my grandfather's 25-20

[mpbarry1]

My dad just offered me MPJ Barry's 25-20. It has been around the family and came back with a bulged barrel. Is there a way to get a new barrel for an old Winchester?

[Chill Wills]

Google Redman's barrel liners. You are close to him.

[mpbarry1]

Oh thank you!. Can he reline a bulged one? It would be really cool to keep it whole!

[John Taylor]

I make new barrels for Winchester quite often and do relines also. I don't care much for the Redman liners, they are button rifled and I use the hammer forged .
Yes your barrel with the bulge can be relined. The out side of the barrel will need to be dressed down and re-blued. Redman can do the work as well as many others.
I use liners from T.J.'s. Both liners are made from 4130 steel ( aircraft) tube. The difference is, one is button rifled and the other is hammer forged. T.J.'s has a much greater selection of calibers and you only buy what you need, it's sold by the inch. You can order direct form them, 859-635-5560.
I would recommend Hunter restoration for the original type blue on the barrel.
A new barrel with all the correct markings would run about $650.

[Larry Gibson]

I had John do some work for me and he will get more to do. Excellent machine work and he understands what makes good machining for guns. He'll get my #3 Ruger which in 22 Hornet is just about shot out. I'm going to have him bore it out and rerifle to .308 with a 14" twist and chamber in 30-30. You want very good machining and barrel work done John is well recommended.

Larry Gibson

[missionary5155]

Good evening
I will also recommend John Taylor for barrel work. He has made two barrels for my Dan Wesson projects. The 414 Super Mag barrel is the only barrel I have owned that was as smooth as glass before I did my polishing procedure. It installed into my DW frame like a precision machine part. I will use his services again.
Mike in Peru

[bob208]

i have nothing aginst any one here. but i would shoot it first. i have a brno .22 with two baluges in the barrel it still shoots great and wins matchs. i also have a 73 in .44-40 with a baluge about 4" in front of the chamber. it shoots just fine.

if it does not shoot then reline it.

[Terryrm1-03]

I'll second that! I have a Krag rifle with a bulge by the front sight. It shoots great still!
Its just feels funny when you clean it and you hit the oversized hole.
SHOOT IT FIRST, and see how it does!

[Chill Wills]

I never had Redman do any work but a few friends have and have not complained.

John Taylor who posted here is new to me and good to know about. So far my two reline jobs have been smith-ed by my friend John King in MT and are tops. John King prefers TJ's liners too. Both shoot very well. I want him to do a 38-56 Win (1886) if he has the correct reamer

Good to have choices.

I thought of Redman because he is in the northwest too and now I learn so is John Taylor......and he posts here...a + for him on that.
John Taylor, please post your contact info. If requested, it is not a forum sin:twisted:

[shovel80]

John Taylor recently did a reline for me in .45-70 in an italian sharps which had an overlength chamber and also a oversize bore.....He did an Excellent Job which is NOT Visible , and it Now Groups Excellent!!
Terry

[Reg]

Yes, there are many ways you can go. Some cheap, some not so. Best bet. Go to John Taylor. Talk to him. Pay him what he asks and know you are getting the best. Period.

[mpbarry1]

I brought these two lever guns home. Grandpa's 25-20 is a little more beat up than I was hoping.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_185834fcc1ded47fb3.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5489)

Here is the Story. My Grandfather MPJ Barry was a Sheep Man in Lake County Oregon. He had 5 bands of sheep. Thats 5000 head. They ran on the desert and on Gearheart Mountain. He bought this Winchester in 1909 or 1910. It was carried on the sheepherder wagon called the Arc for many years. My dad said it just hung there and was used to shoot coyotes in the sheep. After we converted to cattle in the 40's, the gun got put up.

It had a rough life on that wagon. My uncle had it on his wall for a period of time. Now this piece of family history falls to me.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_185834fcc2041ca914.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5490) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_185834fcc20ae8ba9e.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5491) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_185834fcc20e1ed877.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5492) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_185834fcc21090310e.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5493) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_185834fcc21b90399a.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5494) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_185834fcc21fd60916.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5495) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_185834fcc22346d6bd.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5496) http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_185834fcc234f5db86.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5497)

The barrel is bulged in one spot, the stock is cracked and abused, the tube is dinged. Should I send this to Mr. Taylor or hust hang it on the wall? I would really like to shoot it, and I am not too worried about collector value. It will never leave the family unless it ends up in the lake county museum. Thoughts?

[405]

Yep it's beat up but if the bore is half way smooth without bad pitting... as other have posted, I'd shoot it first to see how it does. You could try both Jbullet and cast to get a basic idea of its capability. A Win 92, oct bbl in 25-20 has an overkill factor for strength even with a small dog knot. So not much worry there. If it doesn't shoot with any type bullet then relining and dressing down the exterior lump shouldn't be too much problem. Then odds are it'd be a nice shooter- while still maintaining the "patina" of its history. Even the wrist repair should be left as is if it is otherwise stable and I'd even leave the rest of the exterior finish as is- except for blending the lump removal that will have to be draw filed down.

[joatmon]

I would shoot it myself! Then if needed get it lined. What's the other lever bring home?

Aaron

[sundog]

+1 on a liner, if that is what it needs.

[mpbarry1]

The other is 94 winny made in 1972. 30-30. Thought id get it to shoot. :)

One problem with the 25-20 is that the wrist repair is pretty loose. A qualified sheepherder obviously did the repair. I don't know if it is useable in its present condition. Maybe some really light loads.

[JMtoolman]

Here is another vote for John. You can find replacement stocks, look at gun shows in your area. There a bit high for origionals, but rember you only need one! Let John reline and reblue, replace the mag tube, and it's good for another 100 years! Good luck, the toolman.

[OverMax]

Shoot it. Enjoy it as best you can bulge an all. It's a family pass along weapon with history. Why doll it all up and loose the aesthetics your Grandfather's rifle now possess. Proudly hang it on the wall with all its original dents and dings. And when time comes. You too can pass it along knowing "Yup its all original just the way I got it so many years ago."__ That, I'm sure its next owner down the trail may highly approve of. If your a religious person. Ask your Grampaw for some guidance. Good Luck with a tough decision Sir.

[Char-Gar]

Before you do anything, shoot it and see how it does. You can single load into the chambe if the magazine tube dent is an issue.

Then and only then can you make some decisions. A dented tube is an easy fix as if a cracked stock. If the bore is beyond use and you want to shoot it, than maybe a reline is in order.

At any rate, you have a fine family heirloom..congraduations for having it.