This goes back about 26-27 years when I purchased the pictured rifle from a co-worker. He bought it new when the 94BB came out, and attempted to use it for deer. I say "attempted" because he had no luck getting any group at all with factory 225s or 250s. The 94BB would truly pattern, with 9" to 14" spreads on the shots. I showed some interest in troubleshooting the problem, by my co-worker in frustration said I could have it for $150. What the heck, and I handed over 3/4 of my "emergency fund" tucked away in a back corner of my wallet.
I fired the 94BB the first chance I got, and it indeed patterned about 10" at 50 yds, the farthest distance available to me at that particular range. While at the range, I removed the barrel and forend bands, forend, and mag tube and fired it as a "single shot" off of the bags. At 50 yds the 94BB surprised me -- a five-shot group that measured just over an inch. While I expected improvement, I did not expect a miracle.
So back home at the bench I set to reassembling everything and just snugging the band screws. I got to the mag tube cap screw and when it was fully tightened it REALLY bore down on the recess under the barrel, as if the screw extension was too long. In my box of spare screws I had a screw that fit but was too short to even touch the barrel. With the band screws just snug and the short screw in the mag tube cap I went to another range a couple days later. At 100 yds this time, again off the bags, factory 225s printed a group that was 1 3/8" across the extreme holes. Three shots were touching. I fired the rest of the box in three more five-shot groups and got very similar results, groupings between 1 1/4" and 1 1/2".
With it "fixed," I asked Jack if he wanted it back, showing him the target. He had already moved on with a Savage 99 in 308 as the season was just days away. I wasn't really in the mood at the time for a 375, but another co-worker was a huge fan of the 38-55 and was intrigued by the 375, what he called the modern version of the 38-55. Since we were very close friends and he had done some favors for me, I just gave him the rifle.
Fast forward to last summer, and the owner of the 94BB shows up for a visit, lugging a gun case. "Happy Birthday," he says, handing me the case. In it is the 94BB. Some years ago he got a Marlin in 38-55, his original true love, and recalled my rekindled long-dormant interest in leverguns. He thought it was time the 94BB came back to the owner who rehabilitated it.
I took it out in October of 07 and it still shoots groups around 1 3/8" at 100 yds with the Lyman receiver sight and ivory bead, if I do my part.
Just sharing . . .
Noah
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