Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Reline Winchester Model 94 .30 WCF

I have an old Model 94 in .30 WCF that has to be charitable a very bad bore. I am in process of cleaning it. Currently, I can hit a 10" gong with it offhand everytime at 50 yards (haven't tried any further),using factory ammo.

In fact, it it sitting on the kitchen table as I type, with the 5th or 6th load of foaming cleaner soaking.

After I finish cleaning the barrel, I will shoot it again to see if it's accurate enough to hunt with at the intended .30 WCF distances.

If I cannot get it to shoot acceptably, is it possible to reline to barrel to .30 WCF ?

This is a weapon that will never be sold, as it is a family heirloom.

While relining is feasible it may be more cost effective to locate a used barrel for your rifle. Try an ad in the classified section here, be sure to mention the serial # of your rifle in your ad.

Or, one could see about having it bored out to a different caliber. I would think opening it up to 32 Special or 38/55 should be possible.

Rebore to 38-55. I had JES do A old 94 for me, could not be more happy with the rifle. Turn around time was fast and work was under 300.00 dollars.

I had a 1906 Marlin 94 relined that was in 38-40 chambering. Total cost was about $400 + shipping. I'd clean it up and if it doesn't shoot,find one for about that price and keep the old one for a wall hanger since it is an heirloom

I too would re-barrel it, and keep the original barrel with the gun for posterity.

I'm in the same boat. I have my Dad's Model 92 in 44-40.

Barrel is smoothbore but the rifle is priceless to the family.

Recommend a good 'smith for a re-barrel?

Thanks.

Given the heirloom factor - I would look at a re-line - mostly to keep the original markings.

Several good options given above... my thoughts are colored by the fact I have had more than a few similar firearms; family guns, but "accuracy issues" and expensive fixes beyond the value of the gun. Rebores are cheaper than rebarrels, but more iffy... rebores require marring original stamping.

I have several different guns I had a twist applied to with mostly very good results...

Rebore and get a chamber adapter... or skip the rebore all together

http://www.mcace.com/adapters.htm

Not the ideal, but dirt cheap and it keeps the lead flying...

Redmans in Omak, WA used to install liners in low pressure applications like 30-30, 25-35, 32-40 and such. Drilled out the rifling, soldered in the liner. Leaves the barrel markings intact as the caliber doesn't change.

I used John Walsh in WA. Last time I contacted him though,he was booked for a year

Buy a box of the 160 gr hornady leverevolution ammo and shoot it off a bench and bags at 50yds for groups comparing it to other loads, see if ya can get it "zeroed" about an inch high at 50 and then shoot it off hand.
I shot 4 different types of factory loads in my marlin 36g .30-30, the hornady is tack driving stuff.
I would spend 50-75 bucks on different ammo and do some shooting on a bench at 50 yds with it, before spending alot more. Jmo.....
Might surprise ya and save alot of money.

Thanks, this rifle is pre-1900, apparently. My research indicates that used barrels are a bit pricey, but I have not really looked very hard yet. I suppose a later model (but still pre-64) barrel might still work, need to do more research.

Thanks, I will keep that open as an option. It looked to me like relining is cheaper, in general, than re-boring. But I need to do more research.

I don't want to get into the details of the situation, but the preference is to keep it as a shooter of useable accuracy. I'll take it to the range this weekend and see what it can do.

It still works, amazingly enough, but obviously has been well used, as in carried in a saddle scabbard.

Yeah, I looked at his website. I did not see anything about relining a .30 WCF barrel back to .30 WCF. In fact, of the several gunmsiths I could find who do tha sort of work, none mentined .30 WCF to .30 WCF.

Hence my question if it's even possible.

Thanks, I'm going to do just that. Like I said, Remington green and yellow 150 grain, and one old box of WW 170 Powerpoints all smacked the gong everytime at 50, so I'm hopeful it will shoot well enough to be usable.

I loaded up 50 rounds of a mid-range load using Speer 150 gr. flatpoints this weekend, b ut didn't make it to the range.

We will see what happens this weekend, for sure.
With my eyes (trifocals), "zeroed" with open sights is debatable, LOL. I'll have my 12 year old help, he sees like a hawk.

Thanks everybody who responded.

I have a 1902 win 94 in 32 win special same problem. Barrel shot out. In the day to make a shooter out of them they rebored and chambered them to 35-30. I haven't found anybody who will do a reline to 32 special. for one thing no liners. The 32 win special is a .321 bore. In your case a reline would keep the rifle correct to markings and petina.

And yet another question:
The rear sight had half of one side broken off, and it looks like somebody (not me, Lol) filed down the high side to match.

I can't find a source for an original type sight (if the one on it is even original). It's not a semi-buckhorn, and the font sight is a blade pinned into a block that appears to be soldered (I'm assuming) to the barrel. So the rear sight is a straight up vertical notch in the rear blade.

I can tell that at least one screw (in the front barrel band) has been replaced with one that is too long, and there are a couple of wood putty filled spots on the stock next to the receiver near the tang, and on the forearm.

All that to show this isn't a pristine collectors item.