Winchester 1890 conversion project.

[Chev. William]

Easter Sunday and Weekend is here and dawned Clear, Bright, and Forecast Warm Today.
I may get some needed chores done later.
I am still contemplating the 'corrections' needed by my Lately Purchased Winchester 1890 Type 2 Front Housing.
Holding it and Gripping it so as to not do further damage is a PROBLEM to me.

May All enjoy a Very Happy Easter!
Best Regards,
Chev. William

[Chev. William]

Some Thinking done on Both the Type 3 action being converted to .25ACP and on the Type 2 Front housing "Torqued" problem but no real solution s yet. The Type 3 firing pin tip is To Hard to file with a normal hardened Steel file and I don't have a Diamond Grit file to try at the Moment.
It will cut with a Grinder but that is NOT Controllable enough for Fine fitting by Me.
A "Dremel" wheel would cut it, and has but again not controllable enough for this Fine shaping needs.

As to the Type 2, it is a Difficult 'Clamping problem to hold the various Sections so they are NOT Further Distorted yet be able exert the Needed Forces to restore it to Straightness.
I guess I need to go back and Read through A 'Machinery's Handbook' again on Tooling and Clamping.

Best Regards,
Chev. William

[Blackwater]

Hmmm. Very interesting project! I think it's doable. An elderly friend of mine used to collect these, and said he had about 150 of them, all tolled. He constantly worked on them to restore them, and his knowledge of how they were originally made, blued, etc. was amazing! He should have written a book on them and explained a lot about them for the uninitiated. He passed on not long ago, but he'd probably be no help anyway. He was a real prig about keeping them in "original" condition, and regarded the average "refinish" as a travesty. All things HAD to be done just like Win. originally did them in his book. He was a dentist, and was VERY adept, even though neuropathy had rendered his left hand as little more than a paper weight. He was slow, but at well over 80 years of age, I could only admire his expertise, and he taught me a good many very useful things and many esoteric ones. I miss that old man! Getting it to feed shouldn't be too huge a problem, and you'll have a reloadable gun for all sorts of things. Don't you wish they made .25 cal. shot caps, in case you get invited to a good "rat killin'?" It'd be the belle of that ball, I think. Fine old guns, and worthy of the best treatment we can give them. The old dentist's guns belong now to his sons, and they haven't a clue about them, and all they know is they're worth a good bit of money. (sigh!) This is how many fine old guns become rare!

Enjoy your project. Those are fine old guns, that few appreciate today. They have lots of screws in them, but they have a very enviable history for reliability under the worst of conditions sometimes. Great old guns!

[Chev. William]

Hmmm. Very interesting project! I think it's doable. An elderly friend of mine used to collect these, and said he had about 150 of them, all tolled. He constantly worked on them to restore them, and his knowledge of how they were originally made, blued, etc. was amazing! He should have written a book on them and explained a lot about them for the uninitiated. He passed on not long ago, but he'd probably be no help anyway. He was a real prig about keeping them in "original" condition, and regarded the average "refinish" as a travesty. All things HAD to be done just like Win. originally did them in his book. He was a dentist, and was VERY adept, even though neuropathy had rendered his left hand as little more than a paper weight. He was slow, but at well over 80 years of age, I could only admire his expertise, and he taught me a good many very useful things and many esoteric ones. I miss that old man! Getting it to feed shouldn't be too huge a problem, and you'll have a reloadable gun for all sorts of things. Don't you wish they made .25 cal. shot caps, in case you get invited to a good "rat killin'?" It'd be the belle of that ball, I think. Fine old guns, and worthy of the best treatment we can give them. The old dentist's guns belong now to his sons, and they haven't a clue about them, and all they know is they're worth a good bit of money. (sigh!) This is how many fine old guns become rare!

Enjoy your project. Those are fine old guns, that few appreciate today. They have lots of screws in them, but they have a very enviable history for reliability under the worst of conditions sometimes. Great old guns!

WOW! That Must have Been A Really Beautiful Collection of Variations on the Life of the Winchester 1890/1906/62 Model Manufacturing Process! Sad that Your Friend Passed on Without Recording What he had learned for Those of us who are still around.
That His Heirs seem to have Ignored his "Hobby" except For The Value He placed upon his Collection is also Very Typical. The Collection seems Destined for Either Neglect or to be Broken up and sold off Eventually without The Knowledge he had Learned over the years to guide them in their handling or eventual 'disposal'.

