Winchester M94 Trapper

[Chukar Hunter]

How much do you guys think one of these in great condition is worth?

[Dean2]

There are a LOT of variables. Calibre, age (date made), options etc. Pre 64, 30-30 in excellent condition $750 to 900 depending on wood quality, checkering or no, factory peep or tang site, saddle ring or no and factory large loop or not. Flat band or regular band or cap. If it is in 38-55 or 32 Special probably slightly less.

If it was made after 64 $450 to $500 with good wood and checkering. Less for the plain Jane.

[TBark]

I got one, would never sell it tho.
Hard to get a 30-30 that fits in ur quad box.
A pricy one in the buy sell I just seen.

TBark

[crazy_davey]

Trapper models are fairly hard to come by and don't come up for sale very often. The last two that have come across my radar were early eighties in mint condition 30-30's. Both sold for $1000. Bought my friend one in 44 mag a few years back but it had the cross bolt safety which is less desirable, I think I got it for $850.

[Wrongside]

They are next to useless.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Wrongside

They are next to useless.

Is that a statement of fact, or your opinion?

If indeed it is based on some sort of factual observation, or experience, please elucidate.

I love a good story, as I'm sure others do too.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Wrongside

They are next to useless.

I used one for years and it was a great toboggan gun, shot a few moose and deer with it , one at over 130 paces.
The short barrel was excellent for quick deployment on coyotes and bears on the trap line.
It is not a new idea either,I replaced the butt plate on an 1894 Winchester (made n 1920 ) years ago for a guy, it was ordered from the factory with an 18" barrel
Cat

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I used one for years and it was a great toboggan gun, shot a few moose and deer with it , one at over 13 paces.
The short barrel was excellent for quick deployment on coyotes and bears on the trap line.
It is not a new idea either,I replaced the butt plate on an 1894 Winchester (made n 1920 ) years ago for a guy, it was ordered from the factory with an 18" barrel
Cat

The very old short barrel 1894's command premium bucks! Would love to own one though!

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by Wrongside

They are next to useless.

Was going to give you the one I have for Christmas as I know how jealous you are of it. Now I won't even invite you in for a Christmas drink!

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Wrongside

They are next to useless.

Have you been drinking eggnog that someone spiked with photocopy fluid?

I'd also love to hear the rationale behind your opinion.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

The very old short barrel 1894's command premium bucks! Would love to own one though!

That one was pretty tired but it did have a cool optional flip up front sight- globe to ivory bead!
Cat

[Wrongside]

LOL. Well, caught the one I was trolling, me dear friend Davey, and a few others to boot.

You'll sell me that one, one day, Davey!

[saddleup]

I have one too, made in 1921, flip up back sight, 18 inch barrel, and in pretty good shape for its year.. still shoot it with 100 gr plinkers... great for mule deer doe Bought it at a yard sale a few years back for $50.00 cause the firing pin was broke.... 25.00 and we were good to go.... NO , its not for sale.

[purgatory.sv]

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

Trapper models are fairly hard to come by and don't come up for sale very often. The last two that have come across my radar were early eighties in mint condition 30-30's. Both sold for $1000. Bought my friend one in 44 mag a few years back but it had the cross bolt safety which is less desirable, I think I got it for $850.

Originally Posted by Dick284

Is that a statement of fact, or your opinion?

If indeed it is based on some sort of factual observation, or experience, please elucidate.

I love a good story, as I'm sure others do too.

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

The very old short barrel 1894's command premium bucks! Would love to own one though!

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

Was going to give you the one I have for Christmas as I know how jealous you are of it. Now I won't even invite you in for a Christmas drink!

Originally Posted by Wrongside

LOL. Well, caught the one I was trolling, me dear friend Davey, and a few others to boot.

You'll sell me that one, one day, Davey!

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

Trapper models are fairly hard to come by and don't come up for sale very often. The last two that have come across my radar were early eighties in mint condition 30-30's. Both sold for $1000. Bought my friend one in 44 mag a few years back but it had the cross bolt safety which is less desirable, I think I got it for $850.

You are looking in the wrong places. The last access newspaper had over a dozen Trapper model 94s in 30-30 and the most expensive non-commerative was 700. There are also ones on Canadian Gunnutz very regualrly. Last add I saw.

Winchester model 94 in 30-30. (1972) very good.
Very good condition model 94 as pictured. No carry blue wear on receiver bottom; sides have bit of flaking but still very good. Good wood with few marks on left side of butt as shown. Ex. bore. 400 shipped. Buyer must provide proof of license.

[Wrongside]

That's not a Trapper?

[heybert]

Used Trappers that are in very good to excellent go between $750 to 900. There's some NOS around that are fetching around $1100 and usually more if it's a .357 or a .44. IF it has good honest wear with a few handling marks, but no rust, pitting, or missing parts, $6-700 would be a good price. Where did I get my info? I've gone through about 12 Trappers in the last few years trying to put together a collection. Still looking for a 9422 Trapper in .22 WMR

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by Dean2

You are looking in the wrong places. The last access newspaper had over a dozen Trapper model 94s in 30-30 and the most expensive non-commerative was 700. There are also ones on Canadian Gunnutz very regualrly. Last add I saw.

Winchester model 94 in 30-30. (1972) very good.
Very good condition model 94 as pictured. No carry blue wear on receiver bottom; sides have bit of flaking but still very good. Good wood with few marks on left side of butt as shown. Ex. bore. 400 shipped. Buyer must provide proof of license.

Do you even understand what is being talked about in this thread? A standard Winchester 94 with a 20" barrel is not a trapper. The one in your picture is not a trapper model.

[Dean2]

Pretty sure I do. Have owned four or five of them over the years in 30-30, 32 Spec and 38-55. Also an 1873 SRC in 44-40. I am aware the Trapper is a specific model but most guys looking for one are thinking 16-20 barrel model 94. I doubt most people actually know the difference.

If you look at the first response I made you may not be asking the question. As far as the advertisement I posted, It is hard to tell barrel length from the picture, it may be a 20" barrel or could be slightly longer, so I admit that was probably a poor choice to post.

My point was and still is, short barrelled 94s in 30-30 can be had fairly inexpensively. The 9422s are actually going for more money than the larger bore rifles.

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Pretty sure I do. Have owned four or five of them over the years in 30-30, 32 Spec and 38-55. Also an 1873 SRC in 44-40. I am aware the Trapper is a specific model but most guys looking for one are thinking 16-20 barrel model 94. I doubt most people actually know the difference.

Obviously you don't know the difference. We aren't talking about the standard 20" model 94 like the picture you posted and yes I can tell how long the barrel is from the picture just by the forearm. This is the description of a Trapper model 94.

One of the most popular subcategories of collecting pre-’64 Winchester lever-actions is the “trapper,” or “baby carbine” as it was originally called, a model with a barrel shorter than the standard length of 20". Trappers encompass Model 1873s, 1892s and 1894s, with verified extra-cost barrel lengths of 19", 18", 17", 16", 15", 14" and even 12", with 14" and 15" barrels being most often encountered.

Winchesters description of the new Trapper:

The Trapper’s fast-handling personality is as ideally suited for today’s cowboy action shooting as it was in the hands of a frontier lawman. Just like a century ago, you’ll appreciate the quick 16" barrel and the rifle’s overall carbine-style portability when hunting in heavy cover or carrying your Trapper on a backpack, horse or an ATV.

And the OP is asking about a 16" Trapper model that he is trying to sell in the for sale section. So that is what I was responding to in my first posts.

The top is a 20" barreled standard 94, the bottom is a Trapper model like the OP is asking about:

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Wrongside

They are next to useless.

Ohhh do tell please.

[Dean2]

It is even more complicated than you describe trying to identify what is a trapper and what isn't. You are also wrong about trappers not coming in a 19" barrel, at least pre 64. After 64 they were 18" or less

Based on the ARMAX survey of the first 353,999 Model 1894 rifles there were in the saddle ring carbines:
19 rifles with 14" barrel lengths
272 rifles with 15" barrel lengths
104 rifles with 16" barrel lengths
2 rifles with 17" barrel lengths
12 rifles with 18" barrel lengths
0 rifles with 19" barrel lengths

I add this to help out those who don't understand the myriad number of models put out by Winchester, even just after 1964. Hopefully this helps a few people.

http://www.homestead-service.com/app...igurations.htm

[heybert]

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

Obviously you don't know the difference. We aren't talking about the standard 20" model 94 like the picture you posted and yes I can tell how long the barrel is from the picture just by the forearm. This is the description of a Trapper model 94.



