I have a newish 94 standard model and the one thing I really don't like is how it pinches my fingers when I go to shoulder it, and possibly when cycling the action.  I have 2 Marlin 336's and obviously these don't do that.  Is it normal with a 94?  Or is there an issue with my partular gun?  It appears that it is part of a safety mechanism, which is also kind of annoying to me.  Like it won't fire if it's not squeezed.

It is a very handy rifle though.  Money has been tight and I've been debating on selling it.  However, I think it would make a really nice SHTF / hunting gun.  I'm not sure which way I want to go with it....

I don't plan on getting rid of my Marlins though.  They just seem like more...  better. One of them was my Step Grandfathers so I would really like to keep that one.  Plus it seems like it's a good shooter.  The downside is I need to fix it.  The action pops open when you get more than 3-4 rounds in it.  And the trigger is super light.....  But that helps with accuracy for hunting.

For some reason I thought it was made in Japan (The 94).  But after I looked the stamping I found that it was made in New Haven.  I was asking CD about that, in case he pops in here.

It has, I’ve learned to adjust my grip do it doesn’t.

But when I forget, it’s quick to remind me.

Speaking of, i haven’t shot that thing in too long.

Never has.  I have three of them.  (one lives in the truck)

I have shot a 92 and a Marlin in competitions, so I would say you are probably doing it wrong. 

What is there to "do wrong"?   I pick up the rifle and shoulder it and shoot it.  Somehow the gap when it closes grabs some skin on my fingers / hand.   I wonder if my gap is a bit more than others.  But as the other gentleman just said, it happens to him too.

I dont have a 94 new enough to have a tang safety but I do have several 94's and none of them have ever pinched my hand. Come to think of it I've never pinched my hand with a lever action rifle of any make or model.

If you do think your lever safety is to hard it's pretty easy to remove the lower tang and tweak the spring to lighten it up. There are disassembly videos all over youtube if needed.

I'm not sure what you mean by your last statement.  I didn't say anything about a safety being too hard.  I do have a question for you though.  Cuz it sounds like you might have experience with lever guns.  Do your winchesters have a gap between the stock / frame and the actual lever loop when just sitting all by itself.  You can see the gap in mine in the picture.  Is that normal?   My Marlins don't have that gap and I've never experienced a pinching of my finger / hands with them.  I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be there and doesn't actually allow the gun to fire unless it is depressed.  Which I'm not real crazy about.  But is that also normal?

As far as the tang safety, it's a non issues.  I don't really mind it.  Seems overly redundant but I don't think there is a half cock on my 94.  I'll pull it out and test that.  I'm not really sure you'd need it, even without a half cock because the hammer on this one does not sit up against the firing pin.  I think it's just part of the newer design.  Possibly.  It sits further back and when you pull the the trigger allows for the hammer to fall all the way but at rest resets with a gap.

I wonder if the older 94's don't have that gap with the lever? (ETA, just googled pics and it looks like pre 64's did)

Sorry I worded that poorly. I meant that you could remove the lower tang, and tweak the spring (it's just a small leaf spring) and that might allow the lever to close a little more and in turn lessen the gap between the lever and the tang (but it will still have some gap).

Yes some gap is normal on a Winchester 94. Marlin actually has the same type of lever safety, it's just to prevent the gun from firing if the bolt isn't fully in battery but Marlins hold themselves closed while Winchester's dont. I dont know when Marlin started using that safety but it's been standard on Winchester 94's since early in the beginning.

I dont mind the tang safeties either though I dont have a 94 with one I do have a Winchester/Miroku 92 and several 95's with them. Yes with the rebound hammer (like your 94 has) they are kind of redundant but they are also easy to ignore if you want to also. Sometimes I use them, sometimes I don't. I've heard of the rebound hammer causing problems in the 1886's but I dont have one of those and so far none of mine have ever been a problem.

This is the only picture I have right now but this is one of my later model 94's. Made in the early 90's I believe before the ugly cross bolt safety was added but it came with a rebound hammer. I replaced a few parts and got rid of the rebound hammer feature so now it operates just like an earlier model with a half cock notch. A little hard to see but if you look close you can see there is a gap between the lever and the lower tang, thats just how it is on a 94.


Marlin's notoriously have a lot more wood in the buttstock and forearm than Winchesters do, I wonder if you're pinching your hand on a Winny but not a Marlin because the thicker material holds your hand away from the pinch point just enough? And where do you position your fingers in the lever? I use the "middle phalanx" part of my fingers, I can see how if you got closer than that it might be possible to pinch yourself.

Thanks for all that info.  Yeah, I think I'm typically sliding my hand in to where the next bone closest to my palm is on the lever.  I'm not sure how you leave yours so far out since it's such a trim stock.  I might have bigger hands / fingers than you.

I do like this thing in theory.  But that part of it is annoying.  I'll play around with it and see if I can somehow get around it.  Or I'll sell it.  But honestly, I feel sort of like hanging onto my non AR rifles because I'm thinking one day an AR is going to be......  Well my theory is it's probably going to go the way of Class III.  Lets hope I'm wrong.  And if I'm correct, lets hope it takes a long long time to get to that.

And I also just like manually operated guns.  For a few different reasons.  Although I prefer bolts.   At least you don't have to lift your face off the stock while cycling the action with a lever though.  That did help me one time when shooting a running deer.  Because it took me 4 shots to connect.    I swear it sounded like a semi auto the adrenaline was pumping.

Can't say I have ever pinched myself with my 94 either.

Also, you shouldn't have to lift your head off the stock of a bolt action to cycle it. If you are hitting yourself in the face with the bolt then you are probably just giraffing your head too close to the scope. Get a scope with longer eye relief, move it back, and move your head back, and you should be good to go. When I shoot my bolt actions I don't move my head when I cycle, it just happens and my eye is still looking through the scope.

I have a long neck.  I'd have to test your theory.  I would imagine it might depend on the length of the action.  I'm not sure I'm the only one that might have to move their head when cycling a bolt action.