Another 44 WCF target pic

[Trailblazer]

I bought a Winchester 73 in 44 WCF several weeks ago. It was made in 1916 and is in good shape mechanically. The finish is gone from the receiver, there is still some blue on the barrel and the wood is OK. The bore is rough. It has the fine pitting typical of rifles fired with corrosive ammo. It also has a few deeper pits but the rifling is all there. It looked good enough that I thought it had a good chance to shoot decently. Was I ever wrong! The rifle shoots like a house afire! The rifle:
http://www.hunt101.com/data/544/IM0003901.jpg

The target I shot today on my third trip to the range with it:
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/Saeco_441_Unique.jpg

Range was 50 yards. The top bullet hole was a fouler. The group at the center contains five rounds and measures 3/4". I am delighted and I am going to shoot the rifle in the levergun silhouette match Saturday.

[Mumblypeg]

Some people have all the luck....

[Trailblazer]

Sometimes you eat bear, and sometimes the bear eats you!

[Jon K]

Nice looking '73, stock doesn't have major nicks, dings, damage, action & barrel look great- not all pitted + it shoots good...........HOW CAN YOU BEAT THAT! We should all be so lucky.

Jon

PS,

Did you say Bear, I've been in the campground at Ojai Gun Club when Bear came thru at night, quit sleeping outside, slept in my van after that.

[Trailblazer]

Yes the butt stock is solid. The fore end has 3 or 4 cracks on the left side. I need to take it apart and glue that before it falls apart. There are several thick patches of rust on the receiver. I think I am going to clean those up so they don't create big pits. One thing that impresses me is how tightly the wood fits the metal. It makes our modern production rifles look awfully crude.

I have never heard of our camp bears hurting anyone other than maybe causing high blood pressure and dirty shorts. There have been some disagreements over the ownership of coolers though. We don't see them as often as we used to. There used to be a trash bin in the hills across the road that attracted them. The trash is gone now so bear encounters are down too.