Restoring an 1885 Hiwall

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I have purchased this original 1885 Winchester Hiwall and determined that the date of manufacture was 1894. The action is the early leaf spring type so I would like to restore it to a chambering that was catalogued in that year.

The non original barrel is presently a 32/40 but in such poor condition that even tomatoes would not grow around it!

From a web search I found that aside from 45/70 etc. that 38/56 or 44/77 were catalogue items from the factory. Has anyone any other cartridges that were available ex-Winchester factory in 1894?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v152/BAWallace/Picture005-3.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BAWallace/media/Picture005-3.jpg.html)

[40-82]

The Model 1885 was chambered in something like 140 different cartridges before it finished its run in the 1930's in everything from 22 WCF to 70-150 WCF. Some of these were experimental cartridges rarely seen, but included more common numbers like 38-55, 40-65, 40-82, and 45-90. A book you're going to want to have is The Winchester Single Shot by John Campbell. Congratulations on finding an interesting rifle. Good luck with your restoration.

[bob208]

it would make a good .38-55. that is what i did with my shot out .32-40 rebored it to .38-55. that way you do not have to work on the extractor or any thing else.

[bigted]

BAW... what I did with my 93 marlin was to have the barrel lined back to original diameter and twist as well as chamber. works just fine and I still have the original markings on the exterior of the barrel.

I too congratulate you on a find. hiwalls are very close to my heart.

[Gtek]

The sky and your wallet are the limit. Since barrel is not original, staying with that. Unscrew barrel and call J.E.S and go 38-55 for a couple bills, extractor and all good to go. New barrel option depends on your gunsmith connections and can scream through 7 bills in a heart beat. The .506" rim family if I remember started late 1870's,30-30 was 1895 or so. I have a handful of Win/Japs but no REAL ones, cool piece, nice find. Keep your Boolit buddies up on progress. Enjoy! Gtek

[Gunlaker]

I don't remember Campbell's books listing chamberings by year, but there certainly would have been a number of them available. I'm a big fan of the .32-40, when shot breech seated over black powder, so if it were my I'd rebarrel in the same chambering. One that might be worth looking at would be the .40-70SS. I've always wanted an 1885 with that chambering. I do know it was available pre-1894 and I'm pretty sure that Winchester was pretty accomodating regarding customer requests.

Chris.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I have loading dies and cases for 40/70 and did consider that chambering. I also have a Pedersoli 38/55 with a 1:12 fast twist barrel. Getting barrels into Australia is a real PIA with the US state dept export restrictions!

[Gunlaker]

It's the same here in Canada. I can get Green Mountain barrels locally, or order a Ron Smith barrel as he is in Canada, but the U.S. export process stuff makes it expensive enough that ordering a barrel usually means that I pay twice the price.

Chris.