Picked up a 108 yo win 94 in 32WS

[ammohead]

It has a 26" octagon bbl and a fine patina on the receiver with good blueing on the barrel. And it shoots.http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/elk/gunsmithing/905dfc4f-6e24-4f76-8b21-e33c046918bd_zpsxkqxgg6p.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/elk/gunsmithing/905dfc4f-6e24-4f76-8b21-e33c046918bd_zpsxkqxgg6p.jpg.html)

It has a old Marbles tang sight and a Marbles front sight as well. The dovetail slot was left empty when the rear sight was removed and was a bit unsightly. I figured that no matter what I bought or made from steel was just not going to look right. I dug around in my engraving stuff and found a piece of brass .120" thick.

http://i574.photobucket.com/albums/ss189/brucerfrechette/elk/gunsmithing/DSCF3738_zpsjcibg69q.jpg (http://s574.photobucket.com/user/brucerfrechette/media/elk/gunsmithing/DSCF3738_zpsjcibg69q.jpg.html)

Using a bastard file I formed up the matching dovetail and octagon facets and roughly engraved a border and a small scroll. I think it looks just right. And will only look better with age.

[Bazoo]

Congratulations on the rifle. Very nice. The dovetail blank is pretty sweet man.

[rondog]

What's the story on that fine rifle? Where/how did you get it?

[ammohead]

An aquaintance was out of work and needed some cash for auto repairs and knew I would appreciate an old classic like this one. So I bought it to help him out.

[pietro]

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One good turn certainly deserves another - VERY nice !

(and great work on that slot filler blank :D )


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[buckwheatpaul]

Great lookin' rifle; great cartridge; look forward to seeing a range report!

[OverMax]

Barrel not being nickel steel many 32s were subjected to Black Powder use. So hows the bore in this 32 Special?

[Hick]

sweet!

[rondog]

That's just an awesome looking rifle! I'd be prouder than a pig in a puddle to have one like that! I have a real soft spot for long octagonal barreled leverguns.

[Baja_Traveler]

Love it! I also have an old girl (115 years old), though not as nice as yours.
Mine's a Marlin that started out as a 32WS, but was relined and chambered in 32-40 by the last owner. It also looks to have been re-blued sometime in the past, but long enough ago that it has patina of age and handling on it, so it looks the part. Shoots awesome now that I found some 32-40 brass.
Love the idea of the brass insert, and will be looking to copy it on mine...
200862

[historicfirearms]

Nice looking old Winchester. The 32 special is special with cast boolits too. Love it and very nice job on the slot blank.

[ammohead]

Buckwheatpaul, It groups minute of mule deer but shoots a bit high on the tang sights lowest setting. I can either find a taller marbles front sight or I was thinking about trying to fashion a sight that would take a brass insert to compliment the blank. I will have to think on that. I plan to take it for a desert big horn ewe tag that I have this year in the Tonopah, NV area.

Overmax, The barrel is stamped specially made for smokeless powder so it should be nickel steel. the bore has a fine texture to the finish as though is saw some rust along the way but the lands are still sharp and it shoots good enough with cast to hunt with. Cleaning with copper cleaner showed zero blue color on the patch, but a lot of powder fouling to get it good and clean. I have a load with a mountain moulds 160gr flat point over 17.8 gr of 4759 that I worked up with a 1940's win 84 carbine and I think that some load work might find a different favorite for the longer bbl.

rondog, I grew up in Wisconsin and hunted with some old timers with model 94 rifles. One in particular Erv Brandimuel had a 32WS with a half octagon half round bbl. He was legendary for his tracking ability in the woods and when his rifle barked there was venison on the ground. My first 94 rifle was a new 7-30 waters with a 24" bbl that I still have and will never part with. Another great cast boolit rifle.

[bob208]

at one time every Winchester I bought was in .32 spl. I have several carbines including one that is u.s. marked. from what I have been able to find out it is a guard gun. I have a twin to yours it has a round barrel. I have one that has a part round part octagon with full mag, which is a rare combination. I have one with the rare smokeless sight. and a few others.

[pietro]

It groups minute of mule deer but shoots a bit high on the tang sights lowest setting.

I can either find a taller marbles front sight or I was thinking about trying to fashion a sight that would take a brass insert to compliment the blank.







OR, you might want to consider setting up your rifle with dual zeroes, one at a relatively short range (say, 75yds), and the other for a longer range (say, 150-200yds), so a different height front sight won't be needed - just a folding leaf rear barrel open sight.

In use, the rifle's hunted with the tang sight folded and the rrear bbl sight "up", for suddenly-presented game shots.

If/when a game shot at a longer range arises, IME there's usually ample time to fold the bbl sight with the forward hand that's on the forend, while the tanger's being raised by the trigger hand.


For me, the dual zeroes presented the best of both worlds, although YMMV, of course.


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[osteodoc08]

Purty!

