project '94

[lcclower]

I'm looking for a source for a 26" +/- barrel for a '81 model Winchester 94. Any ideas?

[Four Fingers of Death]

Keep your eyes open for a 'Classic' they are usually cheap(ish) and come with an long (maybe just a 24"Bb;, but you wouldn't want any longer, mine is just nice) Octangular barrel, full length mag, better quality wood, nice metal buttplate, etc. Then just swap over the bits and sell off the donor (now not so Classic) rifle or just use it for a truck gun.

Another option is to get a Classic and just keep it as is, nice rifle.

[6.5 mike]

Im bulding a 26 in 94 using a numrich kit. Has forearm,barrel,tendon,screws&cap forearm. Also has spring about twice as long as you need. Ordered the butt stock from gunstocks inc. Matchs the pre-64 model. Nice people to work with.

[6.5 mike]

I forget to add the barrel comes with the extractor cut for a top eject. Mine was
short chambered. A factory load would chamber but when I tryed a sized & trimed case the mouth hit the rifleings. I trimed my cases back to 2 in. & that solved the problem. Ment to add this before.

[McLintock]

Get a copy of the twice monthly Gun Digest (the old Gun List), there's usually adds under gun parts or barrels for Winchester stuff, and they usually show 26" barrels in 30-30 and 38-55. I helped my cousin put one of the Numrich barrels on an old '94, and in addition to the short chamber (I reamed it longer with my 38-55 reamer), it had to have the barrel threads cut deeper on a lathe; cost another $100 to do that. They aren't necessarialy a drop in fit.
McLintock

[jlchucker]

I've got a Classic. They came in rifle and carbine lengths in the late 60's and very early 70's. I was working at Winchester when I got mine. The standard, advertised lengths were 26 inches for the rifle, 20 for the carbine--both octagon. When they made mine up I specified a blued loading gate instead of the usual gold one, and they were just starting to play around with the later lifter--as opposed to the stamped one. It wasn't available for sale yet but I had them put one in mine. It's a rifle I won't part with, and back when I could see well, would group less than an inch at 100 yards off a rest. I've got bifocals now, though--probably couldn't do that again. The receivers Winchester was putting out then were not up to pre-64 quality, nor even as good as later ones IMO, but the barrels were made on the same old equipment, in New Haven, and were as good as any ever made.

[Catshooter]

lcc,

What caliber? I may know a man that has some 26" Winchester barrels in .38-55.


Cat

[6.5 mike]

Guess I got lucky, mine scewed in no problem. Its a early 70s reciever, the paint type .
Shot 20 plated bullets to take the rough spots out,then 20 Lee 170 g/ced at the
Lyman starting load. Held 1 to 1 1/4 ins. at 25 yds. I know this doesnt sound like much, but I was very happy with it,having just had left eye worked on & 1st try
with my cast. Y,all are right, this is additive.
My thanks to all, you have shown me the true way.

[lcclower]

Catshooter, 38-55 would be fine, please pm me details. lc