Yet Another Winchester

BigBlue · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 10:43 am Post subject: Yet Another Winchester

I found this 1950 Winchester 94 in .30/30 last week and in need of a lot of TLC. My LGS was asking $299.90 and I talked him down to $250.00 so right away you know this ain't no collector's rifle. The rifle had been sanded down and had a sickly looking 30-40 coats of shiny polyurethane on it. The steel had most of the finish removed, a few small rust spots on the barrel and magazine tube and a lot on the butt plate.

Here's the before photos:

Here's the after photos. I lightly cleaned the steel with 0000 steel wool, removing the