My dad ended up with one, in pretty rough shape. Apparently there is a small crack in the bottom of the chamber. Any source for replacement barrels? Conversion barrels? This thing is cambered in .38-40, which seems ungodly expensive. Maybe a sleeve to bring it down to .22 long rifle?
Help!
Joey
Dont ruin it. Fix it up right and original. U ahouldnt shoot something that old often anyway. Did u google a forum? Or email winchester?
I'm not afraid of shooting something old, necessarily. But there is nothing left of this gun to ruin. My great uncle got it in trade or something not working 50 years ago. This thing is below wall hanger status. No foregrip, stock is terrible,bluing is mostly gone. Just trying to do something fun with it. Much better than sitting in a corner somewhere, getting rusty, like it has for the last 50 years. And I thought I would check grm first, they always steer us right!
Joey
Isn't there a movie with Jimmy Stewart called Winchester 1873?
And I agree. Don't wreck it, restore it. There are l;ots of common guns to piss around with.
It is wrecked... I got to post a pic, there isn't much left.
Joey
Isn't this the "drive it!" Group? Hanging on a wall somewhere is like a 1966 mustang rotting in a museum. This gun isn't one of a kind. They made a lot of them. 720,00, which is close to Miata numbers. No one feels bad for them...
Joey
Finding a barrel could be difficult. If you want I can do some digging. You may be looking at a spendy project.
Aye, it can be sleeved down. Won't be cheap, but it can be done. Might be a viable option if you really want to shoot it. Replacement parts can be found, but the parts and job become expensive. There's a company that specializes in used gun parts, but I can't remember the name.
You are thinking of Numrich.
Just checked and they do have some reproduction 1873 barrels on there. Quite a few .357 mag barrels though be careful how much cartridge you go with. The old action won't hold up to some modern loads.
A small percentage of that 720k still survive, otherwise they wouldn't be worth thousands in good shape. Clean it up, tear it down completely and remove the rust, then piece it back together. I doubt the chamber is cracked, if it is or the rifling is gone a new barrel can be sourced/produced. You could be shooting .38-40 for cheap handloaded, or damn near free with hand cast bullets and home made black powder.
The action will not stand up to anything stouter than it came chambered in, the modern repops in .357 mag and the like are made of modern steel alloys.
Tear it down and let the parts soak in a vat of "Fluid Film". I did that to the block of rust inoperable .38 hogleg I have and it came out without rust, and a patina. Functions well too.....I've probably put 800rds through it since I cleaned/fixed it. Enjoy the awful smell and yellow puss fluid film makes.......its consumed oxidization.
It's your gun, of course, but I would put it back to stock. I don't see how any part of it would be unobtainium.
I have an old wreck like that... only mine is "only" a 1909. Finish is gone, original barrel is gone etc so I don't care about originality.
I would think that you could get a replacement barrel fairly easily, maybe in a more modern chamber.
That is a very popular rifle for cowboy action shooting. I've got an Italian copy of a 73 chambered in 357 mag that I shoot .38's with. There are a ton of gunsmiths that specialize in cowboy action guns.
The first one that comes to mind is www.longhunt.com He does outstanding work. Send a bunch of the gunsmiths an email and see what your options are.
Obviously restoration is an option, but tinkering with an old gun like that can be an interesting exercise. Might involve some machine work to get .22LR to work in there, though, given that you'd be going from centerfire to rimfire. Start going through the Numrich website and look at what they've got lying around - you might get some ideas.
I'd get it checked out for repair and/or restoration. Shooters are much more satisfying than wallhangers.
Personally, I don't mind honest patina on old rifles.
Redman can reline it for .38-40. Ammunition is available, and it can be handloaded without too much trouble.
You might be surprised at what can be restored.
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