Winchester 94 BB vs Winchester 1895?

[abcollector]

Men,

Which would you go with if you wanted both but could only have one?

Winchester 94 BB in 444 Marlin or a Winchester 1895 in 405 Winchester. They are both modern with either a cross bolt safety or tang safety, rebounding hammers etc. I don't like either of those two features as I know most of you don't either. But you can be too picky.

Both cartridges are similar but the 444 Marlin would have a larger selection of bullets.

Which one is the question.

[Don McDowell]

95 in 405 rules, the rest drool

There's actually a pretty fair selection of jacketed bullets for the 405, Hornady and now Winchester offer factory loads. There's a pretty fair number of cast bullets that work fine in the grand old cartridge.

The tang safety on the 95 is totally and completely ignorable, so its really not much of a factor.

[Duff L Bagg]

If it were me me I would go with the 95 in 405. The reason being that the 405 is a little more rare than the 444. With the selection of jacketed and cast bullets that are available you can hunt just about anything that roams North America.

[O.S.O.K.]

Yes, I must agree - 1895 in 405 Win.

I have an old one chambered in 30US (30-40) and I love it.

Only caveat is if you need optics to shoot well. The 95 won't cotton to a scope but you can get a Lyman type aperture sight from Buffalo Arms for you 95 that solves the fuzzy mid-mount sight issue... I installed one on mine - very nice.

Here's a pic:



Fully windage and elevation adjustable.

[Pete44ru]

I've had both. Some kind of .444, several times over, in the last 43 years.

Get the .405 if you like to brag and/or drool; the .444 if you like to make meat.

[Old Savage]

Both are great -which do YOU like best???

And, what factors do you see in comparison?

[TedH]

405

[rjohns94]

.405 here too

[O.S.O.K.]

I've had both. Some kind of .444, several times over, in the last 43 years.

Get the .405 if you like to brag and/or drool; the .444 if you like to make meat.

Well, given that most of my rifles are not that purty, I have to take the opening when it'd presented

And I have to say that the 405 doesn't really give up much to the 444 - if any at all - especially when you consider the sectional density of the 405 vs the 444.

I answered honestly - between the two I wouldn't hesitate to go with the 95/405.

[reo]

405. But in the end, which one will you carry/use more?

[Don McDowell]

I had the opportunity to mess with variuos 444's of and on since the cartridge was new. When it came time for the rubber to hit the road I bought my 405, and haven't ever looked back. Deadly accurate on game to 300 yds, loaded with moderate velocity cast loads, it'll smack lifesize buffalo gongs to 800 yds and beyond. Load it up to compete with a 375HH, or take it down to 41 mag pistol plinker, quite a versatile round if a person understands his/her way around a reloading bench.
The 405 is what a 444 wants to be when it grows up.

[abcollector]

Both are great -which do YOU like best???

And, what factors do you see in comparison?

Honestly OS, I'd have to say I'm still straddlin' the fence. I've never fired a Winchester 1895 much less handled one and I do have a couple of Winchester 94's. So I guess I'm leanin' to the 405. Also, with the 1895, one could load pointed/semi pointed bullets as well as the FN type. Not really so with the 444 'less ya consider the Hornady Evolution. I'm sure but not certain the 444 is easier to come by though but is less of a concern to a reloader.

[Old Time Hunter]

I've got both and they are both great cartridges. The 95 seems to be a little more ungainly for carrying and a little bit slower to the shoulder, but that's to me. My favorite, current, take to the hunt rifle is the '94 Timber Carbine chambered for .444 though. Seems to jump to my shoulder with target in acquisition immediately. My '95 stretches my arm more as I dangle it from my hand while moving over hill and dale, then takes a split second more to get to my shoulder and acquire the target. Don't get me wrong, I really like my '95, just the '94 Timber Carbine is a tad bit handier.

[BenT]

Old time hunter has the same assement that I have. Nothing beats a 94 for dragging through the woods and speed. But the 95 has great balance for shooting off hand. It's the most accurate levergun I have. I would get the 1895 .

[Pete44ru]

Jes' to throw some more fat on this fire - You kin buy a .444, AND a .45 revolver, fer what an 1895 .405 is gonna cost ya.

[tman]

got to go with the 94 over the 95. 94's lighter, shorter, faster to get to the shoulder and get sited in on game. both cartridges are too close ballistically to make any practical difference on game. the .444 might be easier to find ammo for, although it's far from a common cartridge. the .444 in the bigbore 94 is a nice balanced package for hunting dangerous game at realist ranges that dangerous game should be hunted.