Thank you for sharing This Story.

My 'adventures' with 1890 Winchesters started long ago as a Youngster with the purchase of two used ones for $50 from a Childhood Friend. Then Carrying one into the Hills near my Home to "Hunt". It Was a different 'Time' and 'Culture' then; FAR Different Than Nowadays.

i think Nowadays if a Group of young early Teen boys were seen Walking through the Neighborhood openly carrying Rifles, they would be surrounded by SWAT team armed to the Teeth responding to Fearful calls to 9-1-1 reporting a 'Gang' of armed Boys moving through the "peaceful Community" striking "Terror in the Citizens' Hearts".

Best Regards,
Chev. William

[izzyjoe]

This sounds like a very neat project, interested in how it turns out. I have a couple myself, one is a 1906 22lr that needs a barrel, and an 1890 WRF that needs assembled.

[Blackwater]

Amen, Chev! I and a few friends, way back in about the 6th or 7th grade, carried guns to school on a couple of occasions. I took Dad's M-50 Win. 12 ga. to "show and tell," and explained how a gas operated semi-auto worked, and what made it "go." I got a lot of doe in the headlights looks, especially from the girls, but a few of the guys really enjoyed it. Another friend used to carry a gun almost every Friday on the school bus. It became a routine. His "town" bus got used to his bringing it on, unloaded ususally, though he also brought shells or ctgs. sometimes, but turned them over to the driver. When he got to school, he'd tell his teacher and she'd tell him to put it in a corner, and told the rest of the class not to touch it. Then, at the end of the school day, he took it to the bus that passed by his grandpa's house, and the driver of that one would keep it up front by him until he got there, and then gave it to him, always with some comment and a smile, like "Don't shoot too many now. The law'll gitcha' if ya' do!"

How I long for those wonderful old days! People were just people, and everyone knew most everyone else, and trouble was swiftly and effectively dealt with. What a different world we had then!!!

[Wayne Smith]

I took my Marlin 30-30, with the bolt out, to shop class to refinish the stock. First one I ever did, too. Had a wonderful shop teacher, Mr. Schowalter from WVA. This was Oakton HS, Vienna Virginia, class of 71.

[Chev. William]

Lean times Here for the Last few Months as I have not Received ANY Union dispatcher "Work Calls" since Last year (2016). On top of that my gunsmith has been Overloaded With Work, both In Movies/Commercials and in the Gunshop so he has Stopped Accepting new "Projects" until he 'Catches Up'.

I still hope to get another .25ACP chamber reamer; one that has less, or no, taper from Front of Chamber Case area to the Rear Where it cuts a relief for the rim. I have found in Shooting my Ruger Single Eight in .25ACP that the Standard Chamber Reamer allows Too much Diametrical Clearance at the Web to wall Junction area. My Fired cases have a Bulge Ring on them at that area.

Yes I can "Iron it out" in resizing before reloading; BUT that is Working that area of the Case A LOT!

At this time my gunsmith is out of the shop on a Trip that may Take over A month.
He is Heading North East to Both Sprinkle his Late Wife's Ashes in her Favorite Areas and to attend a Custer Battle reenactment by Invitation of the Indian Tribes This Time.

After that he is going in for His second Knee Replacement surgery and will be out for recovery another Month.

Best Regards,
Chev. William

[Chev. William]

7-13-2017, Waiting for my gunsmith to return to work after Surgery recovery.

I still have received No "Work Calls" from my Union Dispatcher, so my finances Are Lean at this time.

I did Buy a Lot of 'Once Fired' 5.7x28mm Brass at the Costa Mesa Gun Show in early /June and have finished De-capping, boxing and counting them. I received 1852 ea 5.7x28 cases plus some extraneous other caliber cases, including two .30 Carbine, six 4.6x30mm, one .17 WMR, one .17 HMR and five .22LR.

The 4.6x30 are intriguing as they are a Tapered Body case about the size of the 5.7x28mm but of smaller Bore bullet and slightly larger Extractor Groove diameter so they do NOT fit the 5.7x28mm Shell Holder. My Local reloading Store Does NOT have a Shell Holder to Fit them either!

Best Regards,
Chev. William

[Chev. William]

Pent Up "Buying Need" caused me to Bid And Win, on Ebay, a Winchester 1890 New Manufacture "Curly Maple Stock Set to use on my Conversion Project, to set it visually apart from my Standard Win. 1890 Rifles.

