Winchester Model 94 AE in 356 Winchester - Question for the experts

35 Whelen

Active Member
Good day Gentlemen
I have had my eye on a beautiful 94 AE in 356 Win for about 3-4 years now. The fellow who owned it had a hard time finding a buyer as brass is so hard to come by. I was finally in a position to buy it and picked it up yesterday, after securing 190 cases for it, with 140 of those handloaded ( which will be pulled down and reloaded by me....sorry, I won't shoot someones reloads.)
I have a question for those who are familiar with the rifle. When you drop the lever and the hammer is in the cocked position, I can see the firing pin protruding from the rear of the breach block. I am wondering if there is a spring that holds the firing pin in the rearmost position. I ask this as the pin seems to be free-floating with nothing holding it rearward to allow the hammer to strike it cleanly. The firing pin is able to move back and forth freely and not under spring tension. Is this normal?



Thank you Gents.
 

Ian

Notorious member
The primer of an unfired cartridge in the chamber pushes the firing pin back proud of the bolt. The pin freely floats, or should, I've never seen one that was spring loaded.
 

35 Whelen

Active Member
The primer of an unfired cartridge in the chamber pushes the firing pin back proud of the bolt. The pin freely floats, or should, I've never seen one that was spring loaded.
Thank you Ian.......very excited to get this rifle. It's going to get fed cast. Happy New Year
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
yeah it does float around.
some of the later 94's had a rebounding [and lame firing tendencies] firing pin.
i got rid of a very highly figured wood, heavily gold inlaid super nice engraved [formerly] NIB 94 because of that stupid firing pin.
took a hit on the trade in and smiled broadly when i walked out with a roughed up no steel plate having pre-64 model 94 carbine with about 40% bluing.
I promptly screwed on a sorta fitting recoil pad from some shotgun in the past and went shooting, only now with a 100% of the time every time bang when i pulled the trigger.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Had a brand new 356 with the checkering and everything in the shop shortly after they were introduced. I think I had it marked at $350 and thought it would sit there a while. Sold it in a couple days and made a whopping $25.00 on it. Should have kept it for me.
 

John

Active Member
I killed a couple of whitetail with the Speer 180 and a max book load of AA2015. IIRC, it moved along at just under 2700 fps. I though they were too light for elk but they were deer killers. My cast load shot 18" lower at 100 yards. I sold it after buying a 358 BLR and sold that after buying a 358 bolt.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I made a 356 oughta a H&R 35 Rem before I ever shot it as a 35Rem! I cut the chamber/extractor relief actually so I could shoot 358 also. I liked it alot.
Took a few deer with that gun. Sold it for allot couple years ago.

Used a few 200FTX and more 220 Speers. Both was excellent.

Always wanted a Marlin ER. But settled for a couple Marlin 375's

CW
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
If I happened across a Winchester AE 94 in 356 it would certainly come home with me. Reasonable trade or prices of course, but I’d be tempted to anti up more for that combination. Would prefer the older BB in that caliber personally, but hens teeth are hard to come buy.
 

35 Whelen

Active Member
If I happened across a Winchester AE 94 in 356 it would certainly come home with me. Reasonable trade or prices of course, but I’d be tempted to anti up more for that combination. Would prefer the older BB in that caliber personally, but hens teeth are hard to come buy.
John...... I paid $750 Cnd for it. He had it for sale for a number of years at the local shows, but never sold it as ammo is so scarce
 
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