Two issues with my 94

[mdevlin53]

took my Winchester 94 ( 1958 vintage) to the range today and i had two issues.
First out of about 50 rounds fired i had 5 rounds where the action would not close enough to depress the pin by the lever. in each case the rim of the cartridge had a indent where the extractor did not ride over the rim. Anyone ever have this happen and have an idea as to why it only happens some times.

Second this happened once, a cartridge slipped under the lifter and was a real pain to get out. (had to remove the magazine tube spring and follower.

Over all the action seems stiff and needs to be cycled firmly to insure proper chambering even though it has been lubricated.

I have not ever taken the gun apart so it might be due for a good cleaning. I did have the rifle repaired a few years back as the firing pin had broken.

Help and hints welcome
Thanks

[pietro]

.

Winchester 94 cartridge stop fingers can wear just a smidgen, and then will allow the occasional (or every) cartridge coming out of the magazine to slip past, allowing it to go under the lifter.

The cartridge stop finger is an integral part or the actions lower link, and is located at the link's upper/inner/forward end.

Since I've had new/replacement links that were out of spec, I now repair the stop finger instead of replacing the link.

The repair can be done in one or two ways - after it's removed from the action (E-Z-Peazy).

The stop finger can be swedged to a bit longer length via striking it hard on one side while the opposite side is solidly-supported on a vise jaw top or an anvil - then re-fitted to an operational length (file/try/file/etc), so that it will be long enough to stop cartridges from coming out of the magazine tube, yet short enough to allow a cartridge to pass out of the magazine tube at the proper time during cycling the action.


OR,


The stop finger can be built up with a weld, then dressed back down (fitted) with a file, as for the swedged repair method above.

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll80/fecmech/DSCN0936-1-1.jpg



.

[michaelcj]

The 94 action/cartridge is "designed" such that the action needs to be cycled with some "authority". The actions for pistol calibers [73/92] that most folks are familiar seeing cycled [TV/Movies] are working on short, lower pressure cartridges and are "easier","quicker", "smoother" cycling.

Cycle the 94 like you mean it an you will not often have a feed problem unless there a significantly worn or broken parts.

[mdevlin53]

Thanks for the responses I do know you have to work the action firmly and i think that the cartridge getting stuck was due to a slow cycle but the extractor putting a big dent in the rim is still a mystery. i am going to take it apart and give it a good cleaning and then it will be back to the range.
Thanks

[Der Gebirgsjager]

All good information and advice. Might also first take out, clean, and replace the extractor which could have some crud underneath it that prevents it's springy up and down action preventing it from snapping over the rim. Does the extractor hook look o.k.? One other, remoter, possibility--are all the cartridges that the extractor won't snap over the same brand, and are they of foreign manufacture?

[lobogunleather]

All good advice. My first action would be a complete disassembly, thorough cleaning, and lubrication. Then if function has not been restored I would be pursuing other remedies.

There are a couple of on-line sources for disassembly and reassembly instructions, probably a few U-Tube videos as well. Not terribly complicated, but some guidelines will simplify the process.

[mdevlin53]

All the cases are Remington. I checked a few from each different loading and they chamber fine( kind of like a plunk test on a auto pistol). Slowly closing the chamber on a fired case it seems the extractor is riding over the rim correctly. the thing of it is that it is intermittent and that makes it difficult to pin down. i think a cleaning is the first order of business as that can't hurt.

[mdevlin53]

I took it apart cleaned it well and got every part put back in and it works just fine, the action is still what i would describe as crisp but much smoother than it was. i should say that the rifle is as old as me or there abouts (means it should be able to collect SS in about 6 months) but i bet there has been less than a 100 rounds through it. I found some crud on the extractor and took a bit to get it to slip into the slot smoothly so that may have been one problem. Hope to get to the range this week to test it out with live ammo.
Thanks

[edctexas]

It reminds me of my 1894. It was gifted to me but the previous owner never cleaned it. It now cycles pretty smoothly, but you do need to do it with some authority.

Ed C

[mdevlin53]

i went to the range today and put about 50 rounds through the rifle without a hitch. I think the crud in the extractor was the problem. getting the rifle reassembled was not to much trouble but getting the lifter just right was a bit tricky. It seemed to want to hang up on the two screws but finally i heard a snap and it was in correctly. I am happy to say this endeavor was a complete success. thanks for the help.

[Hick]

I think Der Gebirgsjager hit the target on this one. The extractor is its own spring and sits in a fairly tight slot in the bolt. When the tip of the extractor tries to ride over the cartridge rim, the other end of the extractor goes down and the extractor 'springs' a little. If anything gets under the back end of it the extractor cannot bend upward enough. If you pull the bolt you can drive out the extractor pin and remove it from the bolt, then clean out the slot beneath