Hello. I recently detail stripped a 1972 Winchester 94 30-30. This bluing was completely gone, so I wanted to re blue. I marked all the parts and screws. I also drew a diagram of where they all went. My problem is when I went to reinstall the two internal rails that the bolt is guided on, I noticed the right rail has a slight curve. Every time I attempt to install this rail it curves and pivots on the assembly screw. I can not get this rail to sit close enough to the receiver for the bolt to slide on. The bolt keeps hitting this rail because of the curve. I fired the gun and know it was working before I took it apart. My question is this piece suppose to have a curve? And if so, what am I doing wrong. Thank for any help you can provide.
Winchester 94 rail
- Thread starter DASHMAN77
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I believe the parts you are talking about are the cartridge guides. They dont guide the bolt.
I'm not able to be of much help. Its generally suggested to never ever take them out, as they can be very difficult to get back in tightly and without coming loose.
Your guide may be bent somehow. Did you have to dig or pry it out?
I'm not able to be of much help. Its generally suggested to never ever take them out, as they can be very difficult to get back in tightly and without coming loose.
Your guide may be bent somehow. Did you have to dig or pry it out?
No they fell out when I in screwed them. I only took them out because the inside was rusty and the whole gun needed TLC. I do believe we are talking about the same parts. The bolt itself is cut to guide over them. The left one went in no problem. It was the right one with its curve I wasn't sure about. I work at a gun store and was advised not to detail strip it. Our "gunsmith" took one apart years ago and said That you need 3 hands to reassemble. If the rail is simply difficult to reinstall I will keep working on it. I just wanted to make sure the previous owner didn't damage it. If you saw the condition of this rifle you would wonder too. Thank you for the input.
As you've discovered, there isnt much about a 94 thats very difficult, other than the cartridge guides can be tempermental. Many guns were reblued with them in place, its one of the tells of a refinish. The older ones had the screws on the inside of the guides (think about that!). The rounded tips of the screws showed on the outside, if they were flattened off, the gun was reblued.
If the screw is snug and the guide still moves/twists/rocks, it may in fact be bent. You may have to flatten it to get it to lay in the receiver correctly.
I dont have any out of a gun to compare. I only took them out once, in a similar vintage gun as yours. It was after that I heard it was generally advised to leave them in place. I lucked out, mine went back in without trouble.
If the screw is snug and the guide still moves/twists/rocks, it may in fact be bent. You may have to flatten it to get it to lay in the receiver correctly.
I dont have any out of a gun to compare. I only took them out once, in a similar vintage gun as yours. It was after that I heard it was generally advised to leave them in place. I lucked out, mine went back in without trouble.
Yea I inspected a pre 64 and saw the screws inside the receiver. Almost wish that had been the case with mine cause I wouldn't have messed with that! Upon visual inspection of the pre 64, the guides appear straight but the photos I took of mine before I took it apart make it appear that the rails are not curved as well. We have another post 64 in the shop but I'm reluctant to take the rail out in fear I will encounter the same problem. I'll keep digging and see what I can find out. Patients I think is the key to this problem. Thank you for your help.
rangervoss
Member
I took an '82 apart and reblued awhile back but I don't remember having too much difficulty. I've found that if it needs "three" hands I usually put just a dab of axle greese on the part and she stays put. Now to wander off the subject, how did the receiver come out? I had to gun kote mine
entropy
Member
Live and learn; I'd replace the guide, bet the new one pops right in. Just another reason to like pre '64s all the more!
The Brownell's Kinks books are invalauble in such situations.
The Brownell's Kinks books are invalauble in such situations.
If you were going to take the other guide out to compare, I'd suggest just buying another guide.
In general, if they are tight, theres not much good reason to ever take the guides out. The gun can be cleaned quite adequetely without taking it apart at all, though even when taking the bolt and other parts out, theres no reason to take the guides out. Even rebluing them, most of the older gunsmiths didnt take them out.
I rehabbed a 1920's 94. I truly dont think it had ever been detail stripped, and not cleaned in 50 or 60 years of rather hard use. The action felt like it was full of sludge or mud, though it still functioned fine. Most of the finish was long gone, and the wood looked like it had been used to hit rocks out of the ballpark with. I stripped it down and left it in carb cleaner a few weeks then put it back together. It operated very crisply (and still does 25 or 30 years later). I never took the guides out.
Milkmaster
Member
I once bought a model 94 that was non functional. The owner before me had disassembled the rifle for cleaning. Afterwards he could not get it running, declared it a POS, and promptly sold the rifle to me for 50 bucks. Knowing the model 94 historically works well, I proceeded home and began investigating. The guy had reinstalled the cartridge guides left and right backwards. It took me a while and a few cussing sessions, but was easy to fix when I figured out what had happened. You can look at some videos on youtube as well. They have some good examples of folks installing those two pieces. It took me a few minutes to correctly identify which was left and right, but the rifle went together and cycled flawlessly when I finished. Seems like I remember one side is slightly thicker than the other. I think I used the parts break down drawing to identify which guide was left and right. Good Luck!
Catpop
Member
I used to remove them all the time to complete clean. Never had a problem getting them out or in. Hum?
Never remember them being curved. Hum?
Good luck, Catpop
Never remember them being curved. Hum?
Good luck, Catpop
The original rail was bent. We had a complete parts kit for a post 64 in the back. I replaced the rails and all went smooth. I have no idea how the previous owner managed to bend the rail and have the gun work perfect. There should be a law against idiots and kitchen table gun smithing! 
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