M94 Winchester evolution

[Dark Alley Dan]

Hiya, CGN Braintrust. Got a question for you.

Back in the good old days, the '94 saddle ring carbine had the barrel band out past the front sight, which was a wee square post topped by a blade, like so:

After a certain date, Winchester changed to a ramp front sight ahead of the barrel band, like so:

When did that transition take place? The internet tells me that the early version was made as late as 1929, and the later version as early as 1940, but that's a huge gap. I'd like a more precise date, if possible.

And what was the motivation for the change?

Thanks much,

Dan

 

[H4831]

Dan,
Do you still have your Dad's 94, 30-30?

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Dan,
Do you still have your Dad's 94, 30-30?

Hey, Bruce! Good to hear from you!

Dad still shoots his "old pet". We had it out just this last weekend. He's had that rifle longer than he's had me, and he says it's going in the box with him when he "goes west", as there's always a chance he'll meet up with Liberals in the afterlife, and he wants a fair crack at 'em.

Did a quick count the other day, and counting 2 Marlins, a Browning M92 in 44 mag, and a BL22, we have 9 lever guns in six different calibers in the house, which is quite the herd.

I have no idea why Winchester changed the look of the front end of that rifle with that damned Evel Knievel front site ramp. The barrel is 20" on both the old and newer rifles, but it looks longer and ungainly (to my eye, anyhow) on the newer ones.

The shift from SRC to "plain old carbine" happened sometime before the war, and I'm looking to build up a pre-war tribute carbine of sorts. We got a good deal on a beat up 94 of late '70's vintage the other day. I reckon if I was ever going to fart around and change a current rifle to the older configuration, this one is our lab rat...