Winchester 94 question

[JayCorleone]

I recently acquired a Winchester 94 lonestar edition carbine chambered in 30-30.
It has a significant amount of lever wobble and doesn't always make contact and engage the safety.
I've tried snugging everything up to make sure nothing was lose with no avail.

Is there a solution to this problem? I don't know if I was miswording or what but I couldn't even find anything on google!
Thanks in advance!

 

[Blazin]

Are you gripping it tightly?

 

[tdt91]

That is normal.

 

[OldSchool1959]

What tdt91 said.

Mine is a 1966 manufactured '94 rifle with less than 10 rounds down the bore. I know the shot count since my dad bought it new and shot it twice. It doesn't engage the safety "nub" every time either. The lever doesn't wobble though, it just "sags" naturally until you positively squeeze it against the safety. FWIW, I consider that feature a net plus since there isn't any other safety on the rifle.

 

[BlackBart]

What tdt91 said.

Mine is a 1966 manufactured '94 rifle with less than 10 rounds down the bore. I know the shot count since my dad bought it new and shot it twice. It doesn't engage the safety "nub" every time either. The lever doesn't wobble though, it just "sags" naturally until you positively squeeze it against the safety. FWIW, I consider that feature a net plus since there isn't any other safety on the rifle.

How many safeties does one need? They also have the half cock feature as well.

 

[SRD]

It's normal for a worn out Lever,personally I wouldn't trust it .I'd like to have it as a wall-hanger,pm a price.

 

[smores]

It is possible that it could have been dropped and something hit the lever, bending it outward slightly... I would try to compare it to another lever (outside of the gun) to see if it's bent. It really shouldn't take any effort past overcoming the spring pressure on that safety lever...

 

[JayCorleone]

The side to side play is pretty ridiculous, the squeezing part I don't mind, but sometimes the lever completely misses the safety "nub"! Like sometimes it doesn't make contact.

 

[smores]

The side to side play is pretty ridiculous, the squeezing part I don't mind, but sometimes the lever completely misses the safety "nub"! Like sometimes it doesn't make contact.

Something ain't right. Have a gunsmith check it out. The lever should never be that loose.

 

[dist1646]

Winchester lowered their production standards as a cost cutting measure post '64.
I used to collect '94's and the reduction in quality due to the cost cutting measures taken is really noticeable. I had several rifles that I had to make a conscious effort to push the lever to the side to avoid missing the button.

 

[pop-gunner]

The side to side play is pretty ridiculous, the squeezing part I don't mind, but sometimes the lever completely misses the safety "nub"! Like sometimes it doesn't make contact.

I have one that does the same thing.
Has for years.

 

[smores]

I have one that does the same thing.
Has for years.

Still, that doesn't make it right. If you can't deactivate the safety it should have been a recall issue, and if out of warranty (as I'm sure it is) find a gunsmith who works with lever guns and get him to check it out. I would if I couldn't figure it out myself...

 

[tssherman]

I have had this problem before, just use some BONDO and Ducktape!

 

[pop-gunner]

Still, that doesn't make it right. If you can't deactivate the safety it should have been a recall issue, and if out of warranty (as I'm sure it is) find a gunsmith who works with lever guns and get him to check it out. I would if I couldn't figure it out myself...

Not saying it's right.
It simply is what it is.
Winchester is gone (now FN) so warranty should be gone.
It's a common problem with that model with no good solution.
You have a choice...
1) Live with the gun the way it came from Winchester.
2) Have a factory, or gunsmith modify the gun from it's original condition and detract from it's value.
I may have a different philosophy on guns than many but here are some of my thoughts and the reasons behind.
I have guns going back to the 1800s than have been passed down through generations.
There have been many improvements and upgrades since they were first made but to preform these modifications on a gun of that age would turn that gun into something it never was.
For me to take a Parker PH and turn that into a PHE would be a heinous act in my mind.
Even though I know the ejector is a nice feature and improvement over the original I could never make something out of something that was never there to begin with.
Guns I can replace tomorrow (I have a few plastic pistols nowhere near stock) I will modify for my needs.
Classic arms I cannot readily replace are preserved for future generations.
I apply a portion of the Hippocratic Oath to my belief of how guns should be treated.
"I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone."