Curious Relics #119: Winchester Model 1894 Part 1 – Grandpa’s 32-40

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Curious Relics #119: Winchester Model 1894 Part 1 – Grandpa's 32-40

Welcome, if you are a newcomer to this fun bi-weekly segment of AllOutdoor.com! The last time around, we dove into a bucket list psitol, the S&W 1913. We went through the history, variations, dating, and some range time. Today we get to cover a rifle that holds a special place in American hunting history. The Winchester Model 1894 in these photos is my late grandfather’s deer rifle from his hunting days here in Minnesota. With hunting season approaching, it feels like the right time to dive into what many consider the most successful sporting rifle ever made. There’s a saying that the Model 1894 has killed more deer than any other rifle in history, and with over 7.5 million produced, that’s probably not far from the truth. Let’s dive right into the history of the Winchester Model 1894!

Curious Relics Coverage on AllOutdoor

• Curious Relics #115: The Forgotten Auto – Smith & Wesson Model 1913
• Curious Relics #116: Smith & Wesson Model 1913 Part II – Variations
• Curious Relics #117: Smith & Wesson Model 1913 – Part III: Dating, Specifications & Parts
• Curious Relics #118: Smith & Wesson Model 1913 – Part IV: Range Time

Welcome to our recurring series of "Curious Relics." Here, we want to share all of our experiences, knowledge, misadventures, and passion for older firearms that one might categorize as a Curio & Relic  – any firearm that is at least 50 years old according to the ATF. Hopefully along the way you can garner a greater appreciation for older firearms like we do, and simultaneously you can teach us things as well through sharing your own expertise and thoughts in the Comments. Understanding the firearms of old, their importance, and their development which lead to many of the arms we now cherish today is incredibly fascinating and we hope you enjoy what we have to share, too!

History Abridged: Winchester Model 1894

By 1893, Winchester’s ammunition division was experimenting heavily with smokeless powder. This new propellant burned cleaner than black powder, packed substantially more energy, and pushed bullets farther with flatter trajectories. The problem was Winchester’s existing lever-action lineup couldn’t safely handle it. The Model 1873’s toggle-link action was designed for low-pressure black powder cartridges, and Winchester needed something new.

Winchester Model 1873

"Archive of Wild West Showman 'Uncle Kit Carson.'" Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/3032/archive-of-wild-west-showman-uncle-kit-carson. Accessed 12 May 2025.

Not to mention they also had a market problem. Their Model 1892, was a compact lever-action that handled “pistol-caliber” cartridges brilliantly. The Model 1886 was their powerhouse for large-bore rifle cartridges like .45-70. But there was a gap between pistol cartridges and full-power rifle rounds. Marlin had spotted this opportunity and released rifles for intermediate cartridges like .38-55. Winchester was following the market instead of leading it in this regard.

Winchester Model 1892

“Winchester Model 1892 Saddle Ring .44-40 W.C.F. Carbine.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4091/1079/winchester-model-1892-saddle-ring-4440-wcf-carbine. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.

Enter John Moses Browning once again, not just in firearm history but to Winchester’s rescue. Winchester asked him to design a rifle that could chamber longer cartridges than the Model 1892 while maintaining the same compact dimensions. This was a mechanical puzzle. The Model 1892’s receiver and lever stroke were optimized for shorter pistol cartridges. To handle longer rifle cartridges, you’d normally need to increase the receiver length or dramatically increase the lever throw. Winchester wanted neither.

Browning’s solution was ingenious (who woulda thought). Instead of enlarging the entire receiver or making the lever stroke uncomfortable, he designed an action where the bottom of the receiver physically drops down during cycling. This gave the breech block significantly more rearward travel without changing the lever throw. The locking bolt was also repositioned all the way to the rear for maximum strength. It was perfect engineering – the same compact size and comfortable lever stroke as the 1892, but with internal capacity for much longer cartridges.

Browning filed his patent on August 21, 1894. By October, Winchester had the rifle in production. This was remarkably fast, aided by making as many parts as possible compatible with the Model 1892. Barrels, magazine tubes, sights, internal components, and extractors carried over where possible. This parts commonality sped up both initial production and long-term manufacturing.

Serial number 1 was stamped on September 20, 1894, chambered in .38-55 Winchester, a black powder cartridge from 1884. The first .32-40 Winchester (another black powder cartridge from 1884) appeared at serial number 642 on December 14, 1894. Why introduce a smokeless powder rifle with black powder chamberings? Winchester was being strategic. They wanted the rifle on the market while they solved a critical problem: barrel metallurgy.

First Year Winchester Model 1894

“First Year Production Winchester Model 1894 Lever Action Rifle.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/89/33/first-year-production-winchester-model-1894-lever-action-rifle. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.

Smokeless powder generated significantly higher pressures and velocities than black powder. Jacketed bullets created more barrel wear. Winchester needed stronger steel than they’d been using, so they experimented with various alloys before settling on nickel steel. This development took about eight months. On May 29, 1895, the first Model 1894 chambered in .30 Winchester Center Fire (30 WCF) left the warehouse at serial number 3314. This was the cartridge Winchester had been working toward. In July 1895, the .25-35 WCF followed. Both were designed from scratch for smokeless powder and required nickel steel barrels.

