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+---- Thread: Rehab of a Winchester 1873... (/thread-1298.html)
Rehab of a Winchester 1873... - Rbertalotto - 02-26-2015
I love to buy these old sorry guns and attempt to bring them back to life. On my web site I've written articles about a few Winchesters and a Ballard.
I hope you enjoy the articles
www.rvbprecision.com
Thanks
RE: Rehab of a Winchester 1873... - Mike - 02-26-2015
Very interesting. I never favored the Model 1873 Winchester until lately. Now I have three of the Uberti copies, all .44/40 caliber. A lot of fun. Shoot sharp, Mike
RE: Rehab of a Winchester 1873... - Rbertalotto - 02-26-2015
(02-26-2015, 10:57 AM)Mike Wrote: Very interesting. I never favored the Model 1873 Winchester until lately. Now I have three of the Uberti copies, all .44/40 caliber. A lot of fun. Shoot sharp, Mike
Thanks Mike,
I have an 1860 Iron Frame 44/40, 1866 38/40 and an 1873 45LC / 38-40 Switch Barrel....All Uberti rifles. Excellent rifles and all good shooters.
But there is just "something" about the old rifles. Wish they could talk!
RE: Rehab of a Winchester 1873... - Mike - 02-26-2015
Yes, we all wish those old guns could talk. Just think about the tales an actual old buffalo gun could tell us or what about Jim Bridger's last Hawken rifle? I have a Winchester '92 SRC in .44/40 made in 1907 that has four notches in the comb of the stock and I sure wonder what those are for. It was a ranch gun so the notches are probably for wolves or coyotes but maybe... Shoot sharp, Mike
RE: Rehab of a Winchester 1873... - Rbertalotto - 02-27-2015
Read the article on my site about the 1894 I reconditioned with the six cuts in the pistol grip. I tell my grandkids that is was owned by a Texas Ranger and those were bad guys sent to meet the maker
RE: Rehab of a Winchester 1873... - Gunrunner - 07-17-2015
Here's a picture of two 1873 Winchesters (the top 1873 is in 22 Long and the bottom 1873 is in 38-40) along with a Colt Lightning and Model 92 both in 38-40. All started as originals that were terribly trashed out and abused. The .22 was actually a combination of several different rifles and only the 92 was functioning when I started with them. All bores have been relined and they all function as new and all are what I call "Custom" with new wood, bores, finishes, and any broken or lost parts rebuilt or replaced but keeping as much of the original metal as possible...
The 1873 38-40 came out of Texas and had seen a lot of use (as had all of them). I agree if only the rifles could talk. It's too bad you can't pick up a rifle and see all the history in your mind's eye. The 92 I got from my Grampa and I know some of it's history but others I have no clue. I should join the Buffalo Bill Society and get letters to see where the Winchesters all started out life...
![[Image: WinchestersAndColtLightning.jpg]](http://www.mtbpcr.com/images/WinchestersAndColtLightning.jpg)
RE: Rehab of a Winchester 1873... - Rbertalotto - 07-21-2015
(07-17-2015, 09:52 AM)Gunrunner Wrote: Here's a picture of two 1873 Winchesters (the top 1873 is in 22 Long and the bottom 1873 is in 38-40) along with a Colt Lightning and Model 92 both in 38-40. All started as originals that were terribly trashed out and abused. The .22 was actually a combination of several different rifles and only the 92 was functioning when I started with them. All bores have been relined and they all function as new and all are what I call "Custom" with new wood, bores, finishes, and any broken or lost parts rebuilt or replaced but keeping as much of the original metal as possible...
The 1873 38-40 came out of Texas and had seen a lot of use (as had all of them). I agree if only the rifles could talk. It's too bad you can't pick up a rifle and see all the history in your mind's eye. The 92 I got from my Grampa and I know some of it's history but others I have no clue. I should join the Buffalo Bill Society and get letters to see where the Winchesters all started out life...
BEAUTIFUL! Did you do all the work? Fantastic wood.....
RE: Rehab of a Winchester 1873... - Gunrunner - 07-23-2015
A gunsmith in Plains, MT did the work by the name of Dennis Olson. He and his employee do a fantastic job. Dennis supplied the wood for all of these except the 1873 .22 (second from top) which is a couple of pieces of Bastogne from Treebone Carving the I got with partial payment made by one of his $50 donations to the BPCR match at Raton a couple years back. Thanks to George for a really nice piece of wood. There was a small void in the left hand side but they filled it with a dark resin and sawdust I think and it looks like part of the grain of the wood. George knocked off $100 for that little imperfection which shows his commitment to his customers... Thanks George!!