gaseousclay
New member
Can someone tell me why the newer Win 94's have a 24" barrel and what advantage this might have over the standard 20" version? Nice looking gun but it seems impractical for a brush gun. Thoughts?
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New Winchester 94 question
- Thread starter gaseousclay
- Start date
To answer the question on advantages - a little bit of fps and range, and line-of-sight/distance, of course at cost of weight (especially long octagonal vs round carbine: I forget is the current 24" octagonal?) And reduced daily carryability/wieldability in the field...but..the others are right, main reason is (their sense of) marketing at the moment. Winchester's culled its models down quite a bit this year - 94s and 92s. They may figure that the market is still saturated with used pre and post 64 Model 94 carbines--for less--for those wanting that format, and in the new In price range the new Wins are that's not what folks are looking for. For that loftier pricing buyers are looking for something more unique--my guess. I generally prefer carbines, but have always felt the round barreled longer rifle might just be the one to have in the classic "if you could only have one (wilderness) gun" poll. A friend picked up a ca 1915 rifle of that configuration and it's a sweet and remarkably balanced piece.
Pathfinder45
New member
20" vs 24"
The advantages of the longer barrel are about 100 fps more velocity and a longer sight radius for better longer range accuracy. The shorter barrel is handier but the 24" barrel isn't that bad in the brush either. If your shots will always be less than 100 yards, the carbine is the winner. If you expect to take shots at 150+ yards, the rifle is better. Over all, a Winchester model 94 with a 24" barrel and half magazine like a Model 55 or 64 is generally the most accurate. I had one like that that shot very well with open sights at 100+ yards and wish I still had it. I shoot the carbine well but just not quite as well as the rifle. Definitely good enough for Deer in the woods though.
The advantages of the longer barrel are about 100 fps more velocity and a longer sight radius for better longer range accuracy. The shorter barrel is handier but the 24" barrel isn't that bad in the brush either. If your shots will always be less than 100 yards, the carbine is the winner. If you expect to take shots at 150+ yards, the rifle is better. Over all, a Winchester model 94 with a 24" barrel and half magazine like a Model 55 or 64 is generally the most accurate. I had one like that that shot very well with open sights at 100+ yards and wish I still had it. I shoot the carbine well but just not quite as well as the rifle. Definitely good enough for Deer in the woods though.
Pathfinder45 said:
"The advantages of the longer barrel are about 100 fps more velocity and a longer sight radius for better longer range accuracy. The shorter barrel is handier but the 24" barrel isn't that bad in the brush either."
Thanks Pathfinder, late at night tired and missing the right terms "sight radius." searched my brain and it just wasn't there! As a die-hard carbine guy I didn't think I would but found my friend's 24" XTR 94 7-30 Waters ca 1985 (?) to be one of the nicest handling guns in my memory. We know about "short rifles"--typically 20" but octagonal and no barrel bands-- well this was actually a sort of "long carbine" - with the round barrel, full mag tube but also double barrel bands. The combo of the longer configuration but with lighter round barrel was the key to a magical formula IMO. A darn nice gun overall I might add as well. Still mostly a carbine guy, but that gun and the same friend's ca 1915 .30WCF of similar (but no bands) configuration opened up my mind to the world of the round-barreled long rifle.
"The advantages of the longer barrel are about 100 fps more velocity and a longer sight radius for better longer range accuracy. The shorter barrel is handier but the 24" barrel isn't that bad in the brush either."
Thanks Pathfinder, late at night tired and missing the right terms "sight radius." searched my brain and it just wasn't there! As a die-hard carbine guy I didn't think I would but found my friend's 24" XTR 94 7-30 Waters ca 1985 (?) to be one of the nicest handling guns in my memory. We know about "short rifles"--typically 20" but octagonal and no barrel bands-- well this was actually a sort of "long carbine" - with the round barrel, full mag tube but also double barrel bands. The combo of the longer configuration but with lighter round barrel was the key to a magical formula IMO. A darn nice gun overall I might add as well. Still mostly a carbine guy, but that gun and the same friend's ca 1915 .30WCF of similar (but no bands) configuration opened up my mind to the world of the round-barreled long rifle.
The people in charge of the "Winchester" line brought back the 94 in limited numbers produced by Miroku in Japan to sell to diehard 94 fans who wanted to keep the gun going.
Miroku doesn't have the space to churn them out in large volume, the guns are part of the Winchester-branded nostalgia series along with 92s & 86s.
As such, they rotate offerings with different configurations each year.
It's just whatever they choose to do when they choose to do it.
Denis
Miroku doesn't have the space to churn them out in large volume, the guns are part of the Winchester-branded nostalgia series along with 92s & 86s.
As such, they rotate offerings with different configurations each year.
It's just whatever they choose to do when they choose to do it.
Denis
Tom Matiska
New member
Much less barrel jump.... Win 94 has more drop in the stock than most rifles, and the lighter barrel offerings behave more like a pistol than rifle. Few inches of difference if you sight in on a hot summer day feeding singles, vs how low it hits on a cold December day with the mag tube full. Difference between 110 plinkers, 150's, and 170's can be huge at 50 yards. I like my brush guns short and light also, but the extra few inches and ounces at the business end allow you to enjoy a greater variety of ammo under different conditions.
edit for gooder english
edit for gooder english
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I've thought from the get go that Win-Miroku should have come out only with two variants--both of the now iconic Pre War guns - the saddle ring carbine and the 26" octagonal long rifle, each complete with their most associated features of the day, say Ca, 1900-1920 or so. This because, Post 64 commemoratives aside, these models never appeared again Post War "exactly" as configured originally. That's the tact Winchester should have taken, knowing that those either wanting just a brush gun or "serious" hunter have thousands of later Pre 64 and Post 64 (especially AEs for scope-able hunting) guns, respectively, to choose from for far less. For what Win-Miroku has charged, these new guns should have been oriented to the consumer--mere mortals but with some cash on hand-- wanting a brand new version of what they no longer can buy in that condition
When they were doing the design phase of bringing the 94 back at Miroku after the old Conn plant was closed, I argued the point with their project director.
Told him they had a golden opportunity to return the gun to its original classic forms, without the angle eject, rebounding hammer, and the safeties that the market did not want.
No use. Said their lawyers wouldn't allow it.
You see the result.
Denis
Told him they had a golden opportunity to return the gun to its original classic forms, without the angle eject, rebounding hammer, and the safeties that the market did not want.
No use. Said their lawyers wouldn't allow it.
You see the result.
Denis