I am looking at trading into a Winchester Legacy 94AE in 30-30 and have a few questions I hope the hive might help with. I believe they are newer in production and was wondering how good of a rifle they are in that caliber? It has a 24" barrel and looks in excellent condition. Anything to look out for- problem areas,etc.? Any idea on a price or what they are worth? I have looked at Gunbroker and a few other places but these are no longer made. The seller is asking $800.00,is that about right? I see Marlins for $400-500, is there any reason to go Winchester? Is the quality that much better? It would only be a range gun as I don't hunt.Also, what is a good manufactured round for these guns? Any help would be appreciated,thanks.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: patw,

That seems a bit high on the price. I do realize there are assorted & ‘specialized’ representations of the 94ae Winchester.

I recently bought an almost minty 1950 Winchester 94 in 32 Win Special, $675. If you just want a range gun, a $450-550 Model 94 should do. I was looking for a ‘pre-64’ model.

Seems a little high; I’m a Marlin man and they are a better rifle for all but an open sight truck/scabbard gun. JM Marlins still show up in local pawn shops for less than $400 routinely- sometimes a good bit less.

As for the ammunition, I assume by "manufactured round" you mean factory loading.

Being just a range shooter, it doesn't really matter what you get. The 30WCF has been loaded for so long, they have it figured out. You won't be shooting past 150 yds, so precision loading really isn't that important.

I have shot a lot of Federal 150grn simply because it seems to consistently be cheaper, and seems well put together for the price. The Hornady LeverRevolution would be a waste of money on a range toy. I find the fun of shooting a lever is in the mechanics of working the gun, not as a precision rifle exercise.

Seems way over priced. Pawn shops are an excellent source for levers, Winchester or Marlin. 400 bucks should get you a lightly used lever. I prefer the Marlin for its closed receiver, which makes mounting aftermarket sights a cinch. I do have two Winchesters.
Most levers were used for deer hunting, so carried a lot but shot very little. I dont concern myself with cosmetic appearance too much, as long as gross abuse is not present. I want a shooter, not a looker.

Thanks for the responses. You all have stated what I already felt about the price but I figured I would get some info. from people who know more about them than I. I will keep looking I guess. I love my little Rossi 92 and wanted to get a bigger caliber to go with it. It is amazing how addictive these rifles can be,I dare say even more so than an ar-15.

I'll go the other way here and say if it's truly the Legacy model with the checkered deluxe wood & pistol grip stock, etc. then that price is not out of line. Maybe other's missed that you were asking about a Legacy?

Standard Winchester 30-30 rifles can be found all day for @$4-500, but the Legacy's are quite a bit more.

A current search on Gunbroker shows 11 results, most starting above $1,000 with COMPLETED/SOLD auctions confirming the $1,000 mark.

I guess it all comes down to whether or not the fancier wood is worth it to you.

You should be able to find a Marlin 336 or 30A for well less than $400 to $500 if you look around a little. I wouldn't put $800 into a Legacy if it's something you plan to shoot. A plan jane 94 or Marlin will do just as well cheaper.