How bad before retiring an old Winchester?

G

Greg S

CGN Regular
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Vancouver Island
How bad does an old Winchester have to be before you junk it? Look at the pathetic condition of this barrel. Probably hung on a barn wall for decades to get so much rust in the barrel to corrode through the lands.
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[/url]Winchester 94. 1911.003 by VanIsle Land Rover Network, on Flickr[/IMG]

The outside of the gun is no better. Big chips out of the wood. Pitted steel everywhere you look.
Winchester 94. 1911.001 by VanIsle Land Rover Network, on Flickr
Winchester 94. 1911.002 by VanIsle Land Rover Network, on Flickr

Took her to the range yesterday for some plinking. Put a receiver sight on her a while ago, couldn't remember if I had sighted it in. Had five hand-loads with IMR 4895 under 110 grain RN and squeezed them off into a piece of paper at 50 yards.
Target by VanIsle Land Rover Network, on Flickr

I'm happy with her. If my eyes were better the group might have been tighter, it has a great big ghost ring and the original skinny little front blade. Shot supported by my elbows on the bench, no rest or sandbags. Not ready for the junk pile yet.
 
It is amazing how good rough looking bores will still shoot. Stick with jacketed bullets and it will kill some stuff yet. I expect cast bullets would foul pretty fast in that bore.
 
Good shooting and definitely a keeper. They don't have to look new to hunt.

The Ugly 9.3X62 had a stock was broken and repaired in four places, gouges filled and sanded, amateur spray can camo to hide it all, but it put literally tons of food in the freezer.



And when that rifle no longer groups to your satisfaction.......just send it to Ron Smith and have it rebored to 38-55, and use it for those huge Van Island elk you guys have down there.

Ted
 
Hi Greg. ;)It's been a while. To your question, the bottom line, providing the rifle is mechanically sound, is how it shoots. From a relative, I recently acquired the first centre fire rifle I had ever shot:d, ;)just for that reason.



The rifling isn't bad but the exterior of my old Marlin 94 in 44-40 looks to be about in the same shape as yours. However, with cast or jacketed, it still shoots fairly respectably.
 
I would say don't take into combat zone. I would keep it and shoot it till is disintegrates.

If you don't want it I will take it off your hands.
 
Got a 38-55 with a worse bbl than that. It's probably hung 8 deer in the barn. Farthest shot was 290 paces ( coupe de grace after a winged doe).
It'll shoot yet, I'd use PL over a fast powder...bump that bullet up into the bore.
 
Keithjohn said:
Makes me wonder how many barrels are changed when the problem is the shooter . That's good shooting even with a new gun with irons !
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Its a 2 1/2" group at 50y! I'd definitely be changing barrels if I had one open up to 5 moa!

That said, for what it is just shoot it. It'll still take a pop can off a fence post at 50m.
 
My eyes aren't the best so 2.5 inches is small at 50 yards . With irons I'd say I shot 5 moa not that the gun could do better . As it was shot freehand without a bypod I would be happy with the gun and my shooting. Put it in a lead sled and see what it does. And only one load tested . I get quite different results trying different loads on most if not all of my guns .
 
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Lower pressure cartridges like the 3030's 44-40's and such generally will shoot with poor bores cartridges in the 52,000 psi and up are not so forgiving .
 
Keithjohn said:
My eyes aren't the best so 2.5 inches is small at 50 yards . With irons I'd say I shot 5 moa not that the gun could do better . As it was shot freehand without a bypod I would be happy with the gun and my shooting. Put it in a lead sled and see what it does. And only one load tested . I get quite different results trying different loads on most if not all of my guns .
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I am in the same boat now myself as far as my shooting eye goes, somedays a target set up at the 50 yard line appears pretty fuzzy. Personally I think a 2.5 in grouping shot off hand is decent enough for me these days. Judging from the shooting and left over targets in the garbage can at my club a lot of shooters are doing about the same.
As for rifles with poor appearing bores, sometimes they surprise you. I have an Irish Mannlicher in 8X57 that is in really rough shape bore wise, pitted,rough washed out, you name it. It does however shoot surprisingly well but if you prejudged it's accuracy potential from the bore condition it would never make it to the range.
 
My Winnie has the ivory front sight, it's...um...portly?
So the groups only get so good anyhow. It'll stretch a little in a bind, but long shots are not plan 'A' by any means.
 
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