Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Indian Commemorative rifle

Chiappa, Marlin, Mossberg and non-Rossi Manufactured Pumas plus anything else with a leveraction.
User avatar
pricedo
2000 Shots
2000 Shots
Posts: 2509
Joined: 31 Jan 2012 10:36
Location: Dual Citizen (United States & Canada)
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 234 times

Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Indian Commemorative rifle

Post by pricedo »

Image

Acquired a Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Commemorative rifle today in 30-30 for $550 from an estate probate sale.
{I actually bought the rifle last week & picked it up today.}
There were several commemorate rifles sold from the estate priced for quick sale.
The rifles were in inventory less than a couple of hours before they all sold on the internet sight unseen.
I know the seller so I took his word about the rifles condition.
I picked this one cause there were only 5500 made.
This rifle is in absolutely pristine (I think unfired.....though nobody has stated that to be the case) condition.
An absolutely beautiful firearm with glossy dark walnut furniture, brass receiver, brass butt plate, brass upper and lower tang, brass hammer & brass barrel bands.
The rifle hasn't got a scratch, blemish, dent or ding on it inside or out and looks to be unfired. :mrgreen:
The bore is immaculate........ran a swab through and it came out clean.
I'm not big on wall flowers and am debating whether to shoot it or not. +corn

***I posted a picture cause this rifle does without a doubt stand out in the crowd. :mrgreen:
LIFE MEMBER - NRA & GOA
User avatar
akuser47
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 5070
Joined: 12 Feb 2012 11:43
Location: ohio
Has thanked: 1266 times
Been thanked: 482 times

Re: Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Indian Commemorative rifl

Post by akuser47 »

Nice find I would have a hard time not shooting it. Though it would be a good deserving weapon to be a wall hanger.
Image
Live Free,Ride Free, Or Die Fighting, For The Right, To do So!
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9398
Joined: 23 Jan 2012 07:44
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1837 times
Been thanked: 2281 times

Re: Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Indian Commemorative rifl

Post by Ranch Dog »

Oh, heck ya I would shoot it!
Michael
Image
Model 52
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 338
Joined: 04 Feb 2013 18:29
Location: NC
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 122 times

Re: Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Indian Commemorative rifl

Post by Model 52 »

I tend to hold commemoratives in generally low regard as collectibles or investments, especially Winchester lever guns given that they kept cranking out commemoratives of various models on a continuous basis. Plus some of them are just plain gaudy or ugly.

On the other hand they are often great buys in terms of never fired or seldom fired lever guns and they make great shooters at decent prices. Consider for example that a NIB angle eject pre-cross bolt Model 94 carbine can bring $700-$800, just because NIB examples of that era are rare, while the same carbine in commemorative form are pretty common and will sell for $500 or so.

In your case, it's well done, tasteful and non gaudy, and I'd probably shoot the beejezzus out of it.

As an example of my general lack of enthusiasm for commemoratives as investments, I bought a Charles Daly/Armi Sport Model 92 NRA commemorative for $700 as a shooter. There were only 1000 made and the first 250 were sold as a wood cased set with a .45 LC Colt SAA clone revolver, so it's basically 1 of 750, and mine is #0028X, one of the first 40 non set Model 92s made.

The thing is a non commemorative version is hard to find and would have cost me around $500-$600 more than the commemorative I bought and since the only decoration is a small gold plated NRA logo on the receiver, it's not objectionable - thus it's a superb shooter.

If I kept it as an unfired commemorative, in maybe 20-25 more years I'd possibly start to see a value that exceeds the value (in inflation adjusted dollars) of the non-commemorative version now. So in effect my options are to pay $500-$600 more now for a shooter, or buy a commemorative I can't shoot for 20-25 years to gain the extra value over a non commemorative version now - with no idea what the non commemorative will be worth then.

And that's really the issue with garden variety commemoratives - unless there is a hot demand for them, they just don't appreciate much, if at all over time. In that regard Charles Daly did it right - the custom wood cased box sets were very limited in number (250) and they tend to bring sales prices in the $5000-$6000 range. The other 750 Model 92s and the other 4750 SSAs are not really doing anything in terms of appreciation (in fact the opposite), but they are tastefully done and don't scream "commemorative" in big gaudy brass plaque, medallion inlay and other over the top extravagance, so they still appeal to the shooters who'll buy them as shooters.
User avatar
pricedo
2000 Shots
2000 Shots
Posts: 2509
Joined: 31 Jan 2012 10:36
Location: Dual Citizen (United States & Canada)
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 234 times

Re: Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Indian Commemorative rifl

Post by pricedo »

YUP..........methinks she's a shooter.
Has a really nice set of iron sights with a fine brass bead for a front sight.
Practically a new rifle considering that it likely hasn't fired a single shot judging by the condition of the gun and the bore.
The only way I could get a "new" New Haven Winchester in 2013 was to buy a commemorative.
I won't buy those Japanese made abominations with the tang safeties and rebounding hammers that MSRP for almost 3 X what I paid for this gun.
Most of the regular 94s I've seen that were made around the same time are pretty well shot out..........this one is new........that's why I bought it.
The inside, not the outside makes or breaks the gun for me.
A good deal for $550.
LIFE MEMBER - NRA & GOA
User avatar
pricedo
2000 Shots
2000 Shots
Posts: 2509
Joined: 31 Jan 2012 10:36
Location: Dual Citizen (United States & Canada)
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 234 times

