Rehab of a Winchester 1873...

[Rbertalotto]

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

[Mike]

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

[Rbertalotto]

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!

[Mike]

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

[Rbertalotto]

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

[Gunrunner]

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...

[Rbertalotto]

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.....

[Gunrunner]

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!!