September 15, 2005
September Playmate of the Month Triplets!
A.Winchester Model 94AE .45 Long Colt Saddle Carbine with saddle ring and glove loop
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B. Winchester Model 94AE .44 Magnum Saddle Carbine with saddle ring.
(click)
C Winchester Model 94 .30-30 with barrel ring site
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Inspired by THIS post by Cowboy Blob, I offer the September Playmate of the month. The Winchester model 94 is one of the most widely recognized rifles in the world. It is said that more deer have been killed with this rifle than all others combined. It was the first mass produced rifle using a smokeless powder cartridge.
Few guns have the history and reputation that the Winchester lever action rifles have. Winchester 73 starring Jimmy Stewart typifies the prevailing attitude and magic this rifle had on those who sought to possess it. The ability to chamber pistol ammuntion made the rifle a practical and indispensible piece of frontier hardware.
For over one hundred years the Model 94 has maintained a popular following and is still made in 12 Different Models In 1873, Winchester introduced a new and improved version of the Henry rifle and subsequent versions have sold 720.000 copies in many styles and calibers.*
* I declined to start this post with the original 1866 version of the Winchester lever action repeating rifles. From 1866 until 1873 about 16,000 were made with many design and quality flaws. They had a brass frame like the Henry's and did not really make their mark until the 1873 version made its debut. After that history speaks for itself.
Saddle Rings, Cowboy Blob aked me to explain the use of saddle rings. With a small piece of leather it could be used to secure a rifle in a saddle scabbard. That however is not what it originally designed for.
When the calvary started carrying carbines they used a sling like this:
To keep the rifle ready and available, it was worn over the shoulder and snap linked to the ring.
Picture of saddle horn scabbard:
Beautiful, Dude! Thanks for the link, too! One small bit of constructive criticism I offer: unless that is your camera's max resolution, fans of the lever gun would rather see more of the guns and less of your back yard. I use a freeware program called Irfanview that lets me crop and change resolution of my pics quickly. I keep all of my raw files in one directory and save edits (crops and zooms) to my desktop, where it's easier to upload from.
For my info or a follow-up post, could you tell me how the saddle ring is used? I was looking at mine this morning and realized that I am one ignorant ersatz cowboy.
Posted by: Cowboy Blob at September 16, 2005 08:17 AMDone! That looks better, I should have done that in the first place.
Posted by: Billy Budd at September 16, 2005 08:54 AMI gave a short explanation of the saddle ring, it is IMHO of course. At the bottom of the post.
Posted by: Billy Budd at September 16, 2005 10:44 AMI rushed over here from Drumslinger, expecting something else! But those are some beautiful rifles, not a dissapointment.
Posted by: Jay S. at September 16, 2005 06:38 PMWe learn new sh*t every day! Thanks!
Posted by: Cowboy Blob at September 16, 2005 06:38 PMSo...when are we going to shoot a CAS match together?
Posted by: Cowboy Blob at September 16, 2005 06:39 PMBlob, I need to get these bad boys out and warm them up. I have not shot any of these in years, to my own shame. I am a pretty big dude and they feel like toys.....until you pull the trigger that is. When you do your next match shoot let me know and I would like to observe a train cold blooded paper slayer such as yourself. I am Ok with a rifle and better with a pistol.
Posted by: Billy Budd at September 16, 2005 06:47 PMPics look better?
Posted by: Billy Budd at September 16, 2005 06:48 PMI got my eye on that there Chuck Connors " Rifleman model " in the middle. Can anyone even tell me if Chucky C. is dead or alive?
Posted by: Bullseye at September 16, 2005 08:16 PMHere Is Chuck with a lever action 94 and the enlarged glove loop. I think he is worm food as he died of lung cancer at the age of 71. My favorite Conners movie is The Big Country Heston, Simmons,Ives,Peck, and a cast of big stars, a classic.
Posted by: Billy Budd at September 16, 2005 08:58 PMNice pics, what does the ae mean after 94, I have one 45ae and am trying to research it? Not much I can find
Thnks
Posted by: Sayvor at September 24, 2005 08:20 PMSayvor, the "AE" after the 94 means Angle Eject ~ as opposed to Top Eject, which got caught up in a scope for those folks what don't know that 94's are for iron sights ONLY and only lacy snivelin' sissies need scopes anyway!
Posted by: Duke at November 30, 2005 11:33 PM