New to me 94ae, a beauty but I struggle loading

[Bulldog87]

So I have been waiting and waiting (2years)for a used 357 lever to come in to any of the LGSs that I frequent. Finally, a beautiful, pristine Winchester 94ae was traded in and I snatched it up.It must not have seen more than 50 rounds. I love this thing. It feeds 38 and 357 no problem. Despite what many say are terrible iron sights, I was spot on at the indoor range @ 25 yards!

2 issues I have:
1-the lever action just isn't very smooth and a little on the heavy side
2-loading ammo through the gate can be challenging. seems you have to push them in and then change the angle to complete the process

Don't get me wrong. I love it and if the issue is just a matter of putting rounds through it, that's fine by me. Just wanted to get some feedback.Bulldog

[t.r.]

Loading: Try leaving a little of the cartridge base sticking out of the loading gate. Use the next round to push it in.

That's how my Grandad (1889-1973) taught me to load a 30-30.

TR

[Blaine]

Loading: Try leaving a little of the cartridge base sticking out of the loading gate. Use the next round to push it in.

That's how my Grandad (1889-1973) taught me to load a 30-30.

TR

+1

[AJMD429]

What they said, and . . . shoot it more . . . (that's the fun part).

Could need an 'action job', but I'd not bother until several hundred rounds shot downrange first, myself. NKJ's DVD from this very website can help you slick it up if it needs it, even though if I recall it's more 'dedicated' to the .92 action.

[J Miller]

It will smooth and lighten up after you've used it for a while. 94s are not as smooth as other designs, they are just different. You'll get used to that too.
Loading them can be a pain if the loading gate spring is stiff and or there is an burrs on the lip of the gate or the back side. This can be dealt with too.
But remember, the 94s are designed for a larger cartridge. 45s and 44s work pretty good because the rims are very close to the 30-30 size. The 357s are way much smaller so the rifle is working with a handicap right off the bat. The fact they work is a bit amazing to me.

Joe

[C. Cash]

Yes good advice. Using the proper screwdriver and with rifle laying on right side, action closed, take out the large oversized receiver screw near the top of action. Place a couple of drops of penetrating oil onto the pin inside. Replace the large screw before picking the rifle up off of it's right side. Lightly lube under the bolt where it contacts the hammer....lightly lube all contact points and drop some oil inside where the lifter is attached to it's bolt. A couple hundred rounds should smooth it up some. The loading gate issues have smoothed up for me through use.

[FWiedner]

Dude, be patient.

Shoot the heck out of it.

At least try to break the thing in.

[jshinal]

As a new '94 user myself, I notice I make the loading move in three distinct sub-motions.

the "break" opening the gate with the shell at a steep angle, steeper than the actual loading angle ends up.

the "push" the main loading motion to put the round into the magazine. I guess it's a swivel and push, since I change the angle of the shell as I rock it in.

the "seat" where I twist my thumb on its axis so it partly enters the gate and fully inserts the cartridge that last 1/8 inch.

On a really really hot day three weeks ago, my hands were so sweaty I had to turn the gun with the gate facing up, and use my lefthand thumb to open the gate, while my right hand loaded. But that was a pretty slippery afternoon.

Fingers get tired when learning new motions, as I'm sure the guys here will tell us, that means we're not shooting enough.

[El Chivo]

I had the same problem with my 94 Legacy in .357 when it was new. Those with 30-30's don't quite appreciate the jamming possibilities.

What I experienced was, I could load it ok by putting a round partway in, and pushing it in with the next round. But if the gate ever snapped shut, that was it; I could not add more and had to cycle them all out through the action. I couldn't add more or top off the mag. Pushing on the gate would just push against the round, and the gate would not open.

I took it in and since it was under full warranty at the time, the gunsmith was eager to mess with it and bill Winchester. I don't know what he did, but he fixed it. Afterwards, pushing on the gate pushed the column of rounds forward so I could insert another. He may have filed the inner edge of the gate so it would force the round forward. I can't think what else he might have done.

If you ever look inside you'll see a folded piece of tinfoil about the gauge of a disposable pie pan, it may be called the cartridge stop. I believe it's what makes up for the smaller size of the .357 cartridge in that action. It can get mangled and broken and a new one can help feeding. But I don't think it's part of the loading process.

I generally use my Winchesters as single shots nowadays. I have had lots of jamming and broken parts coming out; although I've got them fixed and working I want to save the actions for when I really need them. At the range I just open and insert straight into the chamber.

[Ji in Hawaii]

When I got my 94AE Ranger compact 357 mag back in 2003 I'd bring the gun out while watching old westerns, and I'd work the action pretty much constantly (unloaded of course, and well lubed). I must have worked the action a couple thousand times over the week end without firing a shot. It smoothed up considerably in that short time.

[Griff]

Using a round "shorter" than the rifle was designed for, sometimes means you have to be smarter than the engineers. Case in point: The Cowboy45Special in a .45 Colt 1873; even when the rim of the C45S is inside the spring cover, it probably has not advanced far enough to catch the stop on the carrier, creating a situation where the last round loaded causes a jam. As shown to me last weekend, one of the two guys using said rifles, he has too push the round in about 3/16ths of an inch so it will keep the other rounds up in the magazine. He uses a narrowed tooth brush hanndle to do this. End of problem.

Even .30-30s can be very difficult to get addiitional rounds in, as the rim is usually right even or slightly behind the spring cover, so as you're trying to push the gate inside the gun, the cover is trying to push the cartridge forward to make room.

Make youself some of these: Leveraction Speed-loader. I've seen them around since the mid '80s @ cowboy shoots. Make the "pusher" longer so it'll get that last cartridge well inside the gate.

[Rifleman]

1-the lever action just isn't very smooth and a little on the heavy side

Assuming the action is working properly; cocking the the hammer with the lever is the hard part of the action. You can always cock the hammer with your thumb, then cycle the action.

It may be counter productive in the long run; since the intended working of the action will polish the points of contact.

Make sure all moving parts are oiled and/or greased.

[Panzercat]

I noticed the stiff loading gate on my 464 and it bugged the hell out of me since I could just push the gate down and nudge the already loaded Round forward on old 336. Turns out after enough use, my 464 turned out the same way. Apparently you just need to work it through its teething period. If it has as few rounds as you say through it, I don't doubt a little stiffness.