Winchester 94 .44 Magnum?

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Anyone here ever have any experience with the Model 94's Winchester made in the late 60's in .44 Magnum?

 

Yes, I know the 94 is not a "good gun" for our game, but these are intriguing to me. They are, as far as I know, the first time Winchester made the 94 for a pistol caliber cartridge, and since they are pre-83's they don't have any of the horrible modern features that I so loathe. I think one might make a nice addition to the collection, even if it's only really good for target shooting or maybe hunting.

[Griff]

Yes. They, like other lever guns don't like wide meplat SWCs. I think they kick harder than the same model in .30-30. Mine was plenty accurate, but not as good handling as I'd have liked. Certainly collectible if you find one in good shape with box, tags etc. IMO, the mdl 92 is a far better .44Mag rifle.

 

I bought mine while overseas in the Navy... sure made nice holes in jettisoned fuel tanks when we were on North SAR off the coast of NVN. Another guy had ordered it, but failed to pay off the balance... cost me $39.95! I kept it in the ship's armory while I was stationed aboard. It was stolen about a year after I got out...

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I really dont agree it kicks harder then a 30/30 lol.

But its a Long Slow action .

 

A great hunting and plinking rifle.

I have owned several over the years .

I keep getting rid of them because the long action is a pain in the butt.

 

Then one will come along at a price I cant say No too.

We have a love hate relationship lol.

Good gun for anything but cowboy action shooting .

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Anyone here ever have any experience with the Model 94's Winchester made in the late 60's in .44 Magnum?

 

Yes, I know the 94 is not a "good gun" for our game, but these are intriguing to me. They are, as far as I know, the first time Winchester made the 94 for a pistol caliber cartridge, and since they are pre-83's they don't have any of the horrible modern features that I so loathe. I think one might make a nice addition to the collection, even if it's only really good for target shooting lr maybe hunting.

I had one and let it get away from me. I still want it back 40 years later. It was a pre-angle eject and dead-on reliable, a great performing carbine, and attractive, accurate, and a great brush gun.

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

I have a "couple" of the early 44mag 94s.

As a matter of fact, one of them was the first rifle for I used for cowboy action.

They work "ok" for slow deliberate work like the reason I originally purchased it for, (whitetail deer in Michigan).

Quickly learned that it was not the ticket for our game.

I collect pre 64 94 Winchesters, but I have a soft spot for the pre angle eject 44s. They are about the only post 64 Winchesters that I make an effort to pick up when I find nice specimens'.

[Warden Callaway]

Marlin also chambered their 336 in 44 Magnum.

[Pat Riot]

Rooster, I would rather shoot a 30-30 Win. 94 with a factory hunting load than I would a .44 Mag Win 94 factory loaded gun. I did a comparison and the .44 Mag had a harder "perceived" kick.

 

Griff is right about Seme Wsd Cutters. They also do not like round nosed bullets. RNFP and factory loads that have a flat "point" are okay.

 

By the way, the later models that have that scary intimidating safety and the dreaded angle eject work just fine too ;-)

 

That last line was just me being me.

 

Oh yeah, they can be sensitive to OAL on your cartridges. I have found that loads that are at the specified OAL max may sometimes get hung up when cycling the action. Just a few thousandths shorter and they work fine.

 

You can try .44 Specials in the gun but just know if you go to short on OAL you may gat misfeeds. Some will tell you when that happens to change the Link. Yes, that will help with short cartridges for a while but at some point that little nub on the end of the link will wear just enough that the problem will come back. THE CURE: cartridges with an OAL at .44 Magnum dimensions.

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

Had one and it was ok.

Marlin is drilled and tapped for scope mount.

AS we get older scopes get more useful.....

Best

CR

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Rooster, I would rather shoot a 30-30 Win. 94 with a factory hunting load than I would a .44 Mag Win 94 factory loaded gun. I did a comparison and the .44 Mag had a harder "perceived" kick.

Griff is right about Seme Wsd Cutters. They also do not like round nosed bullets. RNFP and factory loads that have a flat "point" are okay.

By the way, the later models that have that scary intimidating safety and the dreaded angle eject work just fine too ;-)

That last line was just me being me.

Oh yeah, they can be sensitive to OAL on your cartridges. I have found that loads that are at the specified OAL max may sometimes get hung up when cycling the action. Just a few thousandths shorter and they work fine.

You can try .44 Specials in the gun but just know if you go to short on OAL you may gat misfeeds. Some will tell you when that happens to change the Link. Yes, that will help with short cartridges for a while but at some point that little nub on the end of the link will wear just enough that the problem will come back. THE CURE: cartridges with an OAL at .44 Magnum dimensions.

I still disagree.

I have owned and shot many .

 

Its just a 44 mag is a 44 mag (240 hits at 1760fps)

And a 30/30 is a 30/30 .(170 hits a 2200fps)

So with higher muzzle velocity and average bullet weights

the 30/30 should kick slightly harder .

So how is it that a 44mag kicking harder in a 94 .

