Winchester trapper in .357?

[rjohns94]

This one has not been fired much, has great wood, no dings, perfect blue and I didn't notice any major dings except round the saddle ring area. Has true glow sights and the cross bolt safety. I have a rossi .357 in ss/20 inch. Question is, do I NEED this one??? What is your experience with them? Generally, do they shoot well? how do the feed? etc etc etc. Whatcha figure a 95% rifle like this should go for?

[Mich Hunter]

Do you need it??? Well, I don't "need" most of my guns. Now do I "want"?, Thats a total different story

[J Miller]

This one has not been fired much, has great wood, no dings, perfect blue and I didn't notice any major dings except round the saddle ring area. Has true glow sights and the cross bolt safety. I have a rossi .357 in ss/20 inch. Question is, do I NEED this one??? What is your experience with them? Generally, do they shoot well? how do the feed? etc etc etc. Whatcha figure a 95% rifle like this should go for?

Do you need it, no.
The Win 94AEs in .357 have been problematic for a number of forum members. I know of several who have had broken carriers. There have been a number of reports of broken ejectors. There is an extra little part on the lever that is sometimes a problem causer.
As much as I like the 94 Winchesters I'd pass on this one.

JMHO

Joe

[rjohns94]

thanks Joe, I appreciate that.

[JoeArizona]

I've had mine for about 12 years. Put lots of .38 and .357 through it without a problem. It handles great and is easy for my wife to shoot also.

Maybe I've just been lucky?

It's my go-to bumming in the desert gun when I want a center fire instead of a .22.

Joe

[alnitak]

From my perspective, given the price of the rifle and its condition, I say go for it! My Trapper in .44 mag feeds everything, unlike my Marlin which is sensitive to OAL and bullet configuation. If there is an issue, as Joe mentions above, it seems to be an easy fix with a little stoning. The cross-bolt safety and rebounding hammer can be fixed (check out the One Sticky...and I even have extra parts for you already). And if you ever get tired of it, you can sell it for more than you paid. Nothing like a Trapper length Winnie!

[Tycer]

I have three. They swallow everything from wadcutters to long 357s. The throats are very long - rounds 1.850" will chamber. With most loads, I have no problem 3-4MOA standing or sitting and can get 2MOA on some loads.

No problems here except that extra part broke on one - no difference in function, it just creates a little extra bearing on the end of the lever where it contacts the smaller 357 case head, And the tip of the cartridge stop broke off, which is not a problem with the 357 - it happens with all calibers albeit rarely.

That said, the 92 is more suited to the 357 than the 94.

I keep a stash of the parts that might break, but I do that for all my guns.

One of the common problems is the gun will flip a round out when the lifter comes up. This is also occurs on Rossi 92s and is an easy fix by shimming one of the guides to narrow the gap and keep the round from moving side to side as it passes the guides.

[Buck Elliott]

I've had mine for about 12 years. Put lots of .38 and .357 through it without a problem. It handles great and is easy for my wife to shoot also.

Maybe I've just been lucky?

It's my go-to bumming in the desert gun when I want a center fire instead of a .22.

Joe

You ARE one of the "lucky" few...

The reason the gun appears to be in such good condition may stem from the fact that it doesn't work as advertized -- like so many of its brothers. The .357 version of the '94 seems to be plagued with the difficulties already described. The '94 action was never designed or intended to function with the puny, little .357 Mag. round. Making it do so required some sleight-of-hand by the boys at USRAC -- sometimes it worked; too often it didn't quite almost hardly...

I'd rather find a '92...

Do you "need" it? You're the only one who really knows the answer to that question.

[timkelley]

If you get that rifle, remove the left cartridge guide from it and file a bevel on the rear end. My rifle broke four ejectors before I finally got it figured out.
My rifle does not like to be babied when I cycle the action. It wants me to get the empty out and another in and do it like I mean it.

[Borregos]

Of course you need one!!
I have had one for years, shoots real well and has had thousands of rounds thro' it, only problem I ever had was the sheet metal extra piece on the lever failed once, I replaced it and it has been ok since
IT IS A FUN GUN

[meanc]

Well, I've got two. One is actually the Wrangler model (same gun just with the large loop ever).

I've not had any problems with well over 1500rds between the two of them. They haven't double fed under the carrier, broken any parts, failed to feed, failed to eject, or jammed in any manner, etc... using either 38spcl or 357mag.

I've used 180gr in 38spcl cases, 158gr RNFP and SWC, just about all weights in JSP and JHP, and from mild to waaaay wild. It ain't let me down yet.

As far as accuracy goes, they'll easily shoot into 1.5"-2" (sometimes better) at 100yds. This is with almost every bullet I've used.

I can't tell you what they're worth as far as buying, but I can tell you that I wouldn't sell either of mine for less than $650

[Slick]

This one has not been fired much, has great wood, no dings, perfect blue and I didn't notice any major dings except round the saddle ring area. Has true glow sights and the cross bolt safety. I have a rossi .357 in ss/20 inch. Question is, do I NEED this one???

You wouldn't have made this post if you didn't "need" it - or felt drawn to it. There's nothing wrong with owning *another* gun that does the same thing as one you already have...

So now consider yourself absolved and go buy the thing already. -and post some pix when you get it, because we're all "lever junkies" here.