92 or 94, thoughts?

M

mravery

New member
Well, I've been bitten by the bug. Looking at Winchester m92 and m94. I don't hunt so this would be for target shooting and also teaching my two sons (11 and 14). I've been looking at the 1900-1920's made pieces. might even get into SAAs at some point as well.

Thoughts or concerns that I should have?
 
92/94 ?

I can't think of any concerns you should have purchasing 92 or 94. This is
assuming guns are in good shape. Having said that the cartridge chosen is
probably the main concern. The 92 is chambered in cals. that are available
in SA revolvers. I always liked the 92, basically a scaled down 86. Your choices
would be 25/20-32/20-38/40 and 44/40. All these are pricey unless you load
your own. Good thing about them is light recoil. The 94 is also a fine piece.
Most common would be 30/30. This would be the cheapest one to shoot. Several
other calibres were produced. 32sp.-38/55-25/35 and a few in 32/40. I guess it's up to you what fits your purpose the best.
 
If my house was burning down and I could only grab one gun it would be my '94 30-30. My Dad bought it new when he was a kid. Most accurate open sight gun I own.
 
And then there are the derivative models of those two, notably, the models 53, 55, 64, and 65. I find the model 55 particularly attractive. Much has been said, and well said, about pre-64's. That being said, I find that those made before 1950 are nicer yet.
 
Hey Guys,

Thanks for the input.... Question about the 30 WCF (30-30)... would the recoil be too much for young teens or is the gun weighted so that it's not that bad?

I've never fired a 92 or a 94 so I have no comparison.

Pathfinder, I'm looking in the pre-1930's range, so yes I agree!
 
yes the 30-30 in carbine form will recoil a bit and a 30,s made 94 will be a very good one. i own and shoot all the win-pistol chambered 92,s, 25-20 to 44-40 and most of the win -rifle chambered 94,s, and they are all about the same cost to reload with cast bullets. none are hard to load for if you take your time.my old 92,s, are as smooth as glass to operate but the old 94,s are not as lever friendly. my goal this year is to take a deer with my 92 in 38-40(10grs unique-180 fnl bullet) while carrying my colt bisley SA in the same caliber, i have killed two deer with one of my 92,s in 44-40(10 grs unique-200gr fnl bullet). i keep my shots at less than 75 yards and do double lung broadside shots. eastbank.
 
Question about the 30 WCF (30-30)... would the recoil be too much for young teens or is the gun weighted so that it's not that bad?
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I've never thought the lever action 30-30's were all that pleasant to shoot, which is why I suggested a smaller cartridge
 
For plinking and fun shooting a 92 in a pistol caliber is hard to beat. The 94 is in a more serious rifle caliber. The 94 is perhaps the stronger of the two only because it's bigger and more robust given the larger calibers. There are original 92s still running out there after a century or more so do you really feel and apprehension in owning one?
 
Snyper, that was also my thought...

SaxonPig, no apprehension, just trying to determine the best one.... at this point, I may get both as I love the looks of each. :D I'm seeing the 38-40 a bit and the ammo is not too bad in price, as long as they can keep it in stock.
 
Quote:
I don't hunt so this would be for target shooting and also teaching my two sons (11 and 14).
I'd look for a Marlin 1894 in 357 or 44 Mag
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One shot, one kill
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+1

44 can be loaded down for easy plinking or loaded up to drop just about anything. Great easy to work with for reloading too. Little tough on my wrists in revolvers (prefer a 41 mag, would probably forget about the 44 even in a lever if they started making 41 mag again in a lever gun):D
 
the Win`92 in 357 is just light-hearted elegance. Just a joy.
The `94 Marlin in 44Mag is the do-everything quarter-horse.
Both are classics, and we could spend all day in comparing fine points

Literally.... Pick up the first of whichever you see.
 
if they started making 41 mag again in a lever gun
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=470762266

You could always try to buy a used one.
I love mine.
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NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearm Safety and Pistol Instructor
"There are three classes of people: those who see, those who see when they are shown, those who do not see."
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I want one bad--but not bad enough to pay 1200 to 1400 for--which is what price they settle at in these auctions usually.

