Log In
Members
Home
Add Reply
Add Topic
Offline
28 gauge said
Good question about the quality control.In this time period,for the most part, Winchester seems to have thrown quality control out the door.They were still running on their good name of the pre 64 years and out to get as much profit as they could ,until that good name had all been used up.Most of us at the time, considered the out put, little more than junk.No body ever thought these firearms would be worth any more than their weight for scrap.I still find it hard to believe, how much people will pay today for a firearm made in this era.Especially the Model 94 with its pins and stamped lifter.
The post Model 70 of the era was much different than the pre 64 rifle.A clawed extractor ,compared to a push feed system.It should have never been called a Model 70,but was so different that it should have had a new model number.Winchester in its need to max profit, kept the same Model number to run on the good name of the earlier model.
The push feed system has its good points,but should never have been called a Model 70.
All of this is just my opinion of course.
A lot of other firearms went to crap during that era as well. Look at the, “post-mil” Savage M99 for example 
Cheap materials (e.g. pot metal vs. machined metal parts, stamped parts, etc.). I think very highly of pre-64 Winchesters but think no less of the Savage rifles of that period. This explains why I’ve owned plenty of both (and others).
You are 100% correct with your statement steve004,in my opinion.Seems Savage of that era ,had the same mind set as Winchester.Run on the name of the old firearms,put out the cheapest junk you could,max profit, until every one finds out that your product is little more than junk,that almost no one will buy.
Its a shame that these companies decided to go this route.I can see some cost cutting measures were needed to stay competitive .Times were a changing, as the old song goes,but a complete tear apart was a bit much.Remington of that era ,brought in cost cutting measures,but was still able to put out a decent product,with some quality control to it and make a profit.
Perhaps the owners of the day just wanted to get out of the firearms business,so decided to go this route to get max money,before shutting down.In Winchesters case, some firearms people finally got back in ,to have a say in the company.They tried to improve things and bring out some new models ,that were better made.However, it was a case of too little too late and alas Winchester as we knew it, is now gone.
All just my opinion,of course.
There are a lot of those 44-40 94s here in Australia.
A man can never have too many WINCHESTERS...
Thats most interesting Chris, about there being a lot of the Model 94 44-40 rifles in Australia.Would not of thought that.Are there many Model 94 44 Magnum rifles of that era in Australia as well?
Aussie Chris said
There are a lot of those 44-40 94s here in Australia.
I’m quite surprised by this as well.
Yes the 44 mag is around here too. I had one in top eject that I sold. The rare one is the 44 mag trapper but they can be found.
I was told by an old timer a while back that these 44-40s were ordered from Winchester for the outback for vermin control as the 44-40 is still in use up there a fair bit. I don’t know how true this is but it would make sense as the 1873 and 1892 were used hard for years here. I have an origonal 1873 16” 44 short rifle that is rough as guts and had a hard life here!
Chris
A man can never have too many WINCHESTERS...
Interesting again Chris,did not know that some Model 94 44 Magnum rifles of the era we are talking about had 16 inch barrels.I had thought all the Model 94 44-40 and 44 Magnum rifles of that era had 20 inch barrels.
They do pop up for sale here from time to time. The 30-30 can also be found in 16” here in the later year guns.
A man can never have too many WINCHESTERS...
What year did Winchester start making the first Model 94 .44 magnum rifles with 16 inch barrels?
Yes the 16 inch Model 94 rifles can be found in later manufactured rifles.Its the late 60’s to mid 80’s era rifles we have been talking about here in 44-40 and 44 Magnum.
I bought a new 94 in .44Magnum in Ft Worth in 1970 or ‘71 at the close-out price of $50.00. My buddy bought one in .30-30, and I bought a .44 Mag.
i still have it, but it’s no longer original as I hunted with it several years, adding sling swivels, receiver sight, and refinishing the (hardwood) stock because of the very poor inletting. The wood around the upper tang was perhaps 1/4 in (or more) proud of the tang.
it has a stamped lifter, and if not worked properly, can wind up with a cartridge under the lifter, rendering the rifle useless. If operated properly, it feeds fine, though.
Ray James, College Station, Texas
Ray James said
I bought a new 94 in .44Magnum in Ft Worth in 1970 or ‘71 at the close-out price of $50.00. My buddy bought one in .30-30, and I bought a .44 Mag.i still have it, but it’s no longer original as I hunted with it several years, adding sling swivels, receiver sight, and refinishing the (hardwood) stock because of the very poor inletting. The wood around the upper tang was perhaps 1/4 in (or more) proud of the tang.
it has a stamped lifter, and if not worked properly, can wind up with a cartridge under the lifter, rendering the rifle useless. If operated properly, it feeds fine, though.
It sounds like despite its flaws, the rifle has served you well as a hunting rifle.
1 Guest(s)
