Looking for some help on a 1894 Winchester Carbine I bought this week made in 1921, .30 WCF. The buttstock and plate on this rifle is a crescent style as opposed to a carbine style. Was this a special order option in 1921 or was the stock/plate switched at some point? If so, is there a way to research this? Lastly, were Winchester stocks and forearms numbered to the carbine/rifle via stamps or pencil markings, or were they unnumbered? Thanks for the help.
Best,
Mark
None of the above. Only a letter would tell you if the stock was special ordered and there are no letters available for your later carbine. If you ever watch Gunsmoke, almost all the SRC’s have crescent buttplates. I would guess these were parts of parts. Sometimes they even had the shortwood handguards.
No markings were used, only on the high grade special order wood. If you are concerned, trade it off. Big Larry
[email protected] said
Looking for some help on a 1894 Winchester Carbine I bought this week made in 1921, .30 WCF. The buttstock and plate on this rifle is a crescent style as opposed to a carbine style. Was this a special order option in 1921 or was the stock/plate switched at some point? If so, is there a way to research this? Lastly, were Winchester stocks and forearms numbered to the carbine/rifle via stamps or pencil markings, or were they unnumbered? Thanks for the help.Best,
Mark
Hello Mark,
A “Rifle” butt stock and crescent butt plate on a Carbine were special order items. That stated, they were not a rare special order option. In my research survey of the Model 1894/94, I have documented (95) Carbines with rifle butt stocks & butt plates thus far.
In regards to your Carbine, if you can post (or send me) clear pictures of the butt stock where is adjoins the receiver frame (including the upper & lower tangs), it is possible to determine if it is original or has somebody swapped the stock. Also, if you carefully remove the butt stock, it is possible that you may find an assembly number stamped on the lower tang and a matching number stamped into the wood in the upper tang channel.
For the research survey, what is the serial number on this Carbine? Is it a SRC or and Eastern Carbine?
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Does your carbine have the standard carbine rear sight or the rifle type. I have a carbine that came without a saddle ring, rifle type rear sight and rifle butt. Serial number 854021. There were batches of these made at different times. If it has a rifle sight and not the flip up carbine sight, it may be correct. RDB
Nice carbine for sure Roger. Thanks for sharing. The stock and forearm on my carbine are in nice condition, likely refinished or at least linseed oiled at some point. If you’ll email me at [email protected], I’ll send you a few pics of my wood.
Thanks,
Mark
In the pictures Mark sent me it is clear that the forend stock on his Carbine is the standard Gumwood, whereas the butt stock on is Walnut. That is the dead giveaway clue that the butt stock is not original to the gun. On Roger’s Eastern Carbine, but pieces of wood are Walnut, and that is the case with all of the Carbines factory equipped with a “rifle” butt stock.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert,
When using the term “Gum Wood” exactly what type of wood are we talking about. I know the term is used a lot when talking about Winchesters but I never been clear what kind of tree it comes from, Sweet Gum or Black Gum maybe? Another dummy question?
Mike
U.S. Army combat vet, 32 years CCFD Lt. (retired), NRA Benefactor member, Marlin Firearms Collector Asso., Cody Firearms Museum member - 89213093, WACA member - 11928, Griffin Gun Club board member, Hunter, BPCR shooter, Hand loader, Bullet Caster
1 Guest(s)
