Win. 94 AE carrier problem

[yul b. nekst]

I've just started shooting BP out of my 45 Colt Win 94. I haven't had this problem with my smokeless cartridges and was wondering if/how the BP is doing it. What's happening is the carrier stays up when I eject a shell and the next shell from the magazine is sprung under it, completely jamming the lever. I don't believe it's caused by fouling. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem with the Win 94?

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Nekst,

It sounds like that carrier has some crud where it swings from.  The 45 Colt cartridge is notorious for blowback fouling in the receiver.  Try giving it a thorough bath and blow it out good with compressed air.  I use Moosemilk, a mix of 1 part Ballistol and 10 parts water, to do the bath and cleaning chores.  This concoction will leave enough lube behind after you blow everything out and air dry the gun that you may not need any additional lube.

I used to have a similar problem with my Browning 92 and I found that there's a stop where the tube enters the receiver that got crudded up and rounds could get past it and go under the lifter.  When that happened the gun quit running.  I'd have to take the South end off of the magazine tube, dump out the spring and follower and all the rounds.  I'd spray some Moosemilk in the offending area  and then, I could reload and usually be ok.  I'm getting less blowback than Colt 45s do.  I shoot 44 Magnums, so it isn't a question of the brass being thinner.  Could be your lifter ain't goin' down cuz the round is already under it rather than the other way around.

When you're loading, watch your OAL.  If the gun runs good with factory stuff, use that OAL.  But, it doesn't sound like you have an overall length problem so much as some fouling stopping up the lifter.

Good luck,

DD-DLoS

[Oregon Bill]

Can't say if its the fouling, but a friend and I had identical 94s in .45 Colt and the carriers in both broke at the same place. There's just something about the carrier design to handle the larger .45 Colt case and rim that makes it trouble-prone.

[yul b. nekst]

Well, I had some time this weekend to try and figure out why my ol'94 was rackin' poorly. And, as I suspected it was NOT the cleanliness issue. In fact that rifle is easier to clean after a BP session than when I shot my old Unique loads. In fact., I had more blowback issues with both gun and dirtier brass from Unique. Anyway, there's this teeny-tiny screw above the loading gate. And it keeps the thingamabob in place when it's tight. Of course when it's loose, this doohicky swings out a little underneath the carrier, preventing fired shell extraction while allowing the magazine to release the next shell, whereby, and wherefore it jams between the carrier and the lever! I breeched gun ownership rule #1-KEEP THOSE SCREWS TIGHT! I'm spoiled. Again, by using BP I haven't had to tighten a whole lot of screws on my revolvers, or rifles. It seems that the Unique, and I'm not knockin' Unique, it's one of the original smokeyless propellants used in the 45 Colt, created more banging wear and tear on my stuff than BP which has a different kind of boom! For what it's worth. You know, as I write this, I just realized that I never shot my 94 with BP! This was the first time it had seen something other than Unique, and now I know why that screw was loose!

[Dick Dastardly]

A loose rail screw on my Browning 92s will jam them up quick.  Had it happen.  Now I check them each time I clean the guns.

DD-DLoS