Good News on My Gunsmith's Recovery after his Knee replacement surgery, The Shop says he is thinking of coming in next Week to return to work.

Today I was up at 0300 to prepare for a Day Trip from Sun Valley, CA to Inyokern, CA and return with some Friends. The Planned Activity is to return fireworks Mortars to my friend's Storage Magazine/Bunker to clear room in his Shop for current Special Effects Projects.

We burned Just over 20 Gallons of Gasoline for the round trip and were back here In Sun Valley By 1300. Our Average was 13.1MPG for the Round Trip hauling a Trailer.

Best Regards,
Chev. William

[GL49]

I've just got to resurrect this one, did the rifle ever get finished? I should be retiring in a few months and have an old 1890 that the bore is "gone". 25acp sounds interesting.

[StrawHat]

One thing I have not seen mentioned is that Winchester built two 1890 rifles chambered for the 32 CF cartridge. Maybe to prove it could be done. Wish they would have built more.

Kevin

[Chev. William]

I've just got to resurrect this one, did the rifle ever get finished? I should be retiring in a few months and have an old 1890 that the bore is "gone". 25acp sounds interesting.

Not Yet. My Gunsmith is slowly working through his Backlog of customer projects and has not yet gotten down to the Winchester 1890 project.
He is saying maybe I will get the remaining two Modified 8-shot cylinders for my 'Single eight revolver next. then a two year old project Stevens Conversion to CF and perhaps my three and four year old M1 Carbine conversions / New Barrels (the oldest is a conversion to Straight pull .45 Win Mag 24" blank and the other is a Straight pull .30 Carbine Custom Barrel of Rifle, 26", Length from a match Grade barrel Blank).
Neither of these will be drilled for Gas Operation; so they are to be magazine fed Manual Straight Pull Bolt Action rifles. I am Patient; as he is charging Very Fair prices for the Work he is doing between Better Paying Jobs.

Chev. Willliam

[Chev. William]

One thing I have not seen mentioned is that Winchester built two 1890 rifles chambered for the 32 CF cartridge. Maybe to prove it could be done. Wish they would have built more.

Kevin

Is that the .32 S&W Family or the .32 Colt Family diameter Cartridge?

Chev. William

[StrawHat]

Is that the .32 S&W Family or the .32 Colt Family diameter Cartridge?

Chev. William

I do not know. I remember finding that nugget years ago in the book by Schwing. I am still interested in the concept but the book is gone.

Kevin

[Chev. William]

I have received two '1890 Winchester Front Housings' that I won at auction on Ebay. Both are type 3 design and are nicely Blued finished, probably a refinish as they are both about 100 year sold.
Sadly, one is slightly 'bent near the upper left edge behind the Lug cut and above the Slide Cover slot.
Just enough to stop a Bolt for entering the last 3/4 inch to Battery position.
I believe This is relatively easy to fix with proper clamping and jigging, much easier than the type 2 one that is 'torqued'.
I may substitute one of these Blued ones for the 'Platina' one presently waiting for the .25ACP conversion Gunsmith work.

Chev. William

[Chev. William]

Well, the "Bent" front housing is restored to functional condition via the use of a Padded vise, and two pairs of Locking pliers.
Very carefully clamped the housing in the vise and then used the adjustable locking pliers, clamping on the vise jaw and the inside of the housing at the bent edge, to slowly pull the bent section back into alignment.
No damage to the existing finish involved.

Now I have two Type 3 Polished Blued finish 'Front Housings' to use in my projects.

Chev. William

[Chev. William]

Mid 2019 update:

My gunsmith is back in the shop but 'buried' in backed up work that needs doing before my 'when time permits' low budget projects.

The .25ACP !890 parts kit is still sitting her at my home waiting fo rmy gunsmith to OK me bringing it to his shop.

Chev. William

[Chev. William]

This project is still on hold awaiting my gunsmith agreeing to take it on as a 'back-ground project'/
The Local Covid restrictions have pushed his work load way9 up, added to the rumors of firearms restrictions by the Biden/Harris Regime.
It seems Country- wide firearms sales are up greatly.

[StrawHat]

Two things,

1. You have much patience, Grasshopper!

2. You have a great memory. I would have forgotten the priject and starting a thread!

Thank you for the update. I could lie and tell you I have been wondering about it but I won’t.

Kevin