Win 94.32/40 Aussie connection?

[charlie nz]

I have a Winchester model 1894 in 32/40 cal.with a 26 inch octagonal barrell and I think it was made in 1904.
The rifle has an excellent bore and shoots better than I can hold with the RCBS 08 170 cast in a soft alloy unsized minus gas check.
I have a question that maybe the erudite Aussies on the lever forum can answer ,one of the barrell flats on my rifle is engraved with an insect and the words "The Stinger" I am told that this is a promo trade mark of an Aussie gun shop, is this firm still extant,any interesting history?

Cordially

Charlie NZ. PS I think your forum is tops.











2

[Four Fingers of Death]

I've heard of that, I rang Mick Smith's but the current generation haven't heard of it and the original generation there have all retired or passed away. MIck. I'll keep scratching. Mick.

[Buckshot]

...............Charlie NZ, a cordial welcome to the board. Your rifle sounds like a nice one. A 94 in 32-40 would carry a premium over here.

............Buckshot

[Four Fingers of Death]

Its not Sprinter stamped on the Bbl is it? They are based in South Australia in Hahndorf which is a haven for German Australians and they used to specalise in making Bbls and reboring. They charge virtually the same for both now and virtually refuse to rebore anything other than really special jobs.
Mick.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

The Carl Scholz Gunsmith shop used to do work under his trademark which was a motiff of a wasp.

[bruce drake]

Wasn't there a firm in Victoria that imported Winchesters under their roll mark of a Wasp in the last 1800's? Supposedly the 32-40 was much liked by the professional Kangaroo Hunters. I don't have the article any longer but I remember reading an article about Aussie Winchesters in Shotgun News about 3-4 years ago.

Bruce

[Four Fingers of Death]

Actually the Spinter name is still used it is the name they put on their barrels. Their business name is Sprinter Arms. Mick.

[charlie nz]

NZThanks to all of you for the interest and effort you are puting into finding the aussie link to my rifile serial no.281796.
The barrell inscription definately reads "The Stinger" proffessionally engraved.
I am familiar with the Sprinter which I thinkis a .22 wildcat cartridge.
Riflemen every where should be gratefull for the asinine law in NSW that was largely responsible for the development of all those wonderful Australian cartridges based on the .303 Brit.round.
My 32 40 has been in NZ since at least 1952 I have a document stating that.
The rifle was "liberated"from a pig hunter who was just about to "carbine-ise" the 26 inch oct. barrell and full lenth mag.tube with a hacksaw!
I spent the next 5 years negotiating with the rescuer and finally added this rifle to my modest colection after parting with a win 1892 and an old Marlin 94 in 1982
Picking up on the comment by Bruce re kangaroo rifles I think highly likely this is part of this rifle's early history.
In modern terms the rifle is far too heavy [hunting] for the power that it carries but that is what makes it such a splendid shooter for offhand.

Charlie NZ