Winchester 1894 Rifle info needed

bigmoose · Sep 13, 2015

A friend called and said he came across a Winchester 1894 and asked if I was interested in purchasing it. I answered 'yes'. We always answer yes when we get questions like that, right?

My rifle knowledge is mostly centered on old Remingtons and Savages.

I've handled a lot of 1886s and 1892s but never ponied up the cash to purchase one. It is my belief (please, no offense intended) that the market didn't place the 1894s in the same league. Judging from RIC and Julia auctions though, there seems to be a fair amount of interest in them and prices are creeping up.

All I know at this point is that the rifle has a crescent buttplate and a 26" barrel, chambered in .30-30.

So my questions are:

When was the 26" barreled version phased out of production?

Same question for crescent buttplate.

Any variations to look for regarding sights, hammer profile etc?

Any opinions on market trends? Prices seem to be all over.

I am trying to get an overall feel of where the market value would be and what it would be worth to me as a collector piece that would occasionally be carried deer hunting.

No need to give dollar figures because I know so very little at this point as to originality, condition etc.

Thanks much for any help.

mauser9 · Sep 13, 2015

Should be an older model with the crescent buttplate. Checked my Bluebook and states 26 inch made with octagon barrel, blue with straight grip stock. Serial no. should give you what year manufactured. Should be worth respectable money. Hope you get it.

Alpo · Sep 13, 2015

Some of my thoughts on the 1894.

If the gun is marked 1894, it is fairly old. I believe they've been "94s" since, at least, the 30s.

I think the "rifle" and the "crescent butt" went away at WW2, and all since then have been "carbine" (20" barrel with barrel bands) and "shotgun butt" - except for occasional "special editions".

It is true that they have not had the "collector appeal" of the 86 or the 92, but I believe that is because they were still making them. Both of those other two guns' production was stopped prior to WW2.

In 1964, as with all their other guns, Winchester came out with "cheaper" ways to make 94s. So "pre-64" guns - 63 and earlier, are worth a substantial premium. I don't know if they are truly better, but you will certainly pay more for one.

In about 2006, they said they were not going to make any more of them. BAM!! Hundred dollar used 94s were suddenly selling for 500 or more. "Ain't gonna make no more? Better git me one NOW, while I still can!!!"

I like 'em.

A10 · Sep 13, 2015

'94s are my first definition of a "true rifle", partly because Dads was the first gun I fired. I was 8. Mom and Dad got my brother and I '94s for Christmas of '68. I hope you enjoy your classic rifle!

Charlie Foxtrott · Sep 13, 2015

WRA dropped production of the model 1894 "rifle".

As a standard production offering with the standard rifle length of barrel being 26 inches. They cut it in 1926. After this date they only produced the carbine version of the rifle except for special runs of which they did many. I am not sure when they discontinued the steel crescent butt plate, if they ever did. I have a Winchester centennial model 94 carbine 20" barrel made in 1966. It has this feature.

I have a number of older Winchester model 1894 rifles. Value is based on condition and rarity. These guns could be ordered with a number of custom features. These features included but were not limited to special sights, barrel lengths, take down, custom stocks, even stainless steel barrels were offered, though rarely ordered way back when.

Interestingly enough, value on these rifles was higher ten years ago than it is now. Values were running strong until the economy tanked and have never really recovered. Additionally, younger people do not appear to show much interest in them. I am sure that you can find a date on your rifle somewhere on the net. If not, I can tell you if I have the serial #.

2152hq · Sep 14, 2015

The rifle version of the 1894 was standard with the 26"bbl and the crescent butt plate right to the end of it's production around 1925 +/- a yr.
After the 1894 rifle was discontinued, Winchester brought the 94 rifle right back out on the market again but called it the Model 55.
Some of the early production Mod 55's used 1894 marked frames, but the bbls are marked Model 55.
Mod 55 bbls are 24" long standard and most of the first production was 1/2magazine and TD. You could order most anything though.
Production ended in mid 30's
The Model 64 followed,,another renamed 1894 rifle by all accounts.
It lasted to the mid 60's. I think there was a reincarnation issue of it in the 70's.

