I'm a sucker for hard luck cases-to the range.

As usual, I ran into a gun I found interesting. The gun shop had a Winchester leaning in the corner, and when they showed it to me, it's obvious that the gun has had a hard life. It's a Model 1894 in .38-55 and the serial number puts it at being made in 1895. According to the shop owner, the guy who brought it in to sell it was as old as the hills and he was still using it up until a couple years back.
As you can see from the photos, it's spent some time outdoors. The barrel has a lot of pitting, as does the receiver and the lever. The shocking thing is that the rifling is excellent with almost no wear at all. The action is still slick and the inside of the receiver has no pitting at all. The wood, not sure where that came from, the forearm looks like a Marlin, the buttstock, don't have a clue, there's no holes drilled for a butt pad at all.
So the real thing is, what to do with it?
I talked to Bobby Tyler at Tyler Gun Works, and it would be way beyond what the gun's value to bring it back to what it was. The other thing is, would the barrel be safe to shoot with the pitting the way it is? The inside is fine, but there's the outside. I found another barrel to be on the safe side so I can have it put on. Wood is ok, I can get that. Any ideas? I paid next to nothing for it, the shop owner wasn't all that thrilled another employee bought it in the first place. We'll have to see what becomes of it.

Actually it's beautiful in it's own way. It's Engraved by Nature

Shoot it. She deserves the attention.

Looks like a good project. I'd be careful about using modern .38-55 ammo loads with that barrel tho. Here's a little info why: https://www.starlinebrass.com/articles/Loading-with-Correct-38-55-Cases/

There's a firearm chock full of character. Love it!

Keep it "as is" and shoot it with mild loads if it's deemed safe.

I had some original Winchester factory ammo, and I shot it at 25 yards, the target on the left showed two rounds close together and one flyer, but still a 1-inch group. The target on the right was the rest of the ammo, notice the group in the upper left. That's a five shot group that's well under an inch. Not bad for this gun considering the outside of the barrel and what the rest of the gun looks like. Other than the feeding issue, this old rifle is a downright joy to shoot, it reminds me of the 1894 in .38-55 I had twenty years ago. I hunted with that gun, never got to take a deer with it, but you can bet I will be hunting with this gun even if I have to run it as a single shot.

David LaPell said:

Other than the feeding issue, this old rifle is a downright joy to shoot, it reminds me of the 1894 in .38-55 I had twenty years ago. I hunted with that gun, never got to take a deer with it, but you can bet I will be hunting with this gun even if I have to run it as a single shot.

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What's the feeding issue?

:?:

I would imagine that the gunshop would not have let it be sold, if they thought it was unsafe... To much liability these days...
I think it is downright awesome and I'd love to have one just like it!!

konichiwa dudes....

reuben...

Ale-8(1) said:

David LaPell said:

Other than the feeding issue, this old rifle is a downright joy to shoot, it reminds me of the 1894 in .38-55 I had twenty years ago. I hunted with that gun, never got to take a deer with it, but you can bet I will be hunting with this gun even if I have to run it as a single shot.

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What's the feeding issue?

:?:

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The rounds get hung up as they go into the chamber, I had an 1892 that did this exact same thing, and I thought it was the cartridge guides but I'm thinking it's the ejector spring because it seems to be a bit loose versus some of the other 94's I've had others that were tighter. I will replace the spring and see if that changes anything. When you hold the gun down more it hangs up a little but the rounds go in the chamber.

Man, if that thing could talk.....

Awesome i wood shoot it with mild black powder loads

Ale-8(1) said:

David LaPell said:

Other than the feeding issue, this old rifle is a downright joy to shoot, it reminds me of the 1894 in .38-55 I had twenty years ago. I hunted with that gun, never got to take a deer with it, but you can bet I will be hunting with this gun even if I have to run it as a single shot.

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What's the feeding issue?

:?:

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Well, the feeding issue was an easier fix then I thought, there was a small burr on one of the cartridge guides. I filed it down slightly then smoothed it some with 0000 steel wool, put a little oil on it and now it feeds fine. Other than having to replace the wood and doing something with the rear sight, I don't have a lot of money in it.

Now that's the kind of "shelter dog" I like to get behind! Congrats on saving it.

Keep it the way it is. It has some serious character.

Reminds me of this one - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgotten_Winchester

I wouldn't do a single thing to take any of that magnificent 'character' from that ancient hunter. After a day's outing, I would clean it and hang it on the wall hoping that as the fire dimmed, I would hear it tell me stories of its days gone by.

J.

I think it's a pretty cool gun the way it is. I would also wonder whether the butt stock wasn't handcarved by the last owner. Thinking maybe the original was broken and he wanted to continue using the gun, so made one of his own.

What happened to the OP? Looks like he hasn't been here in nearly three years. I always enjoyed his posts.

yeah, was wondering the same thing myself, Daves been around the block a few times and when I see something from or of him, it is "old" posts.....
Hey Dave where are you????

Johnnu2 said:

I wouldn't do a single thing to take any of that magnificent 'character' from that ancient hunter. After a day's outing, I would clean it and hang it on the wall hoping that as the fire dimmed, I would hear it tell me stories of its days gone by.

J.

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Additionally, I would save the targets and make them part of the presentation.