My Grandfathers Model 94

My Grandfather had promised me this Rifle as a wedding gift. Unfortunately, he died when I was 17. My Grandmother Gave me many things of his in the following months. Two of those things were a Rockwell full sized lathe, and his Winchester model 94.

It wasn't until this year that I decided that I NEED to shoot this thing, and couldn't understand why I hadn't decided to do it a lot sooner. Here's a bit of History on the gun. It's a Winchester model 94 Chambered in .32ws. It has a 21 3/4" Octagon barrel with a 6 round magazine tube. The serial number puts the date of manufacture at 1907, which generously fits it into the category of a Pre64. I believe everything is original except the Butt stock.

Wally Fuller, my grandfather, was the manager of the Tllsonburg CIBC back in the 60's and received the gun from the retiring manager before him. My Grandmother believes that Wally never shot it the entire time he had it. If I know my Grandpa like I think I do, that's completely false.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to finally shoot it. Was able to track down the elusive caliber at a local gun shop and paid $78 for 40 rounds. :dropjaw:

One of my coworkers has a 100yrd shooting range that he invited me out to which made my dream come true. After the first shot, and seeing a puff of dirt only inches beside a stationary clay pigeon, I was smiling. I believe my words were, "It shot straight! And holy shit, pass me those ear muffs!" Once I had a feel for the gun I was picking them off left and right. It was a great day, but not a cheap day. But hell, it was worth every penny and time to shoot old Wallys gun.

Attachment 187612Attachment 187613Attachment 187614Attachment 187615

Nice gift from your Grandfather. One of my favorite guns to shoot. Comfortable against the shoulder, open sights and deadly accurate. I'm sure your Grandfather was smiling when you pulled the trigger.

Sweet! Brings back a memory 10 years or so, I finally got my mom to give me my grandfather's 16 Belgian Browning.
Needed a reblue due to rust and a butt-plate as the thing had been leaning up in a corner stuffed in a case. Razor beetles love horn buttplates! Found an old plate and had a local guy disassemble and sent out for rust removal and hot-tanking.
One day, I took it to the trap range. Full choke, I proceeded to slay some trap in a fine manner. Most expensive rounds I ever shot at trap. Well worth it. Need to do it again some day. Good that you have it and especially good you use it. Nice rifle! Have fun!

When that carbine was made I am pretty sure you could custom order a 94 with any number of options from butt stock styles straight or pistol grip, barrel length round or octagon, type of sights and you get the picture. I am almost positive your carbine is all original. As originally made the butt stock and fore end grip where they meet the receiver were fitted proud of the metal. A lot of people when they replaced those pieces fitted them flush with the metal so you can sometimes tell if the wood is original or not by that. Nice figuring in the butt stock too. I would research the carbine a bit more paying attention to it's configuration and that particular rear sight. Aside from it's huge sentimental value you may have an unusual 94 also.

Bob

I should add that I hope you saved that brass for reloading. Also iirc correctly the 32 Special was one of the first smokeless rounds offered.

Bob

A rare pce with the octagon Barrel,nice wood also,Congrats:)

What Caliber Is it?

Beautiful rifle! I hope you cleaned her well. That would be a wondddderful gift for your grandson....

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

What Caliber Is it?

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.32ws or .32winchester special.


This is part of the reason I believe it not to be original. Plastic Butt plate labeled Remington.

Attachment 187627

Attachment 187628

I think the Butt stock had been refinished at some point. If you can see in the last pic here, they've slopped finish on part of the receiver.

Did a little looking around and if the Remington butt plate is not enough to make the butt stock a replacement the straight lever and tang are for a straight grip butt stock. Factory pistol grip stocks were fitted to receivers with a slight curve to the tang and the lever has a slight curve to match. Still a wonderful looking rifle with some unique features. Got too excited when I saw it and I think carbines were 18 inch barrels or less.

Bob

That's awesome Andrew
I only wish I had gotten my paws on my gramp's firearms :)
I'm sure he did smile down on you.
What a thing to be able to cherish and pass down.
Shoot it in good health and memories
Mike

When I first measured the barrel, I was really bummed out because I thought right away it had been shortened. But then I found this about the 21 3/4" barrel length.

