Hunting with a vintge Winchester

[Wardo1974]

I pretty much only hunt with vintage Winchesters. I very much dislike most modern rifles, and especially black plastic ones.

My main deer rifle is a 1917 Model 94 in .38-55 with a 26" octagon barrel and original Lyman #1 tang peep sight. I use a pure lead (powdercoated - zero leading, and this is my only concession to modern times) 255 grain boolit atop 31 grains of IMR 3031, for about 1700 fps, a load I read about in Ken Waters' Pet Loads. It will kill any deer with ease if I do my part.

My backup rifle is a 1913 '94 in .30-30, SRC.

When I'm not deer hunting that week, I take a 1910 Winchester 1897 with me when I go out looking for grouse.

This week, I acquired a model 1886 made in 1891 in .45-70, and I am eager to take a deer with it as well.

Where I hunt (eastern Ontario, Canada), the deer are driven by dogs, so you have to be ready on your stand for a running target. So I prefer to have a quick shooting rifle in my hands with lots of shots in case I miss!

Bear hunting is a little different. You set out a bait can and wait in your blind, quietly hoping a bear will arrive. For this hunting, I use an all-original 1952 M70 in .30-06 with a 50's-era Weaver 2.5 power fixed scope.

When I'm at the stand, I spend almost as much time admiring the rifle across my knees as I do looking for game to shoot at.

They definitely aren't simply "tools"!

[Frank V]

There is a lot to be said for a "pretty" rifle. When you are sitting watching a trail where nothing is doing you can admire that rifle.

[TXGunNut]

That's about all I have! My 1910 Model 8 Remington has taken a few deer, but mostly I use a restored muzzleloader.

I've seen a few 8's and 81's recently, all I can do to put them down when I pick them up. Someday one in 35 Rem will follow me home.
My sister dropped by your home town today, had to stop in at the bakery for lunch. Yep, I'm jealous.

[TXGunNut]

Picked up my 1894 38-55 rifle at the gunsmith's today. Had an erratic 7# trigger, now it's about 3# and crisp. Not bad for a levergun! It left the factory as a 32-40 in 1904, R&R'd in 1907 (probably to have the 38-55 tube installed). Sometime along the way it was badly neglected and the metal had to be refinished. Wasn't an especially good job but the bore is good and action tight. Think it's the rifle I'm taking hunting this fall. Pretty sure I don't have any ammo so if I'm going to shoot it tomorrow I'd better get busy!

[Frank V]

TGunNut did you get busy? Today is yesterdays tomorrow?
The .38-55 is a pretty good cartridge. Fun, accurate, & doesn't kick your teeth out.
Enjoy.

[TXGunNut]

TGunNut did you get busy? Today is yesterdays tomorrow?
The .38-55 is a pretty good cartridge. Fun, accurate, & doesn't kick your teeth out.
Enjoy.

As a matter of fact, I did!
I loaded up 20 rds for the 38-55 but had lube issues. The sizer die had SPG in it, as soon as I got it all pushed out the lubricator ran out of BAC and was mixing it with 50/50. Put in a fresh tube of BAC to finish up. Boolits looked odd but rifle didn't seem to mind, shot just fine. Used a load skeettx told me about; 30 grs IMR3031 under a Lyman 380681. Got the tang sight regulated and it shoots as well as I shoot a peep sight.
Very pleasant to shoot, PAST pad stayed in the bag.
Only problem is I seem to be out of boolits. Torn between 50/50 and straight WW's.

[Frank V]

TX, let your gun decide whichever it shoots the best. If both are equal, I'd go with what I had the most of or was the cheapest?
Thanks.

[TXGunNut]

That's what I always do, Frank. Trial stuff was WW's but I may get better performance on our little white tails with 50/50 but with hogs I'll want a little harder boolit. Rifle sure likes those straight WW's and I don't have a lot of Pb. My faster rifles need a HT'd boolit but that won't be the case here, lol.

[smokeywolf]

I've no doubt you'll find the right combination for your '94. I'm just anxious to see some pics of the rifle and the hog or deer that will be going into the freezer.

[TXGunNut]

I may have already found it, smokeywolf. Oddest thing, my 94 Big Bore in 375 Winchester was almost the same way. First load worked, sights only needed a slight correction. Dunno about the pics but I'll try. As you know my pics are terrible and the hogs are generally ugly but you've been warned, lol.

[Frank V]

I may have already found it, smokeywolf. Oddest thing, my 94 Big Bore in 375 Winchester was almost the same way. First load worked, sights only needed a slight correction. Dunno about the pics but I'll try. As you know my pics are terrible and the hogs are generally ugly but you've been warned, lol.

Are they ugly in the frying pan????

[TXGunNut]

Are they ugly in the frying pan????

Nope, right handsome when some hot cast iron enters the picture, lol. I know I shouldn't complain but I've been eating venison for over a year.
Heeeeere piggypiggy!

[Frank V]

He piggy should give a nice break from Venison. We've been eating Elk since last Dec. Boy I love it, it's nice & mild with NO gamey taste. Going to really try to get another this year.

[TXGunNut]

From what I've heard it's hard to beat elk for table fare. No elk to speak of around here for last 100 yrs or so but it's just as well, I can barely eat one scrawny S TX deer and it's quite a challenge to eat & give away the meat from two. 2014 was almost perfect, tho. Killed a young doe and a fat little sow. Almost the perfect proportions for my customary processing and sausage making operations.

[BrentD]

I really like elk, but I think antelope and moose are better. Moose taste best if shot with an old Ballard, but a Winchester works in a pinch on antelope... )

[TXGunNut]

I prefer a nice, young, fat pig over venison but have never tried antelope, elk or moose. I've gotten a few bad reports on antelope but never from someone who does their own processing and knows how to do it.

[quail4jake]

Good thought about Winchester's 150th. A few years ago I was hunting with my son, we were both in a deer stand on a drive and he was teasing me " Dad, you can't kill a deer, ya shoot an old .32!" He was armed with his scoped .243 and I was carrying my 1926 Win. '94 SRC in .32 spl. which I've owned since I was his age and killed many deer. Shortly after, the drivers sent us a real nice buck, Sam fired and missed and said shoot em dad! The buck opened the throttle and I fired dropping the deer on a roll. After we got down to retrieve our kill Sam said "how did you shoot twice that fast?" I didn't know I'd fired twice but there were 2 empties under our stand and the deer was hit twice in the neck and killed instantly. I think I answered "well, that's why I shoot an ol' .32". This year I think I'll carry an ol' .32...again.

[TXGunNut]

Nice story, quail4jake. Made me smile, thanks for sharing. My 32 SRC is just a few years older than yours. Was thinking about it for this season earlier today.

[nekshot]

Thanks quail for that memory, it reminds me of the 70's and my dad in pa making deer drives with his friends and he was the only one with a shotgun anymore. He bought and ordered a win mod 12-16 gauge and it has a nice metal waffle top metal with a v in it sweated on the barrel and it will shoot 5 inch groubs at 100 yards all day if you do your part. He took 21 deer with it the longest alittle over 200 yards with slugs and witnesses to vouch for it. But he really understood its trajectory. That really is not ethical as he had to use a second shot up close but he got the deer after it broke out of the drive and was running away on a railroad track.

[nekshot]

I forgot to say the gun was bought in the early thirties and my son has it now and wants to use it for deer sometime!