Unless the 1894 rifle is in collector condition (bore, finish, originality), they usually are just another interesting deer rifle that everyone really likes, but no one likes to put too awful much money in to.
A deluxe model (pistol grip, deluxe wood, checkering, spec order sites, ect) demands extra$$ of course but if it isn't 'factory', it isn't necessarily worth what it may look like it should be. Winchester collectors are sticklers for factory letters to confirm the guns configuration.
Don't get too deep into an old brown gun just because it says Winchester on it.
JMHO

Charlie Foxtrott · Sep 14, 2015

Certainly some pretty good information here.

2152hq said:
The rifle version of the 1894 was standard with the 26"bbl and the crescent butt plate right to the end of it's production around 1925 +/- a yr.
After the 1894 rifle was discontinued, Winchester brought the 94 rifle right back out on the market again but called it the Model 55.
Some of the early production Mod 55's used 1894 marked frames, but the bbls are marked Model 55.
Mod 55 bbls are 24" long standard and most of the first production was 1/2magazine and TD. You could order most anything though.
Production ended in mid 30's
The Model 64 followed,,another renamed 1894 rifle by all accounts.
It lasted to the mid 60's. I think there was a reincarnation issue of it in the 70's.

Unless the 1894 rifle is in collector condition (bore, finish, originality), they usually are just another interesting deer rifle that everyone really likes, but no one likes to put too awful much money in to.
A deluxe model (pistol grip, deluxe wood, checkering, spec order sites, ect) demands extra$$ of course but if it isn't 'factory', it isn't necessarily worth what it may look like it should be. Winchester collectors are sticklers for factory letters to confirm the guns configuration.
Don't get too deep into an old brown gun just because it says Winchester on it.
JMHO

The info on the model 55s and 64s. was good. I have bought and sold a few model 64s over the years and generally made money on them. the model 1894s will bring decent money if they are clean, and more if they have special ordered features. I have a really clean take down model made in 1920. I would say that it is easily a 90% gun. According to George Madis there were only something on the order of two thousand of these rifles ordered with the take down feature.

LoboGunLeather · Sep 14, 2015

Prior to WW2 Winchester produced a "standard" line of rifles with the same, or very similar, features. Customers could also special order rifles with any number of special features (shotgun butt, half magazine, pistol grip, set triggers, different sights, checkering, takedown models, etc). Consequently a great variety exists.

In the standard production line the 1894 rifle is usually seen with octagon barrel, full-length magazine, curved steel "crescent" butt plate, straight stock, simple dovetail front sight, barrel-mounted dovetail rear sight with step-elevator adjustment, plain walnut with satin finish, blued steel (receivers are iron and usually display different wear than the steel parts, often seen with little or no finish remaining).

Most common caliber is .30 WCF (.30-30), but .25-35, .32 Winchester Special, and .38-55 will also be seen. All were smokeless powder cartridges, but mercuric primers were the norm and known to cause corrosion to bores when used and not thoroughly cleaned. Some "scaling" in the bore is very common and usually has little effect on the rifle's usefulness, but deep pitting is bad news.

Assuming the piece is of the most common production type condition will be the primary factor in establishing value. Any alterations (sight changes, refinishing, etc) will negatively affect value more than just about any degree of normal wear on an otherwise correct rifle.

bigmoose · Sep 14, 2015

Guys, Thanks so much for very informative postings. I will inspect the gun on Thursday and will let you know what happens.

CharlieFoxtrott: great photos. Very nice collection.

revho · Sep 14, 2015

bigmoose, just for reference: I picked up a WWII production era (serial number 1338XXX dead zone for tracking) 94 30/30 tonight for $350. Nice figured butt stock, has some rust freckling on it, but the bore is clean. Has evidence of a side mounted scope on it, but it is a shooter and I didn't have one yet. Good deals are still to be had!

bigmoose · Sep 28, 2015

I passed on the 1894. It was a standard configuration in decent shape. Not messed with. The price was much more than I was willing to spend on it. $1000.
Thanks again for the info everyone.

mauser9 · Sep 29, 2015

Understand bigmoose. Sounds like a very nice gun but we are all not made of money. I have noticed the older Winnys are often bringing big money. My dream is a 1873 in 44-40. {Vintage} Gun shows have em but again ain't cheap.

Winchester 1894 Rifle info needed

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