Winchester Model 94

[Phosphorus32]

My first lever action and my first Winchester, the Model 94, an American classic 

I've been casually looking for a couple of years but they've gone up beyond my tolerance. Finally snagged this one for a reasonable price at an auction a few weeks ago. It's chambered in the more scarce .32 Winchester Special that uses unique .321" diameter bullets, so ammo is a bit costly with few options (Hornady, Federal, Winchester) compared to the more common .30-30. The serial number indicates manufacture in 1949 according to the tables. Also the six-groove bore looks great.

Enjoy the pics. Also, please feel free to tell me all the stuff I undoubtedly don't know  I'm a novice with these.

[carls sks]

nice find, looking good. thanks for sharing. 

[Greasemonkey]

  it's old and it's a lever. Now P32 will try to be Chuck Connors when no one is looking 

And....it's an interesting caliber... one of the few calibers I really haven't seen, I've seen more in the .32-20WCF caliber than .32WS. I did ask a friend at a local shop, they usually carry 2 boxes of it, so someone around here uses it.

Weird choice of size for a bullet... .321... a 7.9 Kurz is about the only one off the top of my head I know takes that size. I thought maybe it's a throwback from the black powder days, but a .32 cal muzzle loader typically uses a 310-.315 ball. Being it shares a case with the .30-30 Winchester, I wonder what they were hoping to accomplish.

And thats not typical P32 military stuff... thats a commercial made thang, send it to me so you don't get tainted or taint your military stuff with them commercial bugs. 

[Phosphorus32]

  it's old and it's a lever. Now P32 will try to be Chuck Connors when no one is looking 

And....it's an interesting caliber... one of the few calibers I really haven't seen, I've seen more in the .32-20WCF caliber than .32WS. I did ask a friend at a local shop, they usually carry 2 boxes of it, so someone around here uses it.

Weird choice of size for a bullet... .321... a 7.9 Kurz is about the only one off the top of my head I know takes that size. I thought maybe it's a throwback from the black powder days, but a .32 cal muzzle loader typically uses a 310-.315 ball. Being it shares a case with the .30-30 Winchester, I wonder what they were hoping to accomplish.

And thats not typical P32 military stuff... thats a commercial made thang, send it to me so you don't get tainted or taint your military stuff with them commercial bugs. 

Thanks GM  Yes a lever action is what I envision when I think of the old west but no Chuck Connors moves here.

It is an odd bullet diameter. I picked up two different boxes of 20 (Hornady and Remington) at the local Ranch & Home (Rednecks & Hombres) for about $1.35 per round. If it turns into a favorite shooter I’ll have to get a die set.

I may have to test it out and make sure it functions well before sending it to Appalachia, so don’t forget to take a breath in the meantime 

[Justin Hell]

That thing is downright sexy in it's plain jane packaging....the stock totally looks ready for a mare's leg amputation...what's stopping you from being a rare bullet Rifleman?

Seriously...she is cute. 

[Greasemonkey]

I think a Winchester Model 64 would look exceedingly sexy next to that Model 94, especially one in 32WS 

[Phosphorus32]

That thing is downright sexy in it's plain jane packaging....the stock totally looks ready for a mare's leg amputation...what's stopping you from being a rare bullet Rifleman?

Seriously...she is cute. 

Thanks, it’s a keeper.

Interesting idea but I think I’ll skip the tax stamp 

[Phosphorus32]

I think a Winchester Model 64 would look exceedingly sexy next to that Model 94, especially one in 32WS 

Enabler!   

[Greasemonkey]

I think a Winchester Model 64 would look exceedingly sexy next to that Model 94, especially one in 32WS 

Enabler!   

Yeah...and?    Just sayin it would look sexy...naw  it would be ubersexy, like Kate Upton sexy 

[xtriggerman]

 Yup, a nice white tail death star ya got there..... Now that your pokin the lever monster with a stick, he's gona grab you by the a** and whisper "ninety two" in your ear. 

[Justin Hell]

That thing is downright sexy in it's plain jane packaging....the stock totally looks ready for a mare's leg amputation...what's stopping you from being a rare bullet Rifleman?

Seriously...she is cute. 

Thanks, it’s a keeper.

Interesting idea but I think I’ll skip the tax stamp 

Are mare's legs short enough to require that?  There is no mention of that in the Henry catalog that is a staple for bathroom literature here.
I just think they are kind of rad for a cowboy gun....and I watched a few Rifleman episodes the other day, so my interest is a little piqued. My last lever action was a cork gun.  The last attempt at changing that ended up differently than expected...so the lever itch has yet to be scratched.  Someday soon.

[Greasemonkey]

Yup, a nice white tail death star ya got there..... Now that your pokin the lever monster with a stick, he's gona grab you by the a** and whisper "ninety two" in your ear. 

Phos... he speaks the truth..  that same lever monster will say bad, horrible things like..  Thurdy-Thurdy, Marlin 1894, top, angle and side eject, Savage 99, 45-70 Gubment, and even moan OH!!! Henry in your ear.

He is a sneaky bastard.. he got me.   

