A Strange Duck Indeed!


.410
Posts: 57
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2014 1:28 am
Location: San Diego Area
PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 8:41 pm
It happened to me once in a while. I’d perused the used gun rack at an 'upscale gun/sporting goods store. I'd left but then found something nagging me. In this case an imperfect recollection of a Winchester 94. One somehow not ‘right’ for any configuration I could recall. Finally yielding to return some miles and then a closer look.

Still considerably wrong, but presumably an old modification considering the patina. But wait! The barrel in a completely wrong configuration yet marked “Model 94 – Winchester – Nickel Steel – 30 W.C.F.” Typical carbine from the receiver back to the straight grip stock with conventional carbine style buttplate. Yet… A 20” barrel with integral forged "ramp" configured front sight base and dovetailed sight! Simply unlike anything I’d ever seen on a 94. Then add a typical full length magazine tube, yet attached forward by a band dovetailed into the barrel underside. It looked just like a miniature of the barrel and mag tube configuration in my 1886 Winchester full length rifle in .33 Win!

My first assessment at the time, that someone had done a lot of work to create a hybrid of sorts! Yet such still didn’t account for the correct appearing Model 94 nomenclature and that a conundrum!
Not by any means a Model 94 expert. But having seen many, this one seemed a definite tilt. The immediate question was of originality. That in a “What the Hxxx”, context. The asking price was just about what I’d expect for a like ‘original’ model. If so, at least somewhat expensive for an altered model. Still… interesting! A slight price concession and I bought it.

Those were busy travel years and it just joined other normal and a few other curiosities in my safe. (Eg. original 4” barrel Webley Mk VI) Now slide forward well over a decade. Through a referral at a gunshow, I’d managed to contact an advanced Winchester 94 collector, Art Gogan (now deceased). He had an answer and even a 1985 Winchester Arms Collectors Association article he authored on the very subject!

Long story short. My rifle IS indeed original. It seemed that in the latter nineteen twenties, Winchester most likely had a “barrel clean up” program. They then produced a small quantity of rifles utilizing such as Model 1895 barrels resulting in in several differing nonstandard configurations. Mine was one such utilizing such a Model 1895 barrel cut down from the breech to form a standard carbine 20” length and full underpinned magazine assembly. Otherwise, the rifle is standard Model 94 carbine. Mr. Gogan was documenting by serial number all known specimens of these unusual variations in several differing sub-configurations. Mine joined that inventory.

Perhaps prejudiced, but of the sub-model photos I saw, I preferred mine for appearance. These rifles finally ‘came of age’ as their information is now appear in Bob Renneberg’s very competent “Model 94 Winchester” book, Second Edition @ Page 60.– See the barrel photo at another Website listed at end of post. My particular rifle configuration was among something over 20 known specimens at the time of notation in the book. While I normally have come to wince at the overworked term “rare”, I happily do note that on the same page referenced, Renneburg describes these models collectively as “ultra rare”.

I enjoy my variation! Not just the overworked “rarity” factor, but for the actual styling of a full integral sight base and dovetailed sight. I’m also one of the more fortunate owners since many of them have visibly plugged barrel sight holes. Mine has none and ironically had I seen any on the barrel, I almost certainly wouldn’t have bought it, concluding “too non-original”!

So here as with several other 'uncommon' guns I've backed into unknowingly, a Win 94 story and thanks for reading!

My take.

Detailed photos of my particular sub-model. (The specimen rifle somewhat nicer finish than mine.)
http://www.americanarmsandantiques.com/ ... php?id=694
User avatar
20g
Posts: 916
Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 5:06 pm
Location: Central Louisiana
PostPosted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 3:21 am
Most interesting read. Noticed the forestock is longer forward of the band than my '94 and no front barrel band.

You did good with this "ultra rare find".
GOA Life Member
NRA Sustaining Member
USMC Korea vet
Retired CWO3 USCGR
PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 3:28 pm
Very interesting indeed...!!

Return to Winchester Model 1894

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests

Winchester Owners Forum is privately owned and operated. It is not affiliated or operated by Winchester company. Views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily that of Winchester.