Winchester Model 1894 (Model 94) serial numbers by year
The first sporting rifle built for smokeless powder and, in .30-30, one of the best-selling sporting rifles ever made — over seven million across original New Haven production and the later Miroku guns.
- Produced:
- 1894–2006 (original), 2010–present (Miroku)
- Action:
- lever-action
- Most common caliber:
- 30-30 Win (.30 WCF)
What year was your Model 94 made?
Where the serial number is
Bottom of the receiver, ahead of the lever.
Why the sources give different years
Nobody kept one official list of which Winchester Model 1894 serial numbers were made in which year. The dates come from the original factory record books, now held by the Cody Firearms Museum, the tables in George Madis's Winchester books, compiled decades after the guns were made, and a list typed up by Winchester's customer-service desk, which mixes real records with estimates. For some serial numbers these sources are years apart, so this page shows what each one says instead of picking one.
For the Model 1894 the stakes are real. Federal law treats a gun made before 1899 as an antique, and Madis puts the end of 1898 at serial 147,684 while the factory records put it at 53,941. Rifles in between count as antiques by one table and not the other, a difference of almost 94,000 guns. If your serial falls in that window, treat any pre-1899 claim with caution and verify it with a factory letter.
Madis vs. factory dates lists every model where the sources part ways, with a real serial number from each.
Sources for this model: Madis/legacy year-end table · CFM/Polishing Room year-end table · Winchester customer-service list (2012)
How accurate are these tables?
A factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum gives the exact date a serial number was stamped. We collected Model 1894 letters that have been published in auction catalogs and checked each one against the tables on this page. A table is checked only against the letters whose serials it covers, so the counts differ from table to table. A table earns trust when the letters land in the year it gives:
- George Madis's published tables: 4 of 79 letters land in the year it assigns (21 within a year).
- Factory records (Cody Firearms Museum): 68 of 68 letters land in the year it assigns.
- Winchester's own customer-service list (2012): 4 of 79 letters land in the year it assigns (21 within a year).
Winchester did not always stamp serial numbers in order, so an occasional one-year miss is normal even for a table built from the original factory books. Consistent misses are not.
Winchester Model 1894 serial numbers by year
The full Model 1894 serial number chart, one table for each published source. Each row gives the serial numbers that source assigns to a year. Find the row your number falls in.
A row marked “sources differ” is a serial range that another table on this page dates to a different year.
George Madis's published tables
From George Madis's Winchester books, a collector reference compiled decades after production. The figures are year-end estimates, not counts from the factory books.
Cited as: Madis/legacy year-end table
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1894sources differ | 1 – 14,759 |
| 1895sources differ | 14,760 – 44,359 |
| 1896sources differ | 44,360 – 76,464 |
| 1897sources differ | 76,465 – 111,453 |
| 1898sources differ | 111,454 – 147,684 |
| 1899sources differ | 147,685 – 183,371 |
| 1900sources differ | 183,372 – 204,427 |
| 1901sources differ | 204,428 – 233,975 |
