Range Report on Winchester 94 carbine

[hondo1892]

I was able to do some shooting this past weekend at my cabin between rain drops. I've been wanting to wring my old 94 in 32 WS out and see how it really shoots. I looked at the bore when I bought it and it looked shiny with copper fouling. Well I scrubbed the bore after the first time out and put it in the safe. I took it out this weekend and after shooting I gave it another scrubbing and dropped a light down the bore to see what the barrel looked like. I seen a bunch of small pits all the way down the bore. I know my eyes aren't what they used to be but I can't believe I missed all those pits. Well now I know why my groups weren't so great. I had some Accurate 180 gr lead gas check and RCBS 32-170 lead gas check bullets loaded up. The Accurate bullets were loaded with 5744 and didn't get any better than 4" at sixty yards. The RCBS bullets were loaded with 5744 and RL-7. Best group with the RCBS bullets was 2-7/16" at sixty yards, the load was 23 grains of RL-7 with CCI LR primers. Four of the five shots went into 1-7/16". I had my chronograph with me and every load had at least one round that was either very slow or fast compaired to the rest of the string. My smallest spread was 45 fps and that was with 5744 and CCI LR primers. I tried magnum primers with the 5744 and still got as much as 109fps spread. This was the first time I used RL-7 but will do more experimenting with it since it gave me the best groups so far. With the RL-7 the bullets were going about 1909fps, all the 5744 loads were in the 1750-1850fps range. I was hoping this rifle would shoot lead bullets well but I may have to try jacketed to see if it likes them better. I don't know why but I really like the 32 WS for some reason. The carbine was made in 1929 and I like shooting lead in old girls like this. I will get my notes and give all the loads and particulars of each if any of you guys are interested. I also worked a little on my new shop at my future home site in Kentucky. Here's a photo of it with the door I just hung and some siding that I made from poplar boards. I wanted to try just a few boards out before I started making a bunch of it up.

[hondo1892]

I forgot my camera most days but I did have it out one day and got a photo of this little guy. We seen four dandy bucks in a field one day but no camera, the story of my life.

[86er]

Sound like there's plenty of life left in that rifle and with a little tinkering you can find something that will shoot to your satisfaction.

[gamekeeper]

I forgot my camera most days but I did have it out one day and got a photo of this little guy. We seen four dandy bucks in a field one day but no camera, the story of my life.

It looks like that Carbine will come in handy...

[Stan in SC]

About four years ago I bought a Winchester Model 1894 in .32 Winchester Special from the estate of my deceased college room mate who was like my brother for fifty years.This rifle serial number indicates a manufacture date of 1956.
Upon shooting the rifle I was delighted to find that the mirror bore delivered a fantastic group using jacketed bullets at 100 yards.
I later loaded some cast bullets and got dismal accuracy from that load.The jacketed bullets just seem to do so much better.
I had never had any experience with the caliber but after a few years with it I really like it.
Do the research on the derivation of the caliber and you will be surprised at it.

Stan in SC

[ollogger]

Neat pix
like the wood on the shop!!
I use a few more grains of RL7 with a old IDEAL bullet mold ( 170 gr.)
the bore in mine is good for a made in 1911 - 1894


ollogger

[hondo1892]

Ollogger what kind of velocity are you getting with your load?