[Mark10]

just got a new 1894ss 44 mag. serial starts with 92, produced in 2008
the action seams not as smooth as Id like it.
realistically speaking how long does it take to break in this baby?
how many rounds / cycling?
I have another problem with it but I will post that later.

Thanks

 

[Delbert]

Welcome Mark10, it'll take lots of ammo and many years to really break in a leveraction. That's just the nature of the beast. NOW, lots of folks speed up some of this process, and cycle(no ammo) the lever for days/hours while watching the TV or other pasttime. It is also possible to cycle "DUMMY" rounds into the chamber to see if any defects of loading ramp/extractor/ejection/ or feeding problems crop up, so this way when you're out at the range sighting in, you won't be embarrassed as to why those rounds keep getting jammed up, but you have a fun filled day throwing some lead downrange and admiring such a pretty little rifle and it's usefulness.
Del

 

[1895Gunner]

Mark, welcome to MO from central Florida!

 

[Brian in FL]

Welcome to MOs from NE Florida. Enjoy your new .44. They're quite fine little rifles and work very well on deer and hogs.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

The action break in is variable. But first you want to polish your ejector and round the cam on the lever (see Marauder's website). My estimate would be about 750 cycles. I have an 1894 that I almost didn't buy, because it cycled so rough. It's now smooth as butter. Glad I made the puchase! ;D

 

[erik7181]

Mine was broken in after 300-400 rounds. One word of advice don't fire to much with a real hot barrel as it could mess it up. I have a .44 mag cb and I love it.

 

[Radar 1]

Here's what Jayhawk is taling about.
http://marauder.homestead.com/files/tuning_m_1894.htm
I did most of these on my 1894SS, then cycled it a few hundred times and it's smooth as silk.

 

[Mark10]

thanks for all the info much appreciated

 

[DWB]

To answer your original question regarding how long to break one of these in...

Send that rascal to me, I will get it broken in for you real nice. ;D After you get is sent off to me, you can sit back, relax, toss back a cold one or two, and wait. Leave the tedious, mundane, and time-consuming chore of break-in to me -- No Worries for you! ;D



By the way, how patient are you? I may have it for a while... ;D

But seriously, eight or nine boxes of ammo, followed with some judicious polishing, and that thing will be smoother than a prom quee... : Oh, never mind.

 

[gyrhed]

Its funny my 1894 357 CB took a lot of polishing and has over 1000 rounds through it and its still not as smooth as my 1895 45-70 was right out of the box.

I bought an 1894 44mag PG used to get the pistol grip parts and gave then gun with the SG parts on t to my son for Xmas. By the looks of the gun it had never really been fired much, and certianly had never been polished or work on. It has a silky smoth action and cylce, loads, and ejects without a flaw.

Break is a matter of just how bad your gun is in the first place. I have an old winchest 94 in 30-30 that I bought for $150 this fall. It is smooth like butter from use. It was built in the early 70s and the guy selling it thought it was worn out it was so slick. No telling how many rounds went through it but I bet it was probably less than 20 a year since most people just do not shoot more than sight in and a deer or two every year.

 

[GH1]

Since we're on the subject of cycling and break-in, can the 1894 be dry fired against it's safety? I know this will help with trigger technique, but will it smooth the trigger out at all? Will it harm the gun in any way.
GH1

 

[44-40 Willy]

Some are slick right out of the box and some need some working in. The 1894C that Mrs Willy has took a bunch of working when new. My CCL was pretty darn slick right out of the box.

I don't think it'd hurt much to dry fire on the safety. You're not hitting the firing pin with it on.

 

[yukondog]

Welcome Mark from N.W. FL.

 

[RGR]

Not to start a storm, but this type of issue with modern rifles, and pistols especially, really makes me grind my jaws. Now I totally realize that the cost factors, are the cause, but apparently, we have a whole new generation of modern gun writers, that continues to "sell" younger shooters the idea, that "guns are supposed to be rough, it simply takes a truck load of ammo, and a couple of years, to "break it in"....

I am sure the older guys will understand what I am talking about. Any rough spots in an action, can likely be smoothed up by a good gun smith, cheaper than running ammo through it till judgement day.

Its like the deal with pistols, "they wont function properly, until shot X number of rounds" well cripes gents, they didnt use to need a case of ammo through them to function correctly.

I recently noticed the inside of a newer Marlin, and could not believe how dang rough they had left it. I guess its just another reason, that no one with a vintage model, is selling said vintage model, unless forced too.

End of rant. :-\

 

[44-40 Willy]

RGR, some of the older guns were pretty rough. Mrs Willy's 1894C is a 1981 vintage that was bought new by cousin and has remained in the family. I remember how it was when my cuz got it.

 

[RGR]

The 80s was when all sorts of guns started coming out with little if any hand finishing. What I meant by "older" was the vintage models, lets say the 1950s and older.