We had a new member share about how he calls his 30-30 lever gun his Assault Rifle......or something to that affect. Got me thinking I've never shared a pic of my 30-30. This particular rifle was made I believe in the early 80's although I've never confirmed the exact year. To me the case hardened receiver adds just a bit. Back when my eyes were younger it would eat up the bullseye at 100 yards. It's always been a favorite of the kids when they graduated from the single-shot 22's making a big boom, bringing a smile to their faces.
Got mine (the trapper) in '81, maybe '82. The box said USRA, and I think the buttplate might, but the barrel says Winchester. I'm guessing "transition gun".
Then I got the middle one, with the light wood, 'cause I couldn't find the trapper. Figgered the old lady took it when she left. So I had two. Didn't need two 30/30s, so had the fullsize converted to 38/55. Discovered I did not like that caliber as much as I thought I would.
Made a volume buy one day - seven or eight guns for one price, and that top one was one of 'em.
Swapped that middle one for a Savage 99, .300, so now I only got two. And I found that I do need two 30/30s. Amazing how that works, sometimes.
I looked up the serial number of mine at the Winchester Collectors Association website and it said the serial number didn't exist. I took the rifle off the wall and verified the serial number and did a search for serial numbers and got to another website (savage99.com) and it said it was made in 1980.
It does say Winchester on the rifle's barrel and it says "Model 94" not 1894 so it may one of the ones that Alpo is talking about. I bought it used in about 1987-88 so I do not have a box to look at.
I bought mine new in 1989 and i still have the box and i'm pretty sure it says Winchester on the box. I'm not sure when Winchester dropped the 18/19 from there dating of there firearms. I think in the 1927 or there abouts.
The wife is a major "Rifleman" fan and wanted a lever action '94 Winchester for years. I stumbled over a .44 Magnum '94 at a Gun Show really cheap (and unfired). I think I got a paper cut whipping out the $350 he was asking for it. She has a Colt Sp1 and a Ruger 10-22, but the '94 is HER favorite rifle. I load it with 245 grain cast SWCs that she uses in it and (my former) Hawes Western Marshall .44 (hers since she first fired it)
There's my '94 30/30 at the bottom. I believe it's 1940 production and has probably been knocking around SE Alaska since then. Swivels are a relatively modern addition, and no, I haven't the foggiest what the four tacks represent.
Since the Model 94 came on the market in 1894 and is well over 100 years old, it has seen many version over that time period. The year that is dreaded by collectors is 1964 when Winchester changed production methods on their entire line of guns for the worse. Pre '64 guns have more hand craftsmanship and better fit and finish. Post '64 guns were noticeable worse for fit and finish. There was a period where Winchester elected to make commemorative guns for collectors. The receivers were of a better steel that did not take bluing all that well and some were painted and some were flashed with iron that would take bluing. The guns from this period seem loose in operation and rattled. Along the way they improved the fit and finish. My 1994 Centennial is nicely finished and has excellent fit. It was made in America by US Repeating Arms who owned Winchester at the time. The current 94's are made by Miroku in Japan and are superb guns with excellent fit and finish. So what you get in any Model 94 depends highly on when it was made. I have both a commemorative (NRA) rifle and the Centennial commemorative. The NRA rifle is clunky and only adequately finished and the centennial is beautiful. Both get shot as I do NOT collect guns of any kind. All my guns are shooters regardless of their worth. At one point I had a 94 rifle made in the 1920's that had very good fit but because of its age and like all older 94's, it finish was spotty from use. A good friend wanted it bad so I sold it to him. I also have a Model 71 lever whose fit and finish is still excellent.
The gun shown in the first post, I would think, is from the commemorative period (new one every year for many years). The finish may appear to be case hardened but my guess is it is a surface paint or similar product and not real case hardening. Ruger does it this way today. There is no gain in strength only a gain is appearance.
Browning in the 1980's, I believe, sold Winchester lever gun clones of various models. All were made by their Japanese partner Miroku. The quality, the finish, the fit exceed anything Winchester ever produced in my opinion, at least in the several of these lever guns I own. Fortunately today Miroku makes Winchester 94's for Winchester (or it is Browning?). Anyway, it makes little difference as FN owns both Browning and Winchester and has some financial connection to Miroku.
Guess I have one of those sloppy 94's that lacks in quality. Still I somehow managed to shoot nickel sized groups at 100 yards. Guess I'll attribute that to dumb luck. If the website I visited is accurate this red headed stepchild was produced in 1981. As to the case hardening being painted on I'm not exactly sure how to check. It certainly doesn't look painted on to me but what do I know? Here's a pic of the roll stamp and a closeup of the receiver.
I'll take Hawg's word that it's an acid wash, I don't know what process they used on it but I do know they didn't pack it in bone char and bake it and water quench it like the old timers used to do.
Of that I'm certain and as Hawg said I'd bet an acid wash is exactly what they did. Whatever the process I think it looks pretty cool and hasn't faded or changed that I can tell since it was new.
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