Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
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- Shasta
- Senior Levergunner
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Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Some years ago I bought one of Winchester's 1894-1994 Centennial .30-30 rifles because I liked the look and feel of the checkered pistol grip stock. The rifle did have some drawbacks, namely a rebounding hammer, cross-bolt safety, and a half-magazine tube that held only four rounds. I addressed the rebounding hammer and cross-bolt safety issues quite a while ago, and that thread is posted in the "One Sticky":
http://onesticky.levergunscommunity.org ... -bolt.html
I just now got around to resolving the short magazine problem. The reason it was a problem for me is that I am a Lever Action Rifle Silhouette shooter, a sport where targets are shot in banks of five. I don't like having a round in the chamber before the command to fire is given, and it is an inconvenient distraction to me to have to reload a single round once a relay is started. My solution was to change the half-magazine tube to a three-quarter magazine tube. Here is the rifle before modification:
Here is a close-up of the original half-magazine in front of the forearm:
I would have liked a full-length magazine tube, but did not want the hassle of installing a new magazine ring up near the muzzle of the half-round barrel. According to Renneberg's book "Winchester Model 94", a three-quarter magazine would be 15"-16" long. I placed a loaded round in front of the half-magazine and determined that a 16" magazine would work without having to move the magazine ring forward:
Through a local gunsmith, I ordered a new magazine tube and spring ($46.00) from Brownell's. The new tube was 26" long, so I used a tubing cutter to reduce it to 16":
I had to notch the new tube to fit the magazine ring pin...
and I had to make a new blind hole in the bottom of the barrel for the magazine plug screw...
I cut the new spring to length and put everything back together...
Here is what the rifle looks like now:
To my surprise, I was able to get six rounds in the magazine, so now I have room to spare!
SHASTA
http://onesticky.levergunscommunity.org ... -bolt.html
I just now got around to resolving the short magazine problem. The reason it was a problem for me is that I am a Lever Action Rifle Silhouette shooter, a sport where targets are shot in banks of five. I don't like having a round in the chamber before the command to fire is given, and it is an inconvenient distraction to me to have to reload a single round once a relay is started. My solution was to change the half-magazine tube to a three-quarter magazine tube. Here is the rifle before modification:
Here is a close-up of the original half-magazine in front of the forearm:
I would have liked a full-length magazine tube, but did not want the hassle of installing a new magazine ring up near the muzzle of the half-round barrel. According to Renneberg's book "Winchester Model 94", a three-quarter magazine would be 15"-16" long. I placed a loaded round in front of the half-magazine and determined that a 16" magazine would work without having to move the magazine ring forward:
Through a local gunsmith, I ordered a new magazine tube and spring ($46.00) from Brownell's. The new tube was 26" long, so I used a tubing cutter to reduce it to 16":
I had to notch the new tube to fit the magazine ring pin...
and I had to make a new blind hole in the bottom of the barrel for the magazine plug screw...
I cut the new spring to length and put everything back together...
Here is what the rifle looks like now:
To my surprise, I was able to get six rounds in the magazine, so now I have room to spare!
SHASTA
Last edited by Shasta on Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Nice job and looks great, like the look
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
- Old Savage
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 16740
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:43 pm
- Location: Southern California
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Nice! But, I did not know that the shorter tube was a problem.
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Nice job Shasta, looks good. One of a kind !
Will I C U in Chico- 15th or 16th ?
Perry
Will I C U in Chico- 15th or 16th ?
Perry
Perry in Bangor----++++===Calif
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- Senior Levergunner
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Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
You are very talented and handy! I liked the crossbolt removal too. I have a pair of big bores I would love to have the crossbolt removed from. But I don't have your talent!
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
that's a very nice job...thank you for sharing...I think the riflr looks good too... :)
- Shasta
- Senior Levergunner
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- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:50 pm
- Location: Shasta County, the far right stronghold in California
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Perry,pwl44m wrote:Nice job Shasta, looks good. One of a kind !
Will I C U in Chico- 15th or 16th ?
Perry
I won't make it to Chico. I have a couple Cowboy Lever Action Pistol Cartridge silhouette matches at Hat Creek Rifle & Pistol Club in Burney that weekend.
SHASTA
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
- Borregos
- Advanced Levergunner
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- Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:40 am
- Location: Ontario, Canada
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Looks great
Pete
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
That is the way Winchester should have built it. Nice work!
- Griff
- Posting leader...
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Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Oh Great Winchester Designer, You've Been Re-Incarnated!
Looks like a good, practical modification. And a good job "gettin' it done!" I think it balances it nicer.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Shasta,
Could you post a close up picture of the crossbolt saftey revision. I have a rifle like yours and deactivated the safety because I kept forgetting to push it off.
Thanks,
Mike
Could you post a close up picture of the crossbolt saftey revision. I have a rifle like yours and deactivated the safety because I kept forgetting to push it off.
Thanks,
Mike
- Shasta
- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1558
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:50 pm
- Location: Shasta County, the far right stronghold in California
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
elmo123 wrote:Shasta,
Could you post a close up picture of the crossbolt saftey revision. I have a rifle like yours and deactivated the safety because I kept forgetting to push it off.
Thanks,
Mike
Mike,
The crossbolt safety from my rifle measured 17/64" in diameter. I cut the head off of a 5/16" mild steel bolt, chucked it in my drill, and used a file to turn it down to 17/64". It was then cut to length to fit the width of the rifle's receiver, then it was cold blued.
A de-activated unfired primer was installed in a 30-30 cartridge case, then the case head was cut off just at the forward edge of the rim. This 30-30 cartridge rim "button" was super-glued to the end of the new crossbolt dummy pin.
there is a tiny vertical hole in the right rear of the receiver used to release the detent of the original crossbolt. I used a 4-40 tap to thread this hole, then installed an allen-head set screw to lock the new dummy pin in place. Here are pics:
SHASTA
Last edited by Shasta on Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Thanks, I am going to do that to mine.
Mike
Mike
- Sixgun
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Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Thats an excellent idea and a relatively easy job to do. Winchester used to call that the "3/4 mag tube". I saw one of those on a pre-1898 1894 deluxe carbine last week. With your decision, you can get away without all of the extra BS at the end of the tube had you decided to make it a full mag. Good move.
Our very own Jack Kort uses a rifle like yours at the silhouette shoots. I hope he sees this post.---------Sixgun
Our very own Jack Kort uses a rifle like yours at the silhouette shoots. I hope he sees this post.---------Sixgun
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Not sure how I missed this thread. Great stuff!
Cheers,
Oly
I hope and pray someday the world will learn
That fires we don't put out will bigger burn
Johnny Wright
Oly
I hope and pray someday the world will learn
That fires we don't put out will bigger burn
Johnny Wright
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- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
great job. you now have the kind of custom order lever gun that winchester and marlin would offer on special orders over a hundred years ago!
I love to see the beautiful work you guys do, and how you absolutely get it right . great!
I love to see the beautiful work you guys do, and how you absolutely get it right . great!
cable
Re: Winchester 94 Centennial- Extending The Magazine Tube
Nice work! That looks great. I thought I was the only one that liked the mag tube to hold 5. I have two 94src's with half mags in 38-55. It bugs the stuff outa me.
"Oh bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round.