Winchester 94 ?????

[Jake Stoner]

Howdy all,
    Looking at a Winchester Model 94AE carbine in .45 colt. Is she decent for CAS? Like new, not a mark on it. I don't need a new match rifle, but hate to pass up a deal.  Anyone out there use one of these?
Jake

[Micheal Fortune]

Well Jake there are a few pards out there that just love there 94Win.

Generally though the gun was made for the 30-30 smokeless round and it has too many moving parts and the stroke is too long to ever make it much of a competitor.

You are much better off with Marlin 94cb, this was designed in the late 19th. Century for pistol rounds, or a Winchester 66, 73 clone.

If you really want to shoot a Win94ae in .45colt for fun you can borrow the one I have had just sitting in the closet for over a year now.

[Mustang Gregg]

Maybe an M-1894 COULD be worked into a nice CAS rifle, but I ain't seen one that we really could take a likin' to.  They just have too much mechanism goin' on when cycled when chambered for a revolver round.  They are much better in a .30-30 or .32 WCF.

I usta have a real nice one in .44 Mag.  I recollect it was a 1971 or 1972 model.  It worked short rounds flawlessly.  An' awful smooth too, really.   I usta play "Rifleman" down by the river, really lettin' go & shootin' fast!  Hoever, I ain't never seen one of the new USRA AE models work quite so well.

I would recommend a M-1892 (looks real close) for your revolver-ammo-sized CAS shootin'.  At times there are some Mirouku-built "Winchesters" available. 

Mustang Gregg
(Ya gotta love them Winchesters!)

[Jake Stoner]

Thanks for the replies Pards,
     I have a Marlin 94 Cowboy that I've been using since 1999. Its never given me one bit of trouble, love that rifle. Not looking to replace it, just thought the price for the Winnie was pretty good. ( $ 300 ) 
Thanks again,
Jake   

[I Ben Robbed]

I have a Winchester Model 94AE that I use as my main match gun.  It is in .45LC, and it gives me no problems whatsoever. 

That said, I'm used to the 94 action because I've owned one in .30-30 for years (although its an old one and not the AE, it still has the same "throw").  You have to be firm with it, there's no halfway with the Winchester.  You gotta work that lever like you mean it.  Also, I've had pards try to feed their personal loads through it and have it jam up on em.  It's VERY round-length specific.  As long as I'm shooting off the shelf cowboy rounds or my own loads, it works fine.  If the length is just a little off, it wont feed.  Nature of the beast.  Since it feeds what I give it, and I'm used to the aciton, it works fine for me as a main match weapon.  Since thats not what you want it for, I say go for it.  You'll have to experiment on what length yours likes, but once you do its a nice gun to shoot.

[BlaiseNSaddles]

I use a Whinchester 94 also.  A little trapper that is still my only main match rifle. 
It is not fast but I have found it to be accurate.
I have put through .45 S&W (Schofields) with no problem.

I am still looking to replace it and hoping to see the Taurus Thunderbolt at some point (hey - my budget is limited)