The 94 was manufactured in New Haven, Connecticut from 1894 until 2006 when U.S. The Model 94 just plain feels good as 7.5 million original owners can attest, as will the millions who inherited a 94. A 94 with 26-inch octagon barrel weighs about 7.5 pounds.įrom the beginning, and until today, the most popular 94 has been the Carbine with 20-inch round barrel, weighing 6.5 pounds. The original 94 rifle with the 24- or 26-inch barrel, either round or octagon, was not especially heavy, but is not short. The 94’s greatest hallmark has always been that it is short, light and handy. In 2003 the manual safety was moved to the tang where it remains today. After 1992 (and 6 million rifles!) a manual safety was added, initially a crossbolt.

The locking bar can be seen right below the saddle ring.įor 98 years, the 94 was “made safe” by the safety block and “half-cock” or safety position on the hammer.

30-30 cartridges point to the safety block behind the trigger and the lever-actuated plunger (right) that raises the trigger block when the lever is fully closed. 30-30 has remained the most popular chambering, but the 94 has also been chambered to 18 rifle and handgun cartridges and the. The original chamberings were blackpowder. The rifle was in production in 1894, but the new smokeless cartridges were not. Winchester’s 94 was the first sporting rifle designed for smokeless powder. Starting with the French Lebel in 1886, the world’s militaries quickly shifted to smokeless powder, as did we with the. (Photo courtesy of Boone and Crockett Club.) 30-30 was thought much more powerful than we consider it these days. Bison were depleted but still around in when the Model 1894 was introduced. However, it came at a cost in increased pressure, necessitating stronger actions. Smokeless powder was the real enabler for the 94, not only increasing velocity, but for harnessing greater power in a much smaller case. Browning obviously improved on his previous designs His 94 was intended to handle longer cartridges than the ’92, but with a trimmer, shorter and lighter action than the big 1886. The Model 94 was the third lever-action rifle designed for Winchester by John Moses Browning following the 18 models. The 94 is the all-time best-selling hunting rifle ever made. Only 7.5 million Model 94 Winchesters have been produced, so there aren’t quite enough to go around, but almost all shooters will instantly recognize a 94 - and most of us have one somewhere in the family. The NRA estimates there are about 80 million law-abiding American gunowners.

Winchester 94ae legacy