1894-1994 Winchester Centennial

[Old-Win]

After the fiasco of the late 1960's and 70s, Winchester rifles were taken over by Herstal Belgium. Were these rifles well built other than having to put up with the push button safety and the roll stamped engraving? This would have been before they were produced by Miroku.

[Bazoo]

Some of the angle eject were good guns, pre safety models. Then, there was a few changes to the hammer strut to facilitate the rebounding hammer. The last version was known to have ignition issues. The not so good strut has legs on it's front, and there is several tutorials online showing mods to remedy light strikes.

[Old-Win]

Thanks Bazoo, I'm specifically looking for the quality of those built yet in the United States after Herstal took over and before they went over to Miroku manufacturer. I don't think they were made too long. All I could find out was that they were cnc-machined with upgrades at the Winchester Factory before it went overseas. These were made specifically with the push button safety on the side and I'm wondering what their quality is like and if they're worth spending money on as a good shooter. I'm hoping the sintered metal receivers and the stamped parts are gone by this particular era.

[pietro]

I'm specifically looking for the quality of those built yet in the United States after Herstal took over and before they went over to Miroku manufacturer.

I don't think they were made too long.

These were made specifically with the push button safety on the side and I'm wondering what their quality is like and if they're worth spending money on as a good shooter.

I'm hoping the sintered metal receivers and the stamped parts are gone by this particular era.

In 1994 only, ALL Model 94's were stamped with "1894-1994" in commemoration of 100 years production, and were of good quality other than the inscription.

The Winchester made 1978-1981 Big Bore 94's(only) had forged steel receivers, then all Model 94's got forged steel receivers with the introduction of the Model 94AE (angle eject) in 1982.

The Model 94AE was made for 24 years (1982-2006), after Winchester production was taken over by United States Repeating Arms Co (USRAC - a company made of former Winchester employees).

In 1997, control of USRAC was sold to FN/Herstal (Belgium), but the guns were still made in New Haven.

In March 2006, FN/Herstal closed the Winchester/USRAC plant in in the U.S. due to profitability issues.

There were no new "Winchester" 94's made outside of New Haven until Miroku started production in 2010 (two commemorative models), then regular Model 94AE production from 2012 to today.

The 94AE was made sans extra safety (besides the lever safety that started in 1894) until the rebounding hammer was added in 1991, then the 1992 crossbolt safety introduction, and finally switching the CBS to a tang safety in 2005 until the New Haven plant was closed in 2006.


Model 94 quality was, of course, good prior to the changes of 1964, when it took a nose dive until some improvements ( back to solid internal pins & cartridge lifter, better receiver finishing) starting in 1970 until 1981.

Model 94AE quality was excellent (not withstanding the ugly CBS) until quality dropped yet again around Y2K, when Winchester's work force had dropped to a few hundred people, and the union member's work quality was "iffy" up to the close of production.

Miroku's quality has been IMO as good as, if not better than, the pre-64 Winchester Custom Shop.


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[koger]

I think about all of those saftey and post models, were solid machined steel. I do know, if you have an angle eject, with a screw in the front part of the lower panel that comes down when you pull the lever down, it is a steel reciever, not the sintered stuff.

[pietro]

I think about all of those saftey and post models, were solid machined steel. I do know, if you have an angle eject, with a screw in the front part of the lower panel that comes down when you pull the lever down, it is a steel reciever, not the sintered stuff.

The Model 94 receivers were cast/sintered from 1964 until 1981, except for the Model 94BB Big Bore, which got one starting in 1978.

All 1982-2006 angle eject Model 94AE's have forged steel receivers, just like the pre-64's.

All forged steel receiver Model 94's (pre-64 and post 1982) have the extra screw in the forward end of the lower link; the 1964-1981 sintered models are missing the screw.


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[Old-Win]

Thanks fellas. That's just the information I was looking for and some of you guys are really up on the history of the late Winchester rifles.

[indian joe]

I had a top eject BB94 in 375 W - it was a quality made gun and shot well.
also still have an Oliver F Winchester commemorative -top eject 38/55 - also a quality made piece and a wicked good shooter
Both of these far away better than a post 64 30/30 I had for a while (one of the cheap ones from what I call Winchester's diecast and plastic phase)
Dont know where sintered and forged fits here but those two were/are good guns. Before the lawyers got to messing things up!!!