Winchester 94AE

[Jules]

Hello, I am the recent owner of a Winchester model 94AE chambered in .44 Magnum. The model I bought was on sale and has a much shorter barrel than I usually prefer in a rifle but the price was right so I picked it up. First thing I noticed is the firing pin seems to float freely in the bolt. Is this normal? Second, the recoil from this is much greater than I expected (I have a .44 Mag S&W w/8" barrel and a .300 Win Mag so I know about recoil). So much so that I actually took this rifle to my local gunsmith and had a decent recoil pad mounted. The barrel on this gun is maybe 19". I haven't shot it since the recoil pad addition but I'm sure it will make a big difference.

Really, I'm only concerned about the firing pin though. Is this normal or should I have it looked at?

[NM35rem]

Most all leverguns, when unlocked or beach open position, are loose and rattle a bit. Not looking at yours, it wouldn't hurt to have a smitty look at it. I shoot a 1964 336 Marlin in 35 remington, the only thing that's actually come loose has been the operator.
Good luck,
Shane :beer: