[email protected] said

LARRY RUSSELL said

Bert H. said

Vern,

I am not sure why you find the WW II serial numbering frustrating? Your statement…

“I understand the records are missing…”

is not accurate.  There are surviving records for the entire duration of WW II.  Furthermore, your statement…

“I know the Polishing Room records can be off by a couple of years.”

is also not accurate.  The Polishing Room serialization records are not off at all. Instead, it is the DOM information published by past authors that is off by as much as four years.

In answer to your question(s)

Anyone out there done any serious research into War Time Records? Are there any recent books that address the issue?

Yes, I have completed a considerable amount of research in regards to this subject.

Serial number 1313055 was manufactured in late December of 1941.  The last Model 94 manufactured before production was temporarily halted to support the War efforts was serial number 1343183 on 8/23/1942. Production was resumed on a full time basis on 9/24/1945, with serial number 1343271 listed as the last one made on that day. By 12/29/1945, serial numbers had reached 1352066.  The annual production numbers were as follows;

1941 – 53,738

1942 – 29,882

1943 – 0

1944 – 13

1945 – 8,870

I wrote an article that appeared in the “WINCHESTER Collector” magazine several years ago that discussed the Model 1894/94 serialization/production.  Additionally, I included the Model 1894/94 serializtion/production table in “The RED BOOK of WINCHESTER Values, 3rd Edition”, chapters 7 and 8.

Bert  

I have a Winchester Model 94, serial number 1193367, and most of my research indicates the year of manufacture to be 1942, although one site differed and it claimed 1938. Seeing many different photos none have what mine does and that is what I call a leather shoulder strap. Do you still live in Washington? I reside in Wenatchee.

  

Seems I have it’s cousin.  Sn 1198616

  

Which caliber is it?  Per the factory records, it was manufactured in January 1939.