Hey guys, i am now looking at a Winchester 94 Trapper in .45 LC. I can get one for right around 300 dollars, which is in my budget right now. I already have a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 LC, so then i could use the same loads in both (I wouldnt use the really warm BH loads). I would use it mainly for whitetail deer, and maybe hogs in close cover. I was also thinking about getting a Lyman 66A for it, but wont decide that until i shoot one.

NH_Hunter

I love the little Trappers. Is the one you're looking a new style with the tang mounted safety or the older cross-bolt type, maybe earlier yet with no safety?

I found one xbolt and one tang safety. I would love to get a non-safety winchester, but i like the low cost of the new ones. I also havent seen any of the older ones.

NH_Hunter

I fondled a new tang safety .45 Trapper last week, I must say I was impressed with the lettle gun. Fit & finish were very nice and if I were in the market for another trapper, I wouldn't hesitate buying one and my personal preference is prewar 1894s & '94s.

I have a ranger/trapper in 45 Colt and shoot it quite a bit with warm cast bullet loads. A 285-300 grain LBT type gas checked cast bullet over 19-20 grains os WC820 surplus powder is a moderate recoil, deer capable load that is quite accurate.

The only serious negative about these rifles is the need to BRISTKLY stroke the lever, rather than slow cycling it. If slow clycling, a second round will leave the mag tube and get under the lifter tying up the action.

Jeff

These 94 AE Trappers will handle the Ruger loads just fine. At least mine will.
There is some sort of urban legend running through the net that the 94's are not as strong in the handgun calibers. This is bunk.

And if you cycle the action slowly and the next round in the mag slides out unter the carrier there is something very wrong with it. It needs repair. Mine has around 3K rounds through it and it doesn't do that now and never has. I don't have to crank the lever fast and hard or brisk to make it feed and function either.

Joe

Since we're on the subject of Trappers, I've been handling the one I just aquired and it has almost a half inch of free travel on the trigger. Is this normal? It's not a real big deal because once the slack is taken up, it breaks pretty cleanly. It's a circa 1985 in .45 colt. (Pretty little thing with a case hardened reciever)

Joe,

Maybe he's confusing "slow cycling it" with short stroking?

Clint,
Nothing to worry about on the trigger free travel.

Clint,
The play in the trigger is normal. Been there since 1964, but the rebounding hammers seem to have more. It's just the nature of the beast.

DLS,
You could be right. If I remember right, the Marlins and 92 Copies have a shorter lever stroke than the handgun caliber Win 94's. So short stroking it is very possible.

Joe

Joe,

I believe the only difference in actions on the pre-64s & post-64s (until 1978) was the two piece mainsprings were introduced and in the way the mainspring actuated the hammer. The pre-64 mainspring actually hooked on the hammer by "stirrups" and on the post-64s, this stirrup was removed and the mainsprings then pressed against the hammer. All my Model 94s have some amount of free travel in the trigger, some more than others. ;)

Dan,

I'm pretty sure your right on the main spring set up. I remember them all, but not the exact times they started using them.
That's probably because with a good 3# trigger pull on them, I can't tell the difference.
I don't really have a preference as to what type of spring powers the hammer forward, just so long as it does.

Joe

Joe, that's an excellent point sir. :D

JRR
Had the same problem with my Trails End, send it in for repair-I did when my ejector broke and told them about the feeding problem as well. When I got it back-about 4 weeks -it worked like a charm, cycle it slow or fast no more jams! :D

I have two shooting buddies that have 357s and they both have the problem of rounds getting under the carrier. Both were sent in to Winchester under warrantee and worked fine until slow cycling and tipping the rifle on its side to eject into container for the brass. My 45 did it as well. I didn't send mine in. Instead, I used my welding torch and brazed some nickel/silver onto the tip of the cartridge stop, making it about .010" longer. Even the ones replaced by Win are barely long enough to work consistantly. Some do and some don't. The ejector on my .357 trapper broke at the spring pin. I called Win. and they put one in the mail to me the next day, no charge.
Jeff

I have a ranger/trapper in 45 Colt and shoot it quite a bit with warm cast bullet loads. A 285-300 grain LBT type gas checked cast bullet over 19-20 grains os WC820 surplus powder is a moderate recoil, deer capable load that is quite accurate.

The only serious negative about these rifles is the need to BRISTKLY stroke the lever, rather than slow cycling it. If slow clycling, a second round will leave the mag tube and get under the lifter tying up the action.

Jeff
:confused: :confused:
Funny that people are complaining about the model 94 action . I found that feeding problems only occurred when the reciever was very dirty.
We have two trappers AE in 44Mag and 357 and never had a problem with over 5000 rounds through them . We had a jam up once , but , that was because the reciever was very dirty.
The Marlin granted is a smoother action , but we found our winnie's up to the task of cowboy shooting ( once worn in ) :D :D
Happy