*SOLD* 1945 Winchester 94 .30 WCF Blue 20" *DESIRABLE PRE-64 MODEL* Iconic Rifle

Bryant Ridge's Analysis

The Winchester Model 1894 rifle (also known as the Winchester 94 or Model 94) is a lever-action repeating rifle that became one of the most famous and popular hunting rifles of all time. It was designed by John Browning in 1894 and originally chambered to fire two metallic black powder cartridges, the .32-40 Winchester and .38-55 Winchester. It was the first rifle to chamber the smokeless powder round, the .30 WCF (Winchester Center Fire, in time becoming known as the .30-30) in 1895. The Model 94's combination of potent firepower in a compact, lightweight, comfortable-to-carry, and quick-shooting package has made it an extremely popular hunting rifle, particularly for white-tailed deer in the dense forests of the Eastern United States, where most game is killed at relatively short distances. 

Upon Olin's retirement, Olin Corporation's new chief executives sought to maximize company profitability, giving corporate preference to its flourishing chemical business over gun production, which was unprofitable and labor-intensive. As a result, Winchester ceased machining both the receiver and many small parts of the Model 94 out of solid steel billet as of 1964. Sintered steel was used on the receiver, stamped sheet metal for the cartridge lifter, and hollow rather than solid steel roll pins used in the action. While the rifle's function, safety, and accuracy were not adversely affected, the changes—in particular the sintered receiver, which was as strong as its solid-steel predecessor but which did not respond well to a traditional blued finish—were conspicuous and came as Winchester made even more fundamental changes to its flagship Model 70 bolt-action rifle. Taken together, they were seen as a retreat from quality production across the company's whole range, seriously damaging Winchester's reputation for making quality firearms in the process. In response, many sought out rifles made before 1964, (pre '64), which command a markedly higher resale value on the gun market to this day.

Specifications

Manufacturer: Winchester 

Model: 94

Serial: 1344591

Date of Manufacture: 1945

Caliber: .30 Winchester Center Fire (AKA .30-30 Winchester)

Finish: Blue 

Barrel Length: 20"

Optics/Sights: Blade Front with Adjustable Semi-Buckhorn Rear

Stock/Grips: Smooth Walnut Buttstock and Forearm 

Action: Lever-Action 

Markings: Standard

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