Where to have the finish repaired RIght on my '94 trapper..?

[Travis Morgan]

Guys,

A certain little 12 year old in my house very nearly died tonight.

As I told you guys, here recently, I got a mint condition Winchester 94 Saddle Ring Trapper in .30-30 for less than half of what it's worth. I never even shot it, because I wanted it to retain it's value.

I cleaned it, wiped off all the fingerprints, wiped it down with Sheath, put it in a gun sock, then put it where NOTHING would damage it.

.......or so I thought.

It's been fairly humid here for the last couple of months, so I thought, "Hey, maybe I'll get it out, look at it, and make sure I put enough Sheath on it.". Mainly, just an excuse tpo get it out and look at it, ya know? I've NEVER owned a new gun. This is as close as I've ever gotten.

Well, after carefully getting it out, carefully setting it down, and removing the sock, I notice a HUGE GOUGE in the bottom of the magazine tube. Not like a dent, not a scratch, I mean about half the size of a dime, and deep enough that the metal's pushed up on one side of it.

My first thought was a 2 a.m. "shock and awe" wake-up, but I figured I ought to wait until the veins in my neck stopped jumping so hard, and my eyes stopped bulging out.

I guess this is my payback for losing some of Dad's tools as a kid, and some other stuff, but I about had a complete pelosi fit.

Anyone know where I could get this fixed and reblued to where it looks correct? Ideas on how much it should cost?

[Noah Zark]

Replacement mag tubes are available at Brownells, all your gunsmith would have to do is cut it to length and file a notch or two.

I'd recommend a replacement tube as opposed to trying to iron out the dent/gouge in the existing one.

Noah

[20cows]

You may be able to get a factory original from Winchester/Browning. They still have parts and it will be "right".

Let the boy participate in the repair. He could learn a little of consequences AND forgiveness. Both are good lessons.

[Travis Morgan]

20cows,

I'll let him participate in the rebuild of my Buffalo Bill rifle. He's too darn awkward to let him near this thing with a screwdriver. Hell, in a way, I'm kinda stoked that he was interested enough in it to try messing with it. I'm just upset about the ding.

[Leverdude]

You can get a new tube for a few bucks from Numrich, Browning or Brownells.

Browning also sells safes. Or a simple locking cabinet. The scratch would bug me alot less than that my kid was messing with my guns when I wasn't around.

Big rule number one. NOBODY TOUCHES the guns unless we are useing them.

Kids, especially boys are always intrigued by guns & left to their own imagination will certainly fool with them. Teach the kid to shoot & remove the mystery, then lock them up & remove the temptation.

[Tycer]

54 U343800220 MAGAZINE TUBE,TRAPPER AND WRANGLER II, COMPACT $20.00

http://www.winchesterguns.com/services/parts/index.asp

[clubkey]

Travis,

I can offer no advice on the repair of the firearm, but as a father who raised two sons to become honorable men I offer the following. First don't be too hard on the boy, but use this incident as an opportunity to teach him the responsibility of the consequences of his actions. As 20 Cows said make him participate in the repair of the rifle and if not with the actual physical repair of the rifle then by working to pay for the new magazine tube or repair. Then after everything is put back into shape take him out shooting and teach him proper handling and shooting techniques to include gun safety. Obviously he is curious and has a desire to follow in Dad's footsteps so Dad has an obligation to teach him to become a rifleman. I know because I went through a much similar situation with my eldest, but in the end all turned out well. Today I don't even own the firearm he nearly destroyed, but he'll always be my son...

[Travis Morgan]

Well, I know he didn't load it, and, in a way, I'm kinda stoked that he's starting to take an interest in doing some shooting on his own. He's kinda scared of everything, and doesn't even want to shoot my Blackhawk loaded with light .38's in it, that even his Mom will shoot. (And she pretty much HATES guns. Not the idea, just the noise.)

He actually started setting up his targets and practicing with his airgun on his own again a while back., which is rather encouraging. (I've been trying to expand his "man" skills.) He kinda ate it, coming in fourth from last at the Young Hunter Education Challenge recently, because he didn't study, and didn't bring his compound bow. Fortunately, I think he's taking the loss as a challenge.

What kinda sucks is that darn awkwardness! I really want shooting to be something we can compete in together, but I sort of just have to hand him the gun and go do something else, or I'll coach him right out of the sport.
You know, you want them to succeed, but they don't hold the rifle right, don't control their breathing, jerk the trigger, shoot too fast, blah, blah, blah....... It's maddening. I guess that's why God created fishing.

I really need to build some big swinging targets we can play with, so he can have a FUN exercise between bullseye sessions. I figure we can see who can shoot all the plates the fastest.

At least he likes helping with the single stage reloading. Now if he'd just quit crushing cases......... One time, he wanted to help, but I was busy, so I asked him to go take the die out of my Rockchucker, and switch it out for another one. He got that far away look on his face, where I just KNEW he wasn't getting it, so I asked him, "You know which part is the press?" "Yup." "Know which part is the die?" "Yup" He walked over, looks the press over, then grabs the (freshly filled) primer tube, raining brand new primers all over the floor!