| 1902sources differ | 233,976 – 273,854 |
| 1903sources differ | 273,855 – 291,506 |
| 1904 | 291,507 – 311,363 |
| 1905 | 311,364 – 337,557 |
| 1906 | 337,558 – 378,878 |
| 1907 | 378,879 – 430,985 |
| 1908 | 430,986 – 474,241 |
| 1909 | 474,242 – 505,831 |
| 1910 | 505,832 – 553,062 |
| 1911 | 553,063 – 599,263 |
| 1912 | 599,264 – 646,114 |
| 1913 | 646,115 – 703,701 |
| 1914 | 703,702 – 756,066 |
| 1915 | 756,067 – 784,052 |
| 1916 | 784,053 – 807,741 |
| 1917 | 807,742 – 821,972 |
| 1918 | 821,973 – 838,175 |
| 1919 | 838,176 – 870,762 |
| 1920 | 870,763 – 880,627 |
| 1921 | 880,628 – 908,318 |
| 1922 | 908,319 – 919,583 |
| 1923 | 919,584 – 938,539 |
| 1924 | 938,540 – 953,198 |
| 1925 | 953,199 – 978,523 |
| 1926 | 978,524 – 997,603 |
| 1927 | 997,604 – 1,027,571 |
| 1928 | 1,027,572 – 1,054,465 |
| 1929 | 1,054,466 – 1,077,097 |
| 1930 | 1,077,098 – 1,081,755 |
| 1931 | 1,081,756 – 1,084,156 |
| 1932 | 1,084,157 – 1,087,836 |
| 1933 | 1,087,837 – 1,089,271 |
| 1934 | 1,089,272 – 1,091,192 |
| 1935 | 1,091,193 – 1,099,608 |
| 1936sources differ | 1,099,609 – 1,112,194 |
| 1937sources differ | 1,112,195 – 1,138,781 |
| 1938sources differ | 1,138,782 – 1,169,370 |
| 1939sources differ | 1,169,371 – 1,197,211 |
| 1940sources differ | 1,197,212 – 1,238,584 |
| 1941sources differ | 1,238,585 – 1,287,468 |
| 1942–1949 | 1,287,469 – 1,626,100 |
| 1950 | 1,626,101 – 1,724,295 |
| 1953sources differ | 1,724,296 – 1,999,999 |
| 1954 | 2,000,000 – 2,071,100 |
| 1955 | 2,071,101 – 2,145,296 |
| 1956 | 2,145,297 – 2,225,000 |
| 1957 | 2,225,001 – 2,290,296 |
| 1958 | 2,290,297 – 2,365,887 |
| 1959 | 2,365,888 – 2,410,555 |
| 1960 | 2,410,556 – 2,469,821 |
| 1961 | 2,469,822 – 2,500,000 |
| 1962 | 2,500,001 – 2,551,921 |
| 1963 | 2,551,922 – 2,586,000 |
| 1964 | 2,586,001 – 2,797,428 |
| 1965 | 2,797,429 – 2,894,428 |
| 1966 | 2,894,429 – 2,991,927 |
| 1967 | 2,991,928 – 3,088,458 |
| 1968 | 3,088,459 – 3,185,691 |
| 1969 | 3,185,692 – 3,284,570 |
| 1970 | 3,284,571 – 3,381,298 |
| 1971 | 3,381,299 – 3,557,385 |
| 1972 | 3,557,386 – 3,806,499 |
| 1973 | 3,806,500 – 3,929,364 |
| 1974 | 3,929,365 – 4,111,426 |
| 1975 | 4,111,427 – 4,277,926 |
| 1976 | 4,277,927 – 4,463,553 |
| 1977 | 4,463,554 – 4,565,925 |
| 1978 | 4,565,926 – 4,662,210 |
| 1979 | 4,662,211 – 4,826,596 |
| 1980 | 4,826,597 |
- 1898: The two sources disagree about the pre-1899 antique cutoff. George Madis's tables put it at 147,684. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum put it at 53,941, which is 93,743 serial numbers lower.
- 1899: George Madis's tables and the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum draw the 1898/1899 line in different places. A rifle with a serial number between 53,942 and 147,684 may not really be a pre-1899 antique.
- 1942–1949: The 1942–48 row in the older published table has no serial number. It only says "legacy table; see wartime correction above." This row therefore covers the whole gap up to the next number the table gives.
- 1953: George Madis's table jumps straight from 1950 at 1,724,295 to 1953 at 1,999,999, with no rows for the years in between. This row rests on the 1953 last serial number alone, and no earlier year is printed for it.
- 1980: The 1980 figure is printed as 4,826,597+. The plus sign means it is not a firm final serial number.
Factory records (Cody Firearms Museum)
The original Winchester factory ledgers, now held at the Cody Firearms Museum. They record the day each serial number was stamped, which is usually close to when the gun was finished.
