88N

I'm looking at possably purchasing this rifle when i return to the states and am hoping for some opinions and experiance related replys on this particular rifle. Link provided so i don't get the rifle confused with any others.
Is it worth the price tag? How does it shoot? Does it have jamming problems? Would it be good for hunting? and any other questions you can think to answer.

whelen36

depends on how your and where your going to be useing it , it's a short range rifle cartridge with flat nose bullets , and was meant for use whitetail deer sized game animals , though some elk and larger game have been taken with it , there are better choices. it's range for the normal average shooter is about 150 yards. i've got 2 of them , one in a 88' year model 94 ranger , and another one in a 98' year 94 legacy. mine have never jammed and have always been good and reliable and give me about a 1 3/4" to 2" groups at 100 yards with the occassional stringer but , the marlin 336 is a better rifle.


looks like another war thread about the old .30-30 is brewing , wait till frizz see's it

pharaoh2

I love my 94. With a good bullet like the 170 partition, it will take any elk or moose that walks if you keep the ranges at say 100 to 150 yards. Anyone who thinks thats too close, well, I'll tell them thats why they call it hunting. I would suggest trying to find an old 94 (pre-64) The manufacturing was quite different, less stamped parts and no safties. The bottom of the reciever is a little rounder so carrying is a littlw sweeter. If you can't find a good old one, than buy the new one. But dont buy last years model with the cross bolt safety. Specify a new model with the tang safety. Good luck.

88N

thanks for the help ya'll. another question that came to mind is; even with a 24" barrel these things are such short range rifles? is the 1in12 rifleing the cause of this? how is the trajectory? does it shoot in an ark like an M16?

BENOUTHUNTIN

Great gun up to 100 yards. Get a recoil pad, unless you are real beefy. The short range is because of the heavy bullet, roundness and low speed.
One of the best brush guns you could ask for. And get the tang safety.
What were you planning on shooting with it?

hunter338

Hello 88N.

I own both the Win. and the Marlin type Lever action rifles, and to me I think that the Marlins are a better rifle than the 94's.
that is not saying that they are. They just fit me better than the Win. 94's do. No doubt about it. They are both good guns.

Just woundering though. Have you looked into the 35's or the 375 cals. for these lever actions? You will still be limited to the 100 to 150 yard range but you will have a harder hitting round for the same price.

I own all three cals. I have a Win. mod. 94 in the 375 Big Bore. A Marlin 30-30, and a Marlin in the 35 Remington. Love them all.

What ever you do decide on let us know.

hunter338.

whelen36

the flat/round nose bullets are mandatory because of the tubular magazine , where the nose end of the bullet rests against the primer of the other , and during cycling and firing the movement could accidently set a primer off and turn into a rather bad situation .

that's why the range is limited,

have you looked at any of the single shot rifles of NEF or H&R , they are below the price value of the model 94 and have the availability of interchangable barrels ( sent back to the factory for fitting though ) ,
or how about one of the savage bolt actions , they're quite affordable , and accurate too

RonM

I have bothe the 94 and Marlin, the one feature about the 94 that I dislike is that it is top eject , which means it cannot accomodate a top mount scope, you have to use a side mount and that is a little awkward. Othen than that is it a fine piece.

pharaoh2

Actually Ron, The newer 94's are set up with angle eject. It's not quite as slick as the Marlins, but it works quite well. Instead of the cartridge flying straight over your shoulder, it's flipped over to the side. And Hunter338, the .35 Remington is still available, but the .375 has long since been discontinued. Although the odd used one may show up, their a little hard to find. I'd very much like one myself.

hunter338

pharaoh2.

I seen two of the Win. Mod. 94's in the 375 Big Bore cal. at the last Gun Show I went to in El Paso Texas. I think that they were running around $280 or $ 290.

When I bought mine it was off of a friend. He had only shot it a few times. Got it for cheap.

hunter338