Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Winchester M94 Trapper Range Report - PHOTOS

For those who may be interested, here�s a range report on a Winchester Model 94 Trapper.

I recently had the opportunity to purchase a Trapper chambered in .30-30 Winchester. I�d had one once, traded it away and had long regretted that rash move. I wanted another.

Winchester began offering the modern Model 94 Trapper with its ultra-short 16-inch barrel in 1980, and made it available almost continuously until 2006. While the Trapper never was as popular as the standard Winchester Model 94 with its longer 20-inch barrel, the compact Trapper nevertheless enjoyed a solid following with those who prized an especially light and handy rifle.

The Trapper I recently purchased is an early one. It was made in 1981. It features top ejection and no exterior safety. As you know, later Winchester Model 94s sported angle ejection and either a receiver or a tang safety.

My new Winchester Model 94 Trapper is exactly what I was looking for � a sound, reliable, used Trapper with a bit of character.



This gun came out of south Texas. It�s hunt-worn and the receiver is polished and browned by time, much carry and by plenty of brush-country deer hunts.



Buying a used rifle, especially one that�s nearly 30 years old, is always a bit of a crap shoot. You never quite know what you�re going to end up with. I simply hoped for a rifle that still shot well. As it turned out, I was not disappointed.

I�ve now made a number of trips to the range with my new/old Trapper. But before I fired the first shot, I changed its sights.

Winchester equipped the Model 94 Trapper with conventional iron sights. Those sights work well, but I personally prefer a hunting�oriented peep sight on such rifles. Making the switch was easy. Using a delrin drift pin, I tapped the factory rear sight out of the rifle�s dovetail rear-sight mount. Then I filled that barrel dovetail with a Lyman Slot Blank. Next, I installed a Williams FP Receiver sight. This is a superb rear sight, conveniently adjustable and rugged. My M94 Trapper was factory drilled and tapped for this sight. I�ve used the Williams FP rear sight on a variety of other lever-action rifles and have always liked it. I left the plain, factory-standard upright front post as is. Also note the rifle�s rather romantic saddle ring.



There are two reasons why I prefer the Williams FP sight on the Winchester Model 94 Trapper. First, the use of a receiver sight dramatically increases the sighting radius of the Trapper. With the factory rear sight in place, the sighting radius of the Trapper � with its compact 16-inch barrel - is just a shade over 10 inches. By changing to the Williams receiver sight, the sight radius jumps up to almost 19 inches. That a huge increase. A longer sight radius makes for more precise aiming.

Second, I find it easier to shoot well with a quality peep sight than I do with a conventional-blade rear sight. That�s me, YMMV. For me, a good peep sight seems somehow more comfortable to shoot. A lot has been written about how to shoot a hunting peep sight, and usually the writer rambles on about how the rifle�s front bead or post �naturally� centers itself in the circle of the rear peep. I won�t go that far in my description. While the front sight does, for me, tend to seek the brightest part of the circular peep (the center), I still must be VERY deliberate and careful to get it exactly centered. In doing so, I work hard to establish a firm and precise relationship between the front and the rear sight. Only once that relationship is accomplished, do I then actually begin aiming the rifle. It�s hardly a natural process, but it works for me.

When shooting any iron-sight system, I keep both of my eyes open, and I try very hard to relax and trust the sight picture. That sight picture is nowhere near at clear or as precise as with a good rifle scope. Often, the front bead or post appears to cover a good bit of the target at any distance over about 75 yards. That occurs even though I often sight my iron-sighted rifles in using a 6 o�clock hold. With this Trapper, for example, I�ve sighted things in so that the spot I want to hit at 100 yards appears to sit right on top of the post front sight, which is centered in the peep. At fifty yards, I aim the same way but expect the bullet to hit two inches high.

Shooting my new/used Trapper proved quite the experience. Recoil is what I would describe as snappy. There is a bit of muzzle lift at the shot, I suppose because of the short, light barrel. The trigger breaks cleanly for a lever-action rifle, probably due to a fair amount of use. Accuracy, thankfully, proved surprisingly good with the right ammunition.

