I finally broke down and shot it....NIB Winchester Trapper

[vonfatman]

I bought this rifle a few months ago. It "spoke" to me as I walked a local gun show. It was NIB, a .45 Colt, 16" Trapper. Circa 1988. It came with its original box and was perfect. I'd wanted a .45 Colt shooter to shoot along side my Browning 92s.

Well, after a few days I was having a hard time convincing myself to shoot this carbine. Sunday, that changed. I drug it out back along with a few other rifles and before the sun went down, I ran eight rounds down the tube.

Perfect feed and function. I am so glad I shot it. It's now a range gun and will accompany other range guns to the range.

Some pics.
A nice evening for photos...


My wife is also a fan of pistol caliber carbines....


Nice to have a pretty gun to shoot...


Bob

[Eye-Bite!]

Shoot and Shoot away... Enjoy what you have earned. Good job.

[Blaine]

Nice shooters, and nice range. Is that out back of your place?

[mod71alaska]

Very nice Trapper; Very lovely wife!

I'd like to have a 94 Trapper for a "woods walker" in 30-30 or 32WS but prices are too high for this year's budget.

Thanks for sharing yours!

[3leggedturtle]

Nice rifle . Will she at least give you visitation rights. What loads you shooting in it?

[vonfatman]

Thanks gents. It's a great gun. I am looking forward to many more trips out back.

Yes, we are blessed with some acres and have a range about 300 yards east of the house. It's set for pistols and rifles out to 100 yards....maybe 150 yards if we makeshift at the far end. Great for teaching kids and other new shooters. That's my favorite kind of shooting. My grandson eats it up.

He'll be six next month and has been shooting with me for two years now. He's hoping to shoot some "different" guns on his birthday. I've got some surprises lined up for him.

And thank you for the kind words regarding the better 1/2...she loves to shoot too.

As far as loads go....just some easy-going range fodder. 240gr. SWCs in front of a modest charge of Win 231.

Here's my grandson with his Savage Cub....


Bob

[Model 52B]

You're a lucky man on all three counts - great carbine, great wife and a great grandkid. There is not much more worth having.

[Borregos]

You're a lucky man on all three counts - great carbine, great wife and a great grandkid. There is not much more worth having.

You got that right

[AJMD429]

Beautiful Wife, Nice Land, and Cool Guns.

The only way to improve on that is to add a few kids or grandkids...

[vonfatman]

Thanks for the kind replies.

I am lucky. No more grandkids in the near future....but I sure enjoy training new shooters. I talked to our pastor's wife on Sunday. One of their boys is wanting to learn to shoot and our pastor and his wife are not shooters...hope to help the young man learn safe firearm safety/shooting.

Bob

[gamekeeper]

You're a lucky man on all three counts - great carbine, great wife and a great grandkid. There is not much more worth having.

You got that right

Amen....

[Ji in Hawaii]

Very nice example, congratulations!
I personally don't mind these pre-safety 94s at all, great shooters. I have a tang safety Trapper I just could not accept the safety on so removed it plugging the hole and installing a late 70s hammer with halfcock. Now not so bad, and feeds any 38 special or 357 mag loads I pass through her.

[Paladin]

Great rifle and family.

[J Miller]

Bob,

I got one of those. I think mine stayed unfired about as long as it took us to get out to the desert, load it up and let loose.

Here's a couple tips.
A: They are adictive, you can't have just one. Since I got my first one in 86 I've had 4 other .45 Colt lever guns. Have two now.

B: The front sight is a cast part that is sweated onto the barrel. It is easily broken. Be careful what it bangs against. I broke the original blade off mine and not one gunsmith in Phoenix could be bothered to do a new front sight on it. I had to send it back to Winchester for a new barrel. What a PITA.

C: Due to the longer action you have a great leeway with COAL. Mine is unaltered and will feed ammo as long as 1.75". Of course at that length, short stroking the action is a guaranteed jam.

I even traded my 94AE off once. Felt such remorse I went and bought it back.
I decided then and there that's one 94 that ain't going nowhere never again unless it's in my hands.

I'm jealous of your range. Some day I'll have one of my own .... maybe.

Joe

[.Dirty-.Thirty]

What is the brand and model of your rifle rest?

[vonfatman]

Thanks for the great replies. It's fun to read them!

Amen is right Mr. Gamekeeper. Lots of blessings in my life.

Ji,
I would have done the same if it had the safety. Many feel the same about the rebounding hammer, but after reading up on them and handling the rifle some, I've decided to leave well enough alone.

Joe,
Thank you for the suggestions and warning(s)...watch the front sight & watch for more .45 Colt carbines! I'm glad the gun feeds various length cartridges. I have a variety all loaded up and will be able to see firsthand. The range is nice...I have always lived in the country but this is my first "real" range. Lots of good memories out back...more to come.

DThirty,
It's a targetshooting.com rest. It was not cheap. Lots of my friends now have them and seem very happy with them. Mine is an oldie....from back in the 90's
Call and ask for Wally. Great folks.

Bob

[.Dirty-.Thirty]

Wow those are high dollar!! Guess I'll stick to my Caldwell bag... C'mon lottery numbers....

[Old Savage]

Great picture of your wife and the gun with the dramatic cloud activity in the background. Nice rifle - my son has one of the same era. Like to know what you find shoots the best in it.

[Nath]

Outstanding photo's. Thanks.

Nath.

[vonfatman]

Thank you for the replies.

I will be sure to post what this gun likes. It may be a little while as I'm in the middle of some work on our farm.

[Old Savage]

I found that 225 gr Silvertips were the best of what I tried but that was a long time ago, 1990 maybe.