Winchesters description of the new Trapper:



And the OP is asking about a 16" Trapper model that he is trying to sell in the for sale section. So that is what I was responding to in my first posts.

The top is a 20" barreled standard 94, the bottom is a Trapper model like the OP is asking about:

Actually, the bottom one is a Wrangler. But I agree with you that the OP is specifically talking about the Trapper, not the Carbine.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

Obviously you don't know the difference. We aren't talking about the standard 20" model 94 like the picture you posted and yes I can tell how long the barrel is from the picture just by the forearm. This is the description of a Trapper model 94.



Winchesters description of the new Trapper:



And the OP is asking about a 16" Trapper model that he is trying to sell in the for sale section. So that is what I was responding to in my first posts.

The top is a 20" barreled standard 94, the bottom is a Trapper model like the OP is asking about:

Check your facts, the bottom one isn't actually a Trapper.

I see someone else posted that too while I was typping.

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Check your facts, the bottom one isn't actually a Trapper.

I see someone else posted that too while I was typping.

I was using the picture for reference of the barrel length, I don't care if it is a Trapper or Wrangler. This was the description of the picture from John Taffin:

Winchester offered their Model 94 in both standard and Trapper Models as well as with the regular lever or the John Wayne-style lever.

You do realize they also made a Trapper model with a large lever, correct?

[Dean2]

The top is a 20" barreled standard 94, the bottom is a Trapper model like the OP is asking about:

You are WRONG. The Trapper never came with a big loop, that was always the Wrangler.

The history of Big Loops on the Winchester Model 94 is interesting. The first modern factory Model 94 Big Loop I can find appeared on the John Wayne Commemorative Model 94 Carbine offered by Winchester in 1982 (I have every Winchester catalog from 1960 to 2008 and have used those catalogs as my source). Here’s the cover of the 1982 Winchester catalog depicting that special Big Loop rifle.



That 1982 John Wayne rifle featured a pewter-plated receiver, Old-West engraving, 18.5-inch barrel and a distinctive Big Loop. The 1982 catalog copy said of the rifle, “A unique feature is the oversized bow on the lever, introduced by John Wayne in the movie ‘Stagecoach’ and popularized in all of his Western movies.” The catalog went on to say that the John Wayne Commemorative is being offered “in a limited edition of fifty thousand” rifles.

The very next year, 1983, Winchester offered the first Wrangler Model 94, which was essentially a Trapper model with a Big Loop. While both the Trapper Model 94 and the Wrangler Model 94 sported 16-inch barrels, only the Wranglers ever had a factory Big Loop. The Trapper model was sold through its entire run (1980 to 2006) with a standard-size loop. As far as I can tell, if it had a factory Big Loop it was a Wrangler.

This is turning into a useless pizzing contest that isn't helping the Op at all. You stick to your version and pay what you want for a Trapper, I will stick to mine and call it a closed discussion.

[bb356]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Check your facts, the bottom one isn't actually a Trapper.

I see someone else posted that too while I was typping.

The top one is a big bore 307 375 or 356

And the bottom is a wrangler ... Cool unit's !!!

[bb356]

Trapper has a 16 inch barrel... nuff said !!!

[bb356]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Check your facts, the bottom one isn't actually a Trapper.

I see someone else posted that too while I was typping.

BBon the top !!!

[heybert]

To the OP,
From what I'm reading, Dean2 seem to be describing Trapper's Carbine from the pre-64 era that came in a whole array of barrel lengths. I've actually owned one with a 14" barrel.
crazy_davey, in turn, is pointing out the Trappers manufactured post-64. I'm assuming yours is post-64 in very nice condition since pre-64 specimens are almost impossible to find in better than fair condition. I think the assessment I made on post 17 is fairly accurate. Up to you how you want to price your rifle. BTW, they are fun to shoot. Even John Wayne style off the hip, lol!!

p.s. Dean2 and crazy_davey,
some very good info, thanks.