New finish on an old lever...

DANCESWITHEMPTIES

DANCESWITHEMPTIES

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Just acquired an 1873 (1885) Winchester in 44 WCF at a local auction on the weekend. It's in really good condition & at the protest of my buddies I'm thinking of having it refinished as it is mostly gone. What you guy's think of a reparkerized finish in O.D. green or maybe a cammo job for the old girl? Too over the top? Input & suggestions wanted!:p
 
If the bore is near perfect , and wood ok, I would finish the wood myself, send the metal after getting it polished up(save) , and if no pitting, to a gunsmith for a colt deep blue , high polish finish, around $150 for the bluing.
The gun would have to be in nice shape to make it into a beauty.:D
 
The refinish job you propose is a little bit boring. I'd propose a lot more Bling. Ditch the original wood and get a synthetic stock in a bright color, maybe cherry red. The metal should be brass plated and it would be especially appropriate to encrust both sides of the receiver with rinestones. You might also want to think about cutting down the barrel to just 20" to make it a little more fast-handling. Of course, you need to drill and tap it for a nice scope and mount a rail on the bottom for a lazer.
 
Aaah. The scorching sarcasm.:D

I don't think your refinishing idea is meeting with approval. I tend to agree. Looks better with a bit of wear.
 
Parkerizing a gun of that age doesn't make sense to me. If you want a beater/do anything gun, sell that one and buy newer. Spending the money to buy a gun of that quality, then spending the money to get it parkerized is simply a waste of time.

If you want to refinish it, get it reblued.


P.S. Shame on you for scaring everyone so much.
 
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Refinish or restore? or?

Find out if it shoots first! and functions decently, clean it up so that it looks cared for, get made up a blanket gun case, preferably, a Hudson Bay Chiefs blanket, haul it out to the next cowboy shoot, and impress the hell out of all, by hitting every target, and act nonchalant. Regards Bully
 
Is the the 73 that was at Switzer's auction on Saturday?

Personally, I'd leave it alone. Always keep those guns as close to original as possible. Just my opinion.

Matt
 
After much agonising, I bought a Birchwood Casey refinish kit form WSS(about $30 I think) for my 1894 win .32 special.
It took about a week from stripping the gun down, sanding, refinish and rebuild. I was very pleased with the result, almost like new.(couple of screw heads not finished perfect)
The gun was down to the metal in places, with dents in the stock, that's all gone and the cold blue is surprisingly good.
It worked for me!
 
That folding stock could be a slight problem on a lever gun. Just imagine taking a shot on a deer only to need a second round and accidently fold the stock up rather than chamber a second round...... There's lots of better "bubba" guns on the EE than a '73 winchester....
 
Kind of hard to tell who's joking and who's serious on this thread, so for all those that might seriously be thinking of refinishing or modifying an old Winchester, unless it is already a piece of junk (i.e., cut down barrel, re-blued, heavily sanded, carved and dented up,etc.) any re-blueing, re-finishing of the wood, or modifications will pretty much wipe out any collector's value it might have had. If a fellow really has a hankerin' for a sci-fi Winchester Model 73, then you'd be best off buying a used Uberti '73 and then go to town on it. Doing stuff like that on an original would be kind of like Mr. Bean's attempt to 'fix up' the painting 'Whistler's Mother' (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQevyIy8hzs ).
 
How about a Mare's Leg out of a 73 instead of a 1892. Maybe parkerized in a digital camo pattern with one of those plastic forward vertical grips that mount a flashlight?:eek:
Yes I did pick that one up at Switzer's Auction.:D:D
 
DANCESWITHEMPTIES said:
How about a Mare's Leg out of a 73 instead of a 1892. Maybe parkerized in a digital camo pattern with one of those plastic forward vertical grips that mount a flashlight?:eek:
Yes I did pick that one up at Switzer's Auction.:D:D
Click to expand...

I was there when that gun went on the block, but can't remember who bid on it. Must have seen yah though!
Matt
 
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