David LaPell
Blackhawk
Well, I have finished with the Model 1894 Winchester .38-55. If you recall what I started with, it's a well worn rifle that had the wrong wood on the forearm and buttstock, but the bore is excellent and the action works without an issue.
So I replaced the wood, it doesn't quite match up, but it looks the part. I took the rear sight which was beat up, wasn't original and missing parts and cut it down and rounded the edge off and blued it to make a sight blank. The I out on a Lyman 1A tang sight. I also filled in some of the really bad pitting with JB Weld.
The proof of course was at the range, so with some factory Winchester ammo, at 25 yards I got a group of an inch, at 50 yards it's about 2-inches on my homemade bison target. I slugged the bore and got .378" which is not unusual for these guns, so the factory rounds are a bit undersized. I have some bullet and brass so I plan on handloading for it, and since the cast bullets I have are much closer to the correct size, these groups should get even better. But the best part is, I brought this old gun back to life, I do plan on hunting with it this fall for sure.
So I replaced the wood, it doesn't quite match up, but it looks the part. I took the rear sight which was beat up, wasn't original and missing parts and cut it down and rounded the edge off and blued it to make a sight blank. The I out on a Lyman 1A tang sight. I also filled in some of the really bad pitting with JB Weld.
The proof of course was at the range, so with some factory Winchester ammo, at 25 yards I got a group of an inch, at 50 yards it's about 2-inches on my homemade bison target. I slugged the bore and got .378" which is not unusual for these guns, so the factory rounds are a bit undersized. I have some bullet and brass so I plan on handloading for it, and since the cast bullets I have are much closer to the correct size, these groups should get even better. But the best part is, I brought this old gun back to life, I do plan on hunting with it this fall for sure.