This was taken from Google books, the book is

Winchester model 94, a sentry of craftsmanship.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=GJa...tput=html_text

So does that mean my barrel doesn't have the 1:16 twist rate thats associated with the .32ws? It ver well could have a 1:10 that these muskets had.......

Thank you for sharing it with us today,,,,,,,,,:beer1:

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Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

When I first measured the barrel, I was really bummed out because I thought right away it had been shortened. But then I found this about the 21 3/4" barrel length.

This was taken from Google books, the book is

Winchester model 94, a sentry of craftsmanship.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=GJa...tput=html_text

So does that mean my barrel doesn't have the 1:16 twist rate thats associated with the .32ws? It ver well could have a 1:10 that these muskets had.......

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You might try marking a spot on a cleaning rod near the handle, just start the brush or cleaning patch in the barrel muzzle. Put another mark on the rod at the muzzle and push in until you get 1 revolution of the marker on the cleaning rod near the handle. Put another mark on the cleaning rod where it enters the muzzle and withdraw the rod. Measure the distance between the start and stop marks and that should tell you if you have a 1 turn in 10 inch or 1 turn in 16 inch twist.

Bob

Now you have personally very valuable and priceless piece of history. Congrats! Propably it has seen times we couldn't even imagine.

Here's mine. Linked this pic of mine from another forum.
Here's my grandfather's Mosin-Nagant. Being in use from 1939-1944.
Known as a 'spitz dog' here. The front sight reminds of the Karelian spitz dog ears up.
That's is why those old WW2 veterans never talked about shooting but spitz dogs barking.
However. Most these rifles are stamped as 'SA' (Finnish Army) but mine has 'SY' that means white guards.
Very sharp up to 150 m (about 500 ft) and not so bad up to 300 m (1000 ft).

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/...POTD300312.jpg

And here's just a random pic of a Karelian spitz dog. very very popular hunting buddy here:

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/...psdf07c516.jpg

And here's the web pic of the front sight:

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/...ps12c3b057.jpg

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Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

When I first measured the barrel, I was really bummed out because I thought right away it had been shortened. But then I found this about the 21 3/4" barrel length.

This was taken from Google books, the book is

Winchester model 94, a sentry of craftsmanship.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=GJa...tput=html_text

So does that mean my barrel doesn't have the 1:16 twist rate thats associated with the .32ws? It ver well could have a 1:10 that these muskets had.......

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Makes no Diff,is what it is.

To an extent your right Pixel. But I would think the faster rotation the 1:10 twist would make it more accurate at a greater distance. But hey, I'm no scientist.

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Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

To an extent your right Pixel. But I would think the faster rotation the 1:10 twist would make it more accurate at a greater distance. But hey, I'm no scientist.

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Yes but only because you can't change it unless you re barrel it. Yes, you are right in that rifling twist rates are one of the key things that go into making a rifle accurate. If you have ever wondered why a rifle you own shoots well with one particular bullet weight/shape and not other different weight bullets, part of the answer is the rifling twist rate. The long distance match rifle shooters are maniacal fanatics in finding just the right twist rate to get the most accuracy out of their bullets. At least the ones I have known were. The other area where it may be of concern/matter is to a collector. The fewer made with a particular twist rate more points towards being collectible.

Bob

Well, the twist rate is most definitely 1:10. For me, all that proves is that the statement in the book about the 21 3/4 inch barrels being taken from muskets, is true. Very cool!

Well if your not planing on going to camp perry and compeating in the 1000 yrd shoots,it will serve you well as is :)

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Well if your not planing on going to camp perry and compeating in the 1000 yrd shoots,it will serve you well as is :)

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Lol. I'd like to try 200yds. I could barely pick up the orange clays at 100.

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Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

Lol. I'd like to try 200yds. I could barely pick up the orange clays at 100.

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Solution, larger targets. For hunting big game, moose and deer, the 32 Special/30/30 class of cartridges are best used at 100 yards or less though imho. They run out of steam pretty quick. Have fun with it and keep pushing the distances out. It really gets fun when you have to start applying serious amounts of Kentucky windage and elevation with those iron sights.

