Flash of insperation or,,,,

[Nath]

I still ponder why the last 94 trapper I had shot a poor group no matter what I did to the loads.

I had a notion today that made me wonder what influence the actual lever has on the bolt when in battery on firing!

My experience with turn bolts shows a lack in performance when the bolt handle touches the stock and an improvement gained when the bolt handle is freed.

This is nothing new to the sharper minds amongst us but for me quite intriguing. I now wonder if the lever was fouling the bolt when closed slightly. I wonder now if I could of relieved it some more to test the theory.

Any thoughts anyone?

Nath.

[CEMENTHEAD]

Nath, I would look at the muzzle crown or magazine rings before the lever. Just a thought.

Tom

[J Miller]

Nath,

I kind of doubt it. The lever is connected to the bolt by a big pin. The lever is also connected to the link which is connected to the locking bolt which is in direct contact with the bolt. None of these parts are a really precise fit. I'd put my bets on it being a bad barrel or crown.

Joe

[Nath]

Men, I buy the bad barrel assumption because I did all the barrel mods and no change. OK but,,,

It shot very similar groups no matter what the load, with the exception of light bullets! Why the light bullet I wonder??

My 700 from new would shoot light bullets ok but not heavy, that is untill I cleared the stock from the bolt handle, now the heavy bullets go down the same hole almost!

The crown on the 94 was good, I did the recomended mod work to free the rings and forend with zero change at all!

Joe I seem to remember the bolt pin being loose in the eye in the lever so as to offer some degree of clearance, pretty much the same on the rising locking lug/bolt. Once the lug was in position the lever could drop a small amount without moving the lug, as you say a loose fit.
I now wonder if mine was not loose enough inside the bolt!

Wish I had thought of this before I got rid, I could of experimented.

N.

[J Miller]

Men, I buy the bad barrel assumption because I did all the barrel mods and no change. OK but,,,

It shot very similar groups no matter what the load, with the exception of light bullets! Why the light bullet I wonder??

My 700 from new would shoot light bullets ok but not heavy, that is untill I cleared the stock from the bolt handle, now the heavy bullets go down the same hole almost!

The crown on the 94 was good, I did the recomended mod work to free the rings and forend with zero change at all!

Joe I seem to remember the bolt pin being loose in the eye in the lever so as to offer some degree of clearance, pretty much the same on the rising locking lug/bolt. Once the lug was in position the lever could drop a small amount without moving the lug, as you say a loose fit.
I now wonder if mine was not loose enough inside the bolt!

Wish I had thought of this before I got rid, I could of experimented.

N.

Nath,

Hindsight is always 20-20. Diagnosing a sick rifle is a job when it's in your hand, but when it's gone it's just theorizing. I doubt the fit of the bolt would have that much bearing on the accuracy. It might have had though.

This is kind of like the first Marlin 1894 Cowboy .45 Colt I had. Beautiful rifle. Graceful, well balanced, fit and finish was almost perfect; but it was horribly IN-accurate. Bullets would key hole at 25 yds. Hitting the 50 yd target was all but impossible and hitting the 100 yd berm was a joke.
Due to financial woes I had to sell it and others. So now I'll never be able to diagnose the cause of the horrid lack of accuracy. But my theory is an over sized bore.

Ain't lever guns fun?

Bug

[Nath]

They sure are Joe, my first 94 spoilt me, it was a good'n and I miss it.

I will have to get another one day soon

Nath.