Lost & Dyin' Breed--Model 94 find

[Cosmoline]

I've been on the hunt for a pre-safety Win '94 with a short barrel to make it more packable. But where the city was full of them two years ago, I couldn't find any recently for a reasonable price. So when I saw one yesterday at a yard sale for $250 I snatched it up post haste. It turns out it's one of the very very last Win 94's made by Winchester itself. The SN of 49716XX puts the date in 1981, which is the same year USRAC bought out Winchester and just before they introduced the new '94 design with a rebounding hammer and other changes. It's in mint condition. I've put my express sights on it and can't wait to see how it shoots. Probably not as accurate as the long barrel Canadian I just sold, but hey you can't have it all. It's the perfect size for a home defense carbine.

 

[whm1974]

It's the perfect size for a home defense carbine.

30-30 WCF is way too powerful for home defence in the city. Even 357 mag will give close to rifle performence.

For rual areas, maybe. But remember a rifle bullet will travel up to three miles downrange.

-Bill

 

[mattw]

look at his location...: Location: Spenard, Alaska.

He doesn't have to worry about over penetration.

 

[Cosmoline]

But remember a rifle bullet will travel up to three miles downrange.

And penetrate fifty houses and suck people out onto the street and knock tanks over.

Properly loaded, the .30-30 poses far LESS of an overpenetration risk than a handgun bullet. Because the projectiles are going so much faster, they can be made to expand fully and fall apart quickly on impact with wood or even sheetrock. A slower moving handgun slug will actually penetrate light barriers intact much better. Certainly nothing in a house or small office building is strong enough to stop a typical handgun slug. This is one reason a slow moving handgun bullet will go far in water where as a rifle round will blow up.

Also, the chance of getting a solid hit with a carbine is orders of magnitude higher than with a short gun. Those of you who think you're bound to hit the bad guy in your room with your short gun are dreaming and have seen too many movies. It's VERY difficult, and even the best shooters will often miss several times. Every handgun bullet that misses will by definition overpenetrate. Better to roll those dice less with a carbine or shotgun.

 

[AVESguy]

Bet that sucker would be LOUD if you lit one off in the house.

 

[longeyes]

Can you still find the short-barrel Ranger models? (Cheaper Trapper?) I used to see those at Big 5. I too like the idea of a 16"-barrel .30-30 as a general purpose self-defense weapon.

 

[Cosmoline]

The 16" models from Winchester and Marlin are hard to come by at least in these parts. I know they're said to be too short, but folks seem to hold onto them pretty tightly.

 

[coyotero]

Nice rifle everyone should have a couple of 94's like that.
To bad they are no more.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Better test it thoroughly Cosmoline. That Model 94 doesn't shoot too fast. When it comes out of the factory, you know that.

 

[nyresq]

And penetrate fifty houses and suck people out onto the street and knock tanks over.

wow.... does the army know about this??? maybe the replacement for the M-4 could get winchester making them again for a govt contract...


seriously the forend looks like it has some real pretty grain in it. nice grab...

 

[Onmilo]

I'm thinking that in Spenard Alaska you may not be in great risk of a home invasion unles it involves a hungry bear and in that case I would want something more substantial than a .357 magnum rifle.

Anyway that pretty rifle also gets me thinking that I might need another .30/30,,,,

 

[Cosmoline]

I take it you've never been to Spenard