73 barrel liner

[bear tooth billy]

I have an original 73 Winchester made in 1882, it has no bluing left and the wood is dark,but is all original
I like to shoot it once in a while, the bore is pitted and cleaning takes a long time. The chamber is worn to
where the brass gets blowby, I had some sparks come out the top a couple of times. I was talking to a
gunsmith about relining it [new bore new chamber] and leaning towards doing this winter. I'm not planning
on selling it until my estate sale.  I would appreciate some opinions on doing this, how would it affect
the value etc.
                                 Hope to shoot it at next years Nat. shoot

                                       Thanks BTB

[Fox Creek Kid]

Serious collectors want guns in as near as mint condition as possible. The only thing that trumps this is rarity (sometimes). In this situation I cannot see where it would hurt as the rifle is not worth a bundle anyway.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Liners are available.  Your gunsmith can get one, or look in BROWNEL's  I have had mine done, and it is impossible to detect at the muzzle, and you'd have to look carefully at the breach.

[Montana Slim]

Hello Billy,
I also have an old 73. I had the barrel lined 10-12 years ago. It's my most accurate lever action.
No regrets on this one. Now, I have shot it a lot and the toggle pins could stand to be replaced (wear/ovaling of the holes - pins) that is the only ill effect of shooting this one a lot. End result is it now levers a bit roughly and I use my repros a lot more.


Regards,

Slim

[Mossyrock]

I have an original 73 Winchester made in 1882, it has no bluing left and the wood is dark,but is all original
I like to shoot it once in a while, the bore is pitted and cleaning takes a long time. The chamber is worn to
where the brass gets blowby, I had some sparks come out the top a couple of times. I was talking to a
gunsmith about relining it [new bore new chamber] and leaning towards doing this winter. I'm not planning
on selling it until my estate sale.  I would appreciate some opinions on doing this, how would it affect
the value etc.
                                 Hope to shoot it at next years Nat. shoot

                                       Thanks BTB

Drop John Taylor a PM (he's a member here).  He can square you away.  He has relined two rifles for me, a 32-20 Whitney Rolling Block and a hundred-year-old Model 94 Winchester in 38-55.  Superb work.

[Irish Dave]

Got one of those myself and been thinking about having it relined. It's a .38-40 round barreled rifle and not in any kind of collector condition, but I think it'd make a dandy shooter.

Been thinking about Redmon's in (WA or OR?? can't remember) but if there's others as good and as reasonable, I'd like to hear about 'em too.

[Mossyrock]

Got one of those myself and been thinking about having it relined. It's a .38-40 round barreled rifle and not in any kind of collector condition, but I think it'd make a dandy shooter.

Been thinking about Redmon's in (WA or OR?? can't remember) but if there's others as good and as reasonable, I'd like to hear about 'em too.

Randy Redman does good work...in fact, he makes lots of liners for other people.  He IS kinda pricey, though, and last I heard his wait time was pretty long.

[James Hunt]

Irish Dave is getting old and forgetful, Randy Redmond is located in Washington and his contact information can be found at:

http://www.redmansrifling.com/relining.htm

I had a 92 38-40 with a shot out barrel relined and it is now a tack driver, rather unbelievable for a pistol cartridge at 100 yds. Redmond is generally considered one of the premier guy's for this kind of work. I sent it and had it back within 90 days.

Given the description of your gun, relining it should not effect it and as it is a shooter may actually raise the value particularly if a well known smith does the work.

[Irish Dave]

Irish Dave is getting old and forgetful,

Irish who???

[Montana Slim]

Vaughn Trueman (The Bullet Hole) did my '73. Also a handful of .22s for me and my Pa.

SLim

[gw]

Irish who???

Dave
David