way to about 160-175 yards.....with a drop of only 3.5" at 200 yards.

In spite of the buckhorn sights, this ole girl still shoots tight groups for a barrel banded rifle. I finally got it zeroed, but was shocked at how far I had to drift the rear sight. The sight still has approximately 3/4 engagement in the dovetail. The rear sight is noticeably off center now, in spite of shooting dead center and about 1.5 inches high at 25 yards.

Does anyone else find it odd I would have to drift the rear sight so far from center to get it zeroed?

Any discussion/input would be greatly appreciated!

[bamaranger]

As a kid, I can recall my great uncle, and my Dad, drifting BOTH the rear and FRONT sight, to get a Model 14 Remington pump on target. They'd run out of reasonable drift on the rear, and moved up front in the opposite direction, which solved the problem.

I bought myself a M94 about 1980, used, for $100 bucks out the door. Sold it for money towards our honeymoon. Bought another in '88 for $125 if I recall correctly, sold it too. Wish I still had one (the carbine). Still have bamawife.

[Georgian]

I had forgotten all about being able to drift the front sight. What is odd is that my dad NEVER zeroed the rifle. As far as I could tell, both the front and rear sights were dead centered before I began drifting the rear sight. I would also imagine the front sight movement would be limited somewhat, that is if you wanted to keep the hood on it.

[Scorch]

I bought my first rifle, a Winchester 94 in 30-30, after working all of 1973 Christmas break at a Christmas tree lot for the whopping sum of $1.60/hr. I paid $99.99 for the rifle, plus tax. I had to talk my dad into going down to the Big 5 to sign the 4473 to get my rifle from the store. He was feeling magnanimous that day and bought me a box of Winchester silvertips to feed the bad boy. Anyway, the $163 seems a bit high for that vintage. Perhaps she mis-remembered the amount or the year.

As far as your 2nd question, no, it doesn't seem excessive to have the rear sight drifted over that far, I have seen it before. Is it ideal? No, everybody thinks their rifle is perfect and shouldn't need the sights moved. Is it common? Not real common, but I have seen it enough times over the past 50 years that it doesn't surprise me at all.

[Georgian]

Thanks for your response! I too though it a bit high, but they may have charged extra for layaways at that particular store, IDK. I understand how every shooter shoulders a rifle affects what zero will be necessary for that particular person. I have noticed that every rifle I zero, I normally have to adjust the rear sight to the left.

[bamaranger]

I can't really shoot bead and blade sights well anymore, and have put peeps on most all my lever carbines. That has given me about a decade more of shooting with iron sights.

I live close to a public range and have picked up quite a bit of once fired brass over time. Say 25-30 years ago, the most common case I found routinely was indeed 30-30. A scoped Marlin 336 was still a common deer rifle around these parts.

Not anymore......a spent 30-30 case is a rarity these days, and I cannot recall the last time I saw one at a check station or afield .

[Jim Watson]

The Shooters Bible ad says M94 Antique but shows the M64 variant.

[jmr40]

They stopped making the model 64 in the 1950's. I don't recall ever seeing a 94 Antique, but it was apparently a version of the 94 made to look similar to the 64.

[Paul B.]

The last year the M64 was made was 1957. I have two, one made in 1938 and another made in 1957. Quality had dropped noticeably by 1957.

The Antique as I recall was just a 1894 carbine or rifle with some light engraving and other minor differences to denote them as different from the regular M94 guns.

The M64 shown in the ad is a post 64 version that only bears a slight resemblance to an original. I wouldn't mind finding one just because.

The 1938 rifle handles like a dream. Sad to say I can't say that about the 1957 gun. It's different in some way but the differences must be subtle because I can't find them. No matter I guess and I think they're the most attractive version of the M94 Winchester to ever come out.
Paul B.

[Jim Watson]

The 94 Antique is a carbine with some engraving, probably by machine, and a case color finish.

They made some 64s as NRA Centennials, also some 94 Muskets, but they had stock medallions unlike the earlier production model 64s. The 64 Deer Rifle had checkered stocks.

[deadcoyote]

Prices vary a lot right, even now? Think about local gunshops and how much they charge. My dad was always adamant he bought a .357 for $357 in 1986, and based on the price I paid for a similar revolver in 1999 I assumed he was conflating numbers in his head. I found he still has the receipt in the box and did pay that much, which I think was way overpaying at the time.

[Georgian]

I was finally able to get it zeroed to my liking. I purchased a One Hole Sight (https://www.warrencustomoutdoor.com/...le-sights.html) aperture that fit perfectly onto the rear sight. I had it changed in less than five minutes. Also, a little tinkering with the front and rear allowed me to get the rear sight centered up. I love the one hole sight aperture, works perfectly. With open sights, I'd put it right about 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards.

[44 AMP]

In the pre-internet days, there was MSRP, advertised price, and what ever price the store or seller charged. THere was no "shop online and compare" and what one store charged could be quite a bit different from what a store across town, across the state, across the country, or even across the street charged for the exact same item.

Supply and demand.

My dad was always adamant he bought a .357 for $357 in 1986

Seems a bit high, but WHAT .357 makes a difference. Bit of a price difference between a Ruger Blackhawk and a Colt Python, even back then...

Friend of mine bought a used S&W M29 in 1976, for $450!!! At the time, MSRP was about $283.50 or so. BUT getting one at MSRP at that time, required a two year wait!

Supply and demand...

[deadcoyote]

It was a 6” SW model 66. He also has an old 4” model 58, that’s the one I covet!