Old Win 94, rough bore, and ?????

[hpdrifter]

My wife's mom gave us her(wife's dad's) old Win 94. Old serial number and according to Dixies Catalog(I think), it was made around 1924. I know that isn't hard and firm info, but it is an old, old firearm.

Anyway, it seems tight and the firing pin doesn't indicate just a whole lot of firing. It isn't worn just a whole bunch, nor is the hammer. The trigger pull is good and crisp. Just one minor problem; the bore is pretty rough. The rifling still looks prominent, but it is pitted pretty good. I was a wondering if some of you think shooting some reduced load lead projectiles, maybe with some break-in polish would/might help the bore some?

I'd like for it to be a sometimes shooter, if possible. No fancy high powered cartridges, just a plinker; something I can bounce some cans around with or maybe punch a few holes in some paper.

Anybody got some lead bullets for a 30-30 they might wanna sell so I can get started? 15-25 or something like that. If it shoots ok, I'll prolly invest in a mold fer it and others. All I cast for right now is 45-70 and 45 Colt. Got a .375 mold on order in the hopes of using it some day.

[Neiljohn]

Hummm, some light 110 grainers would be good plinkers, gently lapping the bore might help as might a few jacketed rounds first allowing the gilding metal to fill some of the holes, then lapping?

[swheeler]

hpd; I have an 1891 mauser, bubbad that was given to me, bore was dark and frosted, rifling looked strong. Several friends that looked down the barrel said it would never shoot worth a hoot. I have now fired several thousand 185 gr cast boolits thru it, the bore looks like a mirror, the more I shoot it the better it shoots. One of my 15 year old twin daughters used it to shoot for a postal match, 10 shots into about 2.5 inches @ 100 yds- no fouler- boolits not weighted- powder charges thrown- it just wants to shoot! I put a 3-9 scope on it, shimmed the rear base up with a pop can shim to get enough elevation and fired a 5 shot 300 yard group of 2.9 inches- hum how many of your R700's will do that? It shoots as good or better than it did 110 years ago. I would load up 150/170 cast boolits at 15-1600 fps and shoot ALOT. Have fun with it, take it out on a date, it wasn't made to set unused- take it hunting- make grandpa proud!
Scot

[hpdrifter]

Thanks guys, I plan on giving it some kinda go.

[versifier]

Drifter,
Get yourself a soupcan mould for it, (I'm assuming it's a .30-30), a can of RE-7, and have some fun. If the bore is really rough, shoot a few hundred jacketed through it to smooth things out. They're too much fun to leave sitting and gathering dust.

[KCSO]

I'm going to have to agree on this one. I picked up a M88 carbine a few years ago and the gun had a rough bore. I scrubbed and scrubbed and then shot it with no great hopes, and the darn thing shot like a house afire. Honest 2" 5 shot groups at 100 yards all the time! Like a fool I traded it off for one with a better bore and that one wouldn't shoot near as good. Clean it and shoot it and see.

[9.3X62AL]

How sad, a reminder of the days of corrosive priming. Like stated above, don't give up on the rifle before a pretty extensive test drive. I have more than a couple such rifles myself, and all produce better accuracy than a glance down the bore would indicate.

The 30-30 especially is known for providing hunting accuracy when its bore is less than casually cared for.

[calaverasslim]

You mite think about using one of these stainless steel bore brushes and give it a good scrubbing. A one time thing. Then shoot to your hearts content. Use cast bullets rather then jacketed. Works better to clean up the bore.

[hpdrifter]

Thanks for all the ideas and info. Come to find out, it has a broken firing pin. Got one ordered along with some boolits.

[brayhaven]

IME, cast bullets tend to lead a rough (pitted) bore more than jacketed ones. That said, I'd agree with those here who state that bore condition isn't necessarily a harbinger of poor accuracy. My drilling in 9.3X72R is a tack driver and has some pitting in the bore.
Greg

[Char-Gar]

I just want to chime in on what the others said... you never know until you tried it. I have seem some pretty rough bores shoot very well. In such rifles I favor cast bullets with gas checks.