Winchester produced earlier lever-gun models, including the Model 73-famous as the “Gun That Won the West” and the “star” of a 1950 Western (Winchester ’73) that also featured Jimmy Stewart.
While Model 70 has its share of enthusiasts, the demise of the Model 94 is the end of a national institution. Repeating Arms made a valiant effort to keep the famous line afloat, but continued high labor costs, unrealistic union contracts, deteriorating facilities and environmental concerns in New Haven proved too much. In fact, labor disputes, high municipal taxes on company property, and the historic but aging plant itself had prompted Olin to sell the factory and license production in the first place. Repeating Arms had produced the guns there under license from Winchester Repeating Arms Co.’s successor, the Olin Corporation, since 1981. Repeating Arms and its Belgian parent company, Fabrique National, determined that production in the New Haven, Connecticut, plant was no longer feasible. The venerable Winchester Model 94 lever-action rifle was discontinued, along with the Model 70 boltaction rifle and the Model 1300 pump-action shotgun. The year 2006 saw the last of a Western icon.
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