Winchester barrel length question

Mf1977

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Central Alberta
I think I already know the answer but since Winchester already makes a 94 with a 16” barrel would it be legal to have a carbine shortened to 16”? Looking for a trapper for a while now but not having luck. I have no problem paying top dollar for a good shape one but not paying $1000 for one in “good shape” that doesn’t fire, has grinder marks all over it and “fancy” carved stock. Can’t understand why Winchester wouldn’t do another run of them.
 
You can’t cut a barrel to less than 18”, but a barrel can be manufactured at less than 18” and be legal. You would need to have a new barrel built and installed from a blank to be legal. Otherwise keep searching for a decent condition and appropriately priced Trapper model 94.
 
I figured that for shortening it. So my gunsmith could make a 16” barrel and put it on and it would be legal? I wish our gun manufacturers would realize that there is a good market for some of these guns that are no longer made instead of the fad of the month gun. Ruger 77/22 is another
 
Yes, a gunsmith can start with a new barrel blank and make a new 16” barrel and it is legal, but no one can legally cut a finished longer barrel to less than 18” on a manually operated repeater (18.5” for a semi auto).
 
Making a short '94 barrel from a blank would be an interesting project - more complicated than rebarreling a bolt action rifle. Threading, chambering, contouring, extractor cut, rear band screw cut, front band screw cut, magazine plug retaining screw recess, front and rear sight installation, and finishing. Not too many folks would have the reamer.
Fun D.I.Y., expensive if a 'smith has to be paid.
 
Most of that is out of my gunsmithing capabilities. I do have a gunsmith buddy though. Also I have enough 94s for a donor so maybe would still be cheaper than buying a $1500+ trapper.
 
If you are going to have a barrel made, it doesn't have to be 16" - could be most any length you want as long as the finished carbine is over 26" long.
 
Original trappers were made with a variety of short barrels. The US National Firearms Act of 1934 put an end to that.
Many folks in Canada have taken one of the Mare's Leg type of firearm and installed a conventional carbine buttstock. Pistol calibers, of course.
 
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Many folks in Canada have taken one of the Mare's Leg type of firearm and installed a conventional carbine buttstock. Pistol calibers, of course.

And I now see the factory built Chiappa 1886 45-70 carbines available with a 12" barrel here. I'd love to hear how well they work (or don't!).
 
Cody museum survey up to serial #354000 (1906) on the 1894 Trapper lists,
19 - 14"
272- 15"
104- 16"
2 - 17"
12 - 18"
Not all included as production continued into late 1920's and an estimated 325 Model 92's with shorter than 18" barrels also made. I don't think any shorter barrels were made for sale than 14".
 
Or just find a new barrel 16 inch!

Easier said than done. I did manage to pick up a factory new 16” AE barrel in .30-30 a few years back. Good price as well if I remember correctly.

I have a Ranger 20”, no safety, rebounding hammer that I’d like to swap the barrel around but it appears that at some point they started making the trapper barrels thicker. I think the same contour as the Big Bore models. So I need to track down large front and rear barrel bands. I imagine I can open up the channel on the forestock myself easily enough unless there are exterior dimensional differences.

Keep that in mind if you manage to track down a barrel.
 
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