I have always associated that dished out safety with the model 1900 only, where the word SAFE is stamped rather than engraved which was a cost cutting measure (as pictured below)


For whatever it's worth, Art McKee referred to the safeties as checkered or grooved as another way to quickly differ between the 1900 and 1894...Your grooved safety is the first I've seen on a 94...I assumed that the grooved safety was yet another cost cutting measure for the model 1900 as is the straight forend face as opposed to the curved forend face of the 1894