Winchester Model 94

B

Bones

New member
Not really sure if this is the right place for this question,but here is.

I'm looking for a "Truck Gun", something like a 30-30 Win, with a receiver sight, light & reliable, and with medium power. It needn't be "NIB", but I do like a "pretty" rifle.

The question is, "What years (or SN#'s) are the good ones, and what years ( SN#'s) should be avoid?". There many rumors out there about, "this and that", but its hard to find out where they come from, and if its really a problem.

Any thoughs?

Bones
 
There are no "bad" years or serial numbers for the '94. Some people don't like the "lawyer" safety, so finding one old enough to not have a safety might be a consideration ( I lost a shot at a nice pig one time because of the lawyer safety).
 
I've heard rumors about the Post '64 receivers. They were forged, then they were casted, then they were forged again. Some will take rebluing, some, you might as well buy a can of spray paint. The stocks are guaranteed the slit within 2-300 rounds. Some receivers were made with a nickle alloy, most were not. Some were build with light weight parts that failed quickly. Because of the different alloys that were used, the heat treatments can be "IFie".

Lots of maybes, but nothing hard to put your figure on.
 
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Pre 64's were great guns and are still pretty affordable. Solid no nonsense, still built the way Oliver would have done it. My 1932 eastern carbine would be the last one to go if I ever had to downsize. That said I don't think any 94 is a bad gun. If you want to scope it you should look at the post 64 angle eject models and as a previous poster stated you would have some more cartridge choices there beyond .30WCF, like the 7-30 or 375....

Mike J
 
Use your eyes, to look at the cartridge lifter/carrier ILO the SN, to pick out a good one.

Open the bolt, and eyeball the lifter in good light.

A good rifle will have a forged/machined lifter (best/pre-64) or a cast (look for mold line - post-71) liter.

I a rifle with a cast lifter (post-71) has a freckled receiver (even slightly), don't even think of rebluing it - just keep looking or another in better condition.

ANY Silver, Gold, Pewter, or Black post-64 receivers are plated finishes (as in "Black Chrome"), and can be effected by solvents (peeling), and screwdriver blade edges chipping out hole edges.

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