Tell Me About this Winchester

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  • BlueShamu

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    Back story....great uncle gave this to his nephew (my uncle) who gave it to me. Was told that my great uncle began to drill and tap the barrel to install bases for a scope....realizing some time after the fact that the scope was going to make loading and ejecting rounds a little difficult. Uncle says this is a 30-06.

    So, the strap behind the hammer reads Winchester Model 1895. The barrel reads .30 U.S. MOD. 1903. S/N on the lever strike plate is 65###. Looks like the barrel may have had the end milled...or cut? Just seems awfully “flat” to me. The outer circumference doesn’t have a radius like I would expect to see on the end of a barrel. There are two other holes in the top strap that look “after the fact.” Not sure if those are original or maybe some other attempt at adding some sort of long range rear sight?

    So...is this two different models joined together? What do I have, here? What do you know about this? What do you think?

    Also, should I have any concerns with the holes if I want to take this thing out and bust a few caps?

    I was able to get pretty good depth mic’s on the forward three holes. The one closest to the breech was a little hard to get an accurate measurement but seemed comparable to the adjacent hole. The depths vs barrel outside diameter are as follows (from breech towards barrel end):
    #1 = ~0.150” vs 1.085”
    #2 = 0.151” vs 1.065”
    #3 = 0.141” vs 0.887”
    #4 = 0.126” vs 0.872”

    Thanks in advance!

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    BlueShamu

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    Winchester 1895 as stated above in .30-40 Krag

    So, my uncle tells me it’s a 30-06....and even had a full box of 150 grain Winchester ammo. Will this shoot the 30-06?

    I read on another forum about these being chambered in 30-03 at one point in history...which cartridge is apparently the same except slightly longer than an -06 by about 0.07”. They said the -06 fires through the -03...just not as accurate. Is this similar for the 30-40 krag?

    Disclaimer...my uncle said he has never fired the rifle and is by no means any type of authority on weapons other than how to shoot them!
     
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    dougstump

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    It was originally chambered in .30-03 not .30-40 (Krag). However, it could have been rechambered at some point. I recommend making a chamber cast to find out. Nice rifle!
     

    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    Serial number would be around the 1908- mark.
    Yes the muzzle is correct. No crown.
    It would have been a mistake to rechamber that particular barrel to -06 as the rifling is to suit the slower 220 gr -03 load and accuracy would have suffered. See if a local gunsmith can do a chamber casting for you to be sure.
    A decent gunsmith could also fill those holes, likely by threading them and setting screws then grinding flush before a blu touch up.
    I was fortunate enough to shoot a later date model in 30-06 with diopter rear sight and I very much enjoyed it. I have a Spencer carbine model that I love to shoot (but is not cost effective) and the Winchester had a very similar feel.
    Very nice piece Shamu
     

    dougstump

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    Appreciate all the feedback. Just found this link searching around the www box... More confusion and noise. Says the 30 US is 30-40 Krag.

    https://winchestercollector.org/models/model-1895/

    I sent an email to Winchester. Probably get quicker results if I call them. I’ll let everybody know what comes of it.


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    Except yours is marked ".30 U.S. Model 1903", which was .30-03. Attempting to fire a .30-40 Krag, if it will chamber, would be catastrophic to the rifle and you. You need to make a chamber cast.
     

    BlueShamu

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    Serial number would be around the 1908- mark.
    Yes the muzzle is correct. No crown.
    It would have been a mistake to rechamber that particular barrel to -06 as the rifling is to suit the slower 220 gr -03 load and accuracy would have suffered. See if a local gunsmith can do a chamber casting for you to be sure.
    A decent gunsmith could also fill those holes, likely by threading them and setting screws then grinding flush before a blu touch up.
    I was fortunate enough to shoot a later date model in 30-06 with diopter rear sight and I very much enjoyed it. I have a Spencer carbine model that I love to shoot (but is not cost effective) and the Winchester had a very similar feel.
    Very nice piece Shamu

    1909 per the Winchester Collector's website. WOW! 110 years old! The more I research, the more intrigued I become. I like the ideas you proposed for the holes. I'm really torn about shooting it....I would love to go out and dirt roll a hog or something with it....just once. But, man...I'd hate to have something happen to it! Not at all worried about the gun functioning....just scared I'd have an accident with it! LOL Drop it overboard, scratch it up, ding it, drop it from the stand...something stupid!

    I'm pretty certain there was a rear tang peep sight on it at one time. Probably not original to the rifle. I tried calling the Winchester customer service....that was five minutes of my life I'll never get back. Emailed the Winchester Collector's website with photos. We'll see what we get back from them. They seem to have a lot of great info.
     

    BlueShamu

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    Started cleaning up the bore, tonight...pulled some Cleveland Browns fans out of it....I know they were from the dog pound because they were stealing my white patches and replacing them with orange and brown ones!

    Definitely had a little corrosion going on. Not the smoothest bore...still some stubborn fouling in the rifling. I’ll work on it some more, tomorrow.
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    Akajun

    Go away,Batin...
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    For the restore on the barrel holes contact gunsmith John Taylor on castboolits forum. I know he restores model 54’s that have been drilled and tapped maybe he can help you. Either him or turnbull.
    Definitely get a chamber cast
    Iirc 3006 will fire out of an o3 chamber but may blow out a weak case.
     

    RaleighReloader

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    It's a neat 1895, but the holes drilled in it really hurt the collectible value. 1895's aren't all that hard to find, so my advice would be to shoot it and enjoy it. It was made to handle smokeless ammunition, so you shouldn't have a problem there.

    And yes, I know that a competent gunsmith would be able to fill and smooth and reblue the holes. But any discerning collector is going to spot that and it will still hurt the gun's value, so I would only do that if it will enhance your enjoyment of the gun.

    Mike
     

    bigsampson

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    The tang sight is probably from a marbles sight. Easy to find now and simply replace. I suspect the ones on the barrel/receiver are for a mounted peep sight rather than a ladder style sight. Fast and accurate to use. Sometimes the best thing to do when someone added a period sight is to simply replace it.
     

    BlueShamu

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    Well, after a lot of research on trying to figure out a proper reload, I bit the bullet (pun intended) and bought a box of 20 rounds of 30-03 ammo from Buffalo Arms Company. I got their 220 gr round nose, soft point.

    This morning, took it into the stand with me in hopes of a shot close enough to try it out. Well, ended up shooting 3 hogs with my .308. When all the dust settled, I climbed out of the stand with the 30-03 to go check out the carnage. As I’m standing there looking at 3 dead hogs, a fourth hog steps out onto the shooting lane and is walking towards me. He got about 50 yards from me and offered a broadside shot. The rest is 110 years of history! So cool to drop this hog with a 110 year old rifle!

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    Magdump

    Don’t troll me bro!
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    Hot damn! Well done cowboy. Old ass rifle still bringing home the bacon like a champ. If that ain’t some nostalgia for your ass right there! High fives bro.
     

    BlueShamu

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    Thanks! Definite off-the-scale nostalgia factor about it! Haven’t been this excited about killing a hog. It was pretty cool.


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