Love the brass filler

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

I like that brass dovetail filler. Real class. I may try to make one for my Shiloh Sharps after installing a tang sight.

[swheeler]

Very nice rifle, the dovetail blank is a nice addition, enjoy the up and coming mutton feast!

[Jkrem]

I splurged for a Cody Museum letter for my Feb. 1937 M94 in 32WS, as what I could find on-line was unclear. Curious of the detail that may be available on that early rifle? I hope you use her, I plan to hunt mine..200976

[Estacado]

What a beautiful gun. I like the brass sight filler. That makes it unique to you.

[pmer]

What is the difference between the smokeless sights and black powder sights? I'm a 94 fan and have a couple 32 WS too. One I have shoots high as if the front sight is too low. The other is zeroed but has the receiver in the sight picture. They both have Lyman flip up rear aperture sights and nickel steel barrels.

[kmrra]

Thats a good score there, love those old guns like that

[OlDeuce]

I splurged for a Cody Museum letter for my Feb. 1937 M94 in 32WS, as what I could find on-line was unclear. Curious of the detail that may be available on that early rifle? I hope you use her, I plan to hunt mine..200976

Not sure Cody can do anything for on your Carbine! not old enough just a good shooter to take care of.. 1902 is around the cut off year !! I sure you use the
hell out of it !!! they are great to have..
Ol Deuce

[bob208]

the smokeless rear sight is a quick adjust for elevation. sort of like a military rear sight. it also says smokeless on the sight.

[CraigOK]

OR, you might want to consider setting up your rifle with dual zeroes, one at a relatively short range (say, 75yds), and the other for a longer range (say, 150-200yds), so a different height front sight won't be needed - just a folding leaf rear barrel open sight.

In use, the rifle's hunted with the tang sight folded and the rrear bbl sight "up", for suddenly-presented game shots.

If/when a game shot at a longer range arises, IME there's usually ample time to fold the bbl sight with the forward hand that's on the forend, while the tanger's being raised by the trigger hand.


For me, the dual zeroes presented the best of both worlds, although YMMV, of course.


.
Thats a good idea.

[pmer]

the smokeless rear sight is a quick adjust for elevation. sort of like a military rear sight. it also says smokeless on the sight.

Thanks for the info. Does anyone have pictures of original sites on their old 94? I have been having trouble posting a picture of my 1927 .32 Winchester Special that I have. It had a new looking Marbles rear sight on the barrel that made the front sight too low. I took it off in order to use the Lyman tang sight that is has. This one has a octagon rifle barrel and full mag tube.

[bob208]

I don't know if there ever was a standard sight. back in the day Winchester was in the business to sell guns. so they would put any sight on that you wanted. I have 6 .32 94s and no two have the same sight. even the carbines have different sights.

[ammohead]

Not sure Cody can do anything for on your Carbine! not old enough just a good shooter to take care of.. 1902 is around the cut off year !! I sure you use the
hell out of it !!! they are great to have..
Ol Deuce

How does one apply for a Cody verification? I have a 1898 model 94 also and would like to know the details. And are you saying that they only go back to 1902?

[reivertom]

How come I never have any hard up friends with nice antique guns to sell me? Not fair!

[TXGunNut]

How does one apply for a Cody verification? I have a 1898 model 94 also and would like to know the details. And are you saying that they only go back to 1902?

cfmrecords@centerofthewest.com Model 1894 Warehouse and SNA (Serial number applied) records available 1-353999. SNA only for 354000-1352066.

[TXGunNut]

Nice rifle, ammohead! Awesome cartridge and the sight filler is a very nice touch. I seem to accumulate old 32's but oldest (1925) a bit newer than yours. Brownells keeps a pretty good assortment of Marble front sights with good descriptions, if they don't have the one you need drop me a PM.

[Texas by God]

And out of left field; Gander Mountain is going out of the biz and I saw a Bunch of Federal .32 WS ammo for sale. $12 a box. If you have one near you it might be worth a look!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Shawlerbrook]

I just love old leverguns. Nice job on the slot blank filler.

[ammohead]

Thanks to all for the kind words. Now if I could just find a taller front sight that looks like it belongs there. I have purchased a replica of the old style front sight with the set screw in the past but lost my contact info for Larry's Old West Guns in Dayton, NV. I could get a Marbles from Brownells but it just don't scratch that itch.

[Multigunner]

The 32 Special was marketed as suited to factory smokeless powder loads or black powder reloads.
The state of development of smokeless powders of the day was not that good. lack of quality control by some manufacturers and rapid degradation of powders that for the most part did not contain any of the preservatives that all later smokeless powders have resulted in many blown up guns. Black powder was the safest way to go. The gentle twist prevented striping of lead boolits jacketed bullets being less economical just as they are today.
The 32 special when loaded with BP was in fact a near duplicate of the already popular .32-40. Both were also very popular in Europe at that time.