Winchester 94 Feed Issue

[MadKap]

I was lucky to receive a Winchester 94 in 30-30 from my Uncle a few months ago. It's an old gun but I got a chance to shoot and it worked fine... except for the mag tube.

I can't load more than one round in the tube. This is what happens:



So the round cannot actually load into the tube, the rim is catching on the outside.

Here's a pic with no rounds:



I took out the tube spring and follower to see if that was the problem, but the round still wouldn't fit. I wonder if it's that little piece of metal on the bottom there.

I can load that one round and then have one in the chamber, and it shoots just fine. Put 15 rounds through it.

Anyways, any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rcmodel]

???
It looks to me like your case rims are all worn out!

It is normal for rims to hang a little when loading them, but not to get all those cuts & scratches on them.

That "little piece of metal" at the bottom on the lifter is the shell stop. Don't mess with it.

There does appear to be a sharp knife-edge bur sticking off of the top right edge of the magazine hole right above the follower though.
That should not be there if it really is. I can't tell for sure from the photo.

I'd fix the bur, then try some new ammo with case rims that aren't all chewed up and see what happens.

rc

 

[MadKap]

I think the shell stop is the problem though. Is it supposed to be able to be pushed down when a shell is passing over it? I wish it were just a burr, or bad ammo, but the wear on the ammo is from trying to load it. I've tried core-lokt, leverevolution and another brand as well, none fit.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, be that as it may, I for sure would not cut anything off of it, as it no doubt worked at one point when it left the factory.



EDITED & ADDED: Wait a minute!!!!
You aren't trying to load it with the lever down / action open are you??
That right there puts the shell stop on the lever link up in the way like it is in your picture.

It is down out of the way with the action closed so you can load it..



Here is an Owners Manual:
http://media.winchesterguns.com/pdf/om/m94pre92.pdf

rc

 

[MadKap]

Gaaa!

Evidently, I have the IQ of a bag of bricks.

Closed the rifle, put the hammer at half cock. It loads just fine. I'm having trouble getting more than four rounds in the tube, but that's probably just that the gun is over fifty years old (1966).

Thank you very much for your help, it's my first time using a lever gun.

 

[rcmodel]

Well O.K. then!

Don't feel too bad.

I should have figured that out right from the get-go myself just from your picture.

Sometimes I can't see the forest for the trees trying to diagnose gun problems on the internet!!!!

rc

 

[rcmodel]

I'm having trouble getting more than four rounds in the tube,

Well let's figure this out too while we are at it.

I'm assuming you have a 20" carbine that should hold 6 rounds in the tube and 1 in the chamber = 7 rounds.

It could be possible the rifle was used in a state that has a 5-round limit for deer hunting?

If so, the tube may have a dowel rod "plug" in it to limit the capacity to 4 + 1.

If you shake the rifle, does something rattle back and forth in the tube?
(Or did you see anything like that in there when you took the spring & follower out??)

If it does, it shouldn't.

rc