Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General 1975 Winchester Model 94

Just purchased my first 94. Have a Marlin 336, and found the 94 in a pawn shop.
1975 Model, clean as a whistle, no big dings, no rust, no worn blueing of any consequence and a great looking bore.

Have been shooting it, and really, really am enjoying the gun.... Now I see why people say the 94 is so easy to handle. It really is easy to point and keep on target.

Added a williams peep and red firesight front bead.... Now my old eyes are happy.

Am planning on taking it out on my 2020 deer hunt and living a little history.

I'm a happy camper and doing alot of reloads with it and it is easy to dial in minute-of-deer with every bullet I've tried so far.

Nice find. Every man should have at least one Winchester 94.

Couldn’t agree with you more now that I’m familiar with the 94.
It’s got a permanent home with me!

If I could have only one rifle, it would a 94 Winchester in 30-30. You've got yourself a gem there.

This. And congrats to the OP.

which one is easier to lever and pump our rounds? 94 or 336?

I think they are equal in how fast it is to lever rounds, and they both don't miss a shell.... very dependable.

For me personally, though, the 94 definitely stays closer to target while levering than my 336, and will be a much faster follow-up shot, if I need one, for that reason.
(my sight target through the peep stays more "on target" with the 94 than the 336 when levering another round)

I'm sure that this would be different for different people and their habits and methods of operation.

I haven't shot a '94 but from what I can see of videos of people shooting them is they seem to need a very deliberate effort to close the bolt/lever at the very last of the stroke, this is what puts the locking block in place. from videos I have seen this looks a bit more clunky of a process than how the 336 runs. can anyone confirm this? I only have a 336, but I do like the trimmer lines of the winchester 94.

Old Crab, nice find. Pretty hard to beat a Mod 94 for ease of use. Light, handy, whats not to like. Do like mine.

Nice score indeed Sir.
I recently found a 94 that dates mid 80's after being without one for a few years.
I agree, everyone should own a 94.

This one goes every year and usually draws blood. It's been doing that since 1970 except for a gap that had me going off on Uncle Sam-sponsored trips. Williams FP, Ashley post are the sighting changes I made.

Very nice Vic.

Looks like a "twin" to mine!

Thanks for posting the great picture.

Started out life as a 1966 antique maple stocked full tube in rough cosmetic shape
I acquired in a AKM I sold a guy .
We realized we knew each other from a range we both go to over the phone
He gave me it when he bought the AKM from me, he had seen several of my completed gun projects at the range
said here ya go , I know you will do something with it. It was a project he abandoned 6 or 7 yrs prior.
Totally unexpected...... Gave him a man hugg.
Excellent bore and action.
Found a 1970 for its black walnut , all exposed blued screws, mag tube plug ,nicklel follower, mag tube spring, loading gate, and its later version carrier.
Did parts flip flop , sold off the 1970 and
basically got all parts I needed for 35 bucks.
Got it graphite black cerracoated
after all my modification work was done.
Complete tear down, in depth cleaning, and polishing of action parts.
Modified front sight post into a blade type with jewelers file work.
Left the lever and hammer original for some contrast.
Shoots 1.5 " @ 100yds off bench and bags with leverevolution 160gr.
Ain't killed nothing yet with it.
Maybe this fall.
My modern version of the old eastern carbines from the early 20th century.
1st 94 I have ever owned in my life.
Some grandkid or Son in law will get it someday.

Nice, I like the half-mag.

It's a 3 plus 1
When I initially cut it .
4 plus 1 didnt look right to my eye in its lenght.
And I trimmed the forearm beyond the band by about 2/3rds.

Tru oil made this black walnut take a reddish tone overall.
Done dozens over the years .
Never had a result like this.
Actually like it, unusual from the norm.
Almost like a mahogany in a way.


If I cant kill a deer with 4 shots, i dont belong out in the woods.

If ya polish a 94,s action it can be as smooth as a well broken in or polished marlin 336.

You will still feel all the 94,s articulation points in working the action
The lever assembly drops on the hinge plate.
The marlin dont.
After polishing both triggers on a 94 and a marlin 36g with 2000 grit and maintaining the geometry
The 94 wins, it breaks like glass at around 3 pds.
The marlin about 4.5 pd break like glass.
Neither trigger has any creep or grittyness/drag.
Both are just right their ready to go.



Handling
94 wins
Same dimensions
Just seems better balanced and easy to carry to me.
But it is also all personal preference too.

I would take either presafety 94 or 336.


I would not kick any pre safety marlin down the road.
I sold mine to slumlord with the intent of getting a presafety 444s in the next year.



A marlin doesn't have a dropping hinge and lever assembly or a verticle locking block either, hence the less felt action articulations in it when you work it.

A marlin action is much much more simple and easier to break down for cleaning.
But a Winchester also has a 1 peice floating firing pin that is easy to remove and replace and the marlin has a 2 peice Springed and pinned firing pin.
The marlin is a smoother and less complicated action wise at least to me.

Post 64 94,s top ejects have stamped or cast carriers.
Get a cast late model improved carrier for them.
Or get online and buy a milled post 64 aftermarket one.
The stamped carriers are kinda weak and bend or break .
They also wear badly on the back of them by the retaining screw and cause dragging in the
Action. Unless you break down the gun you wont see the issue.
Kinda like a ticking time bomb waiting.
Pre 64,s had milled carriers with no issues.



You just gotta work a 94 with a quick fliudness. And not slowly.
And you can crank out rounds just as fast and comfortably as a marlin.

Either way the 94 and 336 are excellent rifles.

All JMO.

I really like the reddish and rich color the stock took.
You did a great job on this rifle.
Bravo.
:-)

I have several of both and I would agree that the Winchester cycle is not as smooth. Also, the 94s' relatively loose levers are famous for rattling when being carried. But, no rifle carries as well as a Winchester 94. It just plain feels good when you walk with your hand wrapped around the receiver. It is, in my view, handier than the Marlin. Either rifle shoots accurately but I've had Marlins shoot sub MOA. I've never done that with a Winchester 94.

T.S.

Accuracy
My 36g was a 1 moa gun off a bench and bags with a .050 aperture
My 94 is a 1.5 " gun same conditions and same aperture

Both with 160 leverevolution

Slumlord is gonna put a scope on that 36g .
Might be a clover leaf gun with a scope.

I wish I had taken a picture of the wear on the back side of the stamped carrier before I replaced it with the other one.

It does cause alot of drag in the lock up of a post 64 top eject when they get bad.