I recently purchased a Winchester Model 94 Ranger Compact in .357 Magnum. I suspect that it is also chambered for .38 Special, but I was wondering if anyone here had any experience with that. I would hate to ruin my rifle the first time out. Oh, and if it does shoot .38 Special, does it have any special requirements like overall length?

Thanks a lot. First time posting here.

Your Winchester Model 94 will feed any combination of bullet shape and assortment of .38 Special or .357 Magnum cartridges you care to feed it. This includes factory wadcutters.
The 200-grain RCBS gas check bullet feeds through the action and shoots very well when seated in .38 Spl cases.<O:p</O:p

I have a Winchester Model 94 chambered for 357. I've shot 38s in it, and they fire well. It does seem to have some trouble with the loading. It often jams and requires the bolt to be pulled back slightly before it will line up. Sometimes it will spit a loaded shell out the side. If I cycle very slowly it usually works. I thought it was the bullet length causing the problem since it shoots 357s with no problems at all. I love the gun and usually shoot lightly loaded 357.

I had a Marlin 1894 in .357...It would shoot all of those just fine...in fact it would shoot a 1 3/4" gp at 100 w/my issued 125 grain JHP.

Wadcutters were a dif story. They shot just fine, but they didn't feed very good and it you put 2 of em in the mag, you'd have problems. The bullet tip is requiered as it keeps bullet #2 far enough in the magazine. Being as there is no bullet tip, when you worked the lever it would let 1.25 cartridges out of the magazine. The .25 of a cartridge is attached to the rest of it, in the mag...consequently the follower is prevented from raising up, when you raise the lever and the lever won't come up.

The Reader's Digest version...a Marlin jams w/more than one wadcutter in the magazine. It shoots em just fine, and will even load em, if you jiggle the lever (it doesn't have a point on it to guide the rd into the chamber and the chamber has no hair around it to guide the blunt case). I would sorta expect a Winchester to do the same, but I did read that they will feed.

But, .38s will not harm/ruin your gun.

The biggest problem you will encounter is a build up of residue in the chamber. Kinda of like shooting .44mags in a .444 it'll work but whats the point? Use .357 mag in the long run you will like it much better.

The biggest problem you will encounter is a build up of residue in the chamber. Kinda of like shooting .44mags in a .444 it'll work but whats the point? Use .357 mag in the long run you will like it much better.

too expensive for just shooting around.

You do need to expierience handloading .357s with cast. Bulk jacketed are quite frugal to shoot also. Bottom line your gun, shoot .38s in it if you like. Buy a good chamber brush.

You do need to expierience handloading .357s with cast. Bulk jacketed are quite frugal to shoot also. Bottom line your gun, shoot .38s in it if you like. Buy a good chamber brush.

Yeah, it seems like its going to amount to me doing lots of cleaning and spending money on ammo. I cant exactly load ammo in the USAFA dorms. (go figure)