[merle]

Could someone answer a question for me? I am buying a factory barrel for a model 94 winchester and was wondering if I can just screw a new one on  and have it work or does the headspace have to be checked by a gunsmith. I am using the same caliber barrel.

 

[William Iorg]

In my limited experiance ,yes, you can.

The breeching and lock-up of the Model 94 makes the chambers and barrel shanks all the same.

If you were switching calibers such as from the .30-30 to the .38-55 you would also have to replace the cartridge guides. 30-30 to .32 Special or the other way around is just a barrel swap.

If you have an old rifle remember that ther are changes in the post 64's.

McFarland did a pretty interesting article on barrel switching in an American Rifleman. If I could figure out how to work my scanner....

 

[merle]

William iorg
Do you have the month and year of the article. Maybe I could find it or might happen to have that copy. Thanks
Merle

 

[William Iorg]

I'm at work but I'll look it up when I get home.

I remember it as being in the fifties...

 

[William Iorg]

Merle

Look for Harold E. McFarland.
"Modernizing the '94 Winchester". page 33 and 34
Janury 1949 American Rifleman.

I had forgotton or missed the point that on the older '94's there were two kinds of cartridge guides. A sort of universal and a specific type.

 

[merle]

william
Thanks for the info. I don't know if I can find a magazine that far back or not.

 

[William Iorg]

Merle,

I got to thinking...

Why dont you post what you had to go through to make your barrel fit properly.
Since our results were different it may give others some information to mull over.

 

[merle]

I had a post 64 top eject winchester trapper that I wanted to put a longer barrel on. I purchased a 24" barrel and tube set that must of been off of a model 64 angel eject. The gunsmith had to mill 3 thousands (if I remember right) off of the barrel to get the sights to come up right and then a few thousands off of the tube to get it to fit. He also had to mill a ejector grove in the barrel since the other one was of to the side. It sure made a nice rifle out of it for a total cost of $130.00.