"Ruger Only" 45lc loads out of a Winchester 94?
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Cosmoline
Member
I tried it for a while years back, but I kept getting terrible gas blowback from the Winchester so I stopped. I don't think the receiver on the Win '94AE is nearly as strong as the frame of a Ruger revolver.
Wil Terry
Member
THAT '94 WINCHESTER IS MADE TO SHOOT 30/30 AMMUNITION AT 40,000PSI.
The 45 Colt load you mention is NO where near the pressure of the good ol' 30/30.
To the fellow who mentioned having a " blowback " problem with a '94 in 45Colt I would hazard a guess it was a gun problem as opposed to a cartridge problem. Or the loads were not warm enough for the cartridge case to seal the chamber via obturation....Hmmm....you still have that rifle?
The 45 Colt load you mention is NO where near the pressure of the good ol' 30/30.
To the fellow who mentioned having a " blowback " problem with a '94 in 45Colt I would hazard a guess it was a gun problem as opposed to a cartridge problem. Or the loads were not warm enough for the cartridge case to seal the chamber via obturation....Hmmm....you still have that rifle?
I agree with Wil and in fact I have shot loads designed only for my Vaquero out of my '94AE. The one factor that might make the '94 chambered for 45 Colt a little less strong than one chambered for a 30-30 is chamber wall thickness. It's going to be around 7/100ths thinner. That's not much.
One other factor, but not one concerning strength is the OAL of the 300 grain bullet/case combo. The '94 will be a little less tolerant of longer rounds than will the revolver.
Your load of 21 grains of H110 (or W296) is on the light side for that particular powder. And it is a relatively slow powder at that. So I think you'll be perfectly safe giving it a try.
One other factor, but not one concerning strength is the OAL of the 300 grain bullet/case combo. The '94 will be a little less tolerant of longer rounds than will the revolver.
Your load of 21 grains of H110 (or W296) is on the light side for that particular powder. And it is a relatively slow powder at that. So I think you'll be perfectly safe giving it a try.
redneck2
Member
I have an article (I think by Paco at http://www.sixgunner.com) It's exactly what you're looking for. I'll try to find it tomorrow (Thanksgiving Day).
Talks about different rifle brands and the pressure and loads they'll take. Gives loads, the whole works.
FWIW...Rossi puts the 454 Cassull in a lever so some of them will take stout loads
Talks about different rifle brands and the pressure and loads they'll take. Gives loads, the whole works.
FWIW...Rossi puts the 454 Cassull in a lever so some of them will take stout loads
Desert Dog
Member
In a nutshell, what Paco says, is that if it will shoot safely in the Ruger SA, it will be fine in a Winchester 94.
I have one of those Rossi 454's, and it WILL shoot extremely heavy .45 Colt loads.... loads I wouldn't even think of shooting in the Ruger...
It is my favorite fun to shoot gun....
Mike
I have one of those Rossi 454's, and it WILL shoot extremely heavy .45 Colt loads.... loads I wouldn't even think of shooting in the Ruger...
It is my favorite fun to shoot gun....Mike
Cosmoline
Member
Indeed, mine was a POS, so that may be the problem. Suffice it to say that was the only rifle I have ever destroyed rather than resell, it was so poorly made. Aside from the gas blowback it shot 15 full inches to the right at fifty yards (!!) out of the box. It also jammed constantly. I had to tweak the front sight way over to get it to hit the paper, and once I had the local Winchester authorized repair shop claimed I'd voided the warranty and would not fix it without a major charge. That was the last modern Winchester I ever owned, and I have no interest in getting another. Marlin simply makes a far better product, and the slight savings you get for a Winchester isn't worth it. In fact, IMHO they shouldn't even be allowed to call today's garbage a "Winchester." Every rifle they make is an insult to that name.
But I digress
But I digress
stellarpod
Member
Isn't the Rossi you guys are referring to a Model 1892 clone, rather than a '94? If so, it's not really an apples-to-apples comparison as the mechanism is entirely different.
That being said, I'm not suggesting that the '94 isn't up to the task.
stellarpod
That being said, I'm not suggesting that the '94 isn't up to the task.
stellarpod
bogie
Member
It's about pressure, folks. If the thing can handle a .30-30, then it can handle a hot .45.
Clark
Member
According to Ackley, the 94's weakness is not bolt thrust, but chamber splitting.
I don't completley agree with this*, but if one does, then one has to consider that the chamber inside diameter of the 30-30 is only .420", while the inside diameter of the 45Colt is .480".
The formula for hoop stress penalizes the 45 for having a larger inside diameter AND for having thinner walls.
That kind of failure splits lengthwise and not a circular break.
* From my seat of the pants, the bolt thrust on the 94 may not become a primary failure, but headspace might increase.
FireInTheHole
Member
What about a '94 in .357 mag? How much hotter a round can that thing tolerate?
Cosmoline
Member
Maybe we can agree that *ideally* the best platform for a carbine is the '92, not the '94. The '94 was made for the .30-30 and similar cartridges. Not for pistol cartridges.
LIProgun
Member
FWIW, I asked USRAC essentially the same question here, i.e., whether the Winchester 94 in .45 Colt was safe with Ruger-level handloads, and hot commercial loads like those from Buffalo Bore, Cor-Bon, etc. The answer they gave me was that it was safe to shoot both kinds of ammo.
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