Rebarrel a Winchester 1895 .303

migrant hunter

migrant hunter

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
181   0   0
Location
Southern Alberta
So I bought a lemon.
I picked up a Winchester 1895 .303 on CGN a few weeks ago and it's shot out. It won't stabilize jacketed, or even oversized cast bullets.
I'd like to keep the caliber as .303 if I was to get it rebarreld. Who could make me a barrel and what would be ballpark cost?
I can't in good conscience put it back on the EE.
 
A Lee Enfield barrel can be retrofitted, either an issue barrel or one of the new replacements.
A barrel for a '95 isn't particularly tricky to breech up.
There will be the issue of fitting the forend. The forend retaining screw engages a dovetailed lug on the bottom of the barrel. A barrel band for the screw to engage can be installed instead of dovetailing the barrel. Easier than dovetailing.
Then sights must be fitted.
If you are paying a gunsmith an hourly rate to do the job, it isn't going to be cheap.

A rebore to .35/.303 would be an option.
 
If it was mine, I would get it re-bored and chambered to 303-35. That way it would retain the 'character" of the original barrel.

If I was going to re barrel it, I would use a 30 cal barrel (I have lots of old target barrels, where only the first 2" is shot out). The advantage of 308Brit (to me) is that I have lots of 30 cal bullets.
 
.35-303 is a .358 ? Can dies be cobbled together from .35 whelen parts?
I guess it would be a lot cheaper if the original barrel could be rebored?
Edit- turns out you can ream a .303 die and use a .35 Winchester expander.
 
Last edited:
Nope I'd go with a .338-303 with a 1-10 twist and shoot 200gr SP's. C+H can make or has the dies, brass and bullets available everywhere.I have a 28" 95 .303 with a dark bore that shot .77 at 100 yards with a handload it liked.
 
I'm in the process of building a '95 that was 30/40 krag. The bore was done and I had Rob Jury re-bore it to 35cal and I have a 35WCF reamer on order....(for 2 months now:rolleyes:) I have brass,bullets and ammo rounded up...Just need the reamer to get it back in action.
The re-bore looks like a brand new rifling now. Hope it shoots half as good as the rifling looks.

Just a warning on re-boring 100 year old barrels. Things can go wrong.The worst part for chatter is where they soldered the front sight on. so it can be a bit of a crap shoot.
Making a barrel would be costly.....but then again re-boring and buying a reamer from the states isn't exactly a cheap rout to go either. and 35WCF is in short supply, but I seem to ferret it out.
 
migrant hunter said:
So I bought a lemon.
I picked up a Winchester 1895 .303 on CGN a few weeks ago and it's shot out. It won't stabilize jacketed, or even oversized cast bullets.
I'd like to keep the caliber as .303 if I was to get it rebarreld. Who could make me a barrel and what would be ballpark cost?
I can't in good conscience put it back on the EE.
Click to expand...

I think I was looking at this old girl too...hope it turns out good for you, sounds like your "into it now" so there is no turning back. Should be a nice piece, when you get her done!
Cheers
Brian
 
Lots of barrel options possible including octagonal and round/octagonal contours.

Bores to spec so you can get the right dimensions for whatever chamber you want to use.

PM or email.

Happy New Year.

Jerry
 
migrant hunter said:
So I bought a lemon.
I picked up a Winchester 1895 .303 on CGN a few weeks ago and it's shot out. It won't stabilize jacketed, or even oversized cast bullets.
I'd like to keep the caliber as .303 if I was to get it rebarreld. Who could make me a barrel and what would be ballpark cost?
I can't in good conscience put it back on the EE.
Click to expand...

So did you know this when you bought it? Seems like the sort of thing that would be advertised...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom