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Two months ago I brought home a Pre-64 Model 70 Winchester to pretty up some and turn into my primary hunting rifle. It's finished.
This month I turned my attention towards a rifle that's been in the family for an unknown number of years. I first learned about it in 1969 when Dad brought it and the rest of Grandpa's guns home after Grandpa passed away. Dad knew about the other few guns Gramps had, but nothing about the 1894. What we did know was it's life hadn't been easy. The stock was beat and there were two filled dovetails in the barrel, not counting the original one holding the original rear sight. The front sight blade was a home made one with a brass tip that didn't fit snugly and could be rotated up or down over 1/16' of an inch. The lever's bent some to the left. There was almost no finish.
Still, it's the gun that both of my sisters and I first hunted with. (no kills, though)
When I was in high school I decided to restore it. I removed what finish was left and used Birchwood-Casey browning to get the color I wanted. I sanded the bubblegum out of the stock to try and remove the gouges. I sanded the buttplate and barrel bands, then clear coated them so they were shiny. At least I used linseed oil on the stock after I carved it away.
Poor rifle.
I probably haven't shot it since the 90's. One of my nephews used it for elk season (no kill) 8 years ago and that's the only time it's been shot since I last did. Dad didn't pack it well when he threw it in the cargo compartment of the trailer for that trip and it picked up a few bruises. I came to me to stay after Dad passed away 4 year ago.
On a fluke I found a Marbles front sight blade (Ivory insert) for it on ebay. That started the ball rolling.
I ripped this sucker apart for probably the first time. It was full of junk and gunk. The bore looked like a rusty pipe. I started scrubbing. I probably ran 300 patches thru the bore, only to find out there isn't any rifling at the muzzle. Oh, well. I cleaned everything up, oiled it up and reassembled. Where the buttplate was overhanging the wood I sanded it down to fit. I removed the "finish" on the barrel bands and buttplate. I'll cold blue them and try to make them look aged once the solution shows up from Brownell's.
I didn't take a Before pic, but at this point the After pic is similar!
This month I turned my attention towards a rifle that's been in the family for an unknown number of years. I first learned about it in 1969 when Dad brought it and the rest of Grandpa's guns home after Grandpa passed away. Dad knew about the other few guns Gramps had, but nothing about the 1894. What we did know was it's life hadn't been easy. The stock was beat and there were two filled dovetails in the barrel, not counting the original one holding the original rear sight. The front sight blade was a home made one with a brass tip that didn't fit snugly and could be rotated up or down over 1/16' of an inch. The lever's bent some to the left. There was almost no finish.
Still, it's the gun that both of my sisters and I first hunted with. (no kills, though)
When I was in high school I decided to restore it. I removed what finish was left and used Birchwood-Casey browning to get the color I wanted. I sanded the bubblegum out of the stock to try and remove the gouges. I sanded the buttplate and barrel bands, then clear coated them so they were shiny. At least I used linseed oil on the stock after I carved it away.
Poor rifle.
I probably haven't shot it since the 90's. One of my nephews used it for elk season (no kill) 8 years ago and that's the only time it's been shot since I last did. Dad didn't pack it well when he threw it in the cargo compartment of the trailer for that trip and it picked up a few bruises. I came to me to stay after Dad passed away 4 year ago.
On a fluke I found a Marbles front sight blade (Ivory insert) for it on ebay. That started the ball rolling.
I ripped this sucker apart for probably the first time. It was full of junk and gunk. The bore looked like a rusty pipe. I started scrubbing. I probably ran 300 patches thru the bore, only to find out there isn't any rifling at the muzzle. Oh, well. I cleaned everything up, oiled it up and reassembled. Where the buttplate was overhanging the wood I sanded it down to fit. I removed the "finish" on the barrel bands and buttplate. I'll cold blue them and try to make them look aged once the solution shows up from Brownell's.
I didn't take a Before pic, but at this point the After pic is similar!
Last Edited:
The three little marks are from the 30-30. The bigger divots, like the one with the finger in it, 243.
