Ordered an Antique Winchester 1892 in .38-40 WCF

[forward observer]

Congrats on your new rifle. Just last year, I picked up an M92 saddle ring carbine in 38-40 made in 1912 and a rifle in 44-40 made in 1911. The rifle is configured just like yours.

Haven't been to the range yet with either, but as soon as it gets warm enough, I will.

If you want to replace any buggered up screws, here's a good source for most any old Winchester. I've bought sights, stocks, springs, and screws from them for my old Winnie's They have a lot of original parts along with a mix of repro's. They have a complete replacement screw set of the rifle for about $40, which I'm sure are new made.

http://homesteadparts.com/

EBay's also a good source for original parts if you can find the right part and price.

Cheers

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I put 50 rounds through my 1895-vintage Winchester 1892 in .38 WCF today out at a friend's. The attached target was my first 5 shots, from about 50 yards offhand. POA was 6 o'clock on the bull. I'm hoping full power loads will shoot lower, and closer to POA due to less dwell time in the barrel.

FWIW, I'm happy with the group considering the condition of the bore near the muzzle, and especially since my almost 50 year old eyes can barely use the microscopic notch in the rear sight.

Recoil with the Ultramax cowboy loads was about like shooting a .22. We didn't have any malfunctions.

We mostly shot at an 8" gong and the .38-40s smacked it pretty good. We also shot my Cimarron 1873 Sporting Rifle in .44 WCF a little with my handloads (200 grain cast lead bullet on top of 8.6 grains of Unique). Those really smacked the gong around.

The flintlock in the picture is my friend's Euroarms Kentuckian carbine. A couple years ago he took a deer during the antlerless season, shooting out the window of his living room. Today was the last day of Pennsylvania's late flintlock season. He was considering taking the rifle on a walk around his property after we were done to see if he could fill his flintlock tag.

After we finished up and I was standing there cleaning the rifle, and my friend had packed up all his stuff and taken it inside, a nice big doe came out about 25 yards behind our shooting position. Figures.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

And for some icing on the cake, I just won an eBay auction for this Ideal No.6 reloading tool for .38 WCF. The other pics from the listing show the mold cavity to be in good shape.

 

[Speedo66]

That's the same tool I have, works great. Did it come with the original decapping piece? Most don't nowadays. I've found that a Lee case length gauge in the same caliber works perfectly.

 

[Speedo66]

Here’s a poor copy of the instruction sheet for the similar Winchester tool. Hope you’re able to read most of it.

 

[saiga308]

Interesting, a round barrel. Octagon was more popular even though it cost more.
It is in amazing shape, the receiver blue not "flaked". There are so many lever actions with the finish gone off the receiver but excellent on barrel and magazine.

it could be that its been reblued years ago and not original factory.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

@Speedo66 It's missing the decapping pin. Thanks for the pic of the instructions for the Winchester tool. I have one of those and and Ideal Number 6 for .44 WCF. I've used them to load for my Cimarron 1873. A Lee case length gauge makes a serviceable substitute.

@saiga308 It's possible that my rifle was reblued at some point, but I don't think so. If you hold it in the correct light you can see some of the original blueing, but it's mostly brown patina at this point. Regardless, this gun has a lot of life left in it.

 

[czhen]

Dave
Beautiful rifle enjoy it.
czhen