Cited as: CFM/Polishing Room year-end table
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1894 | 1 – 1,674 |
| 1895sources differ | 1,675 – 14,222 |
| 1896sources differ | 14,223 – 18,571 |
| 1897sources differ | 18,572 – 33,108 |
| 1898sources differ | 33,109 – 53,941 |
| 1899sources differ | 53,942 – 80,148 |
| 1900sources differ | 80,149 – 103,932 |
| 1901sources differ | 103,933 – 137,058 |
| 1902sources differ | 137,059 – 168,420 |
| 1903sources differ | 168,421 – 204,565 |
| 1904sources differ | 204,566 – 249,782 |
| 1905sources differ | 249,783 – 291,706 |
- 1898: The two sources disagree about the pre-1899 antique cutoff. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum put it at 53,941. George Madis's tables put it at 147,684, which is 93,743 serial numbers higher.
- 1899: George Madis's tables and the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum draw the 1898/1899 line in different places. A rifle with a serial number between 53,942 and 147,684 may not really be a pre-1899 antique.
Winchester's own customer-service list (2012)
A year-by-year list Winchester's customer-service desk typed up to answer owners' letters. Partly real records and partly estimates, as the list itself says.
Cited as: Winchester customer-service list (2012)
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1894sources differ | 1 – 14,579 |
| 1895sources differ | 14,580 – 44,359 |
| 1896sources differ | 44,360 – 76,464 |
| 1897sources differ | 76,465 – 111,453 |
| 1898sources differ | 111,454 – 147,684 |
| 1899sources differ | 147,685 – 183,371 |
| 1900sources differ | 183,372 – 204,427 |
| 1901sources differ | 204,428 – 233,975 |
| 1902sources differ | 233,976 – 273,854 |
| 1903sources differ | 273,855 – 291,506 |
| 1904 | 291,507 – 311,363 |
| 1905 | 311,364 – 337,557 |
| 1906 | 337,558 – 378,878 |
| 1907 | 378,879 – 430,985 |
| 1908 | 430,986 – 474,241 |
| 1909 | 474,242 – 505,831 |
| 1910 | 505,832 – 553,062 |
| 1911 | 553,063 – 599,263 |
| 1912 | 599,264 – 646,114 |
| 1913 | 646,115 – 703,701 |
| 1914 | 703,702 – 756,066 |
| 1915 | 756,067 – 784,052 |
| 1916 | 784,053 – 807,741 |
| 1917 | 807,742 – 821,972 |
| 1918 | 821,973 – 838,175 |
| 1919 | 838,176 – 870,762 |
| 1920 | 870,763 – 880,627 |
| 1921 | 880,628 – 908,318 |
| 1922 | 908,319 – 919,583 |
| 1923 | 919,584 – 938,539 |
| 1924 | 938,540 – 953,198 |
| 1925 | 953,199 – 978,523 |
| 1926 | 978,524 – 997,603 |
| 1927 | 997,604 – 1,027,571 |
| 1928 | 1,027,572 – 1,054,465 |
| 1929 | 1,054,466 – 1,077,097 |
| 1930 | 1,077,098 – 1,081,755 |
| 1931 | 1,081,756 – 1,084,156 |
| 1932 | 1,084,157 – 1,087,836 |
| 1933 | 1,087,837 – 1,089,270 |
| 1934 | 1,089,271 – 1,091,190 |
| 1935 | 1,091,191 – 1,099,605 |
| 1936 | 1,099,606 – 1,100,065 |
| 1937sources differ | 1,100,066 – 1,100,679 |
| 1938sources differ | 1,100,680 – 1,100,915 |
| 1939sources differ | 1,100,916 – 1,101,051 |
| 1940sources differ | 1,101,052 – 1,142,423 |
| 1941sources differ | 1,142,424 – 1,191,307 |
| 1942sources differ | 1,191,308 – 1,221,289 |
| 1943–1948 | 1,221,290 – 1,500,000 |
| 1949 | 1,500,001 – 1,626,100 |
| 1950 | 1,626,101 – 1,724,295 |
| 1951sources differ | 1,724,296 – 1,819,800 |
| 1952sources differ | 1,819,801 – 1,910,000 |
| 1953 | 1,910,001 – 2,000,000 |
| 1954 | 2,000,001 – 2,071,100 |
| 1955 | 2,071,101 – 2,145,296 |
| 1956 | 2,145,297 – 2,225,000 |
| 1957 | 2,225,001 – 2,290,296 |
| 1958 | 2,290,297 – 2,365,887 |
| 1959 | 2,365,888 – 2,410,555 |
| 1960 | 2,410,556 – 2,469,821 |
| 1961 | 2,469,822 – 2,500,000 |
| 1962 | 2,500,001 – 2,551,921 |
| 1963 | 2,551,922 – 2,586,000 |
| 1964 | 2,700,000 – 2,797,428 |
| 1965 | 2,797,429 – 2,894,428 |
| 1966 | 2,894,429 – 2,991,927 |
