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Thread: Winchester 1890 .22

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Winchester 1890 .22

    I have a Winchester 1890 .22 take down rifle (I think it was called Model 90 later). It's marked .22 short, .22 long and .22 long rifle.
    Generally speaking, would it be safe to use modern .22 long rifle ammo?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    I would use standard velocity or subsonic stuff, nothing like stingers or high velocity.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I think the Win Model 1890 was cartridge specific. Wouldn’t run all three like later designs.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    There were some chambered for all three he has listed. Mine is chambered in 22WRF which unfortunately hard to come by.

  5. #5
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    Winchester 1890 .22

    I’ve owned two 1906 Winchester pump .22s and they had a strong lockup. Never worried about Stingers or Expeditors. They were both S-L-LR capable.
    Neither one was as accurate as my other .22 rifles so they went away- but to be fair one had two rings in the barrel and the other had a nameless octagon replacement.


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  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    I haven't heard any warnings about Winchester 1890's for ammo restrictions such as exist for Marlin 1897's, 39's (not the 39A's), and early Colt Woodsman's that say not to use high velocity 22LR.
    However, I've seen a handful of 1890's over the years that were absolutely beat with the locking surfaces all loose. I can't imagine they were made that sloppy so must have gotten worn or abused to be so sloppy. Some have even had the sides of the bolt and receiver peened with a punch to tighten up the play (excess headspace) that was there. Whether those particular worn and sloppy examples were caused by shooting hot ammo or other abuse, I don't know, but they'd been sloppy for a long time, not recently.
    Because I've seen worn out examples, and we are talking about a gun old enough to have 1890 in the model name, I personally would only shoot standard velocity 22LR if it were mine.

  7. #7
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    georgerkahn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LIMPINGJ View Post
    I think the Win Model 1890 was cartridge specific. Wouldn’t run all three like later designs.
    My Model 1903 is "cartridge specific" (for the .22 auto), but the Model 1890 I used to have was marked for all three (S-L-LR) variants. If I recall, I exclusively shot just the .22 Long in mine, albeit not-that-much. A "gun show find" -- sum'thin directed it be sold ... this maybe 35 years back.

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