To date, I�ve experimented with four factory loads for this rifle. From a good bench, those loads tested out as follows. These figures are the average of repeated three 3-shot groups fired at 50 yards on a sunny day with little wind.

Federal 150-grain Soft Point - 1.62 inches
Winchester 150-grain Silvertip - 1.37 inches

Federal 170-grain Soft Point - 3.50 inches
Winchester 170-grain Power Point - 1.12 inches



After that testing, I selected the 170-grain Winchester Power Point load and moved back to 100 yards. At that distance, five 3-shot groups averaged 2.37 inches. To be honest, that�s about a good as I�ve ever been able to shoot with iron sights at that distance. This Trapper shoots!

The other thing I did was shoot each of the tested loads through a chronograph and record the results. I wasn�t really sure how much affect the abbreviated 16-inch barrel on my Trapper would have on bullet velocity. Here are the results. These figures are the averages of 4-shot strings with my 16-inch-barrel Trapper on a 45-degree day.

Federal 150-grain Soft Point: 2,218 fps (this load is advertised by the factory at 2390 fps with 24� barrel)
Winchester 150-grain Silvertip: 2,162 fps (this load advertised by the factory at 2390 fps with 24� barrel)

Federal 170-grain Soft Point: 2,020 fps (this load is advertised by the factory at 2200 fps with 24� barrel)
Winchester 170-grain Power Point: 2,002 fps (the load is advertised by the factory at 2200 fps with 24� barrel)

I believe I�m going to like this Winchester Model 94 Trapper. It measures barely 34 inches from end to end and weighs just 5 pounds 15 ounces. And, it shoots with reliable and pleasing accuracy.

There is something quite special about the Winchester Model 94 Trapper. The truth is that it�s easy to wax poetic about the romance of firearms of this type. Maybe it shows that I�ve been drinking the lever-action Kool-Aid of late, but the following sort of photos seem awfully easy � and fun - to set up. Let me know if you enjoy them.

Does anyone else have a Winchester Model 94 Trapper, and how does it shoot?





[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/TimberlineX/WinchesterM94TrapperI073.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/TimberlineX/WinchesterM94TrapperI072.jpg[/img]

Good pics, wish I still had my Trapper. Took the head off a grouse at 75 yards with it.

Timberline, although I don't own a Trapper (or any lever-gun with a barrel shorter than 20"), I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your post and the great pictures. Thanks for posting - this kind of post is what makes me enjoy the 24 Hour Campfire so much. Odessa

Very nice pics. Love the plum-brown that's starting to show on the receiver.

.

Good post, Timberline

You have discovered some of the great features of the Trapper. One reason that the Trapper works so well with the aperture sights is that the factory front sight is good as is. Most Model 94's have a BEAD front sight except for the Trappers and Wranglers which have a POST front sight. Sometimes I paint the back of the front sight post white for quicker sight acquisition.

One other thing that aids in accuracy is the barrel band screw tension. My trappers (and carbines) shoot better with the band screws just snug , not tight.

You are seeing good accuracy from you Trapper and I think that you sight system is the best thing short of a scope. Scopes are difficult to mount on the top eject guns so if you decide that a scope is in order just buy another Trapper in Angle Eject style. Mounting a scope on the AE model is simple, but it adds too much bulk and defeats the purpose of the short light Trapper models.

Enjoy your trapper. Oh yes, Your Trapper is a true Winchester and one of the last Winchester, after July 1981 they were made by US Repeating Arms under licenses from Olin Corp.

.

I have a pre-safety saddle ring model in 44 mag under the bed.
With heavy hardcast (300-320 gr)bullets it's a comforting carbine for hiking & prospecting in Alaskan bear country.
Of course my 450 Marlin Guide gun is too...
Trappers are sweet.

I have a ca.1978 .30-30 Trapper, and love it to death.

I don't believe in shooting "groups" with such guns, though.

