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Thread: Winchester 1894 stock question

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Winchester 1894 stock question

    I looked at a nice 94 yesterday, a round barreled .38-55 standard rifle in about 80% to 85% exterior condition with a mint bore and excellent mechanics not to mention bullets,brass, and dies. But it has two issues I'm not happy with 1 its been drilled & tapped for a side mount peep sight Lyman 66 or a Williams and 2 I think the shotgun butt stock is not original to the rifle it fits the tangs like it should but its a little larger looking especially the butt plate which is larger than the wood by quite a bit. Now I know wood can shrink over time in some cases and this wood has the original finish on it. I'm wondering if someone put an 86 stock on a 94? Then again for 1250.00 should I worry about it.

  2. #2
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    Sounds like one of those "only you can decided" questions. I would consider a side mount peep sight a plus, and if it's missing from the rifle I'd immediately buy and install one. As for the oversized buttstock, not having actually seen it, two possibilities come to mind. Is the buttplate correct for the stock (from a different model), and these rifles aren't too difficult to restock. If the buttplate is correct, then you can work down the oversized stock to match or start with a replacement from Boyd's. If you're concerned with originality, then perhaps you shouldn't make the purchase.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    It may be the plate itself. The plate looks like the style of shotgun plate they used on the 71's and it is larger than the stock by better than an 1/8" all the way around except where the top of the plate is fitted into the heel of the butt as for the holes for the peep sight I think they are drilled too close together but they are plugged and if I get it I plan on putting my spare MVA mid range on it. I guess I'm just thinking about if I decide to sell it sometime down the road.

  4. #4
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    Oh--guess I misread your post. If the buttplate is too large that's also easy to file down to match the stock. If the stock has been refinished, maybe someone got too enthusiastic about sanding it and it ended up undersized. Once again, if the idea about filing down the buttplate doesn't appeal to you, you can start over with a replacement stock. Photos of these situations always help.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Guesser's Avatar
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    Winchester drilled and tapped the receivers on all the 94's from about 1900 up until about 1990 or so.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Just from your description, I'd guess a replacement butt plate on an original stock.
    Wether the stock itself is original to that Model 94??, Only close in hand inspection can tell. They did not ser# them to the gun.
    They were individually fitted to the frame and sanded to each so they did fit perfectly when new. Switched stocks will often show minor high and low wood/metal surfaces where they meet at the back of the rec'vr.
    FWIW, a Model 92 & Model 94 butt stocks are the same. Interchangeable
    An 1886 stock is different from them.
    A 'shotgun style buttstock' would have been a special order on a '94 rifle, and they used both steel and hard rubber butt plates in production depending on the period.
    The replacement butt plate may be an original Winchester plate but a take-off from another gun and just screwed down in place. The original screw holes would have lined up OK and any over hang of the newly installed plate may have just been seen as 'good enough' by a prior user.

    The plate being over size is good as it can then be fitted back down to the wood.

    As for the D&T holes on the side of the frame,,I don't recall W doing that on their 94's till after ww2. But maybe they did..
    94 'rifles' as standard production were ended during WW2.

    Model 64 will have it. I don't recall if the 55 did or not.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I went back for another look this morning its the original wood but someone changed the plate somewhere down the road to the plate from a 71. Then it turned out all the loading supplies that go with it are for another caliber (375 win). I tried a trade for it anyway but we were too far apart. If anyone is interested he's got it on gunbroker now and his shops website c s arms. Iv'e decided to hold out for a single shot rifle for a .38-55.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    if paying collector price then it should be collector grade. the one you looked at is not collector grade.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1Hawkeye View Post
    I went back for another look this morning its the original wood but someone changed the plate somewhere down the road to the plate from a 71. Then it turned out all the loading supplies that go with it are for another caliber (375 win). I tried a trade for it anyway but we were too far apart. If anyone is interested he's got it on gunbroker now and his shops website c s arms. Iv'e decided to hold out for a single shot rifle for a .38-55.
    Hawkeye
    The loading gear will work fine - only difference is the 375 case is maybe a 16th inch shorter than 38/55 - Winchester left a bit more meat in the receiver of the 94, shortened the 38/55 case a tad,changed the headstamp, (and supposedly strengthened the case which I doubt), jammed a heap more powder in it and - viola - 375 Big Bore Winchester. I had one of the early ones (before they weakened the action with angle eject) it was a dang (**** oooooh we are picky arent we !) fine carbine - bit at both ends - that round would have chambered in any 38/55 around the place and I reckon would have quickly destroyed an early blackpowder 94, it was a cheapskate way of getting something to compete with the .444marlin

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Guesser View Post
    Winchester drilled and tapped the receivers on all the 94's from about 1900 up until about 1990 or so.
    Not really............

    All Winchester Model 1894's (Model 94 after the early 1920's) had the rear tang D/T for the front sight of a tang peepsight, until near SN 1,350,000 (WWII).

    Between about SN 1,350,000 and SN 1,790.,000 (1951), none were D/T on tang or receiver for additional sights.

    Somewhere about SN 1,790,000 (1951), Winchester started to D/T the LH upper rear receiver sidewall with the two (plugged) screw holes for a receiver peepsight (spaced about 1/2" apart) ; which continued until the 1982 introduction of the Model 94AE (angle eject), which ulilizes the two (of four) D/T'd holes atop the receiver for either a scope mount base or a receiver peepsight. (US Production ended in 2006)

    The same top-of-the receiver D/T is continued with the 2009 introduction of the "Winchester" Model 94 (AE) made in Japan by Miroku, and is currently still done.


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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    the side holes for a receiver sight were not drilled till 1950's. also to put the 71 butplate on the end of the stock would have to been sanded flat.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    The side peep sight holes were not factory and the stock is a shotgun butt that the widows peak of the plate was not tightly fitted.

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