What is the Best 100 Year Old Big Bore Winchester for the Money?

[charles isaac]

I am a military collector and sick of trying to be so careful while hunting with these ever appreciating firearms. I am not well schooled on the old sporting rifles and would like to have a good short barreled hunting gun because the lines, quality and machining of the early Winchesters are phenomenal!

I would like to get one of those 100 year old Winchester "brush guns" in at least "NRA Good" with good bore and larger than 38 caliber, effective on deer at well under 200 yards. Original finish 75% or better, drilled for a receiver sight is OK, original wood preferred-a crack or two OK, I can fix that. Basically, something that a serious collector would call junk, but an accurate shooter that is dead reliable and looks pretty good overall.

Looking at paying around 200-300 bucks. Where are the deals out there?

 

[garryc]

200-300 bucks

You'll need to find an idiot to sell you one for that price. Even clunkers go for far more than that.

 

[Art Eatman]

I had a cobbled-up no-finish Model 94 in .30-30, made in 1902, that I sold to a dealer who paid me $260 at a gunshow. Maybe five years back...

 

[Beretta16]

Lol, sorry but good luck.

 

[Scorch]

For a 100-year-old big-bore Winchester lever action rifle with 75% of the original finish, you could expect to pay $2000-$3000. I think you left a zero off accidentally. Fortunately, replicas are available for about half that.

 

[salvo]

If you think your military rifles are appreciating, wait till you start pricing original Winchester 1886's you can get in 45-70 and a few other old calibers.
Probable your cheapest route would be a modern copy from Browning or Winchester and the 1886 Saddle Ring Carbine 45-70 is what your looking for or maybe a Model 71 carbine in .348WCF or Model 1895 in .405WCF Even the newer copys will run you close to $1,000.00

Browning 1886 SRC

Browning Model 71 top & Original Winchester 71 on the bottom

Browning 1895

 

[ken22250]

i really wish you luck for 200-300 bucks, i have been offered 2500 for my 1904 Winchester M1894 in .32 Winchester Special, its got about 60% finish, and i still hunt with it, it shoots as good as any winchester 94 iv ever shot, i can empty the tube magizine fairly quickly (giving myself time to aim) and keep all the shots on a pie pan at 100 yards.
ken

 

[eastbank]

here,s my 1892 in 38-40 made in 1899 that i got for 400.00 at a flea market this summer,bore is in vg con. and it shoots lead bullets super,so they are out there if you look for them,eastbank,

 

[.300 Weatherby Mag]

Looking at paying around 200-300 bucks. Where are the deals out there?

Only replicas for that much.... Even the late model post 64 winchesters will generally be above that...

 

[Horseman]

The best you could do would be a 1894 rifle from the early 1900's. You can find pretty good examples of these for around $1200-1500 around here. That's a wee bit more than your price range but every other 100 year old Win. model I can think of would be much more than that.