Bob

Bob, if I could, I'd shoot this thing every bloody weekend. But, man are those rounds expensive! $34.95 before tax for 20.

As for the targets, I'm going to keep my eyes pealed for a nice hunk of thick steel plate for my friend. The water jugs are fun too. As for actual hunting, ain't much of a killer.

Yea, feeding the rifles is expensive these days. One way around it to make it less expensive in the long run is to reload your own and cast your own lead bullets. That is another time/money consuming hobby in it's self.

We used to have a mild steel plate suspended from chains on a metal frame for entertainment. IIRC the plate was about 2x3 feet in size and 3/8-1/2 inch thick. It was fun to make it jump around. The range was short only going to 500 yards but 308 military ball ammo would punch clean holes through it at 500 yards. Standard 223 ball would only put a pucker mark on it at the same distance. Anyway it was a lot of fun.

Bob

Don't hunt anymore myself. Seems the closer I get to the big dirt nap the less inclined I am to kill anything.

Shot .308 for the first time the same day I shot my 94. It was a savage rifle with a composite stock. Wow did it kick. The gun was so light it just wanted to fly when fired. That's what's nice about gramps' gun. It's got a lot of heft for a small gun. But hey, try and get me to say something bad about it! :)

Nice pce for sure,That stock is sorta strange,looks like it came off of a Marlin or a special Factory order.

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Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Nice pce for sure,That stock is sorta strange,looks like it came off of a Marlin or a special Factory order.

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Ya who knows Pixel. At one point I was thinking of replacing it with the proper stock. Get the nice steel crescent Butt plate. But the stock that's on it is old too, so I think ill leave it.

http://www.precisiongunstocks.com/co...en-us/d17.html

Your 94 is a sweetheart. I believe those were referred to as "trapper carbines". The stock is not original as you've surmised. If it were, the loading lever and lower tang would be curved.

Grand dad made it "his" gun with that stock for whatever reason.

Sailor, I'd dearly love to see more pics of your old Mosin. That old warrior is fascinating.

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Originally Posted by Wullie

Your 94 is a sweetheart. I believe those were referred to as "trapper carbines". The stock is not original as you've surmised. If it were, the loading lever and lower tang would be curved.

Grand dad made it "his" gun with that stock for whatever reason.

Sailor, I'd dearly love to see more pics of your old Mosin. That old warrior is fascinating.

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I've read that a hard used 94 was prone to breaking at the handle. This guy's been used, that's for sure. Dings all over it.
Not sure if the Dings on the end cap are from some type of a holster or someone trying to do work on it?????
Attachment 187666

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Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

I've read that a hard used 94 was prone to breaking at the handle. This guy's been used, that's for sure. Dings all over it.
Not sure if the Dings on the end cap are from some type of a holster or someone trying to do work on it?????
Attachment 187666

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Never seen the likes of that before. Looks like it was crudely peened to me, maybe to tighten it up.

My Uncle Alley Lansford's old Mod 95 Winchester saddle ring carbine has a very ugly stove bolt through the wrist of the stock that holds it together. The stock was broken when Alley's horse fell and his rifle was in a saddle scabbard.

Here's a pic pic of Uncle Alley and a hired hand. Alley is holding his beloved old Mod 95. It's a 30 US Gov't 1903 caliber which was the forerunner of the the 30 Us Gov't 1906 AKA 30-06.
http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/u...ullie_01/2.jpg
YOu can shoot '06 ammo in it, but the bullet rattles a bit before it catches the rifling. the '03 cartridge had a longer neck than the '06. 30-03 ammo is pretty much non-existent anymore.

Alley was known to have "swapped smoke" with Mexican banditos back in the 20's and 30's with that rifle. He ranched in SW Texas and his ranch bordered the Rio Grand River. He was not a man to be trifled with.
He never wore blue jeans and he wore a jacket all year around.
Standing next to his 41 Plymouth coupe.
http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/u...ullie_01/1.jpg

Beautiful long gun Andrew..
I have a collection of longs, some of which were my grandfathers as well. Really nice to keep the old tools working, especially when they are from within ones own family.. Right on!