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December 9, 2019
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There’s a Model 1894 rifle, serial 2500000A, that is visually identical to serial 2500000, which was given to Eisenhower. The “A” gun was given away in a contest to someone who told the best tale about a photo of 19 Texas (later identified as Arizona Territorial) Rangers and why only 18 of them had Winchester rifles.
I’ve been told that the reason this gun – 2500000A – was awarded in a contest was because it had first been offered to Kennedy, but he turned it down because of the gun’s value. I’m curious if there’s any validity to this story. What strikes me as odd about it is why would you make a duplicate of Ike’s gun and add a suffix to the serial number instead of making a truly custom gun for Kennedy?
April 15, 2005
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This is the first I have ever heard of a Model 94 with S/N 2500000A. Do you have verifiable documentation that Winchester manufactured it?
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
December 9, 2019
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I’ve found multiple ads in newspapers and have seen the letters from Winchester that they wrote to the contest winner and the certificate that went with the gun. I’ve attached an image of one of the ads and images of the gun
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April 15, 2005
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Thank you very much for posting the pictures! I wonder where this gun is today?
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
