Winchester 94 38-55

[daisygordoninc]

I'm bidding on an old 94 in 38-55, serial number 10,120, seems original and does have the Cody letter
stating it was build in 1895. Would that have been a black powder gun, or had they switched to
smokeless powder for the 38-55 by then?

Gordon Johnson

[Terry Murbach]

THE FIRST CIVILIAN SMOKELESS PROPELLENT CARTRIDGE IS THE 30WCF OR 30-30 WINCHESTER, IF YOU PREFER. WERE THERE BP 1894 RIFLES OR CARBINES ??? THAT IS THE QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK. OR, WAS THERE A CHANGE IN THE 1894 STEEL ONCE THE 30WCF WAS INTRODUCED? THAT IS THE NEXT QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK.

[Griff]

.32-40 & .38-55 were the fiirst two chamberings in the 1894 as Winchester had trouble with their nickel steel barrels. Unless the rifle was made after 1906 (IIRC) or it is marked "N.S." or "Nickel Steel" or is chambered in .30WCF it is a black powder proof barrel.

[Sixgun]

Its the softer steel for BP, but still safe (if rifle is sound) with mild loads of smokeless.----6

[jphi13]

Would this switching date of 1906 true also for the mod. 1892 ?
I read somewhere that the hi speed 44-40 were introduced in 1903, and therefore all rifles from 1903 and beyond had stronger steel.

Jphi