1969 winchester 94 30-30

[Pitchnit]

I think its a '69. Thats what I got from the serial number, 3253XXX. $250.00 coming from a friend of a friend. I dont think I should pass it up based on the price. My friend said its in real good condition with just a few scratches. Were there different variations and is there really anything I should be on the lookout for. Were there different wood stocks. This would be my first centerfire lever gun and I'm mainly just wanting it to be able to cast for it and shoot at the range. Probably wont use it to hunt anything with but I would be interested in light to medium loads. Regards-Pitchnit

[Reg]

A 94 in good shape for 250.00. If you don't buy it you are loco.

[Char-Gar]

As with any used firearm the condition of the bore is very important. Before you by make certain it is bright and shiney with no rust or pits. Take a strong light with you and a rod or bore snake if possible to clean any dirt and crud out.

If you don't have a bore light, place a small piece of white paper on the breech face and shine a light on it. The light will reflect up the bore and by looking down the muzzle you can get a good view of what is in there.

Other than that, make certain it is all there and functions as designed.

[runfiverun]

when you work the action listen to it.
you'll hear the carier moving up and down and clicking into place.
and just as you close the lever you'll feel a little resistance from the block locking up on the back of the bolt.
also tilt the rifle back and forth with the gun closed and look where the hammer hits the firing pin with the rifle on half cock.
the firing pin should float back and forth and not go flush or below with the back of the bolt.
other than that,you should be good to go.
that's a good price too,you'll like the rifle, it is a good [great] cast shooter.
and a little external wear is nothing, they hold up well to being shot.

[Pitchnit]

Thanks for the info guys. I bought it tonite and it in pretty good shape. A few scratches alittle bluing where. Shot 5 rounds of 170 grain federal at 50 yards. 3 shots in 1 group quarter size and 2 shots an inch off that you could cover with with a nickle. I cant see worth a hoot with regular sights. I need to find a reciever or tang sight. Now I need to know what is the best Lee mold and powder for light to medium loads. the factory loads are a bit stout. Are the any good loads with Unique or titegroup. I have a pound of each that I am not using for anything else. Regards-Pitchnit

[jlchucker]

Back in that era they made their regular 94 carbine, and a cheaper version (I forget the name now). The standard ones had real walnut stocks and forearms, and a front sight dovetailed into a ramp. The bargain-basement ones had walnut-stained hardwood, and most had a front sight dovetailed directly into the barrel. Other than that, they were all pretty much the same gun. In spite of the griping that you see in print over the years, most were pretty good shooters. Glad you bought it, and it's a straight shooter. It's already drilled and tapped for a receiver sight, but a tang sight might require some drilling and tapping.

[Char-Gar]

Thanks for the info guys. I bought it tonite and it in pretty good shape. A few scratches alittle bluing where. Shot 5 rounds of 170 grain federal at 50 yards. 3 shots in 1 group quarter size and 2 shots an inch off that you could cover with with a nickle. I cant see worth a hoot with regular sights. I need to find a reciever or tang sight. Now I need to know what is the best Lee mold and powder for light to medium loads. the factory loads are a bit stout. Are the any good loads with Unique or titegroup. I have a pound of each that I am not using for anything else. Regards-Pitchnit

A 1969 Winchester 94 should be factory drill and tapped for a receiver sight. Should be two small (6X48) holes on the upper right hand corner of the receiver. They come from the factory with plug screws installed. Such sights are still made by William and Lyman with others makes available (Redfield) available on the used market.

People have different opinions, but I detest tang sights. I have never understood the fascination with them. They stick up and are easy to hit and damage, they are mounted where you want your tumb, and have to be folded up and down. A receiver sight is there all of the time and gets in the way of nothing.

[9.3X62AL]

A good acquisition at a very fair price.

I share Char-Gar's feelings about tang sights. I have one on a Savage 99 in 250 Savage, and it is accurate at the range......but about as handy as a ratcheting Crescent wrench for any other use, for the reasons Charles stated. The receiver-mounted aperture sights by Lyman/Williams/Redfield are so far superior to the tang mounts for field use (JMHO) that it's not even a discussion topic for me. I can also make pretty decent use of open-iron "buckhorns", if the need arises. Not the most precise system on earth, but fast as can be to get on target. The Winchester and Marlin 30-30s using open irons have put one huge mess of venison on peoples' tables for nearly 120 years now.

[northmn]

Winchesters were also notorious for starting to walk a bit after the barrel heated up. Knew a gunsmith that would get paid to sight then in and would take a few guns to the range and let the 94's cool down a bit before reshooting them. Lots of deer have been shot with them and they are not a bench rest rilfe, but darn good in the woods.

DP

[Char-Gar]

Shooting a Winchester carbine off the bench can be an exercise in frustration, with all of the metal bands and mag tube tied under the barrel. Here are a few things I have learned over the years.

1. Shoot only 3 shot groups and don't let the barrel get hotter than you can touch and hold on to it.

2. Shoot only singled rounds loaded into the chamber. Load the mag tube and watch the POI change as the rounds in the tube change.

3. Rest your hand on the front sandbad and the carbine forend in you hand. Pull back firmly into your shoulder. No need for a rear bag.

4 Have fun with these great rifles.

[gmsharps]

I know in 64 Winchester installed a spring steel follower that would popup prematurely if you did not give the lever a full rack letting a cartridge go under the follower which caused you to have to disassemble the rifle to clear the jam. If you have the spring follower I believe you can get a steeel one and replace it. I'm not sure when Winchester corrected the issue and started putting real steel followers again.

[runfiverun]

ahhh the dreaded marlin jam....
i'm gonna third the tang sight sentiments.
go with the side mounted peep sights.

not familiar with lee molds but something with a crimp groove in the right place will be helpful.

[pietro]

I know in 64 Winchester installed a spring steel follower that would popup prematurely if you did not give the lever a full rack letting a cartridge go under the follower which caused you to have to disassemble the rifle to clear the jam. If you have the spring follower I believe you can get a steeel one and replace it. I'm not sure when Winchester corrected the issue and started putting real steel followers again.

Er, not quite.

"Followers" are inside the magazine tube, and push out the cartridges via the power of the magazine spring.

In 1964, Winchester changed (among other things) the carrier from the (now "pre-64") machined item to one formed of stamped sheet metal.
Due to myriad complaints, mostly from the sporting press, for 1971 Winchester upgraded the stamped carrier (again, among other things) to a solid cast metal carrier (look for the mold seam mark down the middle).

It doesn't make any difference which type carrier a rifle might have, or whether the carrier's new or old - if the cartridge stop finger on the forward end of the lower link either gets worn or is made slightly out of spec, it will be too short to retain the next cartridge in the magazine tube, and allow it to pass beneath the raised carrier ("up" after feeding a shell & closing the lever/bolt) - making dropping the lower link necessary to clear the misfeed.

The prob's easily corrected via either swadging the sides of the stop finger to make it microscopically longer, or building the end of the stop finger up (longer) with weld bead and filing the weld back down to spec.



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