An analysis of a non-functioning Model 94 Winchester followed by an unusual repair puts the revered old gun right back into the deer woods.

by Norman E. Johnson

It was well into the 2015 Wisconsin deer hunting season as a hunter greeted me with his Model 94 Winchester lever action .30-30 in hand. “Sure hope you can put this one back in service, we’ve come too far to even think of becoming separated.” As I queried him regarding the problem, he pointed to the loading ramp – a trap-door-like piece of metal extending upward through the cartridge loading port – obviously out of place. This presented a real problem in successfully loading the tubular magazine, resulting in a jam.

Precision measurements of the old gun strongly indicated a new loading gate would not solve the problem. While the loading gate had worn some, the forward margins of the loading port had worn even more. Years of use can have some unusual effects on the guns we use. Finding that I could repair his gun, he gave me the go-ahead.

Read more in the June 2017 issue.

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