Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

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5gs
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Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by 5gs »

Hello from the UK,

Have the above rifle, and the cartridge lifter doesn’t work reliably even with a hard cycle.

Have stripped, cleaned and lubed the rifle with some improvement although the lifter is only popping up 80% of the time.

I’m generally loading 250 grain LRN at 1.57 COAL so no problems there - I don’t think!

Am considering polishing the sides of the lifter where it pivots to lower the friction as far as possible - hopefully to slick it up.

Aside from that not sure what to do, although concerned that the cartridge guides could be impeding the cartridge and lifter from popping up - if so, perhaps adjusting these could help?

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Old Savage
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by Old Savage »

Mine would cycle well if it was straight up and down but not reliably when canted.
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J Miller
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by J Miller »

Check two things:

>Make sure the loading gate is in properly and the screw is tight. A loose loading gate can interfere with the movement of the lifter.

>Check the lifter spring to make sure it's in good shape and tight. A loose or defective spring will cause problems.

It's definitely not a normal thing for these to have feeding problems.

Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by Scrumbag »

Welcome from another UK member!

Sorry can't be more help.
5gs
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by 5gs »

Many thanks for the response - the lifter is lifting however not without a mega hard cycle and when it does it occasionally drops - am going to inspect the lifter spring.

Perhaps mine is bent or even missing - although not sure it would lift at all without one!?

Hello back to you in the UK - PM me your location, am an RFD and always good to make acquaintances 👍🏼
5gs
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by 5gs »

The lifter spring is present.

The below photos show a dummy round that was lifted, but at a too shallow angle to successfully chamber.

The other photo shows the same round after giving the lever a good solid whack.

Could it be that I’m just cycling the action too gently?
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J Miller
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by J Miller »

5gs wrote: Sun Apr 21, 2019 3:25 pm Many thanks for the response - the lifter is lifting however not without a mega hard cycle and when it does it occasionally drops - am going to inspect the lifter spring.

Perhaps mine is bent or even missing - although not sure it would lift at all without one!?

Hello back to you in the UK - PM me your location, am an RFD and always good to make acquaintances 👍🏼
The breach bolt is what pulls the lifter up. Here is an exploded drawing:
win-94angleabove.gif
If this works you'll see how the parts work together.
Carrier spring is #8.
Carrier is #6
Carrier screw is #7

There is a lug on the bottom of the bolt that pulls the carrier rearwards. A matching lug points up on the carrier, you can see it in the drawing.
Since it cannot move to the rear, it pivots on the screw, the spring holding it in the up or down position. If it takes a hard cycle there is something binding or interfering with the carrier movement. Other than the bolt and spring, there is nothing contacting the carrier.

You should not have to use force to get it to chamber. I can work the action on mine with one finger and it will chamber anything.
You pic looks like the carrier is sitting too low or the spring is not holding it up.

Open the action till the carrier pops up, release the lever a bit, it should stay up. If not either the spring has a problem or the carrier does.
It should take a good push with your finger to move the carrier down.

ETA: Take another pic with no ammo in the rifle and more light, it almost looks as if the left cartridge guide is missing.
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5gs
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by 5gs »

Thanks for the reply - the carrier does need a hard push down to lower.

Where the cartridge hadn’t been positioned to chamber, it was wedged between the cartridge guides and the lifter, and the positioning of the round had impeded the lifter from moving the round up.

Gently closing the action a small amount resulted in the bolt moving the previously wedged round, and the following hard rack then forced the lifter to align the round at the correct angle for chambering.

In my estimation, the deep clean has helped and most of the fault is a matter of short stroking, however I can do the following to help:

My approach will be as follows:

1) Polish the part of the lifter which rotates against the inside of the action, less friction the better.

2) Lubricate the inside of the lifter which rotates around the pin - less friction the better.

3) Polish / reduce the edges of the lifter which comes into contact with the inside of the action.

4) Polish the surface of the lifter, hopefully this will encourage the round to slip to the bottom of its profile, resulting in a consistent placement and thus angle of alignment.

5) Inspect and if necessary modify the spring to impart more snap to the lifter.

Will have a go tomorrow and see what happens, every little helps!
5gs
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by 5gs »

Photos as requested - everything looks in order?
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J Miller
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by J Miller »

5gs,

I don't see anything missing, but there is damage being done to the left side of the carrier where it contacts the underside of the cartridge guide. It's the hard cycling of the action that is doing that.

My suggestion is to take it totally apart and inspect the lifter, bolt and other parts before you do anything as far as polishing or refitting. There is something wrong in there. It could be simple like a retaining pin not fully seated. But it needs to come apart. These Win AE models are usually fit almost rattly loose so there has to be a cause.

Also make sure the guides are tight.

Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
5gs
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by 5gs »

Here’s a close up of what I think you mean
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J Miller
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by J Miller »

On the second to last last pic you can see the dent on the top edge of the carrier.

Wish we were closer together, diagnosing these kind of issues across an ocean is a pain in the behind.

joe
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J Miller
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Re: Winchester 94 AE Trapper .45 Colt Feeding Issues

Post by J Miller »

5GS,

I have a bunch of interior part pics of my 94AE .45 if you want to compare. Just let me know.

Joe
***Be sneaky, get closer, bust the cap on him when you can put the ball where it counts ;) .***
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