Then a Marlin , 92 or 73 .

 

I understand the weight of the gun will make a difference a little.

But to say a 44 Mag in the same gun kicks harder then a 30/30 ?

I just cant see it .

 

Any ways they are great little rifles.

They will work for cowboy shooting.

But there are much better choices.

[Attica Jack #23953]

I started out cowboy shooting with a 44 mag. 94, I really liked the gun, but they are not the gun for our sport. As I got a little faster shooting the 94, I found that if I worked the lever too fast/hard with the design of the gun, I would have live ammo ejected out though the top...not good. Switched to a Marlin for the last 18 years flawless. I did have the lifter repaired this year, had the Marlin groove in it.

[Dapper Dynamite Dick]

Virtually everyone has a horror story about 1 firearms they have owned

 

In '94 I found a Winchester Wrangler in .44 Magnum, shades of John Wayne that large loop lever was kewl. Little did I know that within 2 years I would start shooting Cowboy Action. I did some testing and found a real accurate load of 7.2 grains of Unique pushing a 240 grain LSWC as an accurate load.

 

Within 20 rds the pot metal feed ramp broke, off for warranty work. 8 months later I got the rifle back. After every 50 rds the rear sight elevator would fall off, so we installed a Williams rear sight. Shooting after 50 rds all the screws in the receiver came loose, so I bought some Locktite. After 1,500 rds the tubular magazine springs gave up the ghost, off to Wolff Gunsprings. After this the Lever Link broke, 3 months and 5 nasty letters later Winchester told me they would sell me the part but void the warranty, unless I sent it to their warranty center again

 

That was the last straw, I found a sucker to buy the Winchester and bought a Marlin M1894S,

after 8,000 rds it broke a firing pin. I love Marlin quality in those days.

 

P.S. My Wrangler was 1 of 4 Wranglers in town that had the same problems. The best Winchester I have ever owned in .44 Magnum was a 1906 manufactured Winchester Model 92 that was converted to .44 mag in the early '60's

[Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129]

1895S not 1897S.....

 

 

Wake up ole Man ...

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

[Doc McCoy, SASS #8381]

Howdy UK,

I started this game in '95 using a '94 Centennial Wrangler in 44 mag. So this is not quite what you asked about. But that 16" bbl and big loop lever were fun back then. We played a different game back in that day, it was slower paced, so the 94 worked just fine. The action was stiff and very long, even accounting for the big loop lever. The feel was very much like any 94 .30-30 so I had no problems with it. Eventually I got an original 92 in 38/40 to replace it and sold the 94. Too bad. It would still be a cool gun for those fun shoots.

[Pat Riot]

I still disagree.

I have owned and shot many .

 

Its just a 44 mag is a 44 mag (240 hits at 1760fps)

And a 30/30 is a 30/30 .(170 hits a 2200fps)

So with higher muzzle velocity and average bullet weights

the 30/30 should kick slightly harder .

So how is it that a 44mag kicking harder in a 94 .

Then a Marlin , 92 or 73 .

 

I understand the weight of the gun will make a difference a little.

But to say a 44 Mag in the same gun kicks harder then a 30/30 ?

I just cant see it .

 

Any ways they are great little rifles.

They will work for cowboy shooting.

But there are much better choices.

Rooster I know what you mean but I swear it seems like the .44 Mag kicks me harder than the 30-30. I can't explain it. That's why I said "perceived kick". By the numbers logic would say the 30-30 had more kick, like you pointed out. I tried this with carbines so I would say the weight of the rifles was similar.

[loosehammer]

I have a Puma 44 mag 1892 in stainless steel, 24" octagonal barrel. Have had absolutely no problems with it shooting 44 mag or 44 Special. I also have a Marlin 1894P ... with a 16" ported barrel and recoil pad. Both of them kick like a mule with 44 mag. With its steel butt plate, the Puma actually hurts for a week after 50 rounds of 44 mag at the range. Both are very accurate, no problem bouncing a pop can around @ 100 yards with either of them.

https://www.slickguns.com/product/rossi-r92-lever-action-44-mag-24-barrel-12-rnds-569

[Dapper Dynamite Dick]

1895S not 1897S.....

 

 

Wake up ole Man ...

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

1894S

[Griff]

I still disagree.

I have owned and shot many .

 

Its just a 44 mag is a 44 mag (240 hits at 1760fps)

And a 30/30 is a 30/30 .(170 hits a 2200fps)

So with higher muzzle velocity and average bullet weights

the 30/30 should kick slightly harder .

So how is it that a 44mag kicking harder in a 94 .

Then a Marlin , 92 or 73 .

 

I understand the weight of the gun will make a difference a little.

But to say a 44 Mag in the same gun kicks harder then a 30/30 ?

I just cant see it .

 

Any ways they are great little rifles.

They will work for cowboy shooting.

But there are much better choices.

Yes, the operative word is "perceived"... theoretically, they are the same dimensionally, but... on the scientific side, the magnum primer, faster burning powder and greater inert weight of the projectile will impart a more rapid impulse to the slightly lighter weight of the gun. The same barrel profile in both models has more weight removed by a .427/.428 bore vs a .307/.308. Variances in wood density between specific examples can offset this, but... the fact remains that the faster pistol powder in a magnum loads pushing against a heavier projectile changes the impulse of the recoil. The 44M gets that heavier projectile moving in less time than the lighter bullet in the .30-30... Although, yes, ultimately the .30-30 is going faster when it exits the barrel, it's due in part to the longer burning time of the powder, which results in a slower rearward thrust. I don't doubt that the .30-30 may actually provide more thrust than the 44Magnum, but the feel of it is different... seems to be spread over a longer period of time... again, that's just my perception. And fully agree that to others, it could be just the opposite... no justification necessary.

 

Oh yea, if you're 170s are hitting 2200 in a 20" carbine, that may be all the difference... as none of the factory load 170s I've shot in any of my .30-30s have EVER hit 2200fps... Even in 26" barreled rifles. My 150gr handloads do, but even factory 150s rarely actually hit 2200fps... (Actual reading on my chronograph out of my guns, not their claimed fps).

[Cowboy Junky]

As a LONG time hunter I bought a 94 Marlin 18" in 44 Mag. I set up for hogs and put a 4X Leupold M8 on it for a brush gun. I bought some factory 300 grain bullets and it will FLAT get your attention. I have never shoot it side by side with other rifles but I have shot a TON of rifles in many many calibers and that lil' 44 was an attention getter.......maybe because you aren't expecting it?

[loosehammer]

Here is my Marlin 1894P 44 mag.  It has the scope mounted in heavy-duty military grade quick-detach mounts, and it has a ported 16" barrel and a nice rubber recoil pad.  Even with the added weight of the scope and the ported barrel and the recoil pad, it flat GETS YOUR ATTENTION and if you don't have it pulled in TIGHT it will HURT you.  It is also dead-nuts accurate @ 100 yards ... can plug pop cans all day long at that distance standing.  This is my preferred "assault rifle".

 

[Nimble Fingers SASS# 25439]

I too had a Centennial 84-94 like Doc McCoy and it was my first. And I also had a 94 XTR in .30-30 and there is no way that the .44 shot harder than the .30-30, but then again that's me. I sold mine to purchase a pair of the 1860 2nd gen Cavalry pistols and while it was my first I still have my JW in .32-40!  But I wouldn't mind another XTR in .30-30, especially with the "carved" stock and forearm, a beautiful rifle. 

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

4 hours ago, loosehammer said:

Here is my Marlin 1894P 44 mag.  It has the scope mounted in heavy-duty military grade quick-detach mounts, and it has a ported 16" barrel and a nice rubber recoil pad.  Even with the added weight of the scope and the ported barrel and the recoil pad, it flat GETS YOUR ATTENTION and if you don't have it pulled in TIGHT it will HURT you.  It is also dead-nuts accurate @ 100 yards ... can plug pop cans all day long at that distance standing.  This is my preferred "assault rifle".

 

Im ashamed of you Cowboy !

Scopes dont belong on a Lever Gun !

 

But then again 

Men dont belong in the Women's rest room ether .

Strange times we live in !

Just sayin

Rooster

[Church Key, SASS # 33713]

I've had two Winchester .44 94's. They were not good for CAS as a long throw, coupled with a possible short stroke caused a cartridge feed into the action, which jammed up the gun. Required a screwdriver to disassemble and clear. Sold them both and bought a .44 Marlin. Still use it in BP matches. The Winchesters were good-looking critters though.

[Jimmy Reb, SASS #54804]

15 hours ago, Rooster Ron Wayne said:

Im ashamed of you Cowboy !

Scopes dont belong on a Lever Gun .

 

Rooster

Sure they do. Have two 1895 marlin 45-70, 1 has scope. Have Browning BLR .308-has scope. not 20 anymore.

[M.T Chambers, SASS#76185]

44 Mag= 240gr x 1760fps = 422.4 Power Factor

30-30 = 170gr x 2200fps =   374 Power Factor    Using RRW's figures.

I have both and agree with Pat Riot that the Mag seems to have more recoil.

 

MTC

[Trailrider #896]

I've never owned a M94, period.  But I recall when the first of these came out in .44 Magnum, a lot of the people shooting them had jamming problems. The action was in tended for .30-30 length cartridges. I guess a lot of people either got them working or went to Marling 336's. I had one of those in .44 Magnum, but went to Rossi M65 and Cougar in .44-40 and .44 Magnum respectively, which I still shoot, depending on what ammo I have loaded. No problems with jamming on either.

[loosehammer]

On ‎6‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 2:00 PM, Rooster Ron Wayne said:

Scopes dont belong on a Lever Gun !

 

Well, go hide behind a car at 100 yards out, shoot at me and stick your head up. 

With those mounts I can have that scope off in about 3 seconds.  And put it back on and it holds zero.  Also, it gathers light very well, it has to be pitch black out before it isn't better than the iron sights.