My buddy cracks me up with his gun grading

[Dave]

My buddy kills me with his gun grading. He called me the other day wanting to sell a Winchester 94 Trapper. I had not seen it but he had bragged about it. He said it was "like new". A guy at work was interested so I said I will get the gun and bring it to work. Today I picked it up. Here is the "like new" carbine.




Now don't get me wrong. The gun is mechanically solid and I like a worn gun but "like new"?

[FWiedner]

There's a lot of guys in this particular forum that probably agree with your buddy.

Me... I like actual blue on my guns.

[AJMD429]

I suppose if someone were to grade most of us on appearances, we'd happily take that 'like new' designation, even though we show similar 'character' marks...

[Mike D.]

He'd be a perfect seller for GB.

[J Miller]

So what the actual barrel length?
Caliber?
What type of front sight does it have on it?
When was it born?

Joe

[Dave]

So what the actual barrel length?
Caliber?
What type of front sight does it have on it?
When was it born?

Joe

The barrel is 16" and it is a 30-30. It has the factory front sight which is a post. Someone replaced the rear sight with a pretty nice Marbles rear. I would say it was made around 1981 judging by the serial number which is 506xxxx. It is not a bad gun at all and has a good trigger. It just needs to be cleaned up and a peep sight put on it.

[gak]

It's the most antique looking 81 trapper I've ever seen. I like it! Love this stuff. Almost wouldn't mind trading my closer-to-new of same vintage...almost

[RIHMFIRE]

ya know women look better through the bottom of a beer bottle...
winchesters do to...apparently...


but i like it too!

[Old Savage]

Primo - looks like all the parts are there.

[J Miller]

I have one of those I bought new in 1980. I've carried it all over Arizona. Sweat on it, got it rained on, shot well over 1000 rounds through it and yet it still looks new. What in the heck happened to that poor thing I wonder?

Joe

[.45colt]

I'll bet that someone antiqued that Winnie. I have seen several articles about makin them look old and it sure looks like it to Me.

[Dave]

I have one of those I bought new in 1980. I've carried it all over Arizona. Sweat on it, got it rained on, shot well over 1000 rounds through it and yet it still looks new. What in the heck happened to that poor thing I wonder?

Joe

I don't know the story on the gun. I suspect it did some time in Mississippi. It does have that "look" even though it isn't that old.

[pwl44m]

So what was the price and did the other Friend buy it ?

[gimdandy]

I suppose if someone were to grade most of us on appearances, we'd happily take that 'like new' designation, even though we show similar 'character' marks...

[Dave]

So what was the price and did the other Friend buy it ?

The guy at work took a pass on it. He wants a shinier one. He is wanting $350 for it. This is Marlin country though so the Winchesters don't go as good.

[J Miller]

Dave,

Just for giggles and grins show your friend this pic and ask him how he'd grade this one:

94 TE Trapper 30-30.JPG

It's my 1980 vintage Trapper I bought new in Show Low, AZ in 1980. Been carried, sweat on, rained on, and carted around AZ in my various vehicles, has over a 1000+ rounds through it, and somehow I've managed to keep it looking nice.
That pic was taken yesterday.

Here's one taken back in 80 or 81 when all I had to use was a Polaroid:

Joe's LG's circa 81.JPG

It's the bottom one on the rack. I just noticed there is no receiver sight on it so that pic is a early one for this rifle.
Matter of fact I still have the bottom two Winchesters.

Oh and not to be a smart aleck, but I wouldn't give $350.00 for that Trapper either and I am a Winchester fan. I might go $250.00 to 275.00 max if it was in perfect mechanical condition.

Joe

[Pop Watts]

The sad thing is I have a mate living in North Queensland who works on a similar gun grading system as your buddy.

I had him look at 5 old Winchesters years ago that he graded as "fantastic" - was I disappointed when they turned up in Sydney!

Do not have any of those rifles any more, still have my Mate, but now I am very cautious about his gun grading system.

Pop.

[damienph]

So what was the price and did the other Friend buy it ?

The guy at work took a pass on it. He wants a shinier one. He is wanting $350 for it. This is Marlin country though so the Winchesters don't go as good.

I like the way it looks; around here it might still bring $350. I've seen worse sell for more.

[Dave]

Dave,
Oh and not to be a smart aleck, but I wouldn't give $350.00 for that Trapper either and I am a Winchester fan. I might go $250.00 to 275.00 max if it was in perfect mechanical condition.
Joe

I don't blame you. I told him if someone offered him $300 he better take it. I am sure he would take $300 for it. That gun is good mechanically and if I didn't have more guns than sense now I would get it just because of the 16" barrel. Your gun looks very nice!

I had him look at 5 old Winchesters years ago that he graded as "fantastic" - was I disappointed when they turned up in Sydney!
Pop.

I know what you mean. I have gone to look at guns he said were good but then wondered if we were looking at the same guns He called me from a show not long ago saying a guy had a gun I had been looking for and he would grab it if I said to. No one had a smart phone to send me a pic so I said better not. He said that gun was like new, too. Luckily I was able to end up with it on a trade from the guy who ended up buying it that day. I am carrying it right now.

[gak]

One thing to keep in mind folks is it's one of the last of the TE pre USRAC .30-30 Trappers. Even in that condition, that gets it at least another $50 in my book. Though not rare, they've become rare-ish. "Correct" front post sight and saddle ring, all it needs is a Pre War carbine butt (and fore) stock to complete the picture Since there were no regular production Pre 64 "trappers," these late 70s/early 80s pre AE trappers make'em the only (or at least best) trappers since the '20s and '30s. Mine too is in very good shape, having only some very minor speckling - nothing like the earlier Post 64s - and probably fixable with some oil I just haven't gotten to yet.

Gen-u-wine Pre War trapper (not mine, file photo), these are among the most "precious" of all Winchesters--still getting a very pretty penny even in this economy.

[jnyork]

He'd be a perfect seller for GB.

Exactly.