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October 31, 2025
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I recently purchased a Winchester 30-30, marked 1894-1994, case hardened, no receiver engraving, deluxe pistol grip stock, 1/2 Octagonal 26″ barrel. It appears to be a Centennial model however I can’t find where they were offered without engraving and a case hardened receiver/lever/forend cap/but plate. The case hardening is beautiful and the wood is fairly decent. Were they offered this way originally?
April 15, 2005
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There were three different grades of the 1894-1994 Centennial;
| 1994 | Limited Edition Centennial | 12,000 | 12,000 | $811.00 |
| 1994 | Limited Edition Centennial – High Grade | 3,000 | 3,000 | $1,272.00 |
| 1994 | Limited Edition Centennial – Custom | 94 | 94 | $4,684.00 |
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
October 31, 2025
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Trouble is, I can’t find one that was offered with a case hardened receiver that is not engraved. Everything looks correct, it appears to be a factory finish.
December 21, 2006
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What is the ser# on Your ’94, and a picture would help identify Your gun. I believe all the 100th anniv. of the 1894 were ingraved in various degrees. The base would start with a ser#prefix of CN the 2nd grade, CNL and the 3rd grade CNTL. None were case colored, and Bert’s #’s are correct.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
October 31, 2025
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CN07836. I believe the CN indicates 1994 manufacture date? I am not a “member” on this site so I’ll have to figure out the link method for pictures.
March 31, 2009
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Does it look like this?
https://www.guns.com/used-guns/p/winchester-94-centennial?i=508679
June 1, 2023
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It seems most likely that someone bought one of the USRAC Centennial 1894-1994 rifles, which is how the OP’s rifle is serial numbered, and had it case colored. There are many capable of such work. That would explain the serial number, and the rifle’s present attributes.
I owned one of those Centennial edition rifles for a time, and it was very attractive, with excellent fancy figured walnut in buttstock and fore end. I finally sold it only because I could not tolerate the cross bolt safety. In my opinion, John Browning designed the 1894 with a perfectly excellent half-cock safety and it did not need a redundant second safety mechanism.
BRP
April 15, 2005
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COL K said
CN07836. I believe the CN indicates 1994 manufacture date? I am not a “member” on this site so I’ll have to figure out the link method for pictures.
The “CN” is not directly related to the date of manufacture. It is simply the prefix identifier for the Centennial commemorative.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
October 31, 2025
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Chuck, it only looks like it in overall form. There is NO engraving. BRP, were the lower end base USARC models a plain receiver? If so then your explanation is valid. If not the configuration is still in question as the SN, that seems to indicate a Centennial Commemorative, is on that plain receiver.
April 30, 2023
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Looks like an aftermarket case coloring to me, but it looks nice overall. I don’t remember any of those having CC in the different offerings of the CN model…I’m sure someone has checked “the book” by now…
October 31, 2025
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Jeremy, What “book” are you referring to? Winchester themselves do not have records, (I called) Cody tells me nothing after 1947. Even the nice lady at Winchester thought she had found one that was sold, it turned out not to be this rifle, It was a “Centennial Edition”, carbine, with 1894-1994 stamped on the receiver vs the barrel.
April 15, 2005
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COL K said
Jeremy, What “book” are you referring to? Winchester themselves do not have records, (I called) Cody tells me nothing after 1947. Even the nice lady at Winchester thought she had found one that was sold, it turned out not to be this rifle, It was a “Centennial Edition”, carbine, with 1894-1994 stamped on the receiver vs the barrel.
“WINCHESTER COMMEMORATIVES” by Tom Trolard
Winchester Commemoratives (Deluxe Standard Edition): Trolard, Tom: 9780961468200: Amazon.com: Books
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
April 30, 2023
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There you go. I can’t remember if that’s in there as a commemorative exactly, might’ve been just a special edition release.
December 21, 2006
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Actually it’s in the 2ND. edition of Tom’s book. I think somebody did some major “re-work” on that piece. As I said earlier , CN prefix denotes grade 1 of the 100th anniv. of the 1894, CNL denotes grade 2, CNTL denotes grade 3, and again they were all engraved
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
October 31, 2025
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Well it looks like no empirical data exists to flush this out. The following is the most likely explanation based on the actual firearm attributes and the rifles history. I preface by saying it is conjecture, but is as close as it is going to come. The seller is a reputable dealer who sells and buys very high end firearms. He believes, but cannot document, the firearm originated from a gentleman, now deceased that was the #2 employee in the Winchester Repeating Arms Custom Shop during the time this rifle was produced. The seller had seen, purchased, and marketed several items that were one-offs, prototype, or parts that were used for decision making of end state pieces that would be produced. His dialogue included that before CAD and the digital methods of today, pieces were often brought to meetings to see and discuss that item in person. I believe this to be the origin of this rifle. The rifle has not had “major” work, yes it could have been case hardened by others, however none of this explains the plain receiver, without engraving, with a CN serial number prefix. I have no interest in attempting to put a value on this, it is just an interesting occurrence. Certainly if anybody comes across a similar item I would be interested to learn about. Even the nice lady I spoke to at Winchester thought she had found a like item for sale, but in was not a Centennial Limited. Thank you for all the commentary, I enjoy the “hunt”!
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