Here are some pics of the old Winchester, can anybody tell me anything about it? Sorry there's 6 pics.






Thanks
Bakes

I forgot to mention whats on the barrel,

It says: Manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, Newhaven Conn patented OCT 7th 1879.

Bakes

It's a Winchester Low Wall, 32-20.

Bates sure looks like a Winchester Low Wall to me and in 32-20, nice rig

Bakes---

Low Wall for sure. How's the bore? I bet it looks like the exhaust pipe of a '49 Ford...

It looks to be restorable, but it would be a costly enterprize.

Yup, it's a lowwall and it looks completely normal for a regular sporting rifle. Maybe a #2 barrel (it should be stamped ahead of the forearm tip with the barrel weight (1-5). If the barrel has never been recrowned the front edge of the front sight dovetail should be 3/4" from the muzzle.

One thing that I cannot tell for certain is the trigger type. There are four types of triggers, single plain, single set, close double set, and wide double set. It is not the latter, and is probably a plain single, but if the trigger appears to be split lengthwise (left to right), then it is a close double set. If there is a hole threaded for a screw immediately behind the trigger, it is a single set (my personal favorite on this rifle - though double sets are very fine and valuable as well.

What else? I think the 1979 date is simply the patent date since this rifle falls under John Browning's patent for his 1978 rifle. To get a true manufacture and shipping date, contact the Cody Museum in Cody WY and give them the serial number and probably a few bucks. The letter adds to the value of the rifle for many folks.

I would guess it is a flat spring, and if you cannot see a spring coil while looking up into the action from below with the block lowered, then it is a flat spring version.

It's a good quality gun and worthy of restoration. These frequently have broken firing pins btw, so pull the pin to be sure it's still good. Often these are rebushed and altered slightly to have better gas handling capabilities. Not a big deal in my opinion, unless you are going to convert it to a high pressure cartridge (not advisable with a low wall anyway, however). If the barrel is rotted out, either rebarrel or reline. If you are going to change from the original chambering - say to .32-40 or anything smaller than 38-55, then I would rebarrel and save the old barrel. Reline if you want to stay with .32-20.

Let me know if it ever needs a new home.

Brent

According to Will (the owner) It was last fired about 40-50 years ago (it was his grandfathers)and was not cleaned. Will found it in a shed, and it took him 2 days to find the front grip! The bore looks shithouse, but you can see the rifling. I'm hoping it will clean up allright (I'm more excited about it than Will )

Bakes

Brent it has a #1 on the barrel.

Bakes

Nope, no parts. I was hoping that parts are still kicking around some where. Will wants to restore it back to safe shooting condition. It won't be used alot just bought out for fun every now and then.

Bakes

Brent
Thanks for all your help. Will doesn't want to sell I nearly had him convinced to sell it to me for $200 AUS until you chimmed in with the $600-700 US thanks alot.......just kidding mate I'm going to clean it up tomorrow and see what we can see. The wood will need to be replaced as its cracked and splitting. It should be a good project (just wish it was mine )

Bakes

I would not pay anything close to even $400 for a Low Wall in that shape.

Watch out about "restoration" Unless the person who does it is a skilled metal smith the surfaces and corners are going to get buggered up. This happens all the time if you don't know how to do it.

I would clean the metal with some 0000 steel wool and oil, Pledge the stock and shoot it with jacketed bullets, clean it and put in in the back of the safe.

Bakes,
A good source of precarved wood for highwalls is TreeBones. Not sure if they are on the web. But George whateverhislastnameis makes a lot of these. Were I doing it, I would ask for a "Special Sporting" stock with cheek piece. It will give you a good bit of cast off, which I find very desirable. I'm not 100% sure the butt plate would fit however. But George would know. Not sure how to find the guy, though it would not be hard for me to come up with his phone number - I know he does email and posts on Shooters.com from time to time, but I don't know his email off hand. Just might be able to find it however.

Savage 99-- If you have been pricing lowwalls lately and find any actions that are functional except for a missing screw or two, and have all the other metal, including a barrel suitable for sleaving, a butt plate, and orginal sights and it is less than $400, you give me a holler real quick at brentd@iastate.edu. I'll give you a finder fee for it even.

Brent

Thanks Brent I'll look them up.

Bakes

Savage 99 is absolutely correct. It is difficult and expensive to properly restore a firearms like this and the end gun value just probably won't warrant it. I would take his advice and do some light cleaning on the metal myself, oil up the stock, replace the necessary screws and start shooting!

JMHO,

JohnTheGreek

I pulled the gun apart last night, scrubed the bore, oiled everything up and scraped some crud out of the action. The bore is in a shit way but the rifling is still visable wearing out more at the muzzel. The crown has some ding's in it. Its missing 4 screws and the wood is very brittle. I think the metal work will clean up alright. Will wants it looking good and shootable and he'll talk to a gunsmith about his options. As Brent said it cost him nothing and as a single fella he's got the money to spend on it As I said I'm more excited about this than Will, he handed over the rifle and that was me gone for the next hour, I love tinkering with guns

I wonder what happened to those four screws? Seems odd that they are missing.

If the outside of the barrel seems reasonable and if you want to stay with the caliber, resleave. As much as I love old guns, I really need to have perfect bores to give me any confidence. Hence, my .38-55 is being resleaved as I type.

Brent