Loading/Feeding problems with Winchester 94's

[Mark Y]

My twin brother and I both bought winchester 94's and have both had problems with shells from the magizine tube being forced out more than one at a time, causing the second shell to jam under the lever action.

Is this a common problem or are we doing something wrong?

It seems like a good name like Winchester ought to be good for a hundred years of shooting.

Comments or advice?

Thanks.
Mark Y

[John Traveler]

Mark,

I've encountered several rifles with feeding jams like you described: more than one cartridge coming out of the magazine tube at the wrong time.  Firing recoil or lever movement causes a cartridge to enter under the lifter and jam.  You need to remove the lever to clear it.

Two primary causes of this problem.

1.  the magazine tube attachment screw (threaded into underside of barrel near muzzle) loosens and allows movement of the mag tube.  This "slop" allows cartridge rims to hang up between end of magazine tube where it enters the receiver.  The hungup cartridge can jump out when the lever is worked or the gun is fired.

2.  A worn or deformed cartridge stop on the top of the lever.  The cartridge stop normally holds and allows one cartridge to enter and be positioned on the lifter at a time.  A cartridge will override a worn stop and go under the lifter.

Either of these conditions can be fixed by replacing parts: lever, mag attachment screw, or mag tube.  Some smiths use locktite or epoxy to secure the mag tube against the receiver.

[JRR]

Mark Y,
I have also encounterd this problem with new, pistol caliber 94s.  It happens    when the lever is slow cycled allowing the rim of the next in line shell to slip past the intercepter finger on the hinge piece in front of the lever.  When it occurs with normal brisk cycling of the lever, it is ofter because the finger or intercepter is too short by a few thousands of an inch thus allowing the next case under spring pressure to ride over, often denting, and getting under the lifter.  I applied a small drip of brazing metal with a torch to the end of the finger and then dressed it up with a flat jewelers file.  Problem solved.  If you send the rifle back to Winchester under warrentee, it takes many weeks to get it back.  I have read about some gunsmiths peening the finger in order to slightly lengthen it.

Jeff

[John Traveler]

Yes, that is correct.  Peening over the end of the cartridge stop nub on the finger lever will stretch it enough to restore function.  The silver solder fix is also perfectly good.

[Mark Y]

Thanks for the info....I'll check it out

[John Y Cannuck]

Something to watch for I guess, I have three '94's various vintages, all top eject. Never had a jam in any of them in over thirty years of heavy shooting.
Is this something related to the newer angle eject models?

[West Creek Charlie]

Hey John

I have a 94 AE - in 44 mag

The cartridge stop nub on the link might be broke off. Mine did and casued those awfull jams. The link is made of a casting and in my opinion is a poor material for its use. I ordered a new link and installed it myself and solved the problem. It costs about $30.

[Castaway]

I'd say peening or brazing would be ok on an older gun.  For a new rifle, send it back to Winchester.  They will stand good on their product and you won't violate any warranty. :excuseme:

[coug2wolfs]

Gun does that to me only once...and it's GONE!  Have had that problem in the Winchesters myownself (newer versions), never did in the Marlins.

These days, safest way to go is...the BLR...ain't no way that puppy can jam   :wink:

[Kragman71]

My Winchester was made back in the '70's,and the cartridge feed leaves something to be desired.
When I cycle it smoothely,like anyone would do while shooting,it works like a Champ.
But when un loading it,a cartridge will sometimes hang up outside of the tube,but under the carrier.If you don't count cartridges,you will think that the gun is empty,but one round is still in it.
I'm the only one who shoots it,and I know about it,so I can live wih it.
Frank

[Numpty Pete]

In my experience there are two causes of the problem you describe:-

1. As some of the other replies have said, if the tab on the end of the "link" (the casting that forms the base of the action) is either broken or even worn then the rounds can escape backwards from the mag tube.  I had one break on me, fitted a complete new finger lever only to find it still didn't work!  I ended up re-profiling the angle of the tab to improve its reach.  I shoulda taken it back but parts can be hard to get hold of in the UK & I needed it to work for a competition.

2. The second reason only applies to the 357.  The top end of the finger lever is fitted with a small piece of bent spring steel secured with a screw.  Winchester call it the "cartridge block".  This catches the rounds as they come back out of the mag tube & holds them in the right position for the action to lift  & chamber them.  The problem is this little part isn't up to the job and regularly breaks along one of its corners.  Result -  rounds in all the places they shouldn't be!!!

In 6 years & about a 100,000 rounds I've gone through about 8 of them.  They aren't expensive but Winchester must be making a nice little trade out of these bits worldwide!

Lever Actions have had to stand in for pistols in the UK and since we mainly shoot adapted pistol courses of fire they have to put up with manic usage they were never intended for.  Generally people favour Marlins but I persist with "Little Win"!!!

Hope this helps.

[Dreams_of_Guns]

:roll: I have a Winchester 94 Trapper in 357 Magnum. Great little rifle. I was a bit disappointed with it because it seemed to jam a lot. The bullets would catch as they fed into the chamber. Lead 38 Specials with the round edge flat nose would work fine; any other type of bullet would have problems two or three out of a full load of nine or ten (ten 38s and nine 357s). I did have the problem with a bullet catching under the lever once or twice, but it always seemed to be when I worked the lever slowly or only went part way through the cycle. And one time every darn bullet in the tube spat itself out, happened while I was trying to get the bullet out from under the lever. You got to undo a screw on the bottom of the rifle where the lever hinge is. Glad you mentioned that there could be a part wearing out, I will have to check it. After putting close to a thousand rounds through the rifle, the jamming problem began to clear up by itself.

Jams are rare now and I am beginning to feel confident with the rifle. When the jamming problem was bad, I felt that I couldn’t depend on the rifle to work when I needed it. Now I feel that it is a dependable rifle. I do intend to try a Marlin 30-30 one of these days though.