Winchester 1892 restoration

[andym79]

Just thought I would show my 38WCF 92 off.

I bought a Winchester 1892 (1903). The stock and forearm where in average condition I guess you might say considering 110 years!

win92e.jpg

The action is nice and tight yet slick; not sticky in anyway. with the exception of one screw there rest seem to indicate limited tinkering. The bore is very good, except the 1". Rifling is very clear and then almost invisible, I am guessing that this is due to overzealous cleaning from the muzzle?

Anyway restoration has begun, I have taken the stock forearm, and sights off the rifle. I have restored the forearm and stock. I sanded it and apply several coats of tru-oil.

I thought about re bluing the rifle and decided to leave it. As so little of the original blue was left, I decided to polished the metal work up with 00 followed by 0000 steel wool and oil, I was very happy with how it came up.

As for the stock and forearm, I prefer the natural color of the stock as it is after refinish (though I am not sure if I should have left it alone), there are some minor run marks so I will rub them off and give it a final coat.

All in all I wouldn't go as far to say I have ruined it, surely the woodwork is closer to original!

As yet I have not shot the rifle ( I have the dies, brass and projectiles so I am ready to load up some ammo) so I can't be sure it will be terribly inaccurate, but my gut instinct says it will be.

As I see it if it can't shoot minute of pig, then I have three options:

1) Cut the last inch of the barrel a recrown.
2) Fit a new barrel liner and leave the barrel as is (externally of course).
3) counter bore down an inch in to the barrel.
4) Have a new barrel fitted and retain the original.

I am not keen on option 1 as the original rifle will be altered!
As will 3 but only internally, but its going to cost a far bit here in AUS.
4 Will probably cost me as much as the rifle gunsmithing is not cheap at tall in AUS.

I have purchased a Marbles tang sight and Lyman globe sight which I will fit, I can't shoot at all well open sight.

I know I should shoot it before asking,
but opinions on the barrel?

[Noisydad]

Now that's a project worthy of a few weekends! More power to you!

[reddog]

First I would shoot it and see how it goes but if its no good
I would countersink the first inch like you said its the easiest and you won't know from outside
Whack it in a vice and do it your self you cant really hurt anything , just make your first drill
slightly bigger than your grooves and you cant really go wrong . I dont know how much bigger
diameter your countersink would have to be though ? I wouldnt have thought a real lot .
Whaddya reckon Noisydad

[tuffstuff]

I thought about re bluing the rifle and decided to leave it. As so little of the original blue was left, I decided to polished the metal work up with 00 followed by 0000 steel wool and oil, I was very happy with how it came up.

Yeah, good call.

That's looking smart.

[Octane]

Yeah, give option 1) a miss.

No getting that original barrel back once it's chopped.

[Noisydad]

First I would shoot it and see how it goes but if its no good
I would countersink the first inch like you said its the easiest and you won't know from outside
Whack it in a vice and do it your self you cant really hurt anything , just make your first drill
slightly bigger than your grooves and you cant really go wrong . I dont know how much bigger
diameter your countersink would have to be though ? I wouldnt have thought a real lot .
Whaddya reckon Noisydad

Yeah, just a little bigger than groove depth but you'd need to be able to get your chosen re-crowning device in there though so that will determine the diameter of the countersink. May not need to go an inch deep either. Do the job in a lathe rather than in a vice with a hand drill.

[SendIt]

Very, very nice.

Officially jealous right now

As yet I have not shot the rifle ( I have the dies, brass and projectiles so I am ready to load up some ammo) so I can't be sure it will be terribly inaccurate, but my gut instinct says it will be.

I know you're looking for advice now (I'm impatient too ) but without having shot it we're getting ahead of ourselves.

You do get the occasional gem that's still very accurate. Shooting it and maybe you'll find you're one of the lucky ones.

Retaining the original barrel is definitely a worth while option though. A few of the guys here have done the same thing in other similar topics.

[salate]

Beautiful rifle, mate.

Give us some pictures of your groups and the finished product when you're done

[Monty]

Give us some pictures of your groups and the finished product when you're done

+1 for this.

[andym79]

Well I finally took the old girl out to the range this morning, and for 110 she seems to be doing okay. Here are a couple of photos:

50 Yards


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachm ... 1387598732

This was 10 shots and I'm sure if I had done my part it may have been a 10 shot hole.

100 Yards


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachm ... 1387598736

I can't really call this 5 shots a group, but I am hopeful with the right load I can get this rifle shooting 2-2 1/2" groups at 100 yards!

The load is federal large pistol primers, 180 grain RNFP 16 BHN cast bullets and 6 grains of trailboss.

At a 100 yards I think a little more velocity is needed so I will try a 4227 load, 17 grains and work it up!

[Atter]

This was 10 shots and I'm sure if I had done my part it may have been a 10 shot hole.

Nothing wrong with that at all

Tune your loads a little and it can only get better