Winchester 1894 in 38-55

If you got that rifle for 750$.

You pretty much stole it from whoever had it. Nice score!

Very nice Winchester.
About 10 years ago I started a "Retro" weekend
at our deer lease. Small cash prize.
No optics. Lever action..or blackpowder only.
Some of the guys have bought/found some great
Old Winchesters.
I am looking for a Win in 44.40

My kind of gun, old patinated wood and steel, well cared for with nothing but a little honest wear. It's a pretty piece. You done reaaalll good!
Thanks for the pics...

CptCurl said:

Does anybody have any recommended loads for the .38-55 using Accurate 5744? Their loading data doesn't even list the caliber.

Also for .32-40 would be helpful.

Thx,
Curl

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From the 1999 Accurate Powder manual:
5744 powder

38/55

SAECO 240 rn.........22.0 gr........1601fps
SRA 200 fn.............25.5 gr.........1853
Hornady 220 fn.......23.5 gr.........1648

32/40

LYMAN 170 fngc........20 gr.......1802
Hornady 170 fn.........20 gr.......1777

loads listed are considered max and should be reduced by at least 10% to start.

I'm about to leave the house to hopefully get some groups on a Model 71, but I'm going to bring this 38-55 along & hopefully get a box of shells to shoot through it. Hoping to get either some factory Winchester stuff or the HSM Cowboy loads. I will report back on how it goes.

I would like to hunt with it, then have it reblued I'm still thinking.

Cory

richcory said:

I'm about to leave the house to hopefully get some groups on a Model 71, but I'm going to bring this 38-55 along & hopefully get a box of shells to shoot through it. Hoping to get either some factory Winchester stuff or the HSM Cowboy loads. I will report back on how it goes.

I would like to hunt with it, then have it reblued I'm still thinking.

Cory

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I don't know what you paid for it, but generally speaking rebluing will hurt the value.

If you go that route send it off to someone like Turnbull and get it properly restored.

Turnbull Restoration Company, Inc.

However, in my opinion the rifle looks great as it. It shows honest age and use but not rust, pitting or abuse. I'd leave it as in and enjoys shooting what can be a very nice family heirloom.

richcory said:

I'm about to leave the house to hopefully get some groups on a Model 71, but I'm going to bring this 38-55 along & hopefully get a box of shells to shoot through it. Hoping to get either some factory Winchester stuff or the HSM Cowboy loads. I will report back on how it goes.

I would like to hunt with it, then have it reblued I'm still thinking.

Cory

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I beg you to please reconsider on that. It's beautiful just the way it is. And you can hunt with it to your heart desire. Just keep it well maintained as others before you did.

Leaving it as is certainly isn’t out of the question. At some point the first owner removed all the blueing from the receiver.

As far as shooting goes, it’s a ***** cat. At least with the slow Winchester stuff. Very tame compared to the 71.

Cory

At 185 yards holding dead on for elevation it rings the gong every time. She shoots to the left so you hold to the right but she’s a shooter with at least the Winchester factory stuff.

Cory

Beautiful rifle with great character, and I am terribly, terribly envious.

richcory said:

..... At some point the first owner removed all the blueing from the receiver.

.....

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The 92 and 94 recv'rs of that period are noted for having their factory blue flake off with very little wear and handling.

The bluing process was a Carbonia Blue, and along with the steel alloy used in the frames seemed to be the problem with these rifles.

Someone may have helped the frame loose the rest of it's factory finish blue after looking at a blotchy patchwork of blue and bright steel on the frame. It does look a bit gone over lightly with something like scotchbrite perhaps. But it certainly didn't harm any edges, corners or other details.
The heat blue is still present on the extractor dispite the blue finish gone on the bolt. Since they are 'polished as one' parts and fit to one another perfectly flat,,that'd be tough to remove the bluing on the bolt w/o touching the extractor unless it was taken apart to do.

But it is not unusual to see them just like this,,the frame devoid of blue while the rust blued bbl and mag tube still retain their orig finish.
The hammer, lever & usually the F/E tip were orig color case hardened.

>It's also possible the orig finish on the frame was Color Case Hardening.
That would have been a special order finish.
Take the stock off and see if there are any remnants of the orig colors on the metal under the wood or inside the action that may give you a clue.
Case colors fade and can be removed quite easily from the outside surfaces leaving the bright steel look.

A factory letter would tell you what the orig finish was.
If you are going to have it re-done,,you might as well have it restored as original as far as finish goes instead of just having another re-blued Winchester.

Personally, I'd leave it alone and keep it as it is.
Unless you want to make a full blown upgrade (XXX wood, checkering, factory style engraving pattern, ect) of the 1894.,,It won't be an original Hi-Grade,,but you can have whatever you want.
*Mark it as such and market it as such if resold.*
Even then, you have no control over what is done with it and how it's sold once it leaves your hands.
Some sad stories out there for sure.
That's coming from someone that's been in the engraving, restoration biz for just under 50yrs.

2152hq said:

/….

>It's also possible the orig finish on the frame was Color Case Hardening.
That would have been a special order finish.
Take the stock off and see if there are any remnants of the orig colors on the metal under the wood or inside the action that may give you a clue.
Case colors fade and can be removed quite easily from the outside surfaces leaving the bright steel look.

A factory letter would tell you what the orig finish was.
If you are going to have it re-done,,you might as well have it restored as original as far as finish goes instead of just having another re-blued Winchester.../

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I also considered that it may have had a color case hardened finish, especially when I looked at the forend tip.

I've seen some Wichesters where the color case hardened finish faded and wore to the point it looked almost like a very worn nickel finish.

2152hq & BB57,

I have wondered about the case hardening on the butt plate, fore end cap myself. I can’t decide if that’s patina or case hardening on there. I’m hoping for case hardening. She looks so good the more I think about it the more I want to leave her as is.

Cory

Beautiful rifle. I'd have to carry it with me all the time.

Highhawk1948,

I couldn't agree more that nothing carries as easy as a lever action. So natural & great balance. I said the same thing about my 1886 rifle.

Cory

I simply love the "old firearms" workmanship. People spent hours getting all the parts Just Right; checkering perfect, etc. They just look like class!

It has a very solid feel to the action, so I second your feeling on the workmanship.

Cory

Road Rat said:

I simply love the "old firearms" workmanship. People spent hours getting all the parts Just Right; checkering perfect, etc. They just look like class!

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The die hard Winchester collectors regard pre-war versus post war as a major defining line in Winchester quality as there was less hand fitting with the more modern production techniques post WWII.

However, even with that qualifier the 3 post war but pre-64 Model 94s I have owned have all been vastly superior in fit, finish, function and accuracy, than the three post 63 Model 94s I have owned. The post 63s are not "bad" but the pre 64s are much better.

I once had a Winchester 1894 in .38-55 about 10-12 years back or more, was a full length octagon barrel, not as nice as yours but a lot of fun to shoot. I didn't handload then but I lucked out on a source of Winchester commemorative ammo and a few boxes of Dominion. The sound a .38-55 makes reminds me of those old western movie rifles with that two part high then low sound. I knew of one guy who had killed a deer with one over the years nearby, dropped it like it was hit with a bolt of lightning. My local gun shop has one on consignment, full round barrel but the price is way off, almost twice what it's worth and the shop hasn't been able to get the owner down to reality. Would like another one someday.

A box of Winchester 38-55 ammo here is a bit over $50 a box. I’ll check another place that sells the HSM Cowboy stuff but memory says it was cheaper

Cory