Daveboone

On that note...leave er as be. They were originally designed for open sights, and the A/E doesnt change its fine in the hand handling. If anything, is the side of the reciever drilled and tapped for an aperture sight? Learn how to shoot properly with a quality aperture (peep) and you will think you are shooting a different gun. All of mine wear one. Lyman makes a good one.

First, how long ago did you buy your rifle? A NEW Winchester 94 is over a thousand bucks last I knew, and yours in the used market is (depending on how sold and to who) likely to catch you back about six hundred....none of mine went for less, and none were in great shape or collectable. There used to be a guide to spend as much on the scope as you spent on your rifle. Three hundred bucks for a Leupold 1.5 x 5 is a bargain, and once you own one...you will never own another. Sorry, but a scope that sells for 129.oo is a throw away in my book. Many scopes are fine out of the box, but will they hold up twenty years down the road? On a hunt where it is getting knocked around, soaked, frozen, thawed and peed on? I have owned six Leupolds now...none have ever needed to be resighted (except for a change in ammo) or sent for any service, and they have been on .308s, heavy loaded 45-70s, 300 Win mags, 8mm Mausers, .270s, .22 250....well, I guess that covers it. The goal is to not EVER to need the warranty. But if you do, Leupold will return it to you postage paid...within the week.

Yep. The AE was designed for scope use. I would be surprised if it wasnt drilled and tapped...it will be obvious if it was. If not, any gun smith should be able to . Look carefully into the scope mounts/reciever mounts, as they likely will be a bit tricky to find, as of course the rifle has long been out of production. I absolutly agree with Grouse....keep the scope magnification on the low side...despite what some may say, claiming great accuracy etc. at a zillion yards, the 30-30 was designed for a relatively short range weapon (100 yards is fine). I also love the Leupold 1.5 x 5 scope . Durable, quality, great optics....designed for such a use. All mine were bought used at a very significant savings. (I have owned three 1.5 x 5, still have 2) even used will be backed up by Leupolds lifetime warranty... But then again....really, the Marlin 336 is a much better design overall (and I have owned four 94s and love them), and much better with a scope with its solid top, designed from the go as a side eject....but heavier. You would likely be able to sell your 94 and easily get a 336 off the money made...just a thought.

More the problem is the demand for common hand gun and rifle rounds that are flying off the shelf and more profitable. The older less in demand cartridges are much less a priority to manufacture. Us black powder shooters are suffering the same issue just trying to get # 11 primers , which are only manufactured for a short period of time each year, and were not at all for a few years with covid.

Got news for ya....prices are actually moderating. Over the past six years, several times I took a variety of arms to a well known CNY auction house to sell...they photo, list and describe the arm on their web site, and it is shown nationally. I have done very well by them. About three years ago, prices peaked....I was getting absolute embarrassing money for literal junk....arms I wouldnt have gotten two hundred dollars for, I was getting over nine hundred dollars. People were buying absolutely everything, regardless of condition. Prices since then have moderated significantly, but good money can still be made.

Last night a tree came down on lines and a transformer just up the street about 6, killing the power for about three hours. We did the same, fire up the generator just to run the pellet stove, fired up a couple Coleman Propane and had a quiet evening. It was a bit of a pain in the neck, making it tough with the pre holiday preps.

Most days I cant see squat by legal sundown any way...especially if I am using my open sighted ML. Once snow is on the ground...the extra 1/2 hour is great!

now stay off the damn phone and keep your eyes up!

I well remember not too long ago, the opening morning fusilades starting in the finger lakes....could be downright scary!

ANYTHING is warmer than jeans. No insulating value. Wool is king, I agree, but I have several pairs of poly/fleece sweat pants that are thick and warm. The thickness/loft of a material is its warmth.. Fleece and the synthetics do not hold the moisture...sweat, etc. I wear one midweight pair of long underwear which fits close to the skin, then the thick heavy pair, with a shell outside. My treasure is a set of Cabelas heavy weight poly fleece pants with suspenders. I paid five bucks a a garage sale for them....they were probably close to a hundred bucks new. If you can find something like these in a bib style you are way ahead for covering the vital kidney areas and sealing out the drafts.

Ditch the jeans and sweats. Cotton, holds moisture and is a poor insulator anyway. You will do better get a set of inexpensive synthetic fleece sweat pants/top to wear instead. I love my balaclava, which I wear my hat under...you lose more heat from your head and neck than anywhere else. Be sure to sit on a foam cushion. If it is down into the twenties, I drop some of the disposable toe warmers in my boots (again....with socks NEVER COTTON) ....I thought it was goofy when I got it, but a hand muff is great...keep a hand warmer in it. Eventually with inactivity you get cold... within reason, get used to it. I was talking with a couple of Amish fellows at Bass Pro a few years ago, and asked what they wore hunting....Thier traditional wool/cotton work coats, etc. I asked how they kept warm? They chuckled and said..." We dont stay warm...".

The tough part about pricing firearms..... At one time I think The Blue Book was a pretty fair estimate, all depending on honest evaluation of the gun, condition, etc. It doesnt take into account value related to "events" like over the past several years which artificially drove gun values through the roof....They are moderating now. I agree probably looking up actual selling prices for similar arms on GB or Auction arms should give a pretty fair value.

In a safe location....does it extract live shells (or fired/empty shells) individually? I had a similar problem with a used 870 I bought. New extractor did the trick. Whenever I have to order a new part I always order two....usually postage is as much as the durn part, and if it broke once.... I keep the spare extractor in the butt stock screw hole well greased in paper.

I have been to NF with Patey and Sons twice with a buddy. We both got moose each time. They work hard and know their business. We went the first week both times, which probably I would avoid due to the warm temperatures. When it is warm, the moose simply don't move. NF is a beautiful province and the people are great. I hope to take my wife there on a two week driving vacation next year. Patey is fly in either using their sea plane or chopper, which adds to the adventure. We always also saw caribou frequently and had multiple opportunities on bear...me passing on a monster of one, because I still hadnt gotten my moose (which I did later that day). I would love to return, but I have gotten two moose, and there are other adventures I want to do.

Where abouts (what locality) were you in? I doubt you would have heard a bear in the brush...regardless of size, they move like smoke. My property is about a mile from a farm in a strait line, decieving on foot, but every evening I can hear the cows clear as day. I cant convince my sister that it is cows...dingbat. I make sure she wears her "bear bells" to scare squatch away. Must work, despite her needing the relationship, she hasnt seen him yet.