M 1895 Winchester

[ajjohns]

This question has maybe been asked before but,

I have a new made 1895 Winchester in 270. If for some day I'd decide to rebarrel this thing in something a little different, could it be barreled in a short action caliber? I suppose I could run one of my 260 rounds through the magazine and see but just wondering if someone here maybe has done it. Was thinking along the lines of a 358 Win. Thanks in advance!

[pietro]

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I would respectfully suggest that Jes ( www.35caliber.com (http://www.35caliber.com) ) could easily rebore the .277" bore out to .358", so you can use the .35 Whelan - as long as the remaining barrel wall thickness @ the muzzle would turn out to be .125" after the rebore.

That translates to .125" + .125" + .358" = .600", +/- minimum outside barrel thickness @ the muzzle for a rebore to .358".

If the muzzle O.D. of your rifle is smaller than .600", then no reputable rebore firm/person will accept it for a rebore to .358".



BTW - You may be better off not altering the rifle.....................

The reason is that the M-1895's in .270 didn't sell very well, and many unsold .270's got returned to Miroku in 2002, for conversion to .405 Winchester (I had one of those .405's).




.

[Clay M]

How does the rifle shoot in .270 ?

[BenT]

The magazines were different for different cartridge families. You would have to stick with the 30-06 family. 25-06,280, 338-06, 35 Whelen.

[Clay M]

I had a old 95 chambered in 35 win, but I if I had a modern rifle I would go with the Whelen.

[Char-Gar]

When considering a cartridge conversion in a 95 Winchester, always remember that these actions have some spring to them compared to a bolt. 45K pressure is about the limit. Past that and you will get very short case life.

[ajjohns]

Well thanks guys, these are the answers I kinda thought would come. Clay M, I've only shot probably half a box of factory rounds through it, it's not bad. I wouldn't say it's a bolt gun but that's not what I was hoping for with open sights. I bought it on the idea of using that bolt face for something bigger. Whelen is fine and maybe the closest to something along the lines of what they came chambered in. Char Gar, you are right and I wouldn't dream of hot rodding it up there, no matter what round it's in. I have other guns for those specifics. Pietro, are you suggesting leaving it because they are of smaller numbers? I can see doing that.

Thanks for the replys, I just always thought of putting more original style wood on it, probably keep the shotgun butt for recoil reasons, and have something along the lines of 35 caliber. Who knows, maybe it's best to leave it alone and shoot it as is.

[StrawHat]

If you are considering a rebore, Fred Zeglin does a bit of work with the Winchester 1895s. The site is under construction but still usable.

http://z-hat.com/

Kevin

[OverMax]

Leave it be. 270s reputation as a fine sporting cartridge is seldom bettered. There's always that chance of a barreling job going south too.

[Bent Ramrod]

I heard a rumor somewhere that the .270 caliber 1895s sold so poorly that the remainders were sent back to Japan to be turned into .405s. You might have an ultrarare collector's item there, in a couple of decades or so.

Oops, sorry; didn't see Pietro had already covered this.

[Clay M]

My two favorite chambering's for the 95 are the .30/40 Krag,and the .405 win.