Winchester Model 1894 – Technical Notes Index (Master Reference) » TN-07 — Stock Profiles, Inletting & Grip Shapes

This Technical Note records the major stock and grip patterns observed on pre-1964 Winchester 1894 rifles—straight grip vs. pistol grip, rifle vs. carbine forearms, and the inletting signatures that distinguish factory work from later replacements. These traits are heavily used in the Compendium’s discussion of configuration correctness and collector value tiers.

Era-Specific Stock Profiles

Early stocks (1894–1910) typically show slimmer wrists and combs, hand-shaped transitions, and more individual variation from one rifle to another. Interwar stocks become more uniform as duplication machinery matures, while late pre-64 wood often exhibits slightly bulkier lines and more standardized patterns to match production demands.

Inletting Markers & Replacement Detection

Factory inletting leaves consistent witness signs: sharp edges at tang transitions, specific clearance around upper tang corners, and characteristic tool signatures in the inletted recesses. Replacement stocks, even high-quality ones, often differ in these tiny details. TN-07 catalogs those public, visible traits without disclosing any proprietary maker templates.

Specifications — TN-07 Scope

  • Category: Wood, Furniture & Ergonomics
  • Focus: Stock shapes, inletting traits, and era markers
  • Eras Covered: 1894–1963
  • Used In: Chapters 5, 10, 17, 23, 28, 29
  • Related TNs: TN-08 (Buttplates), TN-29–31 in the main Compendium

Story-Short

TN-07 defines how factory stock profiles and inletting patterns changed over the life of the 1894, using only visible traits on surviving rifles and catalog illustrations. It gives collectors and appraisers a receipts-mode framework for telling original wood from later replacements and for matching stock style to era and configuration claims.

Citations (Source-Based)

Winchester catalogs showing stock and grip options over time; public museum rifles with documented original wood; high-resolution photographs of inletting and tang transitions from non-gated sources; cross-verified collector references describing straight vs. pistol-grip patterns in the 1894 line.