Win 94

curlybill · February 18, 2009, 04:29 PM

I am thinking about buying a post 64 (1968) 94 that is like new.........only about 20 rounds through it. However, the coating on the receiver looks like some kind of paint rather than conventional bluing and has me a little concerned about future durability. Can anyone tell me what this is and is it factory?

Scorch · February 19, 2009, 12:50 PM

Not having seen the gun, it's hard to say if it is factory finish or not, but the late 1960-late 1970s Win 94s had kind of funny receviers. The receivers were cast from a special kind of steel and would not accept bluing, so Winchester plated them with iron and then blued them. They get freckled and wear through very quickly, then you have a shiny silver receiver that cannot be re-blued. When that happens, some owners replate them, but many folks simply have the receivers refinished with GunKote bake-on finish. It looks pretty good and protects from rust very well.

PetahW · February 19, 2009, 07:22 PM

AFAIK, those receivers were cast of sintered (powdered) steel - which is why they won't take bluing very well.

Scorch · February 20, 2009, 02:24 PM

Petah-
I have heard several reasons why they won't take blue, I am not sure which is true:
1- the forgings were made of siliceous steel.
OR
2- the forgings were made of recycled steel from scrapped cars with high copper and chrome content.

Either way, it has the same effect, the receivers will not blue from caustic bluing salts.

February 18, 2009, 04:29 PM	#1
curlybill Junior Member Join Date: January 8, 2009 Posts: 4	Win 94 I am thinking about buying a post 64 (1968) 94 that is like new.........only about 20 rounds through it. However, the coating on the receiver looks like some kind of paint rather than conventional bluing and has me a little concerned about future durability. Can anyone tell me what this is and is it factory?

February 19, 2009, 12:50 PM	#2
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Not having seen the gun, it's hard to say if it is factory finish or not, but the late 1960-late 1970s Win 94s had kind of funny receviers. The receivers were cast from a special kind of steel and would not accept bluing, so Winchester plated them with iron and then blued them. They get freckled and wear through very quickly, then you have a shiny silver receiver that cannot be re-blued. When that happens, some owners replate them, but many folks simply have the receivers refinished with GunKote bake-on finish. It looks pretty good and protects from rust very well. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

February 20, 2009, 02:24 PM	#4
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Petah- I have heard several reasons why they won't take blue, I am not sure which is true: 1- the forgings were made of siliceous steel. OR 2- the forgings were made of recycled steel from scrapped cars with high copper and chrome content. Either way, it has the same effect, the receivers will not blue from caustic bluing salts. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

February 19, 2009, 07:22 PM	#3
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	AFAIK, those receivers were cast of sintered (powdered) steel - which is why they won't take bluing very well.