My First Winchester 94 30-30

[SmeeAgain]

My first Winchester Model 94 30-30 was a trade for something relatively worthless. So trivial in fact I can't even remember what it was.
The guy I got it from insisted there was something wrong with his rifle.
I checked it throughly from end to end and even shot it several times. I couldn't find the slightest flaw.
I tried my best to convince him it was fine but he wanted nothing to do with it so I traded & got a very nice rifle... almost for free.
A few weeks later he asked me how I liked it. Told him it was great & offered to give it back.
Then he finally told me what was wrong... His entire reason for buying it was so he could fire it like Chuck Conners on The Rifleman TV show... it wouldn't cycle fast enough no matter how hard he tried AND it kicked like a mule!
After getting over the initial shock, I asked if he was serious and his response was... "try it, you'll see!"
I couldn't even laugh. I tried to explain that I didn't know what caliber The Rifleman was using, but it certainly wasn't a 30-30!
It looked more like a pistol cartridge... he fires it multiple times, hip shooting, with virtually no recoil. Then reaches in his shirt pocket & pulls out a handful of tiny cartridges to reload.
Now forget the colossal difference in recoil, just the length of a 30-30 cartridge takes time to cycle!
He still insisted there was some other defect.
Some people just shouldn't own guns.

 

[e rex]

Always wanted a Model 94. You are a lucky man!

 

[SunnySlopes]

 

[rust collector]

Hollywood strikes again! The show featured a model 92, and there were a few other factors at work: https://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/looplever-rifle-history-the-riflemans-carbine/392242

At least Lucas McCain had 44-40s in his belt. Josh Randall, who carried the cut down model 92 mare's leg, is usually seen with 30-30s in his belt.

 

[MedWheeler]

Blanks don't produce much recoil.

Now forget the colossal difference in recoil, just the length of a 30-30 cartridge takes time to cycle!

I would imagine. I should put my Henry .22 and my 94 up against each other in a lever-cycle test. Anyone got any .30-30 dummy rounds?

I paid $250 for my 94 maybe three years ago, as part of a $500 two-gun impulse purchase, the other gun being a Star Super B pistol. The Winchester is a bit worn, but still appears pretty solid. I've been through it pretty good, but admittedly haven't fired it yet (the Star looks almost unissued.)

 

[lightman]

Cool story! I hope you enjoy it.

I killed my first deer with a 94 Winchester in 30-30. Dad gave me mine when I was pretty young. Its a pre 64.

 

[Buzznrose]

Cool story! I hope you enjoy it.

I killed my first deer with a 94 Winchester in 30-30. Dad gave me mine when I was pretty young. Its a pre 64.

I killed a few deer in Montana with a borrowed M94 30-30 from a friend back in the late 80’s. I always wanted my own.

Finally bought one a couple months ago, a 1971 model. I paid $550 for it. I put some rounds through it. It’s a pretty good shooter.

 

[bigmike45]

The first rifle, other than my pellet gun, I ever shot, beginning at the age of 12 was a Winchester Model 94 in 30-30 my Dad had bought. I hunted with it until I was 18, when I bought my first bolt action with a scope. My Dad gave me that Winchester later in life and I hunted with it on a regular basis. I started having problems with it not firing and took it to a local gunsmith and he replaced the firing pin which he claimed was out of spec for the length. I was working for a company as a Production Supervisor and my night Manager was out on an injury so I was filling in for him, when I picked up the rifle from the gunsmith. I put it in the gun case and stored it behind the seat of my truck because I could not get back home to put it in the safe and get back to work in time. That night our parking lot was robbed and all the cars were broke into. There were 38 cars and trucks and every one had some damage due to the break in. In my truck they stole my high end stereo, and I guess while looking for the speakers I had behind the seat they found my rifle. I was heartbroken but the hardest part was telling my Dad. The reason that rifle was so special was it was, per the S/N, manufactured the same year I was born. It was a pre-64 model. I gave the LEO's the S/N but it was never found. On my 50th birthday, my two grown sons presented me with another Winchester Model 94 in 30-30 they had found that was in like new shape. It was not a pre-64 model but it has brought back many memories of my older gun and hunting with my Dad.

 

[SmeeAgain]

I've had both pre & post '64 and other than very minor changes, didn't notice any significant differences between the two. They both did what they were supposed to do.
Granted the quality couldn't compete with a Henry but it was never intended to.
Anyway someone PLEASE explain why "pre-64" is better?

 

[Speedo66]

I've had both pre & post '64 and other than very minor changes, didn't notice any significant differences between the two. They both did what they were supposed to do.
Granted the quality couldn't compete with a Henry but it was never intended to.
Anyway someone PLEASE explain why "pre-64" is better?

I know the Winchester Model 70's were changed in '64 to reduce production costs, and there are significant differences between pre and post '64.

I'm not knowledgeable enough about their lever actions to know if there were differences, but when you talk Winchesters, people always prefer pre '64.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Hollywood strikes again! ... Josh Randall, who carried the cut down model 92 mare's leg, is usually seen with 30-30s in his belt.

Hollywood gave Josh .45-70 cartridges in his belt loop!

 

[SmeeAgain]

I know the Winchester Model 70's were changed in '64 to reduce production costs, and there are significant differences between pre and post '64.

I'm not knowledgeable enough about their lever actions to know if there were differences, but when you talk Winchesters, people always prefer pre '64.

I never bothered to compare them side by side. I know some external screws are relocated.
I also know they won't repair them. That's odd.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

... Anyway someone PLEASE explain why "pre-64" is better?

I had a post-64 Winchester 1894. The cost cutters had replaced the forged and machined steel cartridge lifter with a stamped sheet metal piece. I traded it in for a Marlin. Winchester sold a lot of Marlins by cheapening the 1894.

