Description
Physical description
Winchester M1894 sporting takedown rifle, half octagonal barrel, half-length magazine. The rear sight, with one standing and two folding leaves, is probably a replacement. At some point the major ferrous parts have been quite neatly black lacquered.
Label
This rifle was one of a number of weapons provided for Home Guard use in 1940 by an American organization called the American Committee for the Defence of British Homes. They mounted a public appeal for firearms and binoculars which could be sent to aid the defence of Britain.
The weapons sent included a large number of sporting guns - both shotguns and, as in this case, rifles. This Winchester rifle is a lever-action repeater designed by John M Browning. This particular rifle, chambered for the .30-30 Winchester cartridge, was manufactured in 1903.
Officially, the weapons sent by the Committee were supposed to be returned after the war. This did not happen in all cases however and, after the Home Guard was stood-down in 1944, the Imperial War Museum was given a small collection of weapons from this source.
History note
An uncommon combination of features. Lever action rifles were not particularly favoured in the UK until after the 1988 Firearms Amendment Act, so, although well over seven million Model 94 rifles have been made, they were seldom seen here. 5,000 Winchester 94 rifles were purchased in 1914 for the Admiralty, and at least one Navally-marked example is known. 2,700 were subsequently offered in disposals lists. In 1917 the US Army acquired c. 1,800 Model 1894 rifles for use in guarding strategic defence industries in the Pacific North-West. These appears to have been the rifle's only significant military uses.
This gun was one of a number of weapons provided for Home Guard use in 1940 by an American organization called the American Committee for the Defence of British Homes. They mounted a public appeal for firearms and binoculars which could be sent to aid the defence of Britain.
Officially, the weapons sent by the Committee were supposed to be returned after the war. This did not happen in all cases however and, after the Home Guard was stood-down in 1944, the Imperial War Museum was given a small collection of weapons from this source.
Roll engraved on top tang
MODEL 1894-WINCHESTER-TRADE MARK
Roll engraved on barrel
MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. PATENTED AUGUST 21.1894.
Stamped underside of receiver
282365
Stamped on left of barrel
NICKEL STEEL BARREL ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER
Stamped on top of receiver & barrel
PW monogram
Stamped on top of barrel
30 W.C.F
