Win 1905 Restoration

[sigep1764]

Pics to come. Cross my heart. Bought a 1905 model in 32 WSL. Rough at first with about 60% finish, a cracked forearm, and a dented stock. Sanded and polished the metal with flitz. Wiped it with alcohol. I used Super Blue to rust finish the metal. Take a propane torch, heat the metal, rub the bluing solution on the metal surfaces. Rub with quadruple 0 steel wool and repeat the heating and wiping process. Oiled the blued surfaces thoroughly after cooling.
For the wood, I used Citrustrip. It cleaned the wood of grease and finish and stain. I used JB Weld wood epoxy to glue the forearm together. The glue will not take the color of the wood. In hindsight I would have mixed wood sandings with the glue appropriate the color.
I
I used Minwax Gunstock stain mixed 2 to 1 with Sedona Red to approximate the Winchester Red of pre64 wood. I then rubbed light coats of Boiled Linseed Oil into the stock, rubbing hard enough to create heat so the wood could soak it up. Sanded in-between with 400 grit to fill the pores. Still not a mirror or even smooth finish. Lastly, started rubbing the Tru Oil in. Sand between coats and rub again. Now I'm getting the right finish.

[fjrdoc]

Gun projects are fun! Post before and after pics.

[cwtebay]

Very fun project! Did you go through the internals as well?

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[Loudenboomer]

05's have their short comings but are a joy to own. Reminiscent of an era gone bye.

[sigep1764]

Here's some pics. The stock was sanded at this point and the forearm was just degreased. The receiver looked almost in the white with virtually no finish and some pitting.

[sigep1764]

Ill post pics of the stock as soon as I'm satisfied with the Tru Oil. Lots of sanding in my future.

[sigep1764]

I only cleaned the internals. The recoil spring is a bugger to get back in once removed. The buffers are still ok, ill be replacing them at some point. The internals are as simple as can be. Heavy buffer weight that is the length of the forearm, the extracter is attached to the receiver so it does not need to come out, and the trigger/hammer mechanism is surprisingly open when the gun is taken down into its two sections. It just got a scrub and a blast of air with a little light oil added after for corrosion resistance.

[JDHasty]

It looks to be a real dandy.

[cwtebay]

I only cleaned the internals. The recoil spring is a bugger to get back in once removed. The buffers are still ok, ill be replacing them at some point. The internals are as simple as can be. Heavy buffer weight that is the length of the forearm, the extracter is attached to the receiver so it does not need to come out, and the trigger/hammer mechanism is surprisingly open when the gun is taken down into its two sections. It just got a scrub and a blast of air with a little light oil added after for corrosion resistance.

They are a bugger once you dive deeper than the take down feature. Most of my '05, '07, '10's have needed buffers replaced at some point. I find it amazing that the vast majority of them actually have quite pretty wood - especially the '05.

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[sigep1764]

They are a bugger once you dive deeper than the take down feature. Most of my '05, '07, '10's have needed buffers replaced at some point. I find it amazing that the vast majority of them actually have quite pretty wood - especially the '05.

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It does have pretty wood! It’s coming along nicely. The forearm was split in two and a crack in the buttstock where the crew is that attaches it to the lower receiver half, from some ham fisted idiot who thought the screwdriver bit was in the screw slot. Instead, it was between the side of the stock and the screw head. You can guess who the ham fisted guy is…

[sigep1764]

I’d really like to find an 05 in 351wsl next. I’ve read the cases can be made from 357. I’m planning on using 7.62 Nagant cases once I find them. A member here kindly included a few cases and a few Lyman 321-298 boolits with the dies I purchased from him. At least I think that’s the mold number. Tom has some fine looking options at Accurate when the time comes.

[cwtebay]

Yes you can make them from 357 Max cases, but properly head stamped brass is not difficult to find now.

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[sigep1764]

I'm sorry, it'd be an 07 in 351wsl. Where are you finding cases? I cannot seem to find the 32wsl anywhere. It all says out of stock. I think Buffalo arms is even out of stock.

[cwtebay]

I'm sorry, it'd be an 07 in 351wsl. Where are you finding cases? I cannot seem to find the 32wsl anywhere. It all says out of stock. I think Buffalo arms is even out of stock.

It's been a minute since I purchased them. I will look when I get home this evening.

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[Battis]

I use 32-20 brass (no extractor groove cut). Of all the WSLs that I have, the .32 is in the best shape, inside and out. Springs are available from Wolff Springs for the .35 and .351, but not the .32 or .401. If the buffers are in good shape, you're golden (they're hard to find). Spring and buffers were in good shape in mine, probably because it wasn't fired much. I read somewhere that the .32 WSL caliber is the most useless round - too big for small game, too small for big game. But, it's a great round to shoot from the WSL.

[sigep1764]

Are the 32 20 cases short? The Nagant cases look to need a bit of trimming.

[Battis]

The 32-20 cases work well. I use 32-20 dies, 32 WSL dies, and an Accurate Mold. Getting the correct neck tension takes some practice. My 32 WSL came with about 75 rounds of vintage factory ammo that I occasionally shoot.

.321 150 gr bullets, 11.6 gr IMR4227

[sigep1764]

The 32-20 cases work well. I use 32-20 dies, 32 WSL dies, and an Accurate Mold. Getting the correct neck tension takes some practice. My 32 WSL came with about 75 rounds of vintage factory ammo that I occasionally shoot.

.321 150 gr bullets, 11.6 gr IMR4227

What boolit are you using? Did you go to Accurate? Tom seems to have a variety of options. Are you using the 32 20 dies to get the neck tension needed to avoid setback? I acquired the CH4D die set. I get good neck tension on my other calibers with Lee crimping dies, the ones without the carbide ring.

[Battis]

I don't remember which exact mold I used, but I'll pull it out and let you know. This is one cartridge of the WSLs that I have that I haven't experimented with much, due to the factory ammo I have. I know that the unfired 32-20 brass was easier to get neck tension on than when it was fired. I used 32-20 and 32WSL dies. The IMR4227 is a compressible powder, so there was plenty of room in the case. The powder kept the bullet from sliding into the case, and a good crimp held it from pushing out. As I remember, the bullet could spin in the case but not fall out (or in).

[Battis]

Accurate Molds does sell a mold for the 32 WSL, but the one I have is a very old Lyman mold.
Here's a pic of the box of vintage factory ammo with a good description of the bullet:
The 2nd pic :
1. factory round
2. fired factory case
3. fired 32-20 case (32 wsl load)
4. unfired, unformed 32-20 case