Winchester lever action .45

[Macnsniff]

So I like collecting older pieces, trying to figure out 1st year Winchester made a lever action in .45 colt

 

[Mgderf]

Someone more knowledgeable than myself will be along soon to answer your question.
Meanwhile, google is your friend...
Btw- Welcome to Ingo.

 

[Macnsniff]

Someone more knowledgeable than myself will be along soon to answer your question.
Meanwhile, google is your friend...
Btw- Welcome to Ingo.

well, I have googled it and the earliest confirmed run I can find was started in 1994. I just can’t imagine Wenchester did not make a lever action in 45 Colt way before that.

 

[Jaybird1980]

well, I have googled it and the earliest confirmed run I can find was started in 1994. I just can’t imagine Wenchester did not make a lever action in 45 Colt way before that.

1994 doesn't really sound right. I was thinking it was the 80's. I'm pretty certain it was after they sold to US Repeating Arms and that was 81 I think.

The older guns weren't chambered in 45 colt, which is why Colt ended up chambering their pistols in 44 and 38 WCF.

I have heard that it was an issue with the way the rim was folded and it wouldn't seal and extract reliably. Don't know if there is any truth to that.

 

[ECS686]

1994 doesn't really sound right. I was thinking it was the 80's. I'm pretty certain it was after they sold to US Repeating Arms and that was 81 I think.

The older guns weren't chambered in 45 colt, which is why Colt ended up chambering their pistols in 44 and 38 WCF.

I have heard that it was an issue with the way the rim was folded and it wouldn't seal and extract reliably. Don't know if there is any truth to that.

I also read it was a trademark thing because Colt’s name was in the round maybe a little if both as the rim isn’t as pronounced on 45 Colt brass

Either way the 94 Wins are great little rifles

 

[Bstarkey_46947]

"The 45 colt first appeared in the 94 in 1985."

I found this on the 24hour campfire forum. As pointed out in the forum, the 1894 is rifle cartridge platform and wasn't adapted to pistol cartridges until the 92 was discontinued.

I have a 45 LC model 94, this era of 94s has the safety on the side of the receiver (ugly as sin). I set out 25 years ago to collect 1 of every caliber but it is an elusive and expensive proposition. Currently have 22LR, 22WCF, 30WCF, .30-30, and 45 LC.

There was one floating around in the classified advertisements not long ago.

 

[Magyars]

I have a trappers 45 Colt....can't tell you for sure but I popped a pig in 84 with it

 

[Leadeye]

45 Colt early on had a small rim and was a Colt proprietary cartridge. It never was made for lever extraction. The early Winchesters in 32-20, 38-40, and 44-40 like the 1873 all shot those cartridges, and all have large solid rims for extraction. The 45 Colt over time gets a larger rim, but it really isn't until the modern era that you see it chambered much in lever guns.

A powerful loading in modern lever guns, my Henry chambers a 325 grain Lyman that I have put through deer lengthwise.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I bought my 94 in .44 mag in 2004 maybe. Holds 13 mags and 14 specials. Used it for cowboy action. Has a lever throw like a golf swing. Great deer rifle though.

 

[Max Volume]

I bought my 94 in .44 mag in 2004 maybe. Holds 13 mags and 14 specials. Used it for cowboy action. Has a lever throw like a golf swing. Great deer rifle though.

Someone should come out with a short stroke kit for it. As to the OP I'd have to dig through my Madis Winchester book to see
if it is in there.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Someone should come out with a short stroke kit for it. As to the OP I'd have to dig through my Madis Winchester book to see
if it is in there.

Not that I know of. The Winchester 94 doesn't lend itself well. Too complicated. The 92 and 73 slick up nicely.

 

[Drail]

A carefully tuned Winchester in the hands of a serious shooter scares me more than some punk with an AR with a 30 round magazine in it. I have Winchesters in .357 and .44 I only wish I had bought more of them.