Experiences with Winchester model 190.

[morcey2]

So, I was given a Winchester model 190 yesterday by my Dad. My uncle (his brother-in-law) gave it to him a couple of years ago. My dad didn't shoot it at all and my uncle didn't clean it at all. Ever. I'm not exaggerating.

The 190 is the budget version of the 290 which was designed after the first Winchester bankruptcy. It looks purty, but doesn't have the checkering and a few other niceties of the 290. I've read everything from "It's the most accurate and reliable semi-auto ever" to "It's the best looking tomato stake, ever!"

It's the only 22 that I have at the moment so I'm going to definitely shoot it after a good cleaning. I'm just looking for any experience that anyone has with them regarding ammunition finickyness, gotchas, or anything else I need to know about them.

Matt

 

[stringnut]

In my experiance they are ok at best. My brother gave me one that he purchased in the late sixties new. He wore it out and had it repaired by Winchester. He then gave it to me. I shot it until it was very unreliable and sold it. Both times we figure less than 10,000 rounds wore it out. If kept clean it was reliable for the first 3 or 4 years. After that it was a downhill slide until I got rid of it. Accuracy was not stellar. About 1 inch or more at 50 yards. This was with mini mags or super x. Others shot a bit worse. Buying a 10/22 when I was 16 wqs a huge upgrade. Always thought any of the rifles built on that receiver were uglier than a mud fence. However, it was what I had, so that was what was used. The whole concept was a cheap receiver barrel assembley that would support being made into more than one configuration.Winchester hit the cheap nail on the head with that one. Of course some one will come along stating how wrong I am. Generally the going price is 75 bucks around here if that indicates anything.

 

[JimKirk]

I've got the "Sears" version of the 190 and I've shot a pickup truck load of bullets out of it .... it does need cleaning often as "once" cheap .22 ammo is dang nasty .... I did replace a part called the recoil plate a year or so back and it is still shooting great .... now if I could find some ammo at a reasonable price I would keep banging away .... it is easier to find hen's teeth than it is to find .22 ammo around here....

 

[Catpop]

Plus one on dirty ammo problem. They all need cleaning at some point to remain reliable.
Catpop

 

[oldandslow]

m2,

My dad bought me my first gun, a Winchester 190, from the Alameda Naval Air Station PX about 44 years ago. It's always been accurate and reliable and taught my kids to shoot. I have put about 2,000 rounds through it and still shoot it on occasion. No complaints here.

best wishes- oldandslow

 

[dubbleA]

I forgot I have one of those. Bought back in 79 and probably haven't shot since the early 80's. This thread will probably make me take it out and shoot a few rounds through it. It wears an old Redfield "wide field" fixed 6X scope on it if I remember right.

 

[Ifishsum]

Buddy of mine has one he's been shooting since he was a kid. Naturally he shot it very well, even though the trigger is fairly atrocious. One problem it started developing a few years ago was failing to reliably set off some primers, from there it quickly got worse until it would only fire about 1/3 of the live rounds. I took it home to clean it up and check it out, figuring the firing pin was either worn or cracked, or the action finally got dirty enough to cause problems. FP seemed okay but I tried a replacement bolt and FP anyway and it still didn't solve the problem I had to keep looking. About then I noticed a gap between the receiver and the barrel; turns out there is a threaded locking ring that keeps the barrel tight against the receiver and it had loosened up by more than a turn...got it tightened back up and voila. He's still shooting it regularly (at least when he can get his hands on some ammo).

Anyway that is the extent of my Win 190 experience. I also seem to remember the bolt recoil spring and guide could be a real b**** to get back into place.

 

[cdb1]

Got one for my birthday in the late 60's. It jammed a lot.

 

[xasi]

bought a 190 for 35 dollars pawn shop,its in good shape had to buy a cheapo scopo to put on it.last time i tried to buy the avaialble 22 ammo he said we only sell it in bricks of 100.dollars which i didnt have the wetwads. couldnt you break soem bricks up and charge premium like a good little money miser, he said no .

 

[Danny Creasy]

I occasionally shoot my 190 in our local Rapidfire Rimfire Match. It will run with the 10/22s.



Mine runs flawlessly on a diet of Aguila Standard Velocity. That same cartridge won't even work the bolt consistently in some of my .22 autos. Trigger is heavy, but crisp, and consistent. Accuracy is half inchish at 25 yards and that is the distance from which we shoot the RFRF Match.

i know. I know. No eye protection. I was posing for the picture after the match. I always take pics of everybody else during the match and post them on the club's board, but that day, I thought, "Dang it. Take one of me." That was me about 70 pounds ago – I'm also proud to say.

As others have mentioned, it needs a good cleaning periodically. Mine keeps running fine if I take it apart and clean it thoroughly after about 300 rounds. By the way, there are lots of good and bad pointers on the web about how to get the bolt back in the receiver when reassembling. Some people make this way harder than necessary. Check 'em out. Ignore the one that says you have to take the butt stock off.

 

[cdb1]

My aunt gave me one 20 years that had never been shot. It was a jam-o-matic. I guess they were hit or miss.

 

[Cornhusker77]

I've had one for 30 years, and for years it was my only .22 rifle.
I haven't fired it in 10 years, but from what I remember, I constantly outshot friends with way nicer guns.
I'll keep it.

 

[19-3Ben]

Mine is one hell of a lot more reliable that my Marlin model 60.
It'll run pretty much any ammo without fail.

Accuracy was not stellar. About 1 inch or more at 50 yards.

1" at 50 yards from a .22LR is nothing to complain about.
My 190 does about that with CCI rounds, and I'm perfectly happy. For a cheapo semi-auto .22, who could complain with that kind of accuracy.

 

[357smallbore]

Bought two used for my kids. Both were in good condition. But they had issues. When shooting good. They shot real good. On jam -o- matic days they sucked. Ammo of all kinds didn't matter. My Marlin 60s from the 80s are my tack drivers.

 

[jrod]

I have the "Sears" version also. It's pretty accurate and very reliable. The Trigger pull is not very good on this one though. Very gritty and heavy. If I get around to getting a trigger job it would be a very nice shooter.

 

[kimberkid]

I bought one probably 10 years ago for $50 ... To say it jammed a lot would be an understatement then after a few years I tore it apart and found it had a hairline crack in the receiver ... I traded as a parts gun with full disclosure for a brick of Rem golden bullet.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I got on and it jams up once you get down to the last 6 rounds.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I got one and it jams up once you get down to the last 6 rounds.

 

[Mosin Bubba]

I've got a Winchester 190. It's been reliable and makes a decent plinker, but I wouldn't take it over a Marlin Model 60.

 

[morcey2]

We finally took it out to shoot. It seems to function well and it's fairly accurate. But I thought the safety was broken when I first shot it. That's how heavy the trigger is.. I don't know if there's anything I can do about that or if it would even be worth it to fix it.

Matt