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Trailblazer
08-02-2005, 10:37 AM
I got back up to the range Friday and put a few more rounds through my Big Bore 94 that I rebarreled to a sawed off 7 mag. Since I posted about the last trial here, I replaced the rebounding hammer with the old style hammer and trigger and polished the back of the locking bolt. Using the old style hammer which supports the firing pin completely eliminated the primer cratering I got last time. Polishing the locking bolt also made it easier to open the action. It looked like the abutting surfaces had been machined with a dull tool as the metal had pits torn into the surface. I did not have all the cases sized enough to close the action easily and I still had sticking on some when I opened the action. The action opened normally on some cases and I suspect those had been sized enough to chamber easily. I need to test this again to make sure.

All loads used the 120 Sierra and 3 shot groups were fired at 100 yds with a 4x Burris compact scope. 54 grs. WC852 went 2764 fps and gave a 3" vertically strung group. 54 grs. H4831 went 2854 fps and gave me a nice 1-1/4" group. 47 grs. IMR7383 went 2775 fps and I didn't get a group as I was zeroing the scope while shooting these.

Next on the list is to load some cast rounds. I have a batch of the Lyman 287346's cast up so I will try those first. I haven't decided what powders to try yet. I will try 4198 since that is my standard. I have a lb. of AA8700 which I believe is the same as WC 860 or 872 so that will get a shot.

Beyond that I am going to have the receiver tested for hardness. My machinist friend up the street said he has a friend with a hardness tester and I can probably get it done for little or nothing. I ran across a link to this thread on the Leverguns forum:
http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=2060&whichpage=1
In it, Buck Elliot tells a bit about tests he ran on various leverguns chambered for 454 Casull. The Marlin 336 died first. The next to give up the ghost was a Big Bore Winchester. He said the receiver was very soft. The 94 that lived the longest was 1920's vintage. None were up to the task of handling the 454 however. At any rate it does raise questions about Winchester's heat treating.

StarMetal
08-02-2005, 10:52 AM
Trailblazer,

That was a very interesting article. I learned a few things. One I always thought that a Model 92 Winchester was an exact scale-down of an 1886, but apparently the locking locks aren't square to the bore on the 92. Good reading.

One more thing, the Win 94 versus the Marlin 336 debate? Well it will go on forever like the Chevy versus Ford thing, or the 9mm versus the 45acp.

Joe

9.3X62AL
08-02-2005, 11:37 AM
I for one don't want to see another 9mm vs. 45 ACP debate. The Casull belongs in a bolt rifle, methinks. Ford vs. Chevy.......they all run, they all break.

StarMetal
08-02-2005, 12:20 PM
Allen,

How about a 30 Luger versus 30 Mauser debate? Just kidding. Well I'm getting closer to making a 30 Luger on a 1911 platform. I'm just a hair from ordering my complete 9mm upper for the basis and I got me a new lathe, I got the 30 caliber barrel, so I'm just about ready.

Joe

Bret4207
08-02-2005, 06:52 PM
I noticed the Savage 99 wasn't tested. Kind of wonder how it would do. I recall one guy opining that the 99 was basicly a falling block action repeater. I like that idea. So I guess the Ford-Chevy debate gets another participant. Please make the 99 a '56 Dodge Power Wagon since it's my toy. Or maybe considering the design it should be the new International Super Pickup, whatever it's called.

Trailblazer
08-02-2005, 08:27 PM
I always thought the locking bolts on the 92 were perpendicular to the bore line also. Guess I will have to take a closer look next time I see one.

I am not to concerned about the Marlin vs. Win debate. They both do what they were designed to do.

The real bonus Friday came on my way back from the range. I stopped at a local tire shop. I had my 65 Barracuda aligned there a few months ago and asked about wheel weights then. The owner said sure and went down to the shop to set me up. He came back and said his crew had been throwing them in the trash! Told me to stop back in a few weeks. The alignment was a little off so I stopped Friday to arrange for that to be corrected and ended up with five - five gallon buckets of wheel weights. The owner told me to go down to the shop and see Jose. Jose just kept dragging buckets out and I kept dumping them in the truck!

floodgate
08-03-2005, 12:43 AM
Joe, and others:

"That was a very interesting article. I learned a few things. One I always thought that a Model 92 Winchester was an exact scale-down of an 1886, but apparently the locking locks aren't square to the bore on the 92."

I didn't know about the 92, but when the 86 was redesigned into the Model 71, Winchester also changed the locking lug track in the frame to a 2 degree angle (as on the Single Shots). A gunsmith friend of mine found it out the hard way many years ago when he tried to rebuild an 86 using Model 71 parts. The slight backward slope of the lugs (the front, bearing face IS vertical where it locks the bolt) gives a very slight camming and un-camming effect, helping to finally seat an oversized case, and offsetting the drag from cratered primers.

floodgate

StarMetal
08-03-2005, 12:47 AM
floodgate

Now you make me wonder if my Browning 1886 repro has the updated lug shape or not. I think they made some 71 repros too, not sure.

Joe

floodgate
08-03-2005, 12:50 PM
[QUOTE=StarMetal]floodgate

Now you make me wonder if my Browning 1886 repro has the updated lug shape or not. I think they made some 71 repros too, not sure.


Joe:

Worth checking out. Open the action and lay a metal straightedge along the lug slots in the frame. You should be able to just see the angle if it is there. Someone with one of the repro 71's should check it, too. Let us know.

floodgate

StarMetal
08-03-2005, 01:10 PM
floodgate

Next time I get it out of the safe I'll do just that and let you know.

Joe