Winchester 1894 - Year of Manufacture

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  • BigRed

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    I am trying to figure out the year of manufacture for a Model 94.

    The first character in the serial number looks like an L. From what I can find, Winchester did not use a letter for the leading character. Some say that such a thing is simply a poorly struck 1. The thing is, it looks nothing like a poorly struck image and nothing like a 1.

    Is the "poorly struck 1" the only possible correct answer or is there something to an L as a leading character?



    The number looks like L294***.

    Could be 1294***. If that is the case, I believe the year would be during the 1943 - 1947 where records are not available, but likely closer to 1943.


    So is it 1943 or am I maybe missing something with the L?
     

    Leadeye

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    Has the gun been refinished? Sometimes under good magnification you can pick out the rest of the number even though some may have been buffed out.
     

    BigRed

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    Its still original finish.

    Ill try a magnifier too see if I can see anything.

    Do you know if it is correct that there are no oddball things like an L out there?

    Maybe I can get a pic to post.
     
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    Old Dog

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    Looks like an "L" to me too. Could it possibly be a 7 that was turned upside down and backwards? I don't know what a Winchester 7 looks like. Does it make sense if you run the SN with a 7 on the front?
     

    Nazgul

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    Winchester did use letters, at least on their bolt action rifles. Found that out when selling a 375 H&H last year. I never paid attention to the serial number until the buyer wanted to know the year. Believe he contacted a collectors group.

    Don
     

    BigRed

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    Is your 94 a pre-64? Does it have the Winchester roll stamp on the receiver tang? If so it is pre WWII.


    It wouldn't be a real 94 if it wasn't before 64.... :):

    I will have to look at it again later today. I do not recall a roll stamp on the outside of the receiver tang.
     

    T.Lex

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    Any chance that it has "Made in the USA" stamped on the tang? That might mean it was meant for export, so I wonder if the SN would've been different.

    I saw the answer by the guy that says the "L" is a mis-stamped "1." I don't see how. At least not from your pic.
     

    BigRed

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    Thanks folks for the input and help.

    I am on the road until late tonight, but will check into some of this stuff when back in.

    I picked up the rifle in Alaska...not sure if that would have any bearing on anything...thought about it when the idea of different marks for export markets was mentioned.
     

    BigRed

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    Was able to check and found it does have the following on the receiver tang:

    Winchester
    Trade Mark
    Made in the USA

    Another I have from 1949 does not have that mark on the tang. Its' tang is blank.

    Was the rollmark on the tang only done up to a certain point in time?
     

    T.Lex

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    From what I can tell, the "Made in the USA" indicates the potential that it was for export but that doesn't indicate any particular time period.
     

    Winamac

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    Was able to check and found it does have the following on the receiver tang:

    Winchester
    Trade Mark
    Made in the USA

    Another I have from 1949 does not have that mark on the tang. Its' tang is blank.

    Was the rollmark on the tang only done up to a certain point in time?


    I am by no means a Winchester 94 expert. However,from what I have read/seen/been told. The Winchester roll mark on the reciever tang was the "norm" until WWII started. Then Winchester geared heavily for WWII supply. After the war Winchester once again "ramped up" production of the 94. However, for whatever reason the roll stamp on the tang was omitted on post WWII rifles. Why?? Good question. From what I have studied I do know that Winchester supplied some 94's during WWII for use by the military on our US coastal regions. Perhaps it could be one of those with the L and all? Simply guessing though.
     

    T.Lex

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    Well, I had a few minutes and tried a somewhat different search and found this site - you probably already found it.

    https://www.gunvaluesboard.com/winchester-1894-serial-number-15443226.html

    But, the pics also look like "L" but the guy says they aren't.

    Serial_101323_v_1401705885.jpg


    I'd be really tempted to get the Cody letter.

    Here's another auction for a 1943, and the markings look different than what you describe.

    https://www.legacy-collectibles.com/winchester-model-94-1943-724.html

    Somewhere along the way, I saw something about a batch of 1943s being sent to Canada. That would make sense with where you found it an the Made in the USA stamp.

    ETA:
    Thinking about it a bit more, the "L" stamps are all quite a bit older than 1943. By then, it seems like the manufacturing techniques would make it less likely that there'd be a problem like that. I'm back to thinking there's something unique about that rifle... or at least relatively unique among the million or so of that model. ;)

    ETA2:
    Check out this rifle and description:
    https://joesalter.ca/products/winchester-94-british-1940-issue-rifle
     
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    BigRed

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    Well, I had a few minutes and tried a somewhat different search and found this site - you probably already found it.

    https://www.gunvaluesboard.com/winchester-1894-serial-number-15443226.html

    But, the pics also look like "L" but the guy says they aren't.

    Serial_101323_v_1401705885.jpg


    I'd be really tempted to get the Cody letter.

    Here's another auction for a 1943, and the markings look different than what you describe.

    https://www.legacy-collectibles.com/winchester-model-94-1943-724.html

    Somewhere along the way, I saw something about a batch of 1943s being sent to Canada. That would make sense with where you found it an the Made in the USA stamp.

    ETA:
    Thinking about it a bit more, the "L" stamps are all quite a bit older than 1943. By then, it seems like the manufacturing techniques would make it less likely that there'd be a problem like that. I'm back to thinking there's something unique about that rifle... or at least relatively unique among the million or so of that model. ;)

    ETA2:
    Check out this rifle and description:
    https://joesalter.ca/products/winchester-94-british-1940-issue-rifle

    Thanks for the info!

    Some interesting stuff here.
     
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