Too good to pass up
 

Not ML related but....Stopped by my favorite gun shop tonight to see what came in. Browsing the used gun racks really searching for a T/C or Lyman flinter. But I am a sucker for lever guns. I know the old 94s are going for $400 plus these days. And there were several on the racks. But I happen to pick one up to look at. First thing I noticed was a handling scratch from wht looked like a meeting with a rock. Nothing major but about 1/4" long and 1/8" wide. Purely cosmetic. Checked the barrel stamping and it was a 32 Win Spl. Oh boy I thought this one's gonna have a healthy tag on it. I was totally shocked to see the tag read $250.I checked the bore and other than a bit of dirt, looked excellent. I took it up to the front and asked owner (who is also my gunsmith) if there was anything wrong with it. He said not that he knows of.(and yes, I trust him) So I brought it home with me along with a box of ammo. Looks like I will be trying it out this weekend.

I used to hunt with a man that used that model and caliber of rifle for deer. It knocked them flat. Because of the caliber, that is an old rifle. That caliber was real popular for a while until the 30-30 came out.

The Model 94 Winchester I had (that my brother now owns) is a 30WCF caliber which of course is a 30-30. I had the serial number checked and it was made in the 1930's. It is smooth as silk. When my brother was allowed to use it one deer season, he decided to just hold on to it. He of course gave me half of what it was worth, but he took that rifle and two original boxes of Winchester ammo I had.

You are really going to like that rifle. Mine/brothers had a great trigger and was very accurate for the open sights it had.

Awesome find:cool15:

That's a dandy find! My cousin who I hunt with all the time had one when we were kids. Kicked like a mule and seemingly weighed about 30 lbs, but it sure did put a hurting on a lot of deer.

I just like the feel of a 'saddle gun'. The 30-30s are pretty common. But finding one in a 32 Special in this condition is rare. The action is still very tight. I don't think it was used very much at all. So now I have 2 94s. A 30-30 and a .32. And I also have an 1895 Marlin in .45-70. I used to have a Win 71 in .348 but sold it. That was one solid, well built rifle. But I needed some cash at the time and got a really good price for it.

I still have the one that my Dad had. I killed a few deer with it when I was a kid, but anymore I just get it out of the safe once in awhile, admire it and then wipe it down and put it back. My Dad ALMOST had it drilled and tapped for a side mount scope at one time, and fortunately (for me), the shop he took it to talked him out of it. The only thing mine (Dad's) is missing is the original hood from the front sight. If I remember right, he told me one time that he bought the gun used around 1955/56? before I was born. Dave, I believe the 30-30 has been around longer than the .32 Winchester special. The .32 Win spec was the 30-30 cartridge expanded out to .32 cal.

BPS

Buddy of mine has that exact gun. I like it, its pretty sweet. Nice find bronko... I need some gun stores around here like you guys have. All the ones here are overpriced on everything. No deals to be found, that is for sure. Good luck with her :)

BlackPowderSmoke.. the 30-30 might well indeed be an older caliber as you said. But when I was a kid, the neighbor who had that .32 special as he called it... it was the first lever gun (high power) that I ever fired. It was balanced and very accurate. Funny thing is when his kids were old enough to own a deer rifle, they were bought Remington Model 700 BDLs in 30-06. I really threw them a curve and purchased a Remington 742 Woodsmaster Carbine in 30-06.

I also had a friend who passed away that had a Winchester Lever Action in 44-40. He let me shoot that one deer season when he hunted my property. I told him that as in good a condition as that rifle was, I would not even shoot it. But you had to know the guy. He was nuts. He also used to shoot an original Springfield 1861 .58 caliber rifle that had been passed down through his family after the Civil War.

Your chronology is a little off my friend.
The .30-30 Win predated the .32 Win Spec by 6 years.
The .30-30 was "born" in 1895 & the .32 was hatched in 1901.

It would be simply un-American to not like the classic lever action. And $250 is a steal for that gun Bronko.

Last August I picked up an unfired in-the-box .357 Mag Marlin 1894C (carbine) with a well figured walnut stock that was made in 1992. It's not unfired anymore. What a fun gun that is. It seems I have to reload 100 .375 rounds after every time I take it to the range. And I take it along every time I go out with the frontstuffers.