My father just picked up a 56, almost excellent but one mark on the stock. I have it listed but no pics up. I should pick that up today and post some pics.
Winchester 94 pre vs post 1964
- Thread starter Max-4
- Start date
My father just picked up a 56, almost excellent but one mark on the stock. I have it listed but no pics up. I should pick that up today and post some pics.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
With the '94, the ones that are in general the worst span about late 1964, early 1965 to late 1971.
I have a 1971, and it has no stamped parts.
Winchester, historically, used up parts in the bin as they came to hand, so some rifles inside, and outside of that period may have good, or bad parts.
I have a 1971, and it has no stamped parts.
Winchester, historically, used up parts in the bin as they came to hand, so some rifles inside, and outside of that period may have good, or bad parts.
These several people who have stated they've had no trouble with the post 64s, are creating a slanted opinion of them. Sure, there are scads of them out there which have given satisfactory service.
But, talk to any gunsmith and ask him which model 94s he mostly gets in for repair, pre or post.
But, talk to any gunsmith and ask him which model 94s he mostly gets in for repair, pre or post.
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
So a whole thread bashing them wont create a slanted opinion either?
We're stating personal experience. No one in here has told how their post 64 has failed them.
Stamped parts does not equal crap. Is it superior to machined? Probaly not. Does it make a lick of difference? Maybe. But no one has shown how it has.
If you are interested, I just adjusted the price and added a photo of my 56 Winny:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=461449
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=461449
Nobody has said stamped parts are garbage, just not as good as machined parts although they are much cheaper to produce. It's about pride of ownership and I'll hang onto my pre-64 Winchesters. They are examples of the golden age of American gunmaking, say 1900 thru 1960, when skilled labour was cheap and everyone seemed to have a better work ethic. Just my opinion, if you like the newer guns by all means, buy them.
Mu Uncle has a mid 70's 1894 that I brought home over the Christmas break for a good cleaning and resto job. The metal was spotted with surface rust and the oiled walnut had a few marks in it. He loves that rifle and wanted it brought back. I polished all the metal with cold blue and super fine steel wool and touched up any marks on the wood with tung oil. He was so happy his baby looked like new when I was finished as that rifle goes with him everywhere, quite litteraly. He's not much of a hunter anymore, but he takes it fishing in case of a run in bears or lions, travelling, camping or where ever. The fact that he trusts his life to it as it has never failed him is good enough for me. The sentement that any post 64 Winchester is garbage overshadows how good they still were. I'm sure the gunsmiths will tell you how they see them more then any pre 64 rifle. Quality might be part of it, but remember Winchester produced close to 8 million 1894 rifles total. 8 million! I'm sure of those 8 million, very few in comparison ever saw the need for repair. So I think it's safe to say while a pre 64 rifle may yeild better results, your rifle likely will never need any work. Myself I'm partial to the Marlin rifles, but I will bring home a Winnie again one of these days, just because. And I don't really care when it was made.
Winchester 94
I just picked up a 1978 Win 94 in 30-30 off an CGN member, it is in "as new" condition and has never been fired, and it looks that way. Looking down into the action it looks as if it has a machined "cartridge lifter" like the better one in Calum's pics. Did they go to some machined parts by the late 70's?
One other thing, is it common for the Win 94 to have some play side to side in the lever? When I work the lever there is some movement from side to side.
I just picked up a 1978 Win 94 in 30-30 off an CGN member, it is in "as new" condition and has never been fired, and it looks that way. Looking down into the action it looks as if it has a machined "cartridge lifter" like the better one in Calum's pics. Did they go to some machined parts by the late 70's?
One other thing, is it common for the Win 94 to have some play side to side in the lever? When I work the lever there is some movement from side to side.
Virtually everyone has a horror story about 1 or more firearms that they have owned. He's my lever horror story;
In '94 I was looking for a lever in .357 because I was doing alot of .357 shooting out of my S&W M66 and wanted a cheap and easy round that I could reload in abundance. After looking around for about 6-8 months I couldn't find one, I even phoned Winchester! The nice lady said that they didn't have enough calls to start manufacturing them again. Remember this was before Cowboy Action got bigger.
