Win 94 rescue

[awp101]

Spent a good part of the day at a show, lots of interesting levers coming out of the woodwork (including a Marlin 1894P in .44 that I was hard pressed to pass up ). I'd looked at and passed on several 94s in .30-30. Got one that I've had for years, don't need another.

As I rounded the last corner of the last table at the show I saw a Winchester lever sitting on a table with no tag. As I turned it over to see the caliber the guy told me "It's a pre-64 that I traded into today, mid-50s I think". Saw the .30-30 marking and put it down. Asked out of sheer curiousity what he was asking, "$325 but I'll go $300". A pre-64 for under $500 around here? I asked to look at the bore, nothing there a good cleaning won't solve. Missing the buttplate and front sight hood, finish mostly gone from the receiver, needs some TLC on the outside and a previous owner had poorly engraved their DL# (I think that's what it is) between the trigger guard and the front of the receiver but not very deeply.

Told him that honestly it needs some TLC and I don't need another .30-30. The most I'd feel comfortable putting into it would be $250. He thought about it for a few moments and asked "Cash?" Yep. "Done!"

Tomorrow I'll give it a good cleaning since the action is stiff. I don't know if that's from gummed up oil or just lack of actual use.

DoB is 1956.

Now I just need to decide what to do with it. Leave it as is and just the external TLC or rework it totally? New caliber maybe? Regardless, it has zero collector value but it looks like someone spent a lot of time carrying this rifle based on the receiver wear.

Lousy, hurried pics:



What is this marking?

[OD*]

Fun project, congrats.

You may find the correct style buttplate here;
http://www.vintagegungrips.net/vintage- ... nches.html

[awp101]

Thanks OD, would a 1956 model be late style?

[Griff]

Congrats on your new project. As far as TLC, since you got it as an incomplete carbine, whatever you fancy would be ok to me.

[awp101]

Incomplete? It's got a barrel, mag tube, fire control group, buttstock, what else do you need?

[edwardyoung]

You might consider how good it would make you feel if you boxed it up and sent it to me as a belated birthday present

[Pete44ru]

[What is this marking (GF)?]

"Good Find" ! ! !

.

[jlchucker]

It looks like an honest, working American's 30-30. Clean it up, replace the buttplate (they are available-- don't use the newer, plastic ones--this rifle had the checkered-steel version originally) and enjoy carrying it as much as the previous owner did. Most old 30-30's like this one have been carried far more than they've been fired. Typical 30-30 owners in the era of this one's manufacture didn't handload, and fired a few rounds at a can or target just before deer season, then headed out hunting. After that, it was a shot or two at a deer that ended up hanging from a tree in their front yard. Lots of these rifles ended up looking like yours but had only 4 or 5 boxes of factory rounds fired through them during their owners' lifetimes. You need to try this one out on an 8-point whitetail his fall. Good luck.

[20cows]

If you don't need another .30-30, that would be a great candidate for a redo in .38-55!

[OD*]

Thanks OD, would a 1956 model be late style?

You're welcome Sir.

Ah yeah, you did say '56. I believe that would take the flat checkered steel buttplates to be 100% authentic. Unless you are planning to do a restoration, I agree with Griff, which ever-one YOU like the best is the one you should go with.

[John in MS]

Well done!!! Glad it is going to a good home!!

The "GF" marking is an assembler's mark, IIRC.

You should have lots of fun with that one!
John

[woods-walker]

Now that rifle has some character! I'd clean it up which would be a good time in of itself and think about where this Winchester and been. It needs a checkered steel butplate to be proper. I'd give the bore extra care and then take it to the range to see what level of accuracy I can expect and then I think I would enjoy that rifle as is. It would be perfect in a saddle scabbard, riding around horseback.

[O.S.O.K.]

Wow, nice find there! I vote "restore" too.

Brownells has the buttplates too - you might compare prices.

If you want to remove the dl number, some Oxpho Blue from Brownells will give a good blueing after you're done and you can then use some steel wool to lighten it to match the rest of the rifle.

Yeah, I think that's the way for that one.

[awp101]

Broke it down today using the instructions from the NRA website. I didn't realize it would be quite the adventure it was...

This one was definitely "carried a lot, shot very little". The rifling is as sharp as I've ever seen in a 50+ year old rifle!

I need to add the screw for the forearm band to my list. It was bent just enough to keep it from engaging the threads during reassembly and when I went to straighten it it broke. Ooooops! It looks like the top hole for the buttplate is either wallowed out or someone missed the hole when reinserting it. Should I wood putty or clear expoy it before installing the new screw?

AFAIC this one is going to stay stock. I toyed with a .38-55 conversion, 7-30 Waters or just looking around to see what caliber might catch my fancy but I just can't do it. There might be a receiver sight in it's future (any recommendations?) since the factory holes are there but that's it. I'll take the DL or SSN# off, maybe refinish the wood since there are marks that look like it might have been in a closet and fell, leaving white paint scratches on one side of the wood.

[jlchucker]

Broke it down today using the instructions from the NRA website. I didn't realize it would be quite the adventure it was...

This one was definitely "carried a lot, shot very little". The rifling is as sharp as I've ever seen in a 50+ year old rifle!

I need to add the screw for the forearm band to my list. It was bent just enough to keep it from engaging the threads during reassembly and when I went to straighten it it broke. Ooooops! It looks like the top hole for the buttplate is either wallowed out or someone missed the hole when reinserting it. Should I wood putty or clear expoy it before installing the new screw?

AFAIC this one is going to stay stock. I toyed with a .38-55 conversion, 7-30 Waters or just looking around to see what caliber might catch my fancy but I just can't do it. There might be a receiver sight in it's future (any recommendations?) since the factory holes are there but that's it. I'll take the DL or SSN# off, maybe refinish the wood since there are marks that look like it might have been in a closet and fell, leaving white paint scratches on one side of the wood.

Look and see if this one has been factory drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. That would be two small, side-by-side plug screws on the left side of the receiver, about even with the bore. If so, no drilling and tapping would be required. A Lyman or Williams sight will fit right on. Winchester was drilling and plugging these holes as a part of the manufacturing process for years. Marlin apparently still does. You can't go wrong with either receiver sight.

[John in MS]

If you can find an original STEEL Lyman 66 for the rifle, that would be an excellent sight. They are made to
very close tolerances, and bring a premium, but you got such a good deal on the rifle that you can splurge
a little without guilt!!

Personally, if it were mine, I'd NOT strip off the original wood finish. It is a very, very rare 40's-60's Winchester
of any type, that I've seen, that looked BETTER once it had been refinished. Most refinish jobs look much different
from factory and stand out like a boil on the face of a super-model... You might see if you could very carefully
remove the white paint and then touch up only those areas with simple linseed oil or other matching finish. I think
it would have lots of character and would preserve both its originality and future value.

Hope this helps,
John

[drboomboom]

I agree with John on keeping the finish. I had a friend who was a master luthier and vintage guitar restorer. If there were paint marks on an old Martin or Gibson, he would carefully scrape them off with a nylon flat pick (the normal style guitar pick but it must be nylon...the translucent nylon is better). With a little care and some luck you might get the paint off with little disturbance to the old finish.

[OD*]

Look and see if this one has been factory drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. That would be two small, side-by-side plug screws on the left side of the receiver, about even with the bore.

Looks as though it is in the top picture, it should be, if it's a '56.

[awp101]

Thanks for the paint removal info! I have a well worn plastic putty knife I may give a shot for that job. I hadn't planned on fixing the dings but the thoughts on the finish are good points.

Yes it's factory d&t for the side mount receiver sights.