Which Big Bore 94 ?

[C-dubb]

Been looking to ad a lever action to my collection that I intend to use for whitetail and maybe a hog hunt this summer. I love the Winchester 94 and have narrowed my choice down to one of the Big Bore 94's.
They were produced in .307. .356. &. .375 Winchester. I prefer an earlier one with no safety and I plan to add a peep sight so I don't really need the angle eject. Im sure any of these will do the job for me but I was wondering which one would be better for me.
I cast and reload all of my ammo so the only concern is the availability of brass (or an easy way to make it) and good bullet molds.
I have noticed that the .375 rifle are much more abundant and sell cheaper for some reason.
Would love to hear your comments and suggestions.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I think that the .375 version sold better than the other two because there were so many .30-30 owners that wanted just a bit more. I own two of them. Beautiful rifles, hampered only by the sometimes-scarcity of ammo and brass for reloading. I guess the same can probably be said of the other two as well. I have a .356 also, which I came by when it arrived with a scratch on the side of the receiver, and the customer who ordered it refused delivery. It had the high comb on the butt stock to compliment the mounting of a scope, which to me just didn't look "Winchester". So I reblued the rifle and changed out the butt stock for the conventional version in fancy walnut, and it's just about my favorite rifle. I think the .375 would work o.k. for elk, but the .356 is probably good even for a big bear. I can't help you much with the .307, except to say that it is just about the equivalent of a .308 Win. That's one I missed, and probably should have acquired. Overall, they are very attractive rifles with their high polish bluing and solid walnut stocks. I like them!

[ulav8r]

My choice would bethe 356 but 375 could use 38/55 brass in a pinch. Brass for either could be made from 444 brass. Get whichever you find first at a good price.

[Bird]

I have a couple of 307's. Plenty of brass available at a good price, and affordable jacketed bullets as well as plenty of options for cast. Probably the cheapest to shoot of the 3 calibers.
356 is expensive, and not a whole lot of ammo or brass around, and a more limited bullet choice. I have not done it, but 307 brass should neck up to 356 if needed.
375 brass is available from starline, and not too expensive. Selection of bullets limited.
I think you can get the top eject in the 375 only. The 307 and 356 were angle eject.

[shdwlkr]

Things I look for when thinking of any firearm, how easy is it to get brass, what bullets can be used and what am I planning on using it for.
Of the three you mentioned the .375 winchester has brass easy to get from starline, bullets if you like lead there is a large range from around 250 grains all the way up to 350 grains if you are planning to hunt anything needing more weight then you need to look at a 45-70 as with that you can go up into the 450 grain bullet.
If I had the money I would get one of each just to have more or less

[MT Gianni]

First one you find.

[Texas by God]

My choice would bethe 356 but 375 could use 38/55 brass in a pinch. Brass for either could be made from 444 brass. Get whichever you find first at a good price.How do you make 38-55 from .444 ?
What you talking about ,Willis?

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[gwpercle]

I would look for a 375 Winchester .
You said big bore....and .375 fills that bill nicely. I would prefer it to a 45-70 , I have shot 45-70's in some lever actions and they can, when loaded warm, detach a retina and bruise your shoulder.
I think the 375 Winchester would be a nice compromise and fun to cast and reload for. For hogs and deer it should be just right !
Gary

[Shawlerbrook]

In my opinion the 356 is the best of the bunch for hunting, but brass is scarce. The 307 would be my choice.

[pietro]

Been looking to ad a lever action to my collection that I intend to use for whitetail and maybe a hog hunt this summer.

I love the Winchester 94 and have narrowed my choice down to one of the Big Bore 94's.

They were produced in .307. .356. &. .375 Winchester.

I prefer an earlier one with no safety and I plan to add a peep sight so I don't really need the angle eject.




FWIW:

* Both the .307 Winchester & the .356 Winchester (aka: the best of the bunch) were made after Model 94 production was changed to the Angle-Eject model.

* ALL Winchester 1894/94's have had a safety - 1st & always, the lever safety; then the cross-bolt safety (CBS), then the rebounding hammer safety; then lastly the tang safety.

I've owned/shot/hunted with almost every Model 94 chambering (.30-30, .307 Win, .32 Special, .356 Win, .375 Win, .444 Marlin, & .450 Marlin), and can unequivocally affirm that the best choice for me (YMMV) is the .356 Win in a pre-CBS Model 94AE.

The .356 delivers the same flatter trajectory as .307 with more bullet weight - which trajectory is much flatter than all the other chamberings.

My .356 BB94 regularly gave me very satisfying 3" groups @ 250yds (scoped/benched) with commercial ammo.


.

[jonp]

I have a couple of 307's. Plenty of brass available at a good price, and affordable jacketed bullets as well as plenty of options for cast. Probably the cheapest to shoot of the 3 calibers.
356 is expensive, and not a whole lot of ammo or brass around, and a more limited bullet choice. I have not done it, but 307 brass should neck up to 356 if needed.
375 brass is available from starline, and not too expensive. Selection of bullets limited.
I think you can get the top eject in the 375 only. The 307 and 356 were angle eject.