| 1967 | 2,991,928 – 3,088,458 |
| 1968 | 3,088,459 – 3,185,691 |
| 1969 | 3,185,692 – 3,284,570 |
| 1970 | 3,284,571 – 3,381,299 |
| 1971 | 3,381,300 – 3,557,385 |
| 1972 | 3,557,386 – 3,806,499 |
| 1973 | 3,806,500 – 3,929,364 |
| 1974 | 3,929,365 – 4,111,426 |
| 1975 | 4,111,427 – 4,277,926 |
| 1976 | 4,277,927 – 4,463,553 |
| 1977 | 4,463,554 – 4,565,925 |
| 1978 | 4,565,926 – 4,662,210 |
| 1979 | 4,662,211 – 4,826,596 |
| 1980 | 4,826,597 – 4,892,951 |
| 1981 | 4,892,952 – 5,024,957 |
| 1982 | 5,024,958 – 5,103,248 |
| 1984 | 5,103,249 – 5,309,432 |
| 1985 | 5,309,433 – 5,362,944 |
| 1986 | 5,362,945 – 5,409,249 |
| 1987 | 5,409,250 – 5,463,790 |
| 1988 | 5,463,791 – 5,517,897 |
| 1989 | 5,517,898 – 5,574,822 |
| 1990 | 5,574,823 – 5,615,397 |
| 1991 | 5,615,398 – 6,008,296 |
- 1943–1948: The list records no figure for 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946 or 1947. This row covers those years up to the next year the list does record.
What to know about Model 1894 serial numbers
- George Madis's tables are badly off for the early years. For serial numbers below about 300,000, the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum are the more reliable source.
- The two sources disagree about the pre-1899 antique cutoff. George Madis's tables put it at 147,684. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum put it at 53,941. That is a gap of 93,743 serial numbers.
- A rifle with a serial number between 53,942 and 147,684 may not really be a pre-1899 antique, even though George Madis's tables list it as one.
- The record date is the date the serial number was stamped on the receiver. It is not necessarily the date the rifle reached the warehouse or the date it shipped.
- Some Model 55 and Model 64 rifles were numbered in the same sequence as the Model 94, with nothing to tell them apart. So neither the range covered by the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum nor any later highest serial number is a count of Model 1894s alone.
- The OldGuns list runs through 5,103,249. That is how far the list goes, not a final production total for all eras.
- Model 94 production after 1963 started at 2,700,000. The large jump in numbers was deliberate.
- Serial 3,500,000 was not built in the normal order. Winchester says it was held back until 1979 and sold at auction.
- No official Model 1894-only production total exists for all eras. The published final serial numbers include other models, commemoratives, reserved numbers, and later production that the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum do not cover.
- Winchester's own customer-service list is a retyped compilation, not the original records. The list itself says that no complete original serial record from 1866 onward is known to exist, and that some of its figures are estimates.
Related models, and why
Shared serial sequences, successors, and look-alikes — each link says why it is here, straight from the record notes.
Other Winchester lever-action rifles
Winchester rifles that never had a serial number
These have no serial number to look up. Their pages explain why, and how to date one from its features.
Want proof on paper? Order a factory letter
The Cody Firearms Museum holds Winchester’s original records and, for a fee, will search them for your serial number and send you a letter with the recorded dates and details. It is the closest thing to the original factory entry you can own, and it is what auction houses and appraisers accept.
Its records cover Model 1894 serial numbers: 1–1,352,066. A number outside that coverage cannot be lettered.
Order a factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum →