I have an early 2000s vintage 45 Colt W94AE Trapper and this is my experience as well. Standard bore dimensions but very large chamber and throat. I can finger seat a 457 bullet in a fired case. It shoots jacketed well and .452-.454 gas checked bullets reasonably well, but I didn't have much success with plain based cast until I started sizing and loading them at .456/.457. I keep the cases seperated and only light neck size them.
Kind of a blessing in disguise in a way, as there are plenty of 'undersize' (cast at .456/.457), lightweight (300-340gr) 45/70 mold blocks out there and those have worked well for me in this carbine.
I like the 454190 for a general range load. I have a set of blocks that will drop them at .456. I like the Lyman 457191 and 457122 Gould Hollow Point for heavier loads.
I have never had loading or feeding issues with mine.
-ktw
I had a 94 AE Trapper prior to getting a Winoko 1892. The only thing I did to the 94 after deleting the rebounding hammer triming springs and trigger job was breaking the end of the breach about .020-.030 and rounding/ polishing it. It would eat anything, particularly 255 Keiths.
i have a 357 ae win since 98 .ive broken a few ejectors .i did have a marlin 1894cs in 357 but my win is so much more accurate .
He hits the nail on the head. You can most likely get by crimping that Lyman bullet in the first top lube groove for your 1894. And sizing to .454 or shooting it unsized is a plus. Also, you may find that you only have to size about 1/2 way down the case if the ammo is shot in the same gun. Modern 45 colt dies overly work the case because they make it sized for .452 bullets. Just my .02.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |