![]() While this may have dismayed me 20 or 30 years ago, I’m more than happy with it now. Groups at 50 yards ran around two inches. ![]() Shooting the octagonal barrel, 1897 rifle version and its buckhorn sights was a bit more challenging. Things also improved considerably when I unscrewed the small aperture and shot it as a ghost ring. Groups at 50 yards with the Lyman sighted carbine and brass Skinner blade ran from just under an inch to around an inch and a half. Many shooters, me included, prefer to set a target on top of a post instead of using a bead that can subtend too much of the target. I didn’t mess with the rifle’s buckhorn sights, but on the carbine I installed a Lyman 66A receiver sight and paired it with a Skinner Sights flat-top post front sight that replaced the original bead front. My carbine, having enjoyed the advantages of over half a century of metallurgical improvement, happily digested the latest in current loads including Winchester Super-X 150-grain, Federal Hammer Down 150-grain, Hornady Full Boar 140-grain Monoflex, Hornady 160-grain FTX and Buffalo Bore 190-grain Heavy jacketed flatnose. And that-along with the fact that it weighs nearly a pound and a half more than the shorter carbine-made shooting with that steel crescent buttplate actually more pleasant than shooting the carbine’s “kinder and gentler” shotgun-style buttplate. 30 WCF load in vogue when the rifle was made. That was fairly close ballistically to the original 160-grain/1,970 fps. In deference to its age, I shot the rifle with Hornady Custom Lite 150-grain InterLocks, which clocked 2,100 fps. It could also be had with a round barrel in 24-inch length as well as in takedown configuration. 30 WCF (Winchester Center Fire), as the cartridge was then known. During its 1894-98 production run, it was chambered to. The carbine was of 1964 vintage, and I was able to shoot it alongside an 1897-vintage 26-inch octagonal barreled rifle. (RifleShooter photo) 1964 VIntage Model 94 The 1897-vintage Model 1894 rifle was chambered to many cartridges. When you stop to consider the production lifespan of most hunting rifles, this in itself is something beyond remarkable. I recently had the opportunity to shoot two versions of Winchester’s classic that were made 67 years apart. ![]() But it’s easy to forget there were different variations of the Model 94 platform that didn’t exactly fit the description of saddle gun. Most of us are familiar with the carbine version-20-inch barrel, full- length magazine, 6.5-pound weight. Designed by John Browning, it was the first smokeless “high powered” American sporting rifle, with more than 7.5 million made. The Model 94’s credentials need nothing in the way of embellishment. After a couple of years with a 336 Marlin, I finally laid hold of a Model 94 and fell instantly in love with its slimmer, sexier lines. They are still relatively inexpensive compared to the older Winchester rimfires, and you can still find many in new condition, and some scarce models as well, like the 9417 where they were only produced during 2003/2004.No knock on Marlin, but say “deer rifle” and most folks will envision Winchester’s ubiquitous straight-gripped carbine Model 94. I too believe there is a lot of growth potential for the 9422. It would be great, if Winchester would release and post the serial numbers,instead of having to call to get the manufacture date for each rifle a person whats to know that information on. Did read a nice article on the Model 9422 ,on line sometime ago.It gave an over view of the models and their introduction. No doubt as collectoer interest grows in the model a book will come,sooner or later.Sooner I hope. Yes, there is a lot of growth potential for collecting the Model 9422.That is a nice rifle to have, an early 4 digit ,new in the box.I still have the box that for the carbine I bought brand new came in.However the Classic rifle I have was bought second hand and although it is in mint condition ,I do not have the box for it. ![]()
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