![winchester 94ae trapper 45 colt winchester 94ae trapper 45 colt](https://www.winchesterguns.com/content/dam/winchester-repeating-arms/general/marketing-on-home-page/2020-win-home-page-content/2020_Ad_Campaign_Web_Banners_1920x700_Model94.jpg)
The Ranger has a clean 5 lbs trigger pull, half pound less than my 30-30 WCF chambered model. The Ranger weighs 6 lbs, holds 9 rounds of ammo, only about a half pound less. One very nice improvement on this model Ranger is a sliding tang safety in place of the air rifle like button stuck through the side of the 30-30 WCF model’s receiver. The Ranger has a 16″ barrel, a simple blade front sight replaces the hooded front sight, the rear buckhorn sight is adjustable for windage and elevation and the afore mentioned hardwood stock replaces the walnut pieces. Laying the Ranger down next to a more traditional Model 94 30-30 with a 20″ barrel the obvious differences are…obvious. What it a 45 Colt Ranger that does not appear on the Winchester site ? It is a Trapper with a hardwood stock, with a walnut stain, and $100 less MSRP.
![winchester 94ae trapper 45 colt winchester 94ae trapper 45 colt](https://www.americanrifleman.org/media/vcchimtr/winchester94.jpg)
I am sure either the Marlin or the Winchester can handle this pressure level comfortably and I wanted to get to uniform handloads that and produce enough power for deer and boar from either the rifle or the handgun. I load 45 Colt ammo up to just a tad, close to 32,000 PSI for the Ruger and I wanted a rifle that could handle similar pressure on a routine basis. The deciding factor was the much shorter length of the Winchester and the less obvious hardwood stock. I handled both guns and had prior ownership experience with similar models of both guns and eventually went with the Winchester over the Marlin. Both guns are sale priced at $319 against a $379.99 MSRP. I had a shot at one of two a plain Jane Marlin with hardwood stock and 20″ barrel or a Winchester Ranger with a hardwood stock and 16″ barrel. For a guy from New Jersey, it seemed the cowboy thing to do. I’ve wanted to have a 45 Colt combo the Ruger Bisley and a rifle. So with Denver and Pittsburg in the Super Bowl, leaving me with no plans to watch TV, I decided I’d take advantage of the Big 5 opportunity. They keep sending out firearm sale inserts in the Sunday newspapers for military surplus rifles, shotguns and Winchester and Marlin lever guns. Big 5 runs against the grain of retail stores, particularly in the “Give me a bicycle and water bottle, I’m already wearing Lycra” California.
Winchester 94ae trapper 45 colt license#
Maybe New Haven’s Mayor will find a financial partner and save the plant, maybe Olin will license the Winchester name to the new owner and maybe I can reach over there and pull a quarter out of your ear….really. What we are dealing with here is the loss of 200 New Haven jobs and a shaky future for the brand. Not to rub salt in the wound but Winchester has not been an American owned company for some time. As of this writing, the Belgium owner is planning on producing some models in Portugal and Japan specific model plans and Olin’s continued licensing of the Winchester name are still up in the air. On one hand my wife and I were able to enjoy shooting our new Model 94AE Winchester, on the other we were aware of the closing of the Winchester New Haven Plant and possibly an end to the Winchester name on rifles.