A friend showed me a gun passed down from her grandfather. It's a winchester lever action that says 30wcf. It says it's patented in 1894. The serial number is 625405. It has been very very professionally reconditioned. It has been reblued to a luster comparable to the finish on my contender pistol. The woodwork has all been redone to a luster and finish that matches the bluing. It's had a williams peep sight installed. I realize purist collectors are going to shutter at what I just said. We had an old and wonderful gunsmith in this town years ago that redid several guns for this family. At the time I guess people weren't thinking about collector value--just about making that wonderfull gun better than new. Can anyone tell me what year this gun might have been made and possibly what it might be worth?? Thanks for your help.

I'm not sure when your friend's rifle was made. It was well before 1939. The piece is a Model 94 in .30/30 Winchester. Most gun dealers have a booklet with Winchester serial numbers and they should help you get the year of manufacture. Model 94's are as common as poker chips in Las Vegas, but older ones probably shouldn't be refinished to retain any collector value. My 1939 vintage 94 in .32 Winchester Special was reblued by some jaboney head, so I had a good gunsmith reblue mine. He did a great job of removing the pits and really bringing it up to snuff. I'm far more satisfied with it now.

After making the post I spent about 1/2 hour in google and found a website with serial numbers/yrs. It looks (according to that site) that the gun was made in 1912. Does it have any collector value now that it's redone?? I guess the sentimental is worth more than the collector anyhow!!!

If the refinish was done by Winchester it would have more value than if it were done by the gunsmith down the street. Being refinished certainly doesn't help. Sean

Refinishing is a touchy subject for collectors. There are some that think a properly restored rifle is more desirable and those who think it's a desecration.

Personally, when properly done, I think restoration is great. It gives us mere mortals the opportunity to posess a classic rifle in "mint" condition without taking out a second on our house.

I think as time goes by, you'll see restroration comming more and more into favor, even with very rare guns.

I have an extremely rare Winchester 94 of which there are only 10 and it has been restored. It was the victim of an unfortunate accident that left the gun without a finish and looking very bad. The gun now looks like it did when it left the factory. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way.

As for the hard core collectors...Bug off, this is MY rifle, not yours. Besides, I think anyone who saw the gun before restoration would think the restoration was a good idea.

Enjoy