Once sighted-in, I only take one shot each, on 10"x 15" cardboard ovals, cut from the side of boxes to simulate game's vital zone, and placed out at random distances between 10 and 125 yards.

About 80% are hit very close to center, with 97% getting hit somewhere in the oval.
That's "game accurate" enough, for me - although YMMV, of course.

I set mine up wth a fine FO front & Lyman peep.(I also peeped the Henry, after this pic was taken)



.

Great pics!!

I've got one like that myself and it is also a good shooter. From a bench at 100 yards I can get a 2+ inch group with the factory sights and 170 grain Remington factory loads. I'm more than happy with that kind of accuracy.

I've also got a .44mag angle-eject Trapper. It currently has a Williams reciever sight mounted on it. I don't care for that sight myself and wish I had the factory barrel mounted sight for it. Anyone have a factory sight they want to trade out? I guess I'm just use to a semi-buckhorn when I throw a lever-gun to the shoulder.

Nice...Gotta love them trappers. Many trappers up here still use them because you can stow them easily on a snowmachine.

very nice rifle. Great pics as well.

I love my trappers too! I put a "One ragged hole" rear sight blade on it and love it more than the rear peep. The rear peep touches my hand and the rifle doesn't feel the same as it does without it. The trapper with Hornady Lever Evlution ammo is the perfect "hunters" rifle. It shoots noticibly flatter and more accurately. Try 'em.

Good post Timberline. I too had a Trapper once. Traded in back in the 80's for a Ruger Redhawk. Should have kept the Trapper! Someday when the frenzy stops I'll buy another...

A very nice read for sure!! Thanks for that!!! After selling and horse trading and giving up a couple Trappers i was sure glad to find one again this past summer. Managed to buy a 1978 vintage. Top eject with no safety's. Real nice little unit. Have already had two offers to trade straight across for a Win 94 pre 64.

As for the Leverlution ammo, the levergun purist in me just can bring myself to push those suckers into the loading gate!!! I am not sold on it. Call me old fashioned i guess.

HA! I feel the same way about it! My big, heavy, flat-nosed Keith bullets work just fine in the forty-four. And I've never seen the need for anything other than a 170 grain soft point in the thirty-thirty.

Hello gentlemen, new to the forum and have used this to do research on the 94 I wanted to purchase. Purchased a henry 22 for my son and wanted to get a lever. Just found a 94ae made in 2004. Has a very nice checkered walnut stock with ramp, hooded front sights. Is this a special model for the late model 94's as I have only been able to find dovetail sights and walnut stained birtch stocks. Would include a pic if I knew how.

...Can a WranglerII guy jump in? I've got a WranglerII in 38/55 made in 1984. It sports beautiful semi-fancy American walnut, beautifully checkered and engraved on both sides of the reciever with cowboy scenes, a saddle ring and angle eject with no added safety (just the original half cock hammer). This little gun I've mounted a vintage El Paso Weaver K-1 scope on. Shoot both eyes open, it mimics a super sized peep sight!...It groups factory load Winchester ammo (pretty anemic stuff) into 2" three shot groups off the bench, and Imperial 38/55 loads (much better punch) about the same. I wish I knew how to put up photos, the gun is really a pretty piece.

...For the Winchester 94 guys, How does the Trapper differ from my WranglerII? .... saddle ring,AND?

Is your Wrangler II outfitted witha 16.5" barrel??

....I think it is 16".I'll dig it out of the safe in the AM and make sure.

......I checked , it is a 16" barrel...A number of these saddle ring models were made in 32 Winchester as well..

found this old thread, thought I'd bump it^^^^^^

Dober

.

Thanks Dober, it's fun to read this thread again. I hope you are enjoying you Trapper, they are a bunch of fun. John Barsness has a favorite load that works very well in my Trappers and Carbines. About 42 grains of Reloder 15 with a 170 grain bullet. I use LaserCast bullets for cast bullet shooting. With cast bullets a 165 to 170 gr. cast with GC, over 10 grains of Unique works great. Velocity is about 1650 fps from a 20" barrel and just slightly slower from the 16" barrel.

.