Ok, I'm not very knowledgeable on these rifles. I found and bought a model 94 for my son, who just wanted "a lever gun" to plink with, at what I'd say was a fair price as far as I can tell.

Turns out it was made in 1964, and the serial # is 2705xxx. I've since discovered online that this apparently was some version of "the most horrible gun ever made", or something to that point, although the seller said it shoots quite well.

Quick question- what little I've learned is that this is one of the earliest of the 1964 models. It does have the grayish receiver case, and the newer pattern of screw placement on the receiver. But it also has the half-cock hammer and the metal buttplate.
When is the cutoff to ****** internal parts? I've read that some early 1964's still used older parts, while they tooled up for the new style.

Either way, I'm a novice to lever guns, and as long as it shoots, I'm fine with it. It's a little worn, but that's ok for me.

edit- the camera photo was blurry, the wood looks better. Also the barrel and tube look a little more uniform than in the photo; and the receiver, while gray, seems pretty uniform. I'm assuming we just need to keep it oiled up and it should stay about the same?

Attached Images

winchester 94.jpg (265.8 KB, 285 views)

The pre 64's are the ones that people want,
the gun you bought is fine for plinking or hunting.

Hope your boy enjoys it.

Tell him to shoot safe.

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John

How much do you want for the chair?

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Not in jail.

You have a nice rifle. Shoot it a lot. Clean it and take care of it. Don't worry so much. If it fails, parts are available and it can be repaired.

You have a good rifle there.....I have several 94's..pre & post 64....some older than me....in various calibers....they have all been trustworthy and dependable companions in the woods....I carried a 30-30 94 in my squad car back in the 70's - early 80's before we had official "patrol rifles"....I would not have relied on that rifle in that role if there was any faults with it - believe me. In the hunting fields the Winchester 94 has always been a "meat gun" when hunting deer. Enjoy yours.

Wood and metal Mmmmm nice

2,700,000 is the often given serial number for the beginning of the post'64 Model 94 mfg.

A quick check of a few features will tell you if if has the post or pre 64 design receiver and parts.

On the pre-64 design,,the cartridge guides were held in place with a screw each
that was inserted and tightened from the inside of the frame. The small slotted head doesn't show on the outside of the frame.
Post-64 mfg, that was simplified and the screw attachment was switched around and was inserted from the outside of the frame. (faster assembly time). The small screw head shows on each side of the frame.
The right side of the frame,,the cartridge guide screw is the small one right above the loading gate nearly centered above it.
If you see a slotted head screw there,,it's a post '64 design frame.
If you just see the blank end of a screw,,it's a pre-64 design frame.

Inside the cartridge guides are so called 'long style' for the pre-64,,and 'short style' in a post 64.
The 'long guides' are machined steel and extend the full length of the open feeding box. The post 64 guides were stamped steel early on then cast steel later. Both are about 3/4" short at the front end from extending the full length of the opening.

Another easy way to check is to look at the top of the breech bolt and extractor.
A pre-64 will have an elongated oval cut in the bolt around the extractor itself about a 1/4 back from the breech face. It gives a bit of clearance around the extractor andis actually a hold over from the BP cartridge day of heavy fouling.
Post 64 bolt assemblys do not have the oval cut and the cut for the extractor in the bolt is just a straight even fit.

There's others,,but those two are easy to pick out.

Looks like a nice rifle either way,,ready for usein'!!

To echo others on this thread- you have a great 94 for shooting. While I don't know all of the small differences between the post-64 years of mfg, all of the 94s I've owned have been 1970s mfg'd rifles and IMO they are some of the finest made...they don't carry the price of the pre-64s and they pre-date the gimmicky bs like external safeties, plastic parts that came along in the 1980s. At a local show here in VA last year a friend of mine picked up a 90%+ 1975 mfg and over 140 rounds of ammo for $400.

I have a 1980 M94. Good, solid rifle for medium game or even self-defense in an appropriate setting. Reloading will cut your ammo costs considerably and allow you to make specialty loads that cannot be bought anymore and inexpensive practice ammo. Enjoy your new rifle!

I have several win 94s and all are wonderful shooting guns.I have one 1968 gun that will stack rds on top of each other at 50yds.and 2 1970s guns that are set up for my cast bullet loads.which are real tack drivers and no recoil much at all.you have a great gun there forget how it looks.I had a well worn 1976 gun parkerized and it looks great.I love all of them.

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God save the SOUTH

Had one I bought back in 74 new. I read where the receivers were not forged and called pot-metal. Still strong but receiver would not hold the bluing as well as the pre-64 receivers. They sold new for about $100 back when I bought mine.

Here's a picture of a later model 94 in .357 Magnum that was carried by our sheriff. Seems I took this picture around 2005.

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- Change it back -

I wouldn't be concerned about the 1964 date at all Collectors prefer Pre 64 Models but there is nothing at all wrong with the post 64 models,I have a 1968 "classic" Version with Octagonal Barrel & it's plenty accurate & reliable.

So we finally had time to take it out shooting, and had a good time. It brought back memories of the various Westerns I had watched for me.
As an aside, I never really looked into these, but I do seem to remember them being pretty reasonably priced back in the day. So when my son expressed an interest, the first thing I did was check out new prices, to get a baseline... wow, talk about sticker shock!

So I was quite satisfied to pick this up for $300 straight up.

Good to hear y'all are happy with it. I'm a lover of the Winchester lever rifle. Not a collector but a user for over 50 years. Only advise that you check to make sure your half cock "safety" is working. Just put your hammer in the half cock and pull the trigger (with an expended round chambered, please). You will also want to put the hammer in half cock and push it with your thumb to make sure it won't fall by getting jarred.
Jim

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Halfway and one more step

I bought a 1955 Model 94 30-30 caliber in 2004 for $480. Serial number is 2138525X and the X signifies it was a duplicate serial number. I've never fired it and it's absolutely mint condition. You got me wondering what it would be worth today.

Thanks Jim. Checked out the half cock, and it works.

There's your answer right there.

There are a ton of post-64's that function as well and are as reliable as Model 94's have ever been.
We all know that the "collectors" look for those magic differences that add collector value, but I think most of raised in the American gun culture as shooters as opposed to "mine is better than yours" crowd appreciate guns like the Model 94 that has stood the test of time, and even the slight changes to the design over the years.

I'd like to pick up a Model 94 Carbine in .357, and I could care less what year it was made as long as it's in nice shape.
My dad once told me: "50 years from now, you and most the people you know will be dead, so don't get too excited about things that you may think are important but really aren't".