Little Old Lady's Winchester 94 (pics)....

[canoeguy]

My Dad recently moved in with me, he got laid off from his job of 16 years without so much as a "Thank You", and found he could not live on Social Security alone. He's in good health, but no one wants to hire an 82 year old guy.

So, being in good health and in need of something to do each day, he started looking for a lady friend, a companion, someone to spend time with each day. He found a delightful widow woman who was also seeking companionship, so they spend most of each day together, playing cards and shooting the breeze. He mentioned to her my interest in firearms, so she dragged out for me to examine a 1929 vintage Winchester Model 94 in 30/30 caliber that belonged to her Father. He bought it new in 1929, and hunted hard with it, in the Pennsylvania woods. It is still mechanically sound, with a nice clean bore but shows evidence of many a hunt. It has a neat looking ladder type rear sight, almost like a military sight. There are two holes in the reciever where someone once mounted a peep reciver sight.

Here's some pics:

Left side of rifle:



Ladder sight:





Left side of reciever:

The two holes at the rear I'm sure came from a reciver sight, the forward hole I'm not sure about. My 1949 Vintage Model 94 doesn't have a hole there, is that another drilled hole, maybe for a scope mount?



Anyway, the rifle will stay in the lady's family, going to her son when she passes, but it is a neat piece of Pennsylvania hunting history. I had a fun time handling it....

[gregintenn]

Neat old gun and a good story. I hope her prodigy has a respect for what it is. That is a very interesting rear sight. Not sure I've ever seen one exactly like it; for sure not on a 94 Winchester. Usually, the screw heads are buggered up on one with that much wear. It doesn't look like those have ever been turned, especially not with a generic one-fits-all screwdriver.

[Wheelgunner840]

It's nice to see a good ol' gun like that. I really like old Winchester rifles, and that one has a lot of history. Thanks for sharing!


WG840

[s&wchad]

Originally Posted by canoeguy

My 1949 Vintage Model 94 doesn't have a hole there...

You better look again....

That’s an Eastern Carbine which is a bit scarce, Saddle Ring Carbines were still standard at the time. You’re correct about the receiver sight holes being added. The large front hole gives access to a pin that attaches the bolt to the lever (IIRC), you’re missing a screw. It shouldn’t be too hard to find one.
The carbine butt is standard and the ladder sight was standard.

Here's a 94 SRC of the same vintage (#933,5XX). Notice the holes.
　　

[canoeguy]

S&WChad,

You're right, my 1949 vintage Model 94 does have the same hole, with screw intact.

An Eastern Carbine, now I know what one looks like....

[gregintenn]

I thought an Eastern Carbine had a shorter magazine tube. What attribute makes an Eastern Carbine?

[Andy Griffith]

I believe the barrel length (any of the carbine lengths), together with the type of sights and that particular buttplate make it an eastern carbine.

[gregintenn]

Thanks. 10 characters

[Marksman]

An "Eastern Carbine" is simply a Saddle Ring Carbine minus the saddle ring, no other changes.

[s&wchad]

Standard carbines had nominal 20" barrels, measured from the bolt face. "Trapper" carbines were offered with shorter length barrels, usually in 2" increments... but 15" trappers are not unheard of. Short magazine tubes were an option. What makes an Eastern Carbine an Eastern Carbine is the lack of saddle ring. The ring wasn't discontinued on Carbines until around the 1,110,XXX and guns near that number are called Transitional Carbines. Those had the same butt plate and rear sight, but no saddle ring and a ramp front sight with a Hood.

Saddle rings were not popular in the Eastern States, that’s where the term Eastern Carbine came from. I’ve seem a lot of SRC’s, but few true Eastern Carbines. Receiver sight holes weren't offered until after WWII (give or take) when the tang sight hole was discontinued and rear sight, stock and butt plate were changed.


Carbines have a barrel band securing the forearm. Rifles had a forearm cap and no band, even if the barrels were 20“ or less. Standard rifle length was 26”, but short rifles werte offered in a variety of shorter lengths.

[gregintenn]

So that ladder sight is original equipment? I've sure never noticed one before. I'll be on the lookout for them from now on.

[David LaPell]

Here in NY we see a few Eastern Carbines from time to time, and other than the missing saddle ring, it is nothing different. They are nice guns though, and getting scarcer all the time.

[Old 44 Guy]

I have a 1942 Model 94. Took my first buck with it in 1953. Just wish those old Model 94's could talk & tell their stories.

[feralmerril]

I bought this one new in about 1956 or 1957 when I was 15 or 16 years old. I then had the pad put on for LOP and the williams foolproof. Once sighted in I havent had to move the sights in the 55 years since! I once shot a buck in a wet snow storm at about 220 yards with it.

[Frank46]

Canoeguy, Looks like you are missing the screw on the left hand side of the receiver. Its there to keep the firing pin retaining pin in place. In practice this screw was removed and a pin punch was used to push the pin out from right to left. Winchester changed the threads on the 94 over the years, but it shouldn't be difficult to locate a replacement. May not match the patina on the carbine but really should be there. Some old side plate scope mounts came with 3 screws so's you could match up the right one. Hope this helps. Frank