Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: Model 94 Carbine

Serial Number: 1136782

Year of Manufacture: 1940

Caliber: .30-30 Winchester Center Fire

Action Type: This rifle has a lever action with a full-length tubular magazine.

Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “-WINCHESTER / PROOF STEEL-”, “MODEL 94”, “-WINCHESTER- / -TRADE MARK-”, “30-W.C.F.-”. The top of the barrel and receiver are marked with Winchester WP proofs. The bottom of the receiver is marked “1136782”. The top tang is marked “WINCHESTER / -TRADE MARK- / -MADE IN U.S.A.-”. The right side of the barrel is marked “MADE IN U.S.A.WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / -NEW HAVEN, CONN.”. 

Barrel Length: 20″

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to a hood slotted and textured ramp base integral to the barrel. The hood has been removed. The rear sight is a u-notch semi-buckhorn elevator sight dovetailed to the barrel and is fine elevation adjustable. 

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece smooth walnut with banded forend, straight grip, straight comb and steel serrated buttplate. The stocks have a few light nicks and scratches. There are no chips or cracks. The wood is generally proud to the metal. The LOP measures 13 1/4″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has some patina and corrosion at the heel and toe, worn to white. Overall, the stocks are in Fine condition. 

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There are couple faint pits near the muzzle, but for the most part, the rest of the bore is pristine. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10. 

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 60% of its metal finish. The blue on the barrel, magtube, and tangs is strong save for the muzzle where there is some thinning. The sides of the receiver have gone mostly to white with some light patina. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. There are a few scratches on the sides of the magtube and receiver. Overall, this rifle is in about Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety and a lever-safety. The trigger is crisp. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 1894 rifle followed the other John Browning designed lever action rifles to become one of the most famous and popular hunting rifles of all time. It was the first commercial sporting rifle to sell over 7,000,000 units, making the name “Winchester” synonymous with all lever action rifles. It was also the first commercial American repeating rifle built to be used with smokeless powder. It was introduced in 1894 in two black powder cartridges, the .32-40 and .38-55 Win. rounds, but by the next year Winchester had developed a different steel composition that could handle higher pressures, and the .30-30 Win. family of cartridges was born. This is a Winchester Model 1894 made in 1940 with a 20” round barrel and chambered in .30-30. The 1894 Carbine chambered for .30-30 has become almost synonymous with “deer rifle”, and this one looks like it will make a trusty hunting companion if it isn’t snatched up by the collectors.