That thing is downright sexy in it's plain jane packaging....the stock totally looks ready for a mare's leg amputation...what's stopping you from being a rare bullet Rifleman?

Seriously...she is cute. 

Thanks, it’s a keeper.

Interesting idea but I think I’ll skip the tax stamp 

Are mare's legs short enough to require that?  There is no mention of that in the Henry catalog that is a staple for bathroom literature here.
I just think they are kind of rad for a cowboy gun....and I watched a few Rifleman episodes the other day, so my interest is a little piqued. My last lever action was a cork gun.  The last attempt at changing that ended up differently than expected...so the lever itch has yet to be scratched.  Someday soon.

The way I understand Mares Leg lever actions... One can purchase a purpose manufactured Mare's leg from Henry, Chiappa, Rossi, and others.... pending local/state laws, technically, it is deemed a pistol/handgun and gets registered as such, it's looked at by the ATF like a pistol Ak/AR or even the Mossberg Shockwave shotgun.. But, to just up and chop down and make a Mare's leg out of a weapon that was originally a rifle, requires the tax stamp, because at that point it effectively becomes a SBR.

[martin08]

Enjoy the pics. Also, please feel free to tell me all the stuff I undoubtedly don't know  I'm a novice with these.

Undoubtedly, you already knew that it was a flat band.  Right?

[Justin Hell]

Yup, a nice white tail death star ya got there..... Now that your pokin the lever monster with a stick, he's gona grab you by the a** and whisper "ninety two" in your ear. 

Phos... he speaks the truth..  that same lever monster will say bad, horrible things like..  Thurdy-Thurdy, Marlin 1894, top, angle and side eject, Savage 99, 45-70 Gubment, and even moan OH!!! Henry in your ear.

He is a sneaky bastard.. he got me.   

That thing is downright sexy in it's plain jane packaging....the stock totally looks ready for a mare's leg amputation...what's stopping you from being a rare bullet Rifleman?

Seriously...she is cute. 

Thanks, it’s a keeper.

Interesting idea but I think I’ll skip the tax stamp 

Are mare's legs short enough to require that?  There is no mention of that in the Henry catalog that is a staple for bathroom literature here.
I just think they are kind of rad for a cowboy gun....and I watched a few Rifleman episodes the other day, so my interest is a little piqued. My last lever action was a cork gun.  The last attempt at changing that ended up differently than expected...so the lever itch has yet to be scratched.  Someday soon.

The way I understand Mares Leg lever actions... One can purchase a purpose manufactured Mare's leg from Henry, Chiappa, Rossi, and others.... pending local/state laws, technically, it is deemed a pistol/handgun and gets registered as such, it's looked at by the ATF like a pistol Ak/AR or even the Mossberg Shockwave shotgun.. But, to just up and chop down and make a Mare's leg out of a weapon that was originally a rifle, requires the tax stamp, because at that point it effectively becomes a SBR.

Makes perfect sense...forgive me.  Our gun laws in Montana could be legibly printed on the back of a postage stamp...sometimes I forget about the Federal stuff.

[martin08]

Oh, and if you use the correct polishing room data at the Winchester Collector Association (compiled by leading expert, Bert Hartman), you will find that your gun is a December 1948 build.  No flat bands were built in 1949.  If you remove your forestock, you will see the year '48' stamped on the bottom barrel flat.

But you knew that too, right?

[Greasemonkey]

Oh, and if you use the correct polishing room data at the Winchester Collector Association (compiled by leading expert, Bert Hartman), you will find that your gun is a December 1948 build.  No flat bands were built in 1949.  If you remove your forestock, you will see the year '48' stamped on the bottom barrel flat.

But you knew that too, right?

Little off topic but was this the norm for Winchester, having barrel dates during this era or is it consistent across the board? my Winchester Model 74, which is a .22lr is from the same exact era, according to Winchester.. the serial dates it to 1950, but like you describe, the barrel date shows, what I am guessing would be Feb 1949.

[martin08]

For reasons unbeknown to anyone on the planet, Winchester factory dating on their website has always differed by a year or two from their own polishing room data, which Bert H. has access at the Cody Museum. 

If you order a Cody Museum letter for your  Winchester, it will have the correct finished product date.

The early 1949 date on your barrel is a pretty big clue that  your gun is likely a year older than Winchester website records.

I don't know what years the barrels were dated, other than I've seen them on early post-war.

Here is a link to the Winchester Arms Collector dating.

https://winchestercollector.org/dates/

If your model 74 serial number is under 250,000, then it is 1949

[Loose}{Cannon]

Noice get!

No twirling in the house.       You go outside and do that.   

[Greasemonkey]

https://winchestercollector.org/dates/

If your model 74 serial number is under 250,000, then it is 1949

That site says 1950 as well, my serial is right there at that 250,000 point... its 252,5xxA

[Phosphorus32]

Yup, a nice white tail death star ya got there..... Now that your pokin the lever monster with a stick, he's gona grab you by the a** and whisper "ninety two" in your ear. 

Thanks! We’ll see, this could be a new rabbit hole...and by “rabbit hole” I mean opium den