Nobody is interested in trying to make one--though it shouldn't be all that difficult. If someone did--these used 1892's would drop in price by half over-night.
 
Thanks for the input.... Question about the 30 WCF (30-30)... would the recoil be too much for young teens or is the gun weighted so that it's not that bad?
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Depends upon the gun you fire it from, the load fired, and the recoil tolerance of the shooter in question.

A carbine length 94 stoked with factory 170gr deer loads will turn off your 11 year old to guns right quickly, I imagine ...... I started my own daughter shooting centerfire rifles at around 10 ..... with a Marlin model 30A in 30/30WIN. The 30A and a Winchester 94 are whole different cats- the 30A has a heavy contour 20" barrel, and weighs 1/2 again what a 94 carbine does ...... and I handloaded 110grain reduced recoil loads for her to start with. I put on a recoil pad, as well. As she got older, bigger and stronger, she moved up to full power ammo ......

As the father of several teen shooters ..... popular kids that like to bring friends ...... I would would make the recomendation that for purely economic reasons, you go with this:

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/itemdetail.asp?id=534162137&mid=534162

..... and this:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Lee-Deluxe-Turret-Press-Reloading-Kit/740033.uts

..... and this:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Lee-...92580|104761080|104516280|&WTz_l=RI;IK-215922

..... and order some bulk components.

Kids will burn up some ammo ..... one way to govern consumption is to require them to help assemble it! :D
 
the 92 winchester is a small 86 and not weak at all, many have be converted to 357-44 magnum. the 44-40 had a hi-speed factory load that shot a 200gr bullet at 1800 fps, but was dropped because the winchester 73 and colt single actions would not take the pressure, but the 92 could as has two sliding bolts to lock the action. a 92,s action in good condition will handle 40,000 with out a wimper. i don,t plan to load any of my 92,s to that high a pressure as there is no reason for me to, as i count on shot placement to kill quickly. rossi made their 92 clone in .454 casull that is loaded close to 50,000 C.U.P. and i don,t think the metal in 92 rossi,s is any better than winchester 92 metal even with the age difference. eastbank
 
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Agree with jimbob.
A M94 .30-30 is light and has a narrow buttplate that amplify felt recoil. It is no fun to fire any great number of shots from the usual hunker down over a bench or truck hood.

A 1920ish M92 will be .25-20, .32-20, .38-40, or .44-40.
Ammunition is expensive when found and many people find them tedious to handload. I was comfortable loading .44-40 for my 92 and SAAs when active in CAS but it is not as straightforward as a common straight cased cartridge.

There have been a lot of old M92s converted to .357 or .44 Magnum but workmanship is variable.

A reproduction M92 or M73 in .357 would be a fine centerfire plinker but they have gotten expensive. The least I saw was about $900 and the nice Winchester/Miroku M73 is $1300.
Marlins have lower list prices, but you would do better to find one made before Cerberus/Remington took over and their prices are climbing.
 
There have been a lot of old M92s converted to .357 or .44 Magnum but workmanship is variable.
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My buddy owns a 1916-vintage M92 in 25-20 that is in good shape except the bore is pretty pitted. Between that and the fact that he doesn't handload, the rifle is largely useless to him as-is, but he doesn't want to sell it due to sentimental reasons.

I've suggested he look into having it converted to .357, since he has a .357 Blackhawk.

Anyone have any idea what such a conversion, done well, would entail / cost?
 
Mycin,

I did a little googling and concluded that your scheme is about 50 years behind the times. It would be an expensive proposition and the Internet Collector Nannies would freak out over the thought of modifying it to shoot instead of leaving it rusted out on the shelf.
If he wants to pursue it, Steve Young (SASS alias Nate Kiowa Jones) has done it. But would he do it again? Call him up. http://www.stevesgunz.com/

One alternative would be to have it relined, either back to .25-20 or maybe .32-20, which is marginally more available. He could then impose on his old buddy (You!) to load ammo for him. You do handload, don't you? If not, LoadX custom loads are about a dollar a pop. He probably wouldn't shoot it much.
http://www.redmansrifling.com/relining.htm
 
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