Removing a slight scratch in a blued gun receiver

[teejk]

Got it. Took $675 to giterdone. So I sure hope it shoots as nice as it looks. With the little 16" barrel it sure will handle nicely in the woods. From poking around some on gunbroker.com, that seemed like a decent price. I won't worry too much about its collector value, and may try some very slight blue pen work, but I'll just try some good gun oil and buffing first.

I really should have done some more research on that gun...when I talked to my friend he said he was not familiar (but he sticks with old stuff). The .44mag made me wonder...I thought that was a pistol load (but I'm not an expert). As for collector value, don't do anything stupid...it might be a collector item sooner than you think. I think I would stick to keeping rust off of it (oil only) since you seem to be more concerned about using it and appearance is secondary. Your $675...without looking, guessing that was because not many were chambered in that caliber. The Win 94 started with something that preceded "smokeless" but soon morphed into the 30/30 that we still have today...Winchester made a lot of $$$ off that gun.

 

[JRobyn]

Yes, .44 mag is primarily a pistol round. That's exactly why this rifle is attractive to me - I already have a Ruger Super Red Hawk in .44 mag, and reload for that, so ammo is less of a problem. Plus, the heavy 240 gr typical bullet should make a very good hard-hitting rifle round. I'll only expect it to be useful for under 100 yds, probably more typically under 50 yds. Sorta like a super-long-barreled pistol!

I'm not yet a student of Winchester history, but Wikipedia says that the Win 94 started life as a blackpowder rifle; "It was designed by John Browning in 1894 and originally chambered to fire two metallic black powder cartridges, the .32-40 Winchester and .38-55 Winchester. It was the first rifle to chamber the smokeless powder round, the .30 WCF (Winchester Center Fire, in time becoming known as the .30-30)." The .38-55 cartridge is similar-looking to the .44 mag, rimmed straight, but the .44 mag is shorter and fatter. It has been chambered for up to the .450 Marlin. Over 7 million have been sold, but all production ceased in 2006.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Yes, .44 mag is primarily a pistol round. That's exactly why this rifle is attractive to me - I already have a Ruger Super Red Hawk in .44 mag, and reload for that, so ammo is less of a problem. Plus, the heavy 240 gr typical bullet should make a very good hard-hitting rifle round. I'll only expect it to be useful for under 100 yds, probably more typically under 50 yds. Sorta like a super-long-barreled pistol!

I'm not yet a student of Winchester history, but Wikipedia says that the Win 94 started life as a blackpowder rifle; "It was designed by John Browning in 1894 and originally chambered to fire two metallic black powder cartridges, the .32-40 Winchester and .38-55 Winchester. It was the first rifle to chamber the smokeless powder round, the .30 WCF (Winchester Center Fire, in time becoming known as the .30-30)." The .38-55 cartridge is similar-looking to the .44 mag, rimmed straight, but the .44 mag is shorter and fatter. It has been chambered for up to the .450 Marlin. Over 7 million have been sold, but all production ceased in 2006.

I know most of you know this, but the old designations, e.g., "30-30" indicated the caliber and the grains of black powder, respectively...thus 30-30 meant 30 caliber, 30 grains of black powder. Lots of the old designations out there, like 45/90; 25/20; 45/70, etc.

 

[dodge man]

They made and still make a lot of rifles in 44 mag, mostly lever guns. I can't tell you much about the Winchesters though.

 

[JRobyn]

Since you guys seem interested in this old girl, here's the best photo from the auction listing. Hopefully I'll get some better ones after I pick it up Friday. Best I can tell without doing a serial number lookup is that it was made somewhere around 1992.

 

[Gunny]

I think you'll love it. I've got a Rossi, 44 mag lever action with 16 inch barrel. Shoots very well out to 75 yards, and other than quite a bit of recoil, it's a great rifle. Easy to carry, pack or store and plenty of firepower when needed.

 

[teejk]

I know most of you know this, but the old designations, e.g., "30-30" indicated the caliber and the grains of black powder, respectively...thus 30-30 meant 30 caliber, 30 grains of black powder. Lots of the old designations out there, like 45/90; 25/20; 45/70, etc.

I didn't know that! Seems the designation ended about the time that the 30-06 Springfield came to be and the "06" designated the year. But back to the story, that 45/70 seems to have been a very popular gun since I know a few people that still own that caliber.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I believe the old trap door Springfield used by the Army back in the late 1800's was a 45/70. I know someone who has an old Winchester lever action...octagon barrel...that is chambered for the 45/90. He still uses it to hunt deer, but says the 45/90 cartridges are expensive; he says it will also chamber the 45/70, which is cheaper, so that's what he shoots.

 

[teejk]

I believe the old trap door Springfield used by the Army back in the late 1800's was a 45/70. I know someone who has an old Winchester lever action...octagon barrel...that is chambered for the 45/90. He still uses it to hunt deer, but says the 45/90 cartridges are expensive; he says it will also chamber the 45/70, which is cheaper, so that's what he shoots.

I recall that my collector friend picked up a Winchester "trap-door" rifle locally in 45/70 not long ago. Old guns are kinda lost on me (my experience starts with my grandfather's model 12 that I guess is supposed to be handed down and kept in the family). My dad lost 2 Winchesters in a fire (semi-autos with that plunger thing...one a .22 which I think was a 1904 and the other a 1906 chambered in the rare .401 round). I seem to have morphed to the Browning line through purchases/inheritances (.22 in both auto and lever, BAR in 30.06 and a nice older A5 12 ga). Don't shoot any of them very often.

 

[RobertN]

If you're going to use it as a brush gun, it is gonna get scratches and wear marks. Is the existing scratch excessive?

I mean, I keep my guns clean and try not to scratch them, but it happens out in the field...

Thanks teejk. I'm pretty sure it is NOT one of the sought-after pre-1964 guns - finish/bluing is too good. It was at $445 yesterday, $485 today. Auction ends Tuesday. It does have the saddle ring on the other side, octagon barrel, 16". Would be a very handy "brush" gun, especially since I already own a Super Red Hawk and reload .44 mag, AND since we just had a confirmed bear sighting on our property!