I’m at a sort of dead end with my newer model 94ae (357 mag) and looking for a little bit of help from those of you with some experience working with 94’s.

I took it out of the safe a few weeks ago for the first time in a few years, worked the lever a few times and eventually realized that the hammer wasn’t staying locked back. I have maybe 50 rounds through it in the 15 years that I’ve owned it; it’s a safe queen. I completely disassembled it and found that the trigger stop spring had broken and the hammer spring guide rod was in rough shape but serviceable. I ordered replacements for those two parts, oiled and reassembled the rifle but still can not get the hammer to stay cocked.

Has anyone encountered this type of issue before?

If you replaced the spring and guide rod already you need to check the sear and the sear notch (in the hammer). Sounds like the sear might be worn over or broken.

And while your in there check the firing pin for breakage.

I would also remove the stock and spray it out with brake cleaner just for kicks.

I bought a 94AE in 45 Colt in 98 and it kept crushing the brass on ejection. It went back to Winchester because i only had it 2 weeks or so (or at least a warranty station)and they wanted to replace the gun and wouldn't exactly say why, i was living in commiefornia at the time and that would have meant new registration waiting period and other bullshit so i asked them to fix it instead. They had it a month and replaced almost all the internals. about a year or 2 and 2000 - 3000 rounds later i had the same problem you had. This time i fixed it myself, it was the sear and the hammer. I ended up trading it off and getting a Marlin Cowboy gun in the same caliber. The 94AE in a pistol caliber, in my opinion, is a Saturday Night Special when compared to the older winnies. I have a 94 in 30-30 made in 1903 that has never given me any trouble and another made in 1976 that just has a completely different feel than the newer guns made in the 90s.

I have 20 Winchesters total, but won't have anything to do with their post-64 guns.