Page 9 Summer 2012 consistent with Winchester assembly standards. Winchester’s reputation for frugality suggested that this Model 94 carbine variant was made up from left-over or excess parts inventory. With this in mind, Gogan hypothecated that the barrel used was probably a rejected Model 95 carbine barrel that had been cut down to a Model 94 barrel profile. By the time a follow-up article was published in 1989 by Mr. Gogan in ”The Winchester Collector”, a total of 12 similar examples had been unearthed. He segregated these into three distinct Model 94 variant groups: 20” barrel with pinned front ramp sight 22” barrel with pinned front ramp sight 20” barrel with dove-tailed front ramp sight These 12 Hybrids all had the following features: 1. All had standard Model 94 receivers with sling ring studs. 2. All had standard Model 94 carbine furniture. 3. All had standard Model 94 full (6 shot) magazines. 4. All had standard Model 94 Winchester 44A rear sights. 5. All were in 30 W.C.F. caliber. 6. All of the barrels exhibited the standard Model 94 roll-die markings. 7. All had a barrel twist of 1 in 10 inches. 8. All had a rifle style magazine retaining band dovetailed to the bottom on the barrel in lieu of the carbine style front barrel band. 9. All had integral forged front sight ramp bases 11/32” in length with two variations: a ¼” width with pinned sight blade or 3/8” nominal width with a dovetailed sight blade. The 1 in 10” barrel twist corresponding to the Model 95 calibers of .30-06, .30-03 and .30-40 together with the ramp front sight anomalies were seminal clues pointing to the Model 95 origin. The fact that the 24” barrel Model 95 NRA Musket had just recently been removed from the Winchester product line further supports the Model 95 barrel availability thesis. After careful examination, it was concluded that the barrels used on each of these unique carbines were indeed modified Model 95 barrels and the examples were given the name “Model 94/95 Hybrids”. To date, approximately 50 of these Hybrid carbines have been identified. The first variant group, those carbines with 20” barrels and a pinned front ramp sight, was made using Model 95 carbine barrels. To accomplish this, the barrel was shortened 2” at the breech-end and re-chambered for the .30 W.C.F. cartridge. The barrel was turned down to Model 94 specifications and marked with the standard Model 94 roll-die. The musket sight screw holes holding the original Model 95 carbine rear sight were filled and a new dovetail slot was milled 2 ¾” forward of the receiver ring. This spacing is 3/8” further forward than on the standard Model 94 carbine and was apparently done to avoid the rear Model 95 sight mounting hole. The filled original front sight mounting hole is visible on these variants. The rear is covered by the Winchester 44A carbine rear sight. Since the forged front sight ramp precludes use of the standard Model 94 front barrel band, the magazine is held in place utilizing a rifle style magazine tube retaining band. This variant accounts for about 25% of the known Hybrids. The second variant group, those carbines with 22” barrels and a pinned front ramp sight, was made using 24”
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