Even a Blind Pig....Winchester 94AE in 45 Colt

[vonfatman]

I stopped at a gun show Sunday before heading out to turkey hunt...

First pass through I spied a Winchester lever-gun. A closer look reviled it was a pistol caliber lever-gun, a Trapper...getting better all the time!

Upon stepping up to take a look I see it's chambered in 45 Colt...this caliber I do not have yet (of the pistol caliber lever-guns I have been thinking I'd like to have)...

The man says he bought it new in the 80's and never shot it...sounds better yet. It's clearly a 99% lever-gun. It's got nice WALNUT too!

There's a box (not the best box, but it goes with the carbine) with all the tags and paperwork inside...I'm expecting a BIG price for this 16" barreled 94AE.

He tells me he's wanting $650....I restrained myself and nearly tore a tendon in arm....After suggesting he'd probably rather sell it to me for $600 than take it back home, he paused, smiled and said we had a deal.

I was happily stunned.

Here's the rifle. I still can not believe it waited on that table for me...it was three hours after the gun show opened!

The only downside I can find...it does not have a 1/2 cock hammer...Two pluses....no cross-bolt or tang safety.

Looks to have been manufactured in 1988?....best I can tell.

Bob

[RIHMFIRE]

very nice score....but

did you get a turkey?

[ollogger]

WOW what a great find!!
That oughta make life even better for years


ollogger

[vonfatman]

This trip I was guiding/calling for a friend.

I did something pretty cool...I had worked a big gobbler on and out of the roost for well over an hour...he had four girlfriends leaving in a line and he was at the rear.

I really could not blame the ol' boy, after all, he'd danced, gobbled, strut, spit, drummed and drug wings as close as 50 yards....the real McCoy (4) were on the move and so was he.

It was do-or-die so I switched tactics on him once again....I went to SUPER SOFT purrs on my box call. He stopped. Looked at his harem, looked our way, and left the girls behind! I was dumbfounded. I continued these soft purrs all the way in....He strutted and gobbled with-in 15 yards where my buddy cleanly shot right over his head! It was a priceless moment in the turkey woods. Almost as good as the time I clicked on an empty chamber after a friend called in a big gobbler for me!

No meat in the pan but I chalked it up as a personal victory.

Thanks for the kind words. It is a neat carbine!

Bob

[1894c]

i like it when someone stumbles on a good deal...that 94AE is a nice looking trapper...love the turkey story too... :)

[20cows]

The only downside I can find...it does not have a 1/2 cock hammer...Two pluses....no cross-bolt or tang safety.

That is an easy fix!

[handirifle]

I have a list of parts from Numericks, I used to convert a 94 Trapper AE (44 mag) to half cock. Unfortunately i cannot access it right now. My server host moved, and I cannot get on my site ot move it, cause my personal laptop died. All my site software was on there, and this laptop (wifes old one) won't let me check my email to even find where they moved it.

Talk about frustrating,.

But yes, it's fixable.

[vonfatman]

I'm glad it's fixable....is it difficult to change?

Bob

[nemhed]

Forgive my Winchester ignorance. I'm a Marlin guy, even though I own a 1958 Model 94. If this 94ae doesn't have the cross bolt safety, tang safety, or a half-cock safety, what does it have, a rebounding hammer? Just curious.

[vonfatman]

Rebounding hammer....the weirdest hammer known to man.
Ugh!

Bob

[J Miller]

Forgive my Winchester ignorance. I'm a Marlin guy, even though I own a 1958 Model 94. If this 94ae doesn't have the cross bolt safety, tang safety, or a half-cock safety, what does it have, a rebounding hammer? Just curious.

Yep, they have a horrid rebounding hammer action. Here's an article I wrote about swapping out the lower tang on my 94AE Trapper:
{ http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_no ... tes.htm/42 }

There are other articles about doing this in our "One Sticky" section. Link is at the top of the index page.
{ viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11243 }

Joe

[Old Savage]

I have a number with rebounding hammers and none has been a problem and all are accurate. Don't be concerned unnecessarily. I personally would rather have that than the half cock so make your own decision.

[J Miller]

Old Savage,
LOL I knew as I was posting the links above you would pipe up and say that. Guess we get to know each other after a while don't we. You have a lot more patience with bad designs than I do, that's for sure.

J e

[Grizz]

that's funny. I wasn't gonna pop up and say I learned to live with the rebounding hammer AND a useless safety. I shot the gun and the gun won. I won't be "fixing" it. Mine's a Ranger in .357 and stupidly accurate with everything it shoots. It ain't broke. Just stupid.

Nice rifle BTW. That could well be a primary hunting gun as well as a great plinker. Lots of load options for the old work horse round.

[Nath]

Nice find!

I have shot many a notched trigger and as many re-bounders. I don't get hung up on it's type but usually end up stoning any trigger I ever come across except from European made firearms and quality airguns!

The 80 ae's were the best IMHO. The only spring that should be replaced for a lighter one is the first stage spring and only a stone will drop the weight of a too heavey ae trigger set. If any rear ward motion of the hammer can be observed during the trigger being squeezed no matter how slight it needs stoning period.

Nath

[COSteve]

Done

[vonfatman]

I guess I'll learn what it takes to switch the hammer, then decide if I'll switch ... I just like the feel of the old half-cock hammer...it's what I'm used to so I seem to gravitate towards that type.

Bob