The pre 64 Winchester M70 has long been referred to as "the rifleman's rifle". That is a reference to the quality built into what was back then a production, off the shelf rifle.
As to the 94, in 1964 Winchester made a number of concessions to cost that reduced their quality. In the M94 lever action they went to some kind of pot metal receiver that could not be blued and doesn't wear well. Go to any large gunshop with a good supply of used lever actions. The M94s with worn, silver gray recivers with a smooth surface are pre 64s. The ones you see that look pitted, like someone sandblasted them, are post 64s.
In the last few years USRA, or what ever they call themselves now, have gone back to steel receivers. They also re-introduced the claw extractor, controled feed action that made the pre 64 M70 famous.