I finally gave up on .357 and found a Winchester Wrangler in .44 Magnum. Shades of John Wayne that large loop lever was kewl! Little did I realize that with 2 years, I'd start shooting Cowboy Action. I did lots of testing and came up 7.2 grains of Unique pushing a 240 grain LSWC bullet as an accurate, mild target load.
Within the first 20 rds down range, the pot metal feed ramp broke. Off for warranty work! Eight months later I get the rifle back. After every 50 rds the rear sight elevator would fall off. So we have to install a Williams rear sight! Shooting again after every 50 rds the screws in the receiver would work loose. Locktite!! After 1,500 rds the tubular magazine spring gave up the ghost! Wolfe Gunsprings to the rescue. After this the Lever Link broke, 3 months and 5 nasty letters later, Winchester told me they would sell me the part but without warranty! They wanted me to send the gun to the warranty centre again!
That was the last straw, I found a sucker to buy the Winchester and bought a Marlin M1894S, after 8,000 rds through it, it broke a front portion of the firing pin. I love the quality Marlin builds in. My Marlin M1894S has now an excess 12,000 rds through it and the rear portion of the firing pin broke at about 9,500 rds. It was replaced with a one piece firing pin.
Mind you I own or have owned 5 Winchester M94's and a Winchester M92 all manufactured prior to 1925 and you can't ask for a nicer more durable rifle.
P.S. My Wrangler was one of 4 Wranglers in town with the same problems.
In '94 I was looking for a lever in .357 because I was doing alot of .357 shooting out of my S&W M66 and wanted a cheap and easy round that I could reload in abundance. After looking around for about 6-8 months I couldn't find one, I even phoned Winchester! The nice lady said that they didn't have enough calls to start manufacturing them again. Remember this was before Cowboy Action got bigger.
I finally gave up on .357 and found a Winchester Wrangler in .44 Magnum. Shades of John Wayne that large loop lever was kewl! Little did I realize that with 2 years, I'd start shooting Cowboy Action. I did lots of testing and came up 7.2 grains of Unique pushing a 240 grain LSWC bullet as an accurate, mild target load.
Within the first 20 rds down range, the pot metal feed ramp broke. Off for warranty work! Eight months later I get the rifle back. After every 50 rds the rear sight elevator would fall off. So we have to install a Williams rear sight! Shooting again after every 50 rds the screws in the receiver would work loose. Locktite!! After 1,500 rds the tubular magazine spring gave up the ghost! Wolfe Gunsprings to the rescue. After this the Lever Link broke, 3 months and 5 nasty letters later, Winchester told me they would sell me the part but without warranty! They wanted me to send the gun to the warranty centre again!
That was the last straw, I found a sucker to buy the Winchester and bought a Marlin M1894S, after 8,000 rds through it, it broke a front portion of the firing pin. I love the quality Marlin builds in. My Marlin M1894S has now an excess 12,000 rds through it and the rear portion of the firing pin broke at about 9,500 rds. It was replaced with a one piece firing pin.
Mind you I own or have owned 5 Winchester M94's and a Winchester M92 all manufactured prior to 1925 and you can't ask for a nicer more durable rifle.
P.S. My Wrangler was one of 4 Wranglers in town with the same problems.
The stamped lifter was not ideal. It was phased out for a solid version, either cast or MIM, I don't know which.
The pistol caliber 94's seem to have more problems than the ones in rifle calibers.
The hammer spring and trigger mechanisms have gone through a variety of changes.
For the average deer hunter, it won't make any difference which vintage is used.
In some ways, the pre-64s do have greater esthetic appeal.
The pistol caliber 94's seem to have more problems than the ones in rifle calibers.
The hammer spring and trigger mechanisms have gone through a variety of changes.
For the average deer hunter, it won't make any difference which vintage is used.
In some ways, the pre-64s do have greater esthetic appeal.
I keep an 1894 made in 1902, (270###) in 38-55 w/28" round barrel and it sure behaves a lot better than the action of its re-incarnation, the AE .375 side eject I sold a short while ago. What I like best is the balance point with a trail carry. ... and no cross bolt nonsense.
I'll maybe take some photos tomorrow to show it off.
Wish I owned a first WIN model 1894 with the screw above the ejection port in the same caliber.
I'll maybe take some photos tomorrow to show it off.
Wish I owned a first WIN model 1894 with the screw above the ejection port in the same caliber.
