PDA

View Full Version : Winchester 94 misadventure



wonderwolf
03-09-2015, 11:44 PM
Finally got a chance to walk around the gun show over the weekend, everybody was out probably due to cabin fever. Didn't get out from behind the tables until a hour till closing. Another vendor had just pulled a Winchester 94 30-30 out from under the table to replace the spot of something else he had just sold when I was walking by. I picked it up and looked it over, functionally (I thought) it looked fine from what I could see. He wasn't asking much so it followed me home. I slipped some dummies in it and the first one went between the carrier and lever...."thats odd"....finally I got the dummies out and proceeded to take it down. Found a broken firing pin and what looks like a VERY bent carrier. My own fault for not looking closer I guess, though the bent carrier can be hard to detect the firing pin should have been obvious.

Now the receiver comes out to 1968 and upon reading it seems guns from this era are to be avoided due to the carriers....learned that a little late I guess. The bolt looks like a pre-64????? and the mag tube was not put on right so somebody has been inside this gun before as they left a few tracks on the screws maybe swapped parts etc. But nothing terrible except the broken firing pin and bent carrier.

I'm doubting this is worth much to a collector esp in the condition its in. Numrich has the firing pin but I'm having trouble finding a carrier, I can bend the old one back to shape and make sure it works first and that it doesn't have any other issues but these really aren't that complicated.

This is one of the receivers that couldn't take the old blueing solution cosmetics don't bother me however, so long as the slightly rough barrel doesn't cause a lot of leading with the cast boolits I'll be happy. Was really hoping it was just the carrier but the firing pin kind of ticks me off some more. I can fix it no problem its just putting more money into it on the chance it might shoot well makes me uncomfortable.

133415133416133417

Scharfschuetze
03-10-2015, 01:10 AM
As you surmise, Winchesters made between 1964 and 1968 are to be avoided. The big change over in 1964 caught some of my school friends flat footed with what they thought were the cat's meow in new Winchesters only to have issues. I witnessed two broken firing pins, a broken extractor, a rear sight break all in my last year of high school. Reportedly the followers in Model 94s were also subject to breakage; but I never witnessed that.

In 1968, Winchester tightened up its collective act a bit and improved the quality of their product. The Model 70s following this show a "G" prefix in the serial number. I'm not sure if there is a way to tell on the 94s, but apparently yours was made prior to the shake up.

Good luck with getting her fixed up.

wonderwolf
03-10-2015, 01:15 AM
I'm seeing some conflicting information.....Anybody know for sure if a (pre) cast carrier can be put in place of a stamped carrier?

gmsharps
03-10-2015, 02:30 AM
I had a 1964 Winchester 94 with the stamped carrier. It seemed that the trick to prevent the cartridge from going between the top of the carrier and the bottom was to give it a full rack meaning the lever all the way forward briskly. That seemed to minimize the issue. I lost faith in the rifle and traded it the next year.

gmsharps

clum553946
03-10-2015, 09:43 AM
Homestead Parts , homesteadparts.com, has carriers for post 64 model 94 Winchesters.

pietro
03-10-2015, 11:24 AM
.

FWIW, I've routinely swapped in a carrier from a 1971-82 Model 94 (they drop right in), to replace the stamped/sheet metal carriers Winchester used from 1964-71 - even when there's nothing else wrong with the stamped carrier.

http://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/prod/winchester-94-parts/W94CAR

The later carriers are solid/cast (look for the mold seam running lengthwise down the center of the carrier/lifter), in a closer approximation of the machined steel pre-64 lifters/carriers (which won't fit a post-64).

http://www.midwestgunworks.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/U341450190.jpg


.

sthwestvictoria
03-10-2015, 02:48 PM
Shocking behaviour for the seller to sell a non-shooting arm without telling you. Hopefully they will reap what they sow.

Guesser
03-10-2015, 03:20 PM
Classic Firearms & Parts LLC

wonderwolf
03-18-2015, 08:14 PM
Fixed now! Got the carrier off a member here, very pleased!

134385134386134387

lobogunleather
03-18-2015, 08:41 PM
Very informative. Thanks to all for posting.

TXGunNut
03-18-2015, 11:19 PM
Good job, glad to hear it worked out for you. Looking forward to a range report!

rr2241tx
03-19-2015, 11:54 AM
I'm seeing some conflicting information.....Anybody know for sure if a (pre) cast carrier can be put in place of a stamped carrier?

Yes. I had that done on a Pawn Shop Queen my Grandfather bought. It worked fine once the cheap parts were replaced with expensive parts. Still looked like 90 miles of bad road at night in the rain but made a fine truck gun.