.45 Schofield in Winchester Model 94 AE .45 Cal

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

I have two questions concerning a Model 94 AE:

1.) I have a chance to buy this rifle at a great price. How do you feel about a Model 94 as an entry level SASS competition rifle?
As one SASS friend put it, for the first year or so the challenges I encounter will not be with the rifle, but me *S*.

2.) On a very old post, a member remarked that he had used .45 Schofield in this rifle with no problems.  If I could shoot the Schofield .45 ammo in both my pistols and rifle it would make my life simpler, less expensive and save stress on all the weapons.

Has anyone ever used the .45 Schofield in a Model 94AE set up for .45 cal?

Thanks!

[Pettifogger]

To be right up front, the Model 94 is probably the worst SASS rifle you can buy.  It's clunky, can't be smoothed up very well, and is finicky for ammo.  If you get it to work well with regular .45 that would be good.  Getting it to work reliably with .45 Schofield would be a minor miracle.  The Model 94 was designed for rifle ammo.  (.30-30, .32 Special, .25-35, etc.)  It was simply not designed for pistol length shells and its performance is very spotty.  As a beginner, the last thing you want to do is struggle with a crummy rifle.  Do yourself a favor and buy something designed for pistol length ammo.  Stress on the weapon has nothing to do with .45 Schofield vs. regular .45 Colt since SASS ammo is loaded pretty light.  Sure, someone will probably post they have been using one for years and it is a fine gun.  But, people that successfully use a 94 for SASS are a VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, small minority.


P.S.  It's a great price for a reason.

[Sagebrush Burns]

A number of years ago I had a M-94AE in 45 Colt and used Schofields in it for some some time.  The only real issue I encountered was that if I worked the lever too vigerously (how do I spell that?) it would kick the round out instead of feed it.  If you can get it at "a great price" it will likely be an OK starter rifle.  As Pettifogger says it is not the best choice for CAS, but anything else will be more expensive.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Well, it's a good thing I didn't read the posts until it was a done deal ... got a 'gunsmithed' Model 94 in .45 Colt and and a 26.5 inch barreled Baikal Coach gun for a total of $550. So now I have all the weapons needed to compete. True, neither of these are sterling weapons, but it gives me time to wait for that Model 97 Codymatic to be done and shipped to me. Coyote Cap is also making me a Model 87 lever action shotgun, so these new purchases will get me going until the new stuff gets here.  And, at the price it was purchased, I think I can pass on the Model 04 and Baikal to another beginner without too much loss .....

Speaking of the Baikal, I have been practicing with dummie loads. The shells slide right out and over my shoulder when the gun it tipped, but once the release lever is open the hinge is stiff and will sometimes close. I understand that I can use something like a fine jewelers rouge or valve lapping compound on the shotgun.

But do I just put the goop in the hinge and cycle the action open and close. If so, for how many cycles?

Thanks in advance for your assistance and support.....

I just thought of something ... using positive thinking, if the Model 94 ends up to be as bad as everyone says, it is gonna really make me like the Codymatic when it arrives!

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I just ran accross this in an old post on Winchester 94s; In the discussion, the author discusses how to improve a Model 94. The example he used was his own weapon, a Trapper Model 94 in .45 Colt.

http://www.time-slice.com/mohave.gambler/favorites/LeverGuns/Winchester94.htm

[Skinny Preacher 66418]

I started with that same rifle. It never gave me feeding or jamming problems. The 45 LC will give you better results than the schofield rounds. I later changed to an Uberti 73 in 38-40 for looks and to have a cleaner running rifle when using BP (the bottle neck case seals the chamber and keeps BP gunk out of the action.

I'd say the Henry Big Boy is worse for CAS than the Win 94 .45, but that is just me.

Mount you a scope on there, load up some Buffalo Bore ammo, and you got a good pig sticker.