94 Repair Year Two: stuck carrier

[MacEntyre]

Last year, I took my Rattler 94, a 1965 Winchester 30 WCF, to my gunsmith with an under-the-carrier jam. He sat on it for eight months, and finally admitted that he did not like working on 94s. Tycer bailed me out, by loaning me a 30-30 link and explaining the fix. This week, I got a welder to add a bit of material to the tip of the link, and I filed it down using Tycer's link as a guide. Now it feeds from the magazine without putting a round under the carrier.

However, there is another problem, which I'm hoping you folks can help me fix. The carrier sticks. With an empty magazine, when I cycle the action slowly, the carrier doesn't budge from it's low position. With an empty magazine, when I cycle the action quickly, the carrier jumps up like it is supposed to do. However, when I put cartridges in the magazine, the carrier stays down most of the time, no matter how I cycle the action.

Upon close inspection, the carrier appears to be aligned slightly to the right of center when in the up position. It lays down where it is supposed to, nestled on top of the link. But when it pops up, it pulls a wee bit to the right.

One more thing... I bought a lever and link from a levergunner here, and that is the link the welder modified. It is an older link, with a screw for the lever pivot. It also has a screw missing under the forward end. What is that screw for? Can anyone tell me where to get a replacement?

As you can imagine, I'm getting pretty familiar with the old Rattler, and can disassemble and reassemble it almost without frustration. The more I mess with it, the more I like it!

Thank you very much for your advice!

[J Miller]

One more thing... I bought a lever and link from a levergunner here, and that is the link the welder modified. It is an older link, with a screw for the lever pivot. It also has a screw missing under the forward end. What is that screw for? Can anyone tell me where to get a replacement?

MacEntyre,

You have a pre-64 link in a post 64 rifle. The screw hole at the bottom front of the link is for the link retaining pin screw. The link pin with screw was not used in the post 64s. It was replaced by the long screw. If you install a retaining screw it will bind up the link.

That may be the problem of your carrier sticking. The post 64 carriers were longer and sat different on the top of the link than the post 64 carriers do.
Also I have a pre-post 64 parts interchange chart and it states the link does not interchange. It does not give reasons why.

Joe

[Griff]

Sounds like one of the holes in the carrier for its screw has enlongated, or its bent. If it's one of the stamped parts, I'd recommend replacing with the cast unit with a mid-70s or later rifle.

7 U344910050 CARRIER SCREW $2.00
8 U344912400 CARRIER SPRING SCREW $1.00
9 U346420060 CARRIER SPRING, $2.00
10 U341452440 CARRIER, $20.00

From the 2005 Winchester parts catalog.

[MacEntyre]

If that's the case (parts mismatch), then on Monday I'll get my welder to do to the 1965 link what he did to the pre-64 link, and all should be well!

Meanwhile I'll disassemble the Rattler, remove the incompatible part, and buy the parts that Griff listed.

Thanks!

[Griff]

Links were changed at ~ser # 2,700,000 and remained the same till ~ser #5,580,000.