The .30 WCF became known almost immediately as the .30-30. A writer for Recreation magazine in 1896 described it as “.30-30” to denote a .30 caliber bullet backed by 30 grains of smokeless powder. The nickname stuck, though it wasn’t technically accurate since powder charges varied. Competitors didn’t want to use “Winchester Center Fire” in their catalogs, so “.30-30” became the generic designation.

The cartridge was a revelation for American hunters. Compared to black powder rounds, the .30-30 shot flatter, hit harder at range, and produced far less fouling. A 150-grain bullet left the barrel at around 2,390 fps from a 24-inch barrel, or a 170-grain at 2,200 fps. This was more than adequate for whitetail deer, mule deer, and black bear at typical Eastern forest ranges. The recoil was manageable, the rifle was light and quick-handling, and hunters loved it.

Grandpa's Buttstock Whitetail Talley:

These are by no means every deer he ever took. Eventually, his eyes worsened (likely in the late 1990s), and he began using a scoped left-handed Winchester Model 70 (I think).

• 1959: 1x Doe
• 1961: 1x Buck
• 1965: 1x Buck
• 1967: 1x Buck
• 1970: 2x Doe, 1x Buck
• 1973: 1x Buck
• 1979: 1x Buck

Winchester couldn’t keep up with demand. The Model 1894 was an immediate commercial success. Ranchers, trappers, lawmen, and frontier settlers all found uses for a compact, reliable rifle with reasonable power. Theodore Roosevelt owned one. The rifle appeared in the hands of both lawmen and outlaws during the final years of the Old West era.

In 1901, Winchester introduced the .32 Winchester Special. Production began in 1902, the same year my grandfather’s rifle was manufactured. The .32 Special offered slightly more muzzle energy than the .30-30 while being optimized for handloaders who still preferred black powder. It used a slower rifling twist that stabilized lead bullets better. The cartridge became especially popular with Eastern and Canadian deer hunters and remains in production today, though far less common than the .30-30.

Caliber offerings expanded over the years. The .25-35 Winchester appealed to those wanting lighter recoil. Later additions included the .32-40 and .38-55 in smokeless loadings, and much later, more obscure options like the .219 Zipper (1937) and the 7-30 Waters (1984-1997). But the .30-30 remained king – roughly 70% of all Model 1894s were chambered in .30-30 Winchester.

.30-30 Win and .32-40 Win

Winchester offered the Model 1894 in a bewildering array of configurations. Standard rifles had 26-inch barrels. Carbines had 20-inch barrels and were far more popular. You could order round or octagon barrels, solid frame or takedown, standard wood or fancy checkered walnut, shotgun or crescent buttplates. Saddle ring carbines for Western use or “Eastern carbines” without saddle rings. Full-length or half-magazines. Different sights. Engravings. Nickel plating. The customization was extensive – if a customer wanted it and would pay for it, Winchester would build it.

The Model 1894 found itself in military service, though never as a standard infantry rifle. During World War I, it saw use in several armies in secondary roles. In September 1914, France ordered 15,100 carbines through Remington. These were 20-inch barrel carbines with saddle rings. The French fitted their own sling swivels on the left side of the buttstock and barrel band. Rear sights were Model 44 style but graduated in meters from 200 to 1000. These rifles went to rear-echelon troops – couriers, artillery units, railway personnel, balloon observers, and support roles. The .30-30 was proprietary, so front-line use made no sense.

The British Royal Navy purchased approximately 5,000 Model 94 rifles in .30-30 caliber in 1914 for shipboard guard duty and mine-clearing. These were standard commercial carbines with Dominion of Canada proof marks. Many were stamped with a large “N” for naval service.

In December 1917, the U.S. Army Signal Corps bought 1,800 commercial Model 1894 carbines with 50,000 rounds of .30-30 ammunition. These rifles, serial numbers 835800 to 852500, were marked atop the receiver with a flaming bomb and “U.S.” But these weren’t for combat. The Signal Corps was responsible for aircraft production, and old-growth Sitka spruce from the Pacific Northwest was the critical raw material for aircraft frames. The logging industry was in crisis due to labor disputes – workers wanted better pay, shorter hours, and safer conditions while owners resisted. Production had nearly halted. The U.S. needed ten million board feet of spruce in October 1917 alone. They were getting about three million.

Scarce Documented World War I U.S. Ordnance Marked Winchester Model 1894 “Spruce Gun” Lever Action Carbine

“WWI U.S. Winchester Model 1894 ‘Spruce Gun’ Lever Action Carbine.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/88/1071/wwi-us-winchester-model-1894-spruce-gun-lever-action-carbine. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.

The Signal Corps formed the Spruce Production Division and moved soldiers into the Pacific Northwest. Some worked as loggers and laid railroad track. Others, armed with Winchester 94s, provided security and helped enforce a negotiated settlement. The situation was delicate – owners feared government takeover and union organizers saw the government as strikebreakers. But the Signal Corps negotiated better conditions for workers while stabilizing production. The Winchester 94s were more than adequate for guard duty and freed up Springfield 1903s for combat use. After the war, these rifles were sold as surplus. Some were pulled back into service during World War II for Britain’s Home Guard.

