Winchester dates of manufacture model 94
If your dovetails are not original, then there will not be any original blue in the slots.Įverything else about your gun and theory sounds correct regarding features and markings. The barrels were machined, polished then blued. Then compare the machining marks to another of your guns. You could do the front sight as well, but the magazine stud is not so critical to get in the "right" spot in the slot as the front sight. To find out for sure, drive the magazine stud from the dovetail slot and look at the machining marks. 24 inches was standard, and odd barrel lengths are very rare. I would be very suspicious of the 23 inch barrel. You are correct,there are no records after December 1906 at 355,500. Then the lever gun production would have gone down a little.
The 20,000 guns a year was good until Marlin started to make pump action shotguns and pump action rifles alongside the lever guns. This rifle looks like it's sat in a dry closet for the last hundred years. I can't wait to fire cast bullets through this rifle.I've ordered moulds in 65 grain gas checked and 85 grain flat base. Is the twenty three inch round barrel in keeping with my analysis? As I see it this gives a window for manufacture between 1907-1914,and a second window from 1918-1924.If Marlin before W.W.1 put out 20,000 rifles a year,a figure I read somewhere,then my rifle was manufactured about 1909 or 1910.Would the experts agree with this analysis? I don't have Brophy's book. The star on the tang appeared in Dec.1925 and the bullseye on the stock in 1922.No sporting rifles were made from 1914-1918 ? in view of the first War. I understand that records are almost non-existent after 1906 ( and serial number 355,000 ).
I havn't stripped this rifle yet but there is a flat leaf type hammer spring present.The mechanics are flawless. There is no 'star' present and neither is there a 'bullseye' in the toe of the stock.There is no hammer block safety.The stock is straight with what may be an old satin finish varnish.The forehand is of the same shape as my Models of 1893.In other words it is not 'thick' like the Model of 1894 CL.There are two or three very minor dings on the stock,hardly visible.There is an 'S' type curved steel buttplate also blued. New Haven CT USA, Pat'd April 2nd 1889 Aug 1st 1893.There is a half magazine.The foresight looks like a Marble's blade and there is a Marble's tang sight mounted.There is no rear sight and the dovetail is filled with a blank.The bore is bright and shiny.The receiver and lever are blued and the receiver is factory drilled and tapped for both a receiver sight as well as the tang sight.The tang under the Marbles sight is marked Marlin '94. 25-20 M and so marked on top of the barrel as it joins the receiver.The barrel is 23 inches measured by a cleaning rod inserted in the barrel to the closed bolt.The barrel is round and marked Marlin Firearms Co. The serial number also appears on the left side of the tang itself and is visible when the stock is removed.The calibre is. The serial number is 410XXX appearing on the lower trigger plate just short of the forestock and on the stock under the tang. It has about a 98% finish left on the stock,forehand and metal.
I would like to appeal to the experts as to it's approximate date of manufacture. Suffering from a terminal case of 'Marlinitis' I have just acquired my fourth Marlin rifle.