Need help with son's Model 94

[RushCC]

Hello to all. I really need some help. My parents and I have bought my son his first firearm, a 1964 vintage Model 94 Winchester. I spent the day taking it completely apart and cleaning it, but when I put it back together, it seems more difficult to cycle the action than before I started. I followed a good tutorial on the web, and I have disassembled and put back together a wide variety of firearms, so am not a complete novice. It seems to me that the stiffness comes when the bolt pushes back and then rides over the hammer nose. Any help would be appreciated. As a point of comparison, it is considerably more difficult to cycle than my 1978 vintage Model 94. Thanks again.

[O.S.O.K.]

Welcome to the board and good for you and your folks for getting a great rifle for your son.

One of the 94 experts here will post a reply for you soon.

[El Chivo]

well I'm no expert, but I have been having issues with my 94 hammer spring. What you describe sounds like what happened when my gunsmith installed a 32 lb Wolff spring in there. It was hard to push back the hammer and therefore hard to cycle. But it was only really stiff at one point in the cycle, and once past that it was easier.

I now have a regular Winchester spring in there and it's back to normal. Anyway, maybe you put the spring in differently when you reassembled it.

[J Miller]

Hello to all. I really need some help. My parents and I have bought my son his first firearm, a 1964 vintage Model 94 Winchester. I spent the day taking it completely apart and cleaning it, but when I put it back together, it seems more difficult to cycle the action than before I started. I followed a good tutorial on the web, and I have disassembled and put back together a wide variety of firearms, so am not a complete novice. It seems to me that the stiffness comes when the bolt pushes back and then rides over the hammer nose. Any help would be appreciated. As a point of comparison, it is considerably more difficult to cycle than my 1978 vintage Model 94. Thanks again.

Rush,

Welcome to the forum.

If it worked easier before you took it apart than it does now, you've got something in a bind, or you need to get some lube somewhere.
I've had the same problem with an early post 64 and once it was lubed good and settled back down it worked OK. But I had it apart numerous times in the mean time.
Don't forget to lube the contact points of the carrier spring, and the carrier screw. You can reach those from the bottom with the action open and the rear over the top of the cocked hammer with the action closed. Also don't forget to lube the lever to bolt pin.
A dab of grease on the bottom of the hammer where the main spring pushes will help, as will some grease on the bottom of the bolt where the hammer rubs.

Joe

[Shasta]

Check the pin that secures the lever to the bolt. If it is too far in or not far enough in it can bind a bit.

[RushCC]

Thank you for the suggestions so far. I will check that pin, and make sure the contact points are properly lubed.

[Sixgun]

Check the pin that secures the lever to the bolt. If it is too far in or not far enough in it can bind a bit.

Thats the one that does it (binds) 9 times out of ten! Good call.---------------Sixgun