Action and trigger job for a Winn. 1894

[foxtrapper]

Who do you recommend for this work. Just picked up a 1977 vintage . Looks brand new but the action and trigger need work.

[foxtrapper]

I guess Terry is right

[Hobie]

I guess Terry is right

About what?

[Hobie]

Who do you recommend for this work. Just picked up a 1977 vintage . Looks brand new but the action and trigger need work.

How much have you shot it?

[J Miller]

A: Clean it real good and lube it properly.

B: Go shoot it - a lot.

C: Repeat A

D: Either hunt up a gunsmith familiar with the old style 94 action ( that's the hard part) or learn how to do your own sear work. Then polish everything that touches something in the lower tang. Polish the sear shelf and sear edge - polish only, do no remove any metal at this point then go repeat B.

E: After checking out your new lighter trigger pull you might need to reduce the depth of the sear shelf to reduce the creep. So, unless you are really mechanically adept, start looking the the lever gun gunsmith before you do anything to it.
There is a list of them on the Leverguns Home page.

That is basically how you do an action job on a 94. If the rifle is as new mechanically it will smooth up as you use it. No sense in spending money on having done that which will happen naturally.

Joe

[foxtrapper]

Thanks j miller this is my first Winny . I'm used to marlins where I'll cycle the action while watching the tube and install a WW trigger. This trigger feels like I'm pulling it through sand. Creep and heavy pull. Waiting for the gun to break in ,using thousands of rounds? Makes no sense where I can have the trigger worked on. I gave Ben Forkin a yell , waiting to hear back from him. To answer Hobie. I asked a lever gun question got one response pertaining to my question( thank you again Mr. Miller) .

[Nath]

real easy Done two.

You need some real fine small stones or a small flat file and wrap 800 wet and dry around it to polish/ slightly change the angle of the sear on the hammer.

Absolutly subtle amounts. Takes more time breaking down and rebuilding to try than actually polishing! Conservative is the key word/thought!

last one I did I had a consistant 1 1/3# trigger. On an AE! Might be about to do another!.

Nath.

[Griff]

Who do you recommend for this work. Just picked up a 1977 vintage . Looks brand new but the action and trigger need work.

How much have you shot it?

Aye, I don't recommend working on smoothing up a Winchester 94 action until you've at least shot a 100 or more rounds thru it. The following isn't directed at any one person, except someone that might not be familiar with the '94.

The Winchester 94 action is a different feeling action. Unlike other designs with a single pivot point, the Winchester 94 has two. It makes the lever feel like it has two stages to it, which in fact it does, the first, where the locking lug drops out from behind the bolt and the link descends from the frame; then, the 2nd where the bolt is thrown rearward. The mdl 1886 & 1892 are quite similar, but, with the point of rotation in the locking lugs, they seem smoother. Whereas the 94's rotation point is in the link and farther forward, it's change from down to forward motion of the lever is more pronounced. At least, in this shooter's opinion.

I don't know anyone that I trust more than myself to work on a Winchester 94. Especially when it comes to the trigger/hammer group. The one time I've used a recommened smith with a mdl 94, it came back way too light. I feel that somewhere between 3-4 lbs is perfect on a '94 with no "creep". I simply like them to break without any warning. Whether that's at 3 lbs or 4, it's of little consequence. In either a hunting or target situation, that allows me to concentrate on my sights and "squeeze"... no anticipation. And, no, I won't do someone else's.

Being that it is some 35 years old, yet used little, all the intervening years have taken a toll on metal expansion and contraction. Before shooting if for the first time, what'd I'd do, is dis-assemble the gun. Clean any remaining lube and gunk out of the action, inspect it for any signs of corrosion. Paying partictular attention to the inside of the magazine tube, spring, carrier return spring, and lower tang parts, including mainspring, trigger block safety, trigger, sear and hammer. While it's apart, check to see that the rear firing pin (in the locking lug) moves freely, as does the firing pin in the bolt. It may not be necessary to disassemble the bolt, but it could probably use some "gunk out" or carb cleaner sprayed thru it. Dry it thoroughly, (I like some compressed air), lube those points where metal rotates on metal with a VERY light coating of grease, and with a dry graphite lube where metal slides on metal. Remove any burrs found on the hammer, trigger, link, and locking lug; and then again in the lever slot where the link/leve pin rides and the frame slots where the locking lug and bolt ride.

When you re-assemble the gun, make sure all the screws in the receiver group are nice and snug, and I use a dab of "blue" loctite on the barrel band screws, but only snug them down to the point at which there's no in-ordinate pressure on the wood or metal. Those are the only two screws that I loctite in place.

Now, I'd fire about 10 rounds or so. Then check all the screws accessible to you in the receiver and make sure they're tight. Then I'd it some more. After about that 1st 100 rounds, I'd reassess whether any further work was really needed. If so, this would be the time that I'd look at that trigger group. If you want to improve the trigger, it is a good time to lightly polish the face of the sear. Note I said "POLISH". But only if you can do so without changing it's angle. It's not overly hard to get it off, but it is possible to polish the sear to remove any machining marks that might be in it's face. Clean the hammer and check for any burrs. I don't fool with the hammer, unless it looks really messed up. (I haven't found one that is unless the rest of the gun was abused).

[foxtrapper]

Thanks Nath and Griff! The action explanation answers some questions. I won't compare it to my marlins different animals! That trigger needs to be dealt with

[Nath]

Seriously , Griff is correct in saying polish the sear. After a few tries you will get the feel!!

Gently now!

N.

[Griff]

Thanks Nath and Griff! The action explanation answers some questions. I won't compare it to my marlins different animals! That trigger needs to be dealt with

Seriously, there's hardly any difference between a trigger that's at 4 lbs and one that's 2lb. You probably need a scale to tell the difference. In a handgun, I like nice light, crisp triggers, but in a rifle, give me between 3 & 4, and I'm a happy camper.

[foxtrapper]

I just youtubed the disassembly of the 94 86 parts or so. Seems straight forward enough, so I will give it a shot. The gent I bought the rifle from said there's about 50 rounds down the tube. Also have a Williams foolproof coming from Midway

[foxtrapper]

Rifle is on it's way to Reagan Nonneman He's very busy but he will fit this one in thanks to all. I finally went to the informative home page of this site and clicked on lever gunsmith( sometime I surprise myself ) and got his contact info

[Hagler]

foxtrapper,

This page may help you, too:

http://www.castbullet.com/misc/tdown.htm









Shawn

[foxtrapper]

Thank you Hagler