I have always liked the Winchester model 94, have a few in my colection, but i have a hankering for a 45/70, but cant really see the going price for a model 1886, so i have been kicking it around about takeing a model 94 in 450 marlin and removeing the barrel and cutting just enough to get rid of the belted area, chamber with a 45/70 chamber reamer, re-thread and then i would have a model 94 in 45/70, think it would be a fine gun now that Winchester has made the barrel 20 inches and removed the ports, what do you think besides im a little crazy, cant help it got the 45/70 bug bad, but not bad enoughto buy a 1886 yet, thanks for your input, bubba.

Good luck 1 I would look at gunbroker.com and buy one from their auction site

In years past I've read of a custom M94 chambered for the 458 American so it is not a big surprise Winchester found a way to shoehorn the nearly identical 450 Marlin cartridge into everybody's favorite levergun. But the 45/70 has a much bigger rim so I wonder if it can be made to cycle through the action? Good hunting!

The levergun experts on this forum will know for sure, but I think a 45-70 is too long to be made to work in a 94 Winchester. You might consider making a carbine out of a Marlin 1895 in .45-70, cut the barrel to 20" and if you start with the cowboy variation you can even have a full length magazine. Might make an interesting rifle.

The 45-70 rim is to big to work through the model 94 receiver.