Winchester Model 94 returns -- sort of

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Saturday, November 21, 2009

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Reservoir Blogs - George Thwaites blogs about fishing, hunting, conservation and outdoors

Published Wednesday, October 21 2009 - (0) Comments

Many an old-timer sighed when U.S. Repeating Arms announced the end of the famous Model 94 lever action rifle when it closed its Connecticut manufacturing facility in 2006. Then they merely shrugged and started a speculative run on existing stocks of then-new and used 94s that inflated used prices on virtually all models of the iconic lever gun.

Now Winchester Repeating Arms has announced the return of the Model 94, but don't expect the gun traders' speculative bubble to burst all of the sudden.

According to a recent news release by the company:

"This reintroduction of the most popular rifle in history will be offered in two Limited Edition models that will commemorate the 200th anniversary of Oliver F. Winchester's birth in New England in 1810. A Model 1894 Custom Grade and Model 1894 High Grade will be offered in 30-30 Winchester caliber."

The Model 1894 Custom Grade rifle has an MSRP of $1,959. The Model 1984 High Grade rifle 's suggested retail price is $1,469. Neither is something that is likely to get casually hung in a pickup truck gun rack or otherwise subjected to honest wear from hard hunting.

The Winchester 94 was the first American sporting rifle chambered in .30-30 (or .30 WCF, as it was originally designated), which also had the distinction of being the first sporting cartridge in America expressly designed for modern "smokeless" propellants. It was not actually chambered in .30 WCF until 1895, however, the rifle's second year of manufacture.

It remains to be seen whether or not Winchester will try to revive the 94 as a working man's hunting rifle. While the old hoss always retained its admirers, Marlin's 336 had already taken a great deal of play from the 94 among hunters who remained enamored of the .30-30 as a deer round. Marlin has continued to manufacture the 336 as a mainstream deer hunting rifle since USRAC discontinued the 94. Meanwhile, Henry and Mossberg have both since introduced .30-30 lever action hunting rifles of their own design in hopes of taking whatever market share Winchester abandoned.

Whatever the 94s vices as a modern hunting rifle (and they are several) the straight-gripped versions are indeed a joy to carry when unscoped and they point as naturally as a shotgun. Nothing else quite feels like a Winchester 94, (unless it's a Winchester 92 or replica thereof).

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