Mike,

The two drilled & tapped screw holes are for a receiver mounted peep sight.  Originally, it was a Lyman No. 48, and in the mid 1950s, it was a Lyman No. 66.

Winchester first began drilling & tapping the holes as a standard feature in 1952, but offered it as a special order feature as early as 1934. Oddly, it was standard on the Model 64 Rifles beginning in 1934. From 1934 through June 1942, the Model 64 Rifles were drilled & tapped for both a tang mounted peep sight and a receiver mounted peep sight.  The Model 94 was drilled & tapped for a Tang peep sight through June 1942. From June 1942 through early 1952, the Model 94 was not drilled & tapped for any type of peep sight unless special ordered for it.  It is very odd to find a 1942 Model 94 with the receiver factory drilled & tapped.  

Bert

Mike,

[email protected] said
Wow Bert,

Thank you as always for the reply. I learn so much here all the time.

Per previous info from you, the 1942 gun was stamped on February 16, 1942. 

Appreciated. 

Mike   

Remove one of the two ply screws and inspect the threaded hole… if it was factory worked, the threaded hole will be blued.  If the threads are in the white (raw metal), it was drilled & tapped after it was manufactured.

Bert

[email protected] said
I can only remove the rear most screw.  The front screw is slightly damaged and I will booger it more if I try to turn it.  The threads are white.  

And the rear hole on the 1956 is blue.  

 

-Mike  

It was not factory drilled & tapped (and that is what I expected).

[email protected] said
The holes seem precisely and expertly placed.  Seems no easy job.  By whom or where do you think the holes were added?  If speculation is possible. 

-Mike   

Mike,

Actually, it was an easy task for most gunsmiths back in those days, as they possessed the requisite skills necessary to drill & tap holes for a receiver sight.  The fact is that Winchester completed all machining processes before final finishing (bluing), and the holes in your 1942 Carbine are aftermarket work.