Winchester model 94 Caliber Rarity|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

Hello,

Here are the results from the ARMAX survey which looked at the first 353,999 Model 1894 rifles Manufactured:

1:2 (45.92%) was a 30 W.C.F. (162,568)
1:5 (22.80%) was a 38-55 (80,734)
1:9 (11.31%) was a 32-40 (40,023)
1:9 (10.45%) was a 25-35 W.C.F. (36,999)
1:11 (8.77%) was a 32 W.S. (31,050)

I am sure that Bert will have some extrapolated numbers for the balance of production from 354,000 to 2,700,000.

Michael

twobit said
Hello,

Here are the results from the ARMAX survey which looked at the first 353,999 Model 1894 rifles Manufactured:

1:2 (45.92%) was a 30 W.C.F. (162,568)
1:5 (22.80%) was a 38-55 (80,734)
1:9 (11.31%) was a 32-40 (40,023)
1:9 (10.45%) was a 25-35 W.C.F. (36,999)
1:11 (8.77%) was a 32 W.S. (31,050)

I am sure that Bert will have some extrapolated numbers for the balance of production from 354,000 to 2,700,000.

Michael  

Interesting that for this range of numbers, it was the rarest chambering.  Of course, for many of these years of production – about 8 – it wasn’t available.  

Interesting that .32 Special is the rarest but yet the least desirable.

Edit:  This is only up to 353,999.  After that they are likely considerably more.  But still a very underrated caliber.

It is interesting to see how the popularity of the .32 Special grew a good bit.  

steve004 said
It is interesting to see how the popularity of the .32 Special grew a good bit.    

Keep in mind that the 32 WS was not introduced until 1902 and the ARMX survey data includes 8 years of production which occurred before there was the possibility of the 32 WS being a choice.  It would be more meaningful to look at only the time period AFTER the 32 WAS introduction in the ARMAX “time period” (which the survey does not have) and then compare that percentage to the data from 354000 to 1079689.

Michael

How many cartridges did Winchester develop that they named, “Special”?  Yup, Winchester considered this one SPECIAL!

Edit – let me add some cartridge trivia.  The Bullard .32-40 cartridge – which is a bottleneck cartridge and quite different from the standard .32-40 – including a different bullet diameter, was called in at least one Bullard catalog, the “.32 Special”.  The rifles were not marked thusly and I can’t recall seeing a box of cartridges marked with the Special nomenclature.  

clarence said

steve004 said
How many cartridges did Winchester develop that they named, “Special”?  Yup, Winchester considered this one SPECIAL!

Calling it “.32 WCF” would have been logically consistent with the “.30 WCF” designation, but since the “other” .32 had been previously available, that name might have lead to caliber confusion, which this entirely new name “Special” avoided.  

Good call Clarence. Never really thought why it was designated that way but totally makes sense. 

The way I look at the 32 SPL is that it may be a great cartridge but the guns are not antique.  When you look at the antique 94’s a lot of collectors prefer the 38-55.  In some cases the 32-40 is preferred over the 30 WCF.

pdog72 said
Just for fun, here’s the table I have for just the ’94 short rifles I’m surveying. The fellows that bought the chopped down specials were clearly 30 WCF guys. We must keep in mind that over 28% of the short rifle survey are ELW models and the 30 WCF completely dominates that group …. over 86%. Any ’94 short rifles that are not 30 WCF are good property, in my narrow-minded opinion.

Total 25-35	47	6.85%
Total 30 WCF	456	66.47%
Total 32 WS	88	12.83%
Total 32-40	32	4.66%
Total 38-55	63	9.18%
No cal. Listed	13	1.86%

  

That’s great information – interesting.  It helps explain when I see a short rifle for sale, I’m always let down when it turns out the be a .30 WCF.