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Winchester 94 in 30-30

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Twotone
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Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by Twotone » Tue Oct 03, 2017 11:24 am

Just as I was thinking of buying a rolling block in .357 I got to shoot an old Winchester which set me on a completely different quest. The gun in question was a totally original 94 from 1903 , original lyman sight etc. The sweetest shooting rifle I have ever handled . Now I am not in the market for one of those , cost as much as a small car, but I did see a 1970,s one in 30-30 for sale in reasonable condition and wondered what to look out for? Are there any well known issues I should be aware of and are parts still available? I am desperatly hankering after one now.
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Henry88
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Re: Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by Henry88 » Tue Oct 03, 2017 11:49 am

They were selling tons of them in the '70's so I would think parts are no problem.

No experience with the '94 but I do have a model '70 I bought in Miami in the early '70s.

Has never once failed to feed, fire or extract, and shoots 1 moa with a lousy shooter.

Parts I don't know about, since it never needed any.
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North Country Gal
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Re: Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by North Country Gal » Tue Oct 03, 2017 5:50 pm

If you're not too picky about construction quality, fit and finish, the '64 and after Model 94s can be be a good buy as far as being shooters and they will still point and handle the same as the early Model 94s. It's that handling - the way the gun balances and points - that I most love about the Model 94. I actually prefer Marlin 30-30s, overall - the Marlin 336 is the better gun in just about every other way - but nothing handles and points like a Model 94.

Check the receiver on these later Model 94s. The finish tends to speckle and fade, unevenly, but, again, it's cosmetic. They can also be rattletraps, but they're still shooters. As for parts, that's a potential issue because these original Model 94s are no longer being made and serviced. (The current production Winchester Model 94 is made by Miroku in Japan and not the same gun.) Also, be aware, that the Model 94 has never been user serviceable. Don't attempt to take one apart. That's a job for a gunsmith and finding a gunsmith that still knows how could be an issue.

As an alternative, I would shop around for a used Marlin 336 from that era. Better fit and finish and construction quality, smoother action and you can take one apart, completely, in a matter of minutes for cleaning and servicing and put it back together, again, right on the kitchen table. (Have done it.) Parts still available, too.

And then there is the Henry. I have no experience with the Henry, so I'll leave it to someone else to post on that option.
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ditto1958
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Re: Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by ditto1958 » Tue Oct 03, 2017 6:08 pm

Twotone, NCG gives excellent advice. Winchester made an infamous decision in 1963 which ended up almost killing the brand. Their 1964 rifles were cheapened, and their customers mutinied. It was almost worse than “New Coke,” if you remember that debacle.

The post-63 Model 94’s functioned fine, but they were cosmetically very undesirable. Biggest problem was the receivers which lose their bluing and won’t take new bluing. If you want a tool for deer hunting, or a truck gun, or just a good rifle to have around, a 70’s era 94 is going to be available for cheap.

If you want one that’s a sweetie like the vintage one you got to shoot, look for a pre-64. You will pay more, but you will likely be much happier. Or, spend $1,200 and get a new Japanese made 94. Current production Winchester rifles are made by Miroku, and are kinda like Hondas and Toyota’s- excellent build quality, extremely reliable.

Or, even better, as NCG recommends, get a Marlin 336. The 336 is pretty much just a better rifle than the 94. If you look at Marlins, be aware that Remington bought Marlin a few years ago and pretty much screwed everything up. With Marlin rifles, look for the ones with “JM”stamped on the barrel.
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Re: Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by JEBar » Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:45 pm

our Model 94 was manufactured in 1941 .... its nothing fancy; needless to say, it has proven to be very solid .... per family history, it has never been worked on since the day my grandfather took it out of the box ... when I say he used it, that would be a major understatement .... when he wasn't carrying it bear/deer hunting, it was located somewhere in his Jeep .... he viewed it as a hunting rifle, not a rifle to spend much time target shooting .... if I had to bet, I'd be willing to wager that in the 25 +/- years he hunted with it, he didn't fire much (if any) over a box of 20 practice rounds .... he was old, old school in that he hated the concept of firing more than one round at a bear or deer .... don't get me wrong, hunting regs back then were very different than they are today .... there is no doubt in my mind that he downed more deer and bear with the 94 than I will ever seen in the woods .... he only used Winchester 150 gr or 170 gr silvertip bullets which I continued using until they were no longer on the market .... I now load 150 gr Nosler/Winchester Combined Technology Ballistic Silvertips .... I took it to a range this past weekend and fired more practice rounds than he did most decades .... I enjoy firing it and wouldn't change the buckhorn sights for any other sights I know of .... it can be seen in the pictures below along with his other firearms .... in the second picture the area on the receiver (right in front of the trigger guard) where the blue has been worn completely away can easily be seen .... it was worn away by his hand carrying his hunting rifle through the woods
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North Country Gal
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Re: Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by North Country Gal » Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:03 pm

JEBar, that's the kind of history and use that made the Model 94 the great icon it is. Loved your story. Priceless.
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Henry88
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Re: Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by Henry88 » Wed Oct 04, 2017 3:18 am

I think the whole "pre-64" thing is a little overdramatized , like just about everything on the internet forums (guitar forums the craziest).

In the case of the post-64 Model 70 for instance, the new push feed system (unlike the older control feed) actually used a stronger bolt, that better contains the case head.

I doubt there are similar stories with the M94, but the fact is Winchester had to cut cost or raise the price of the rifle, possibly out of the range of the average american. Looking back I think the cost saving changes turned out to be largely inconsequential and well implemented. In 40 years of use, I never noticed my magazine floor plate was pressed and not cast. It never opened, bent, rusted, and I guess it's lighter and cost less to make.

Lets face it, the people that really care about the pre-64s are the collectors; not joe blow out in the field.

Twotone if you like it, and it's in good shape and the price is right get it; there will be no regets.

And I am going to hold onto my '70's Winchester and my '70's Fender Strat (even though Strats went downhill after 1962, ask anyone on the forums) :D
Last edited by Henry88 on Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:14 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Henry88
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Re: Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by Henry88 » Wed Oct 04, 2017 3:27 am

Note to self: Never post at 3 AM...............
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Re: Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by JEBar » Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:46 am

Henry88 wrote:Note to self: Never post at 3 AM...............

:lol:
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Twotone
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Re: Winchester 94 in 30-30

Post by Twotone » Mon Oct 09, 2017 12:08 pm

Wow, great feedback guys. Well, just an update, I have bought the 94, swayed by the history I guess . It is an icon much like an old telecaster or an old dobro I have, I know ther are bette rifles out there, I have a couple but I still could not stop hankering for that old gun. I dare say a 336 will follow at some point but Marlin prices over here have gone way beyond sensible, I will keep my eyes open for one. The guy with the really old one I tried could have bought a nice used car with the money he had to spend and its a bit rich for me but at least he keeps bringing it down and letting me shoot the thing!
Loved the story JEbar and thanks everyone for such great info. Let you know how I get on, sourcing dies and brass now so hopefully be shooting it before too long.
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