Winchester 94 Classic 20 inch

[ethang]

Looking at a Classic model with the 20 inch Octagon barrel. Overall it's in decent shape, there is some corrosion where the wood meets the metal. One thing odd though, cycling the action with the hammer down is harder than any other 94 I have or used. With the hammer thumbed back it's not bad, but much stiffer with the hammer down. It's a heavy bugger but balances surprisingly well.

Thoughts?

[JerryB]

Maybe the action needs to cleaned, how is the bore?

[ethang]

bore looks great. Action has hardly any rub marks on the bolt or the lever. I don't think it has been shot much at all, just really stiff with the hammer down.

[ollogger]

Any I have all cock differently, a dad of lube on the hammer helps, if your thinking about buying the gun
I wouldn't let that hold me back


ollogger

[ethang]

Well I bought it and took it to the range today and thats when the problems started. The stiff action kinda concerned me, but not enough to pass on it. Well, at the range after charging it, the action locked up tight, trigger would not press and it took me a minute to free it up and get it to cycle. Fired that round and it locked up again the same way on the second. At that point I stopped shooting until I can research what the deal is.

I had to fiddle around with the trigger (pulling and cocking) until the trigger released (under thumb pressure) and then the action would operate.

I plan a complete strip and clean next week but any ideas what part or parts I should be looking at?

[Malamute]

Id start with just taking the butt stock off and seeing if theres any broken parts, like chipped sear or hammer notches, or foreign material getting into places it shouldnt. Work the hammer and trigger and watch the interaction of parts. If all seems as it should, Id start taking the lower tang apart, hammer out. etc, basic teardown of the action, looking for chipped parts, or crud that made its way in. Cleaning all parts, and reassembling when apart and clean.

[elmo123]

I have a 20" 94 Classic made in 1968 and the action is stiffer than most of my other 94's. I bought it new in the box 20 years ago and it hadn't been fired until I did. It has loosened up a little but not that much. It is an accurate and beautiful rifle but a sad testament to the decline of Winchester during that time frame.

[ethang]

I have a 20" 94 Classic made in 1968 and the action is stiffer than most of my other 94's. I bought it new in the box 20 years ago and it hadn't been fired until I did. It has loosened up a little but not that much. It is an accurate and beautiful rifle but a sad testament to the decline of Winchester during that time frame.

did yours corrode some around the wood to metal? this one did on both stocks.

[Ray]

Deleted.

[elmo123]

My isn't corroded where the wood meets the receiver but after firing it a very small amount of the coating on the receiver behind the locking bolt flaked off.

[Blaine]

I always clean up and polish the spot where the bolt rubs the top of the hammer when it cocks. That really slicks cocking a bunch, but you might have a bigger problem than that.