Not a milsurp but an oldie... (Pic heavy)

[PerversPépère]

One of my friends bought this from a guy to save it from further destruction.
The action was french gray and the dude figured it would enhance the gun's value if he removed the plum brown patina on the barrel...
Once done, he had afterthoughts and told my friend about it.

It looks like an old Winchester Hi-Wall falling block action in 38 cal. WCF.
Barrel is marked with "Manufactured by Winchester Repeating Arms Co. New Haven Conn. U.S.A."
The serial number on the undertang is 4436 and there's also a stamping "Patent October 7th 79".
Barrel looks uncut and bore has shallow rifling (maybe filled with lead) but is not pitted at all and quite shiny inside.
Action is remarkably smooth and free of wobble or grittiness; trigger break is quite clean.
The stock has been repaired at a very early time with three rivets and sanded down a lot.

What do you think?
Can this be restored? Is there a source for quality repro wood?
What caliber is it? are barrels still available if need arises or will it need a new barrel?

 

[horseman]

Looks like a Winchester Model 1885. The serial number indicates it was manufactured in 1886. As for calibre it should be stamped on the barrel. The photos just show a "WCF". There is probably a number right in front of that. Could be .33 WCF or .35 WCF.

 

[green]

Not likely a 33 or 35 in 1886 since these ctgs were introduced c1900.

 

[Winnipeg Toymaker]

The original post says "38 WCF".....

 

[Claven2]

I love hi-walls

 

[PerversPépère]

The original post says "38 WCF".....

What's 38 WCF? 38-55? 38-40?
PP.

 

[GrantR]

.38-40

 

[canuck]

What's 38 WCF? 38-55? 38-40?
PP.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/38-40win.htm

 

[sunray]

"...the dude figured it would enhance the gun's value..." You tell him he ruined its value? There'll be Winchester collectors bursting into tears everywhere.
"...What caliber is it?..." Slug the barrel and make a chamber cast to be sure. The .38-40 uses a .401" bullet.

 

[PerversPépère]

Rebuild

In the advent that this firearm could not be easily restored to collector status (which I doubt), do you think it could be restocked, refinished and then rebarreled to a more useful and practical caliber?
Is that safely feasible?
PP.

 

[PerversPépère]

Told him...

"...the dude figured it would enhance the gun's value..." You tell him he ruined its value? There'll be Winchester collectors bursting into tears everywhere.

I did and in not very nice terms...
That guy has already ruined several lesser value guns. And to think it was his own grandfather's rifle!
PP.

 

[Coyote Ugly]

PP,

Try this guy for parts:

http://www.angelfire.com/ia/gun/buckingh.html

 

[Claven2]

Wood:
Treebone carving
Action finish:
Doug Turnbull.
Barrel:
Either restore the original or but a replacement from Green Mountain.
Work? Use who you like. I can recommend Gunco in Ottawa - they do fantastic restoration work. He could make that gun look like the day it left the factory - no joke. It would be valuable as a nice gun, but no longer a collectible Winchester due to the refinish - but then, it's got nearly no collector value anymore now anyhow!

I'd be tempted to keep the barrel and caliber if the bore is good.

If it were my gun and looking like that, I'd be restocking it in new semi-fancy walnut from treebone, having Gunco restore the metal and having Turnbull case the receiver, but that's just me.

 

[John Sukey]

Of course it can be restored, and should be, but not as the property of the clown that buggered it. AND while the restoration will NOT be cheap, it will still be worth the effort.

 

[Greenfields]

There are collectors who would buy it as is, everyone needs a foot in the door before they can trade up. Just my two cents.

Cheers