Re: Rossi Riflemen have X-Ray intuition

Post by pricedo »

One thing messing with Rossi rifles and sharing info and experiences on this forum has given me is better and more critical observation and analytic skills with regards to why guns work and why they sometimes don't work.
Most shooters are happy when they work the action and pull the trigger and the gun goes bang and the deer or hog drops.
Us tinkerer types :mrgreen: that hang around this forum like to know more about how and why.
We have been piling accolades on the JMB 92 action because of the strength that the two conspicuous locking vertical lugs give to the action lock-up.
While I was running the two dummy rounds through my new 94 this afternoon I couldn't help but notice the rather large, heavy single lug that rises up and locks the 94s action at the end of the stroke.
Me thinks the 94 action is no slouch in the strength department either.
JMB developed a very robust action when he designed the 94 action probably every bit as strong as the 92 action even though a Winchester 94 seems to almost disembowel itself during the loading cycle.
That's how the 94 Trails End can handle the pressure of the 450 Marlin round.
The 94s table manners might not be as gracious as the 92s but it's a damn strong action none the less.
LIFE MEMBER - NRA & GOA
Model 52
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 338
Joined: 04 Feb 2013 18:29
Location: NC
Has thanked: 8 times
Been thanked: 122 times

Re: Rossi Riflemen have X-Ray intuition

Post by Model 52 »

pricedo wrote:One thing messing with Rossi rifles and sharing info and experiences on this forum has given me is better and more critical observation and analytic skills with regards to why guns work and why they sometimes don't work.
Most shooters are happy when they work the action and pull the trigger and the gun goes bang and the deer or hog drops.
Us tinkerer types :mrgreen: that hang around this forum like to know more about how and why.
We have been piling accolades on the JMB 92 action because of the strength that the two conspicuous locking vertical lugs give to the action lock-up.
While I was running the two dummy rounds through my new 94 this afternoon I couldn't help but notice the rather large, heavy single lug that rises up and locks the 94s action at the end of the stroke.
Me thinks the 94 action is no slouch in the strength department either.
JMB developed a very robust action when he designed the 94 action probably every bit as strong as the 92 action even though a Winchester 94 seems to almost disembowel itself during the loading cycle.
That's how the 94 Trails End can handle the pressure of the 450 Marlin round.
The 94s table manners might not be as gracious as the 92s but it's a damn strong action none the less.
I would not regard the model 94 s being weak by any means, but the Model 92 has a couple advantages in terms of strength.

First, the action itself is shorter with a shorter bolt and less length equates to less flex with a rear locking system. The location of the locking lugs on the 92 being in the rear third of the bolt rather than at the extreme end, is just gravy on the taters.

Second, the locking lugs on the 92 are quite deep and are mounted on the side of the bolt, offering a great deal more stiffness in the direction the force is applied with only a small gap to span between bolt and receiver than is the case with the single lug on the model 94 that has to bridge the width of the receiver behind the bolt.

Purely from a strength perspective the Model 92 wins hands down, and the simpler lever throw allowed by the shorter cartridge makes it much smoother as well.

What the 94 does really well is allow a longer cartridge in a comparatively short receiver due to the use of the toggle length to increase the bolt movement with a given amount of lever throw. It gives a nice compromise in terms of cartridge length, receiver length and lever throw.
User avatar
pricedo
2000 Shots
2000 Shots
Posts: 2509
Joined: 31 Jan 2012 10:36
Location: Dual Citizen (United States & Canada)
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 234 times

Re: Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Indian Commemorative rifl

Post by pricedo »

Very intelligent well thought out arguments Model 52.
What's great about this forum is the depth & quality of dialogue on a variety of gun related subjects.

**I have been surfing around the block & was pleased to learn that other 1894 YB Commemorative rifles in less than pristine condition than mine have been fetching a pretty penny on the auction websites. :)
LIFE MEMBER - NRA & GOA
User avatar
Steelbanger
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 239
Joined: 04 Feb 2012 13:31
Location: Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Has thanked: 43 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Indian Commemorative rifl

Post by Steelbanger »

Hello Pricedo,

First, I hope your recuperation is improving after that Canadian adventure you had a few months back.

And as for the Winchester commemoratives, Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette is the shooting game that gives these Winchesters a chance to see some daylight. Go to any match and I guarantee you'll see many of the various, formerly special rifles doing what they were designed to do - shoot. I have probably seen more of these annually issued older Winnies at silhouette matches than I have at gun shows. They sure pretty-up the firing line.
Steelbanger, NRA Life
Annual Member PRPA
Marlin - a hard habit to break.
Maximumbob54
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 333
Joined: 17 Jun 2013 08:12
Location: Kingsland, GA
Has thanked: 100 times
Been thanked: 50 times

Re: Winchester model 94 Yellow Boy Indian Commemorative rifl

Post by Maximumbob54 »

Is the hammer really brass and not just plated or something? I would have thought brass wouldn't stand up that well to that kind of beating.
Locked