 

[22250Rem]

Very interesting story from the OP. Sometimes it's amazing why people think that their gun "isn't right". Also; I'd like to give a thank you to rust collector for that link. It was fascinating to check out the story behind the Chuck Connors gun which (almost) everyone knew was one of those specially modified Hollywood TV & movie guns.

 

[SmeeAgain]

Really? That's pathetic. People bought those... by the millions because of their reputation. Then to "bait & switch" to save a few cents per rifle was just stupid.
Tripping over dollars to save pennies. I'll bet they lost MUCH more than they ever saved over that.
As for the Marlin, I never liked the overall look of it but I always felt the quality was better.

 

[wgp]

Bought my pre-64 model 94 several years ago in a pawn shop. I already had a Marlin .30-30 and told the clerk I preferred the Winchester but wasn't sure why. He replied, "Because John Wayne never said, break out some Marlins, boys". Good salesman, it worked.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

... His entire reason for buying it was so he could fire it like Chuck Conners on The Rifleman TV show... it wouldn't cycle fast enough no matter how hard he tried AND it kicked like a mule! After getting over the initial shock, I asked if he was serious and his response was... "try it, you'll see!" I couldn't even laugh. I tried to explain that I didn't know what caliber The Rifleman was using, but it certainly wasn't a 30-30! ...

The Rifleman used a .44-40 Winchester 1892 as the "hero" gun for close-ups and shooting scenes and a Spanish "El Tigre" replica (Spanish Civil War surplus) as the background gun for scenes where the gun was knocked about or thrown on the ground.

A Colt Single Action revolver and a Winchester 1873 or 1892 rifle both in .44-40 were considered a good choice for the well-armed.

 

[SmeeAgain]

Bought my pre-64 model 94 several years ago in a pawn shop. I already had a Marlin .30-30 and told the clerk I preferred the Winchester but wasn't sure why. He replied, "Because John Wayne never said, break out some Marlins, boys". Good salesman, it worked.

Classic! Someday the opportunity will arise when I can use that quote lol. I'm stealing it!

 

[wgp]

Classic! Someday the opportunity will arise when I can use that quote lol. I'm stealing it!

Too good to pass up, kind of like "Go ahead, make my day". Give credit to an unknown clerk at the Wooden Nickel pawnshop in Garden City, KS.

 

[rust collector]

It always struck me as ironic that the Winchester lever guns were made possible by the invention of Benjamin Tyler Henry. They were made by the New Haven Arms Company that later became known as the Winchester Repeating Arms Company with the advent of the 1866 model, leaving the Henry name behind. The current Henry line of firearms has no discernible link to Benjamin Tyler Henry, other than a resemblance to some of his designs. Even the newly produced "original Henry rifle" (made in New Jersey and/or Wisconsin) is chambered in a different round.

 

[czhen]

Really? That's pathetic. People bought those... by the millions because of their reputation. Then to "bait & switch" to save a few cents per rifle was just stupid.
Tripping over dollars to save pennies. I'll bet they lost MUCH more than they ever saved over that.
As for the Marlin, I never liked the overall look of it but I always felt the quality was better.

Winchester lever actions rifles were sold by millions before "The Rifleman" spread it over the TV (also worldwide).

 

[SmeeAgain]

Winchester lever actions rifles were sold by millions before "The Rifleman" spread it over the TV (also worldwide).

Funny thing about that show... McCain was supposed to be a rancher but I never saw anything ranch related other than his house & empty barn. He never had time for ranch work, he was too busy meddling in everyone else's business.

 

[Seedy Character]

The Rifleman takes place in New Mexico in 1888, with any 1892 rifle.

Nothing wrong there.

The old westerns were entertaining, still are
Historically accurate, not so much.

 

[Seedy Character]

Went on a deer hunt with 6 co-workers
1 had not hunted deer before. He goes do an and buys a Win 94 .30-30.

Opening morning and weather is perfect. Deer are moving and 4 of us are successful.
John comes dragging in around 10 am.
He sees them deer hanging and starts griping about that POS Winchester.
I finally get him to explain. " it is sounding like a war zone, all around him. He is seeing nothing.
Things quiet down. He figures everyone is headed to camp for breakfast. He sits a bit longer.

Then, a HUGE buck walks out, 40 yards away.
He shoots 7 times and the buck just stands and stares at him. He reaches for more ammo and the buck walks off.

Who wants this piece of crap? $50

I buy his rifle and he packs and goes home.

We start out to stands that afternoon. We are talking about hunting the "HUGE buck" he seen.

3 of us go by his stand. 7 UNFIRED cartridges are scattered around.

Apparently, he cam operate the lever very well. Just unable to pull the trigger.

Got back to work, told him, we laughed, he was even madder. Offered him the rifle back. He refused. Offered him a nicely sporterized mil-surp. He refused.

He quit the job and moved, soon after. Never heard from again.

 

[MacAR]

3 of us to by his stand. 7 UNFIRED cartridges are scattered around.

Apparently, he cam operate the lever very well. Just unable to pull the trigger.

I watched a friend of mine do the exact same thing once on a deer drive. It was rather funny, if I do say so myself. He didn't see the humor in it, though.

The first centerfire rifle I owned was an 1892 in 32-20; it didn't take me long to figure out that it wasn't much of a whitetail cartridge. After losing the rifle in an accident, I picked up a nice old 94 in 30-30. Kept it for quite a while and then swapped it off, I still kick myself for that one! My current 30-30 is a Marlin 336 circa 1974; nice, accurate gun but heavy for what it is. I'd be tempted to trade it for an 1894 if I could find one, the 94's are much lighter and handle better.

Mac