We had a talk about asking more questions, so he'd fully understand the task at hand.

[Noah Zark]

One of my maternal grandfather's favorite sayings was, "Don't shed a tear over that which cannot or those who will not cry over you."

The rifle can be fixed.

The boy can be taught safe, careful firearm handling using an older beater rifle, with the understanding that he gets a nice, new(er) one of his own once he demonstrates proficiency with the beater.

Noah

[Travis Morgan]

Yeah. This was GONNA be his rifle he worked up to!

[Griff]

Travis,
I'm kinda with 20cows and Noah, but... when my son was 14-½, he'd been working for my neighbor/friend, a vetenarian, for almost 2 years, the vet broke his arm in a horse accident. He, with my approval, got the boy a hardship license to act as his chauffeur after school on his calls. At this time, among the son's weekly chores was to take the trash up to the highway for collection, for which he used my farm p/u. My wife's daily driver was a very clean Chevy Celebrity which had just been replaced by a new Camaro. The plan was to give him the Celebrity so he didn't have to wait on the bus after his 15th birthday and could drive to school under the terms of his hardship license. A coupla days b4 his b-dday he came into our room about 6am, blubberin' about how he'd wrecked my car; seems that he backed that 1-ton dually into the driver's door & qtr panel of the Celebrity.

After Mom quieted him down, the way moms do, I said let's see just how bad it is... well, the door and window still worked, just dented sheet metal. As Mom gasped and he started blubberin' apologies all over again... I started laughin'. If Mom's look could kill, I'd not be tellin' this tale, she started sctetchin' about how serious this was and how could I be so unfeeling and frivolous over such a matter... whereupon I just tossed him the keys and said, "happy early Birthday, maybe this'll teach ya to be more careful with YOUR stuff."

(He is very lucky it was his Celebrity sittin' there and NOT my '55; he might NOT have survived to see 15)!

[Tycer]

Not Mine:

[O.S.O.K.]

Travis, as a father of three, I'd recommend shooting at some milk jugs filled with water, soda cans likewise, old apples, or any old fruit - makes a great reactive target.

I wouldn't even do the bullseye shooting until he's really well into the fun shooting. You can give him a pointer from time to time, but make 90% of your comments positive. "hey, you really worked the lever smooth that time", "wow, really close", etc.

I know how it is when you want them to do it right, but it'll come... if he keeps shooting.

[O.S.O.K.]

bwahhhaaahhhaa - Tycer, that is too good. Man. Yep, they can really get into some stuff at that age. lol

[oldgerboy]

Fun tarkets include crackers, you know, the regular-put-in-your-soup kind. They shatter even with a BB gun. A good education is still the best preventative for a safe future with firearms.

[20cows]

Don't expect the boy to be able to at first what it took you years to learn. Sometimes we forget there is a learning curve.

It's not the same for everybody, either.

I am having to be real careful not to crush my son's interest, because of my own excitement and impatience.

Hang in there.

[Griff]

In answer to your question: I have had Classic Guns Inc. recommended by a gunsmith I respect for refinishing my Winchester 94 projects. They'll be doing at least 3 in a color case hardened, and the other 3 will be blued. 5 of the 6 are post 64 scintered steel receivers.[/url]

[FWiedner]

I always told my kids that any Circus would pay good money for clowns like them...

[Travis Morgan]

Travis, as a father of three, I'd recommend shooting at some milk jugs filled with water, soda cans likewise, old apples, or any old fruit - makes a great reactive target.

I wouldn't even do the bullseye shooting until he's really well into the fun shooting. You can give him a pointer from time to time, but make 90% of your comments positive. "hey, you really worked the lever smooth that time", "wow, really close", etc.

I know how it is when you want them to do it right, but it'll come... if he keeps shooting.

Yeah, we do reactive targets every time. I just hung up some iron to shoot, but we've been known to shoot eggs, lolipops, and a few other things that are fun to shoot.

I just kinda turn him loose to practice on paper targets on his own. It took me quite a while to get good at shooting, so I kinda just make sure he's doing things safely, then leave him alone. We do some shooting together, but I know howw much I hate being coached,(ever been to a SASS shoot? Mostly twice a year shooters that are convinced they're experts because they sent off for a badge.) and I don't want to sour him on it.

I just don't know what to do with him sometimes. I'm his stepdad, (real Dad shows up every few months, but they talk on the phone regularly) and we have completely different interests. He likes sports. I'd rather stab myself in the nut than watch basketball. We both like fishing, though.

I've been into horses my whole life. I used to work on ranches, guide hunters, pack mules, etc. He could care less.

He just has no interest in toughening up, and his meddling sasquatch of a grandma encourages him to be helpless. His Mom ain't much better. He's 12, and can't cut his own darned steak! He's not slow, or anything, his mom and grandma just won't back off. Now wonder my brother in law is useless.
.......and I'm the JERK for teasing him about it!

[Jaguarundi]

"and I'm the JERK for teasing him about it!" No (I beg to differ) you are not.Remember a woman gives birth to a boy...BUT it takes a MAN to make a MAN from a BOY.

[Travis Morgan]

I wouldn't hit my wife or mother in law, but I sure as hell think about it.