Finally warmed up the Win M94

[MLB]

I finally got out to put a few rounds through the Winchester Model 94 last weekend. As it's new to me, I wanted to get a feel for it before taking it out this coming weekend for opening day.

I got a feel for it alright. After a couple of boxes of .30-30, and then 5 rounds of 3"magnum deer slugs through the old Rem 870, my shoulder was feeling it all of the next day.

I can see how the top ejection would be difficult with a scope, but with the open sights I'm using, you can catch the spent brass rather easily before it hits the ground. I kind of like it.

OK, I hoped you wouldn't ask. I shot it marginally and only got it down to a 5" group of 7 shots at 100 yards. It was windy. Yea, that was it. Besides, I've never shot a deer smaller than 5". That will do.

[TMan]

At 100 yards with open sights... Hey dude, with open sights, I'm shooting at 25 yards. I can barely see the target at 100 yards. Just to have a group, I would be happy.

I didn't know you had the 94. I've always wanted one, but it never made it to the top of my list. It just got pushed down again. I saw something on TV last night. It is a PTR-91. www.jldenter.com/

However, I'm deep in Mil-Surp at this point. It creates hard decisions though: "Should I buy ammo for my 460 XVR or this rifle?"

I'm not buying any more rifles until I can get some of these stocks refinished. The next one I may get will be a the Yugo M48, but I'm not going to buy one until I shoot the K98 and see how badly it hurts me. As soon as I put down the laptop, I'm back to sanding.

Incidentally, these new foam sanding blocks are great. They get loaded up with sawdust (a clear indicated that there is still oil in the stock), and you just wash them out in the kitchen sink.

Just thought of something: if you came to Texas to deer hunt, you could buy the 9422 to hunt with. We have really small deer. ;D Everything is big in Texas with the exception of our deer.

They just said on TV that you can fight Bird Flu and SARS with sauerkraut. Can you imagine in a country the size of China if everyone started eating sauerkraut. They think they have an air pollution problem now... Suddenly someone would light a match and the whole country would be destroyed in one big methane explosion. Then Wal-mart would go out of business.

[MLB]

You should write for Leno TMan.... Good stuff.

Looks like JLD is taking it's cue from Kimber and SIG. 20 or so models of the same gun?

I've had the M94 for a month or so now. I say "have", but it's really on permenent loan. Works for me. As far as the 9422; I'd like to get this one and the Henry in my hands side by side. I'm glad you mentioned the Henry. I might just go that way.

[TMan]

Speaking of 9422 et al: while I was waiting for my dealer to get off the phone, I was going through her rifle stash. (She probably wasn't even talking to anyone; she just wanted me to look - and buy). ;D

She had a Browning Grade 1 for $429 (MSRP of $535). It is a beautiful gun, but I don't like the way that it loads through the stock. One of the guys at the range has one, and he is going to let me "shoot it for a day and see how I like it." What is weird is that it ejects to the bottom.

I'd seen the Browning Buckmark rifles and thought they looked goofy. I wasn't aware of these models.

Speaking of rifles: I've been looking at Enfields for several weeks, and never saw anything that I thought was worth $149. I asked the man behind the counter if they ever got any decent Enfields. "Oh, I have one here behind the counter". It had a price tag of $279, and he told me I could have it for $250. The stock showed wear, but was in good condition as was the barrel and metal parts.

I just finished working over the wood with "Old English Red Oil", and it looks great. I'm having a ball with these old rifles, but I'm working in the kitchen because of the cold spell, which is making quiet a smell. It should clear out by the time the wife comes home for Christmas.

I need to spend more on these rifles so the content of the new rifle safe is greater than the cost of the safe.

[MLB]

I'd love to pick up one of those massive gun vaults. Wife says it wouldn't fit in with the rest of the decor. I suppose she's right. The rest of the house doesn't look much like a bank branch.

[TMan]

Yes, they make some incredible vaults. They also have shotguns at Bass Pro Shops with incredible prices to put into the vaults. Hmmm, shotgun or new BMW 750? Wouldn't need a vault for the 750! On the other hand, the shotgun is beautiful and the BMW is ugly.

I just can't believe people would spend more money on a single gun than I've spent on my entire collection.

One of these days I need to put into a spreadsheet each of my guns and what they cost. I should do the same for the teddy bears and dolls - the ones from Germany were expensive. The German bears sit in the formal living room. One of the German dolls stands in the corner. She is gorgeous; you would think you were looking at a person vs. a doll because her face is so human looking. Of course she should look good - H&K USP's are cheaper.

Well, back to my stock refinishing and Fox and Friends.

Mission accomplished: another thread hijacked.

[5ontarget]

So MLB, will you put a scope and shell deflector on it, or keep the iron sites on it?
I kinda like feeling a bit sore after shooting, it reminds me all the next day about the fun I had the previous day.


I'm currently renovating three rooms in my house. A friend of mine pointed out a couple of ads for custom vault doors. He joked that I should turn one of these rooms into a safe/gun room. The walls are plenty thick, 12" brick/stone interior and exterior. The problem is the 4 six foot high windows in the rooms.
I certainly won't be doing this, my current storage system has plenty of room left in it, although I will need some more rifle space soon, I'm hearing a couple of complaints about their current location.

[MLB]

No scope on the M94 for me. Just doesn't seem right. Sort of like putting turbochargers on a '64 Mustang.

Besides, in the woodlands I hunt in, you can't see much beyond 100 yards anyway. A slug gun is probably the better choice. I just couldn't resist taking out the lever gun since it's the first year that it's legal in that county. (It hasn't helped yet by the way. Biggest thing I've seen is a grey squirrel.)

["DoubleAction"]

mlb said:

I'd love to pick up one of those massive gun vaults. Wife says it wouldn't fit in with the rest of the decor. I suppose she's right. The rest of the house doesn't look much like a bank branch.

MLB; The Liberty Safe catalog provides some excellent samples of how gun safes fit into the decor of a room, unfortunately, most of the rooms resemble that of a hunting lodge.
I put together my gun room before I purchased my safe, and found the color "Forest Green", in a flat base, to be fitting for a manly color. After I began looking into safes, I chose the Liberty Safe, in green with gold trim accents, a gold plated dial, and gold color three spoke wheel. With my green felt pistol display board on one wall, everything came out acceptable.