No, they made a 375 AE for at least one year. Pretty scarce but that would be a great lever to own for bear and moose

[rking22]

From what you describe, deer and hogs with a peep sight, you will be well served with a top enect 375. I like mine, light, accurate, and plenty of power. The flatter trajectory comes with more recoil and is hard to justify without a scope. I shoot the issue open sights and have only 2 molds for it. Actually I like that, and it was the easiest rifle I have ever worked up from scratch. Brass is readily available for mid range loads, I just use short 38-55, but you can get 375 from starline if you want. Personally, I dont like the humpback stock on the AE version, but I dont scope leverguns either. Get 1 of each and tell us which you prefer ....:cbpour:

[dogmower]

why stop at one :p

[AnthonyB]

My 356 Winchester M94 and 336ER both function fine with necked up 308 brass. I have several hundred new Win 356 cases I’ll hold onto but wouldn’t worry about brass availability. And thanks again to Beagle for finding that Marlin in Kentucky for me!
Tony

[JFE]

I have 375's in both top eject and angle eject styles. The AE model I have has no additional safeties. The AE model has a heavier barrel and is noticeably heavier. To be honest I havent really taken to the AE model. The top ejects are about the same weight as a 92 carbine in 44, so they are easy to carry, handier to use and offer a lot more than a 44.

The 375 has really become a bullet caster / tinkerer's cartridge. Suitable jacketed bullets are becoming harder to find but you can get great results from cast bullets. The 375 is far from picky and there is no shortage of cast bullet designs that work. The Winchesters have deep rifling, a fast twist and a fairly generous throat. Once you figure how to deal with the throat it becomes a handloader/bullet casters dream.

[ulav8r]

How do you make 38-55 from .444 ?
What you talking about ,Willis?

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Would use 444 to make 356, would use Starline 38-55 if that was needed. As mentioned by AnthonyB and at other places online, many 356's will feed and extract rimless brass made from 308 and 358 cases.

[C-dubb]

Made up my mind to find myself a 94 Big Bore in .375 Winchester. Just ordered 250 Starline brass. Im sure Ill find a gun soon, they are all over the internet. Then probably go with a Marbles sight. Thanks for all of the good advice.

[Beerd]

Wow, I'll bet you are the only one here to buy the brass first and then try to find a rifle to shoot it in.

And for what it's worth, I think you made a good choice.
..

[indian joe]

[QUOTE=Beerd;4550046]Wow, I'll bet you are the only one here to buy the brass first and then try to find a rifle to shoot it in.

I thought everybody did that :bigsmyl2:

[rking22]

Me too! I had 35 Rem brass and dies for over 10 years before I found the right rifle. Bit before the gunbroker era, wouldn't have taken 10 days now!
Op, you chose well.

[northmn]

A very popular option is to get a Marlin 336 and send it off to JES for a rebore that takes a 38-55 or a 375. His rebores are supposed to be 376 and take about anything available for the 38 bore. Barnes is starting to offer their OS 38-55 bullets in 375 and 377 diameter. And there is another maker of J bullets people are happy with Vollmer Bullets. Lead bullets are also available as are molds. I like the Lee 250 grain mild and the Lyman 264 with gas check. For close and dirty work the Lyman gas check mold would be the ideal.

I don't know if a standard 94 action would take the 375 but many were made in 38-55. I believe the Big Bores were beefed up actions. I shoot the 38-55 quite a bit and enjoy the caliber. The Barnes OS bullets were effective on deer.

DEP

[LIMPINGJ]

Another source for jacketed for the 375 Winchester is Hawk Bullets.

[T.R.]

.356 is very close to the older but effective 348 cartridge. A very good choice for game larger than deer.

TR

[Idaho Mule]

Would use 444 to make 356, would use Starline 38-55 if that was needed. As mentioned by AnthonyB and at other places online, many 356's will feed and extract rimless brass made from 308 and 358 cases.

Do you own a reloading manual??

[ulav8r]

Do you own a reloading manual??

Yep. Just checked the SAAMI drawings. The 444 has the same base diameter as the 356 and the 308/358, so it could be used to form 356. The 375 is quite a bit smaller, same as the 38/55. So if a 356 is acquired, 444 coud be used to form 356. If a 375 is acquired, 38/55 brass could be used.

[rwsem]

Good choice. I like shooting all three but recently picked up one of the original runs of .44 Mag. Winchesters are like potato chips; you can't stop at one....

[6.5 CM]

JM Marlins are better than any post 64 94.
As are rotary magazine Savage 99s.
The 356/358 Win is a serious thumper and ammo is no problem.
A 336 or 99 with a red dot is a better hog/deer gun than any 94 w/irons.
You can also scope either and kill an Elk at 250 yards.
Nostalgia is nice but -----

[rking22]

Different sttokes different folks. Personally speaking the top eject BB94s are much better than any Marlin I have ever touched. That 15% additional weight and bulky handling serve me no positive. I dont put "optics" on my levers so the solid top is a non issue. I much prefer the handling qualities of the 94. Like I prefer the Ithaca 28ga NID vs a 12 ga Winchester M23. Both good guns

[rking22]

, solid guns but the NID is much prefered in the woos. Seems today no one considers handling qualities to be important. To each their own, if you like Marlins thats ni e, but others like 94s, for other reasons than nostalgia.

How the heck that post split befuddles me.

[Sig556r]

[QUOTE=Beerd;4550046]Wow, I'll bet you are the only one here to buy the brass first and then try to find a rifle to shoot it in.

I thought everybody did that :bigsmyl2:

That happened to me twice recently...22-250 & .357sig

[C-dubb]

Wow, I'll bet you are the only one here to buy the brass first and then try to find a rifle to shoot it in.

And for what it's worth, I think you made a good choice.
..

I like to handle a rifle before I buy it so internet shopping is out. I plan on heading to the Tulsa gun show in April and I"m sure I"ll find what I want there.
Maybe even pick up an old model flat top Ruger if I"m lucky.

[curioushooter]

375 now that starline is making brass