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Old January 2, 2020, 05:47 PM   #11
dgludwig
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Join Date: February 12, 2005
Location: North central Ohio
Posts: 7,486
Quote:
I'm not sure what value you are trying to protect. Collector's value? It has none.
Not to disparage your Winchester, but "it is what it is". Model 94s made from 1964 to 1983 (serial number range from about 2,700,000 to 5,250,000) evidenced a dramatic deterioration in terms of everything relevant when assessing the quality of a firearm, including material, finish and workmanship.

Regarding this era of Model 94s, Robert C. Renneberg, author of the treatise Winchester Model 94, A Century of Craftsmanship, had this to say" "...It rattled when you shook it. The action was an abomination with a flimsy sheet steel stamping serving as the carrier, and the receiver itself did not take kindly to the bluing process. Even the fit and finish of the wood was terrible-on a par with the rest of the gun...
"The receiver itself was now a casting, an investment casting. The material from which it was cast was an alloy of some kind of 'mystery metal' that not only resisted polishing, but also refused to adequately react to the bluing solution. This alloy proved to be so inhospitable to finishing that it finally had to be plated with iron just to provide a consistent medium upon which the bluing solution could react...
"Field use soon drew customer complaints pertaining to lack of finish durability, and it was back to the drawing board for more research...
"The final solution was to use a black oxide finish, that while in reality was hardly more durable, but at least had a smoother, higher quality appearance."

As discouraging as these criticisms can be, they don't detract from the handling qualities of the Model 94 carbine, so coveted by hunters pursuing whitetails in heavy cover; nor was the accuracy of the rifle compromised. Finally, the effectiveness of the .30-30 cartridge was not the exclusive province of any of the several different eras (first model through sixth model) of the Model 94 Winchester. All Model 94s harvest venison the same and, in my estimation, even the worst of them are still pretty darn nice rifles.

A warm welcome to The Firing Line, Jmsvickers.
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