The Model 94
I had always wanted a Winchester Model 94, and when I got old enough to legally buy one, I went for it. I found it in a local shop, a gunshop I still frequent, and scraped together nickles and dimes out of my pay at the lumberyard to buy it. It cost $190.00. It was used but in perfect condition, but for a scratch on the left side of the buttstock. A little furniture wax and steel wool fixed that fine, and I was in business.
I discovered that even then, the buckhorn rear sight was not to my liking, so I purchased a Williams Peep sight- I like the williams particularly, because they’re bloody hard to knock out of alignment and give a good sight radius with a good sight picture.
With the Williams sight and the hooded front, I’ve done some impressive shooting. Not quite up to the par of Jimmy Stewart in Winchester 93, but some good shooting.
Loaned it to my brotherinlaw, who dry fired it, and shattered the firing pin.
Replaced the firing pin from Numrich, and just sat the rifle in the closet. And just came out a couple years back, after reading some of Kim’s stuff.
It’s in my lap now. I’m happy to have it here. I like it a lot. I will never let it leave my posession.
RIP, gentlemen.
That firing pin broke because the rifle had been dry fired thousands of times. You ought to go beat the money out of your bro-in-law. Not so much for the money, just for the fun of educating a gun abuser.
Gerry, I did even worse. I let him marry my sister.
I have hunted with a pre-’64 Model 70 30-06 since I was 18. My father has the same gun, a 4 digit serial number from the late ’30s. It is by far the best hunting rifle ever made. You can tell the sound of a Model 70 from miles away, even rolling over the eastern mountains. Buy one my friend and enjoy.
My lovely wife just bought me a model 94 yesterday after hearing me complain about Winchester closing down and my wanting one. I get to pick it up on Tuesday!
You don’t deserve that woman, Contagion. I hope you know that.
Sure glad I bought that ’92 in 32-20 the other day; wish I could find one in .357…
My wife got me a Winchester Model 94AE (.357 Mag) for Christmas – What a sweet shooting rifle!! Consistent 8 inch groups at 100 yards – amazing! I am really sad to see them close up shop.
Actually, it was Winchester ’73 – the rifle that won the West was the really early Winchester lever gun, introduced after Oliver Winchester bought Henry’s company and put his own name on it. I think the ’73 was a refinement of the Henry, designed by John Moses Browning himself.
Classic guns, though, whether ’73 or ’94 or the intermediate models.