Shooting groups

[PetahW]

1) SCRUB the bore until it shines.

2) When shooting ANY levergun, keep in mind it was never designed to shoot "tight groups", since game animals don't normally stick around very long if the first shot's a miss.
Zero for the first shot from a cold bore, either clean or dirty, YMMV.

3) When zeroing any rifle that has a two-piece stock design & especially an underbarrel tube magazine, never allow any part of the rifle to touch anything other than a part of your body - only hands and/or shoulder, and certainly never a front or rear rest, or the benchtop.

Brace your body & hands, but hold the rifle very tightly down with the hands & hard into the shoulder while keeping the trigger finger free to fire the rifle.

Via con Dios.

.

 

[taylorce1]

The Winchester M94 isn't known as a tack driver but sub 4" groups should be do-able, and maybe even some sub 2" groups or smaller possible once you get some things sorted out. I have to think it is your shooting technique that is the problem and probably not the rifle or the scope. Here is what gave me the hint:

I had big windage gaps, elevation was fine. The rifle rest was a simple one made it myself of timber and I used it for the first time. My first attempt was from the hood of the car although I am better from the car window.

Most people shoot off of a bench and sand bags or padded shooting rest. Your timber rest doesn't sound like it is benifical to you and your ability to shoot good groups. Next the car window isn't the best shooting bench either, I've made some awesome shots from a truck window on coyotes and prairie dogs but they usually aren't that repeatable.

If you don't have a bench to shoot off of get down on the ground and shoot from a prone position with your rifle resting the forearm on sandbags or off of a hunting day pack with a coat or something inside to fill it up. Put a small sandbag under your butt stock to get support back there as well. Take your time and shoot your groups slowly a 5 shot group can take as long as 15-20 minutes to shoot.

Another thing you might check is your cheek weld. M94's really weren't made to be scoped by the stock desing. There is usually too much drop at the heel and it is hard to get your eye in repeatable alignment with the scope. You could always put one of those old style lace on leather risers on your comb to get your eye in better alignment with the scope.

 

[Clearwater82]

I have a Winchester M94 30-30 Trapper with a 16" barrel.
I am trying to zero a Redfield 2-7 x 33 scope with Federal Classic SP FN
amo, and was not satisfied with the results at 100 meters.
Should I try other amo to get a 2" group?

Try different ammo from Winchester pp, Federal Powershok, Remington Cor-lokt. Try 150 and 170 gr bullets and see which weight it prefers.

As other have said 4" groups at 100 yards are satisfactory. My century old M94 shoots 1 1/4" groups at 50 meters.

If I shoot more than 3 shots without letting the barrel cool down, then the groups start to open up.

Some rifles shoot there best from a clean barrel, others shoot tighter groups from a fouled barrel. Experiment a bit and see what your rifle likes & dislikes.