As serial numbers approached one million, Winchester officially shortened the designation from “Model 1894” to “Model 94.” This happened gradually during the 1920s. The millionth Model 94 was presented to President Calvin Coolidge in 1927 – a significant milestone. The Winchester Model 1894 became the first sporting rifle to sell one million units.

Calvin Coolidge's gold-plated Winchester 1894, s/n 1,000,000 – Photo Credit: Cody Firearms Museum

Production continued strong through the 1930s. Pre-war Model 94s (made before August 1942) are highly collectible today. These guns featured extensive hand-fitting, careful machining, and traditional finishing. You could see the quality in wood-to-metal fit, action smoothness, and bluing depth. World War II halted production from August 1942 to September 1945 as Winchester’s facilities were repurposed for military production. Production resumed after the war, but post-war pre-1964 guns, while still good quality, don’t quite match pre-war standards.

Then came 1964 – the year every Winchester collector knows. John M. Olin, a gun enthusiast who had been president of Olin Corporation (Winchester’s parent company), resigned in 1963. New corporate leadership saw that Olin’s chemical business was highly profitable while gun manufacturing was labor-intensive and unprofitable. They decided to maximize profits by cutting costs in the gun division.

Post 64 Winchester 94s

In mid-1964, Winchester made sweeping changes to Model 94 production. Receivers went from being machined from 4140 bar stock to sintered metal alloys – powdered metal compressed and heated. Traditional salt-blued finishes were replaced with baked-on coatings that didn’t hold up as well. Carriers changed from forged to stamped steel. Solid steel pins became hollow pins. Hand-fitting was dramatically reduced. American walnut stocks gave way to cheaper hardwoods. A national day of mourning should have been announced so we didn’t have to every time we utter those words “pre-64”.

The firearms community was unhappy. Winchester’s reputation took a hit. To this day, pre-1964 rifles command significantly higher prices than post-1964 guns. Within the pre-64 category, pre-war guns (before August 1942) are most desirable, followed by post-war pre-64 (1945-1964), then post-64 guns.

Winchester made additional changes over following decades. From 1964 to 1982, the Model 94 went through several receiver manufacturing variations as Winchester experimented with different sintered metal processes. The stamped steel shell lifter caused problems and was eventually changed back to solid construction. In 1982, under U.S. Repeating Arms Company (USRAC) ownership, Winchester returned to forged steel receivers, a significant quality improvement. The 1982-2006 “Angle Eject” Model 94s had forged steel receivers and were factory-drilled for scope mounting, though they gained additional safety features including tang and crossbolt safeties that purists didn’t love.

“Three Boxed Winchester Model 94 AE XTR Angle Eject Lever Action Rifles in 7-30 Waters.” Rock Island Auction, www.rockislandauction.com/detail/1025/933/three-boxed-winchester-model-94-ae-xtr-angle-eject-lever-action. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.

USRAC went through financial difficulties in the late 1980s. FN Herstal purchased the company in the early 1990s and continued production with modifications. Production at the historic New Haven, Connecticut plant ended in 2006, with Winchester offering 14 different Model 94 variants in the catalog. But the story didn’t end there. In 2010, Winchester (now owned by FN and marketed by Browning) brought the Model 94 back. Manufacturing was contracted to Miroku in Japan, a company with an excellent reputation for quality firearms. The Miroku-made Model 94s are well-regarded, though expensive compared to pre-64 prices. The rifle remains in production today, over 130 years after John Browning’s original patent.

Photo Credit: Winchester Repeating Arms

End of Part I: Winchester Model 1894

The Winchester Model 1894’s cultural impact cannot be overstated. It became the deer rifle of America. It hung on gun racks in pickup trucks. It sat behind doors in farmhouses and hunting cabins. It appeared in countless Western films and television shows, even though the actual Wild West era was essentially over by 1894. Hollywood didn’t care; the Model 94 looked right and worked on screen.

The rifle was passed down through families. My grandfather’s 1902 Model 94 in 32-40 is one example of millions. Those buttstock tally marks, each notch representing a successful deer hunt, tell a story repeated across the country for over a century. The Model 1894 was part of the American hunting tradition in a way few firearms have achieved.

By 1983, the Winchester Model 1894 held the record as the best-selling high-powered rifle in United States history. Over seven million had been produced, and production continued. No other lever-action rifle comes close. I will leave you with that. I hope the longer-than-usual read didn’t scare you off. A rifle of such reverence demands this attention to detail. See you next time, going over variations! God help me…

In closing, I hope our Curious Relics segment informed as well as entertained. This all was written in hopes of continued firearm appreciation and preservation. We did not just realize how guns were supposed to look and function. It was a long and tedious process that has shaped the world we live in. So, I put it to you! Is there a firearm out there that you feel does not get much notoriety? What should our next Curious Relics topic cover? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.

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Source: Curious Relics #119: Winchester Model 1894 Part 1 – Grandpa's 32-40