Winchester model 94 in 32win

[Malamute]

Wow! I just enjoyed your post on this thread so much. The facts and experiences with the American Iconic Mdl. 94 are all classic. How many of you fellows started out with a Red Ryder BB gun? I did.

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A picture exists of me and my dad in the back yard with a Red Ryder when I was about 4.

Funny story. Lady I know that I did handyman stuff for called me. She wondered what the poop was in her yard, if it was bear poop. I told her to just get her gun out and ready in case (she had horses and animals outside) and Id come check it out. She said she didn't have a gun. What!!?? "C, I think its illegal to not own a gun in this state." A week later she called and wanted me to come over and show her how to work her new gun. I got there, it was a Red Ryder. I loaded it up and showed her how it worked, and we plinked sticks and rocks in her driveway. When she got an infestation of tomato hookworms she called for help, I had her get the Red Ryder and I shot a few carefully off the plants, then had her do it. She was pretty self sufficient after that.

 

[whatnickname]

A handier rifle I have not found. I have owned a few of these and i still have a 32, 25/35s and a couple of 30/30s. I like the 25/35 the best though. They are my favorite caliber in 94. This thread started out as a guy wanting to buy a 94 in 32. Now he has a Marlin in 30/30. All of these rifles and all of these calibers have one thing in common, they are all great handling short range deer killers. May they live on forever! I loaned my partner one in 32 over 30 years ago and he says he will return it when he finds one of his own. I appears he has one of his own already!

Amen brother. These and the model 92 (clones included) will always have a special place in my heart.

 

[Dog Soldier]

I was just a "poor pup" when I put together $57 dollars for my 1958 Mdl. 94. The little .30-30 and it's sister a .32 WSF with consecutive serial numbers were on the rack at a local hardware. I wanted both rifles but it was a financial impossibility. I really regret separating that family. It seems the price has gone up about 10 times.

https://www.gunsamerica.com/957862661/Model-94-MADE-IN-1957.htm

 

[Sergei Mosin]

This is my great-grandfather's Model 94.

The serial number indicates 1921 production. My great-grandfather was born in 1902 and as far as I know he was the original owner. He carried this gun through the fields and woods of Pennsylvania for decades until his death in 1983. It's taken many deer and a few bears. My grandmother and later my father learned to shoot using this gun. I've never fired it myself; too scared it might get damaged. It's been about 30 years since anyone fired it; Dad used it to put down a sick feral cat. Some day it will be passed on to one of my descendants.

On the black powder vs smokeless question, I include a photo showing a barrel marking which reads "NICKEL STEEL BARREL ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER".

 

[Dog Soldier]

S. Mosin, Great story of a Grand parent and a classic Winchester.

 

[Dog Soldier]

Mosin, That is a very nice Western-Winchester Carbine. It retains the Lawrence Ladder rear sight and the Saddle ring. The Eastern Mdl. 94 had a Buck Horn rear sight and no Saddle Ring. These are a favorite with collectors.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/602393157

 

[Malamute]

[QUOTE="Sergei Mosin, post: 10422250, member: 167711 This is my great-grandfather's Model 94.

I've never fired it myself; too scared it might get damaged.
[/QUOTE]

Why do you think it would hurt it to shoot it? Is it really loose?

 

[Dog Soldier]

Malamute, I understand his reluctance to shoot his treasured rifle. I inherited a pristine Japanese "Papa" Nambu Pistol. It remained in my safe for over 20 years. Then one day I had to shoot it. I did it was cleaned and returned to the safe. It is safe, I am satisfied.

 

[Malamute]

I confess not to understand it. Its a shooter grade gun that looks to be if decent condition. It takes an awful lot to actually wear one out, and then I doubt if could hurt to shoot it, just be hard on brass if the action was worn and stretched from truckloads of ammo through it. I have an extremely well worn (read terribly abused) ranch gun from Az. Its one of my favorites after replacing a few parts that were damaged or used up (like the magazine spring worn through in two places and spliced back together with sewing thread, it still worked).

 

[Dog Soldier]

I had a Mdl. 94 .25-35 SRC. It had the "T" over Mill Iron Brand in the Butt stock. Why I ever sold that rifle I don't know. I knew the history of the rifle and the "Puncher" who owned it.

 

[Sergei Mosin]

I'm reluctant to shoot it because it's a family heirloom. I'm sure it's perfectly safe to shoot, but if I got a bad round and blew it up I'd never forgive myself. I guess I could load up some light rounds for it if I ever start handloading, but...they aren't making 95-year-old guns that go back a few generations in my family any more, you know?

 

[Dog Soldier]

S Mosin, I actually had that happen. My great grand father's fine old English Dbl. barrel was kept in the attic. My father was very fond of the old shotgun. Dad always cautioned me to never shoot the old "Wire Twist" gun.
We had some geese landing near the house one day. I grabed the old shotgun and dropped 2 High Base Remingtons in the chambers. When I fired it the left barrel was blown off and the firing pin was blown out. I survived with some small wounds. But my father was devastated. I have always regretted that foolish thing I did.

 

[mstreddy]

... The receivers were black chromed. I have no idea as to why. What I do know is that it is impossible to re-blue a post 64 model 94. You can leave the barreled action in the tank all day and when it comes out the blue will wipe off with a rag. Winchester, to my knowledge, never said what alloy they were using or why they made these changes....

I'm by no means an expert but I have one of the 94s made in the mid 70s. It came with the metal and finish on the receiver that won't take a blueing. From what I understand, there is a serial number range that used that metal/process and you can't reblue them. You have to paint them or coat them. The metal is different on the barrels.
From what I have learned, Winchester went back to the normal metal and finish sometime in the late 70s, early 80s.
My 94 is in need of a refinish, and it's on my project list. I'm thinking of a duracoat type spray and bake finish.

 

[Malamute]

A Damascus barrel shotgun is an entirely different animal than a Winchester rifle barrel. Its not really a good example to relate regarding shooting or not of a 94 in decent shape. My old beater was a 1927 gun. Once I got it cleaned, I went right out and shot it. Its never missed a beat. I don't think it had been cleaned in any way in 50 years. Seriously.

The receivers of some of the post 64s were black chromed, mostly the commemoratives I believe. Most were iron plated, then the iron was blued. They can be blued, but usually turned purpleish. Some gunsmiths worked out ways to blue them, some ran the tanks hotter, and I believe there were different bluing salts that were supposed to work. One guy sanded his then was able to cold blue it. From the pictures it turned out decent, though cold blue (the commercial quicky stuff, not real cold rust blue) isn't as durable as regular hot salts blue.

 

[Dog Soldier]

Malamute, There was no comparison intended as to barrels. I only extended my hand to Mosin. I have been faced by a similar consternation. This was not about cold steel. It was more about understanding.

 

[SwampWolf]

I think the popularity of the 32 WS and 30-30 rounds has more to do with the popularity of handy little rifles that have been made to fire them...principally the model 94.

I think you're exactly right. I've always believed that the enduring popularity of the Model 94 has everything to do with how handy it carries in the woods and how quick it comes to the shooter's eye and relatively little to do with the cartridge it was chambered in-be it the .30-30 or the .32 Special.