Winchester Centennial

Tuco Tom · Post by **Tuco Tom** » Sun May 04, 2008 10:48 am

I have a Winchester Centennial Limited Edition 30 W.C.F. that I use to shoot Leveraction Silhouette. Great rifle thanks to a couple of Paco's pet loads. The problem I have is that the cross bolt safety fell out yesterday while shooting....I've read the sticky on removing the safety. The parts I have in my hot little hand are the safety, plunger & spring but I believe I must be missing a part.
I'll take the part's and rifle to a gunsmith and repair the safety.....
My question is can the rifle be modified to function like the original Model 94 with half cock notch? Would the hammer from an old model fit in this rifle?
I really don't mind the cross bolt safety, it's sort of handy when shooting competition around lot's of people, but I would like to know what options are available? Any help appreciated.....

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sun May 04, 2008 11:09 am

Tuco Tom,

Welcome to the forum.

A number of us (many) have done away with the rebounding hammer actions, cross bolt and tang safeties in our Winchesters.

Go to the "ONE STICKY" fixed thread at the top of this page and check the articles and threads. There is quite a few of them.

The short answer is yes, your gun can be retro fitted with the half cock parts.
And there are several ways to do away with the c.b. safety.

Joe

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun May 04, 2008 11:53 am

Welcome to the forum Tuco Tom.Here is a link to L.F.Combs article on the Winnie Crossbolt safety replacement http://www.chuckhawks.com/win94_safety.htm

Tuco Tom · Post by **Tuco Tom** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:11 pm

Seems funny the safety would fall out, heck the rifle isn't abused. The sticky articles deal w/ covering the hole, and removing the safety.
I tried putting the crossbolt spring & plunger back together but something is missing.....bearing? I'll probably fix the crossbolt safety but I'm concerned it's a poor design, if it breaks that easy.
I'd like to know more about a replacment hammer and retrofitting to the original Model 94 design?

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:11 pm

Here is a link to a earlier forum post viewtopic.php?t=4898&highlight=hammer.This link has parts links and other info posted.

Tuco Tom · Post by **Tuco Tom** » Sun May 04, 2008 6:06 pm

Wonderful help guy's, thanks a million.......pictures and everything! This should keep me busy for a while.......

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun May 04, 2008 7:29 pm

You are welcome Tuco Tom.

Bullet Bob · Post by **Bullet Bob** » Mon May 05, 2008 2:38 pm

Tom, what kind of sight set do you use on your rifle? I've been pining for a long-barreled 94 without the full length magazine for some time.

I've been waffling over whether to get an older 64, go the least expensive route with the 1971 NRA Centennial rifle, or get the "regular" Centennial.

Everybody has their own opinion, and they're all valid, but I'm old enough to make up my own mind, and after months of pondering I've decided on one like yours. If I remember correctly back to 1994 (and there's no guarantee of that), the Grade II's had a tang sight, but the Grade 1's had a regular barrel mounted sight set up. I would get a Grade 1, because I'm poor.

I definitely need some optical upgrading, either a tang sight or the extra Lyman 66 I have laying around.

Sorry for all the rambling, but if you don't mind, what do you use on your gun?

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Mon May 05, 2008 5:40 pm

welcome to the fire. Stay a while and enjoy.

Tuco Tom · Post by **Tuco Tom** » Tue May 06, 2008 2:09 am

Bullet Bob I have a Marble's Peep Tang sight on the rear, replaced the original rear sight w/ a marbles barrel blank. The front sight is a red fiber optic sight and I believe it is also the Marbles brand.
Good sight picture on the black silhouettes. I tried the Buffalo Bill rifle but the heavy 26" octagon barrel was to much for me to control. The 26" octagon to round barrel of the Centennial model works great.
I use a Lyman 311041 173 gr water quenched lead bullet and Verl Smith's soft blue lube.

Bullet Bob · Post by **Bullet Bob** » Tue May 06, 2008 7:12 am

Thanks Tom.

Did you have to have the rifle drilled and tapped for the tang sight, or was it ready to go from the factory.

Sorry for all the questions!

Tuco Tom · Post by **Tuco Tom** » Tue May 06, 2008 2:19 pm

Bob I believe the Winchester Centennial was already drilled & tapped for the Marble Peep Tang sight.
The rifle isn't cheap in price even for the grade 1. I'm happy with the way the Centennial feels and shoots, the wood is gorgeous. My opinion of the safety is still out...the rifle is @ the local gunsmith for repair as we speak. I'll give the safety one more try, if it breaks a second time I'll convert the mechinism to the post 64 configuration. When you spend big bucks on a rifle any modification to the safety will hurt the value, but this rifle is a shooter so function is more important for my application.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Tue May 06, 2008 4:00 pm

I have a Centennial barrel I'm putting on a '94 receiver for my son. He really wants the full-length mag tube, but... I'm leaving that decision for when I get done with a couple of repairs to the receiver and have hit refinished. Wish now that I'd bought two of them while Numrich still had them.

Bullet Bob · Post by **Bullet Bob** » Tue May 06, 2008 8:04 pm

Thanks for the information, Tom. I knew they weren't giving them away, but as long as I pay myself first, and am able to put beans on the table, I don't mind paying cash for a gun if I think it's worth it. The pleasure will remain long after the price is forgotten. Of course, everyone's different - I have a friend of over 40 years who's exactly the opposite. He can't ever enjoy anything if he doesn't believe he squeezed every possible nickle out of it. More power to him, he certainly has more money than I do.
I definitely plan to shoot mine. I'm not going to worry about the safety unless it gives me a problem. It's funny how upset we humans can get about changes over time. I'm a member of the Smith & Wesson Collector's Association, you ought to hear them talk about the "lock" and MIM parts. I am also a member of the BMW Car Club of America; evidently the last "real" BMW was made whenever the writer/complainer was about 30-35 years of age.
It's not a new issue, certainly. I have "Gun Digests" back to 1951, and some American Rifleman magazines that are even older. Evidently the new ones then that we like so much now weren't nearly as good as the ones made 20-30 years earlier. And so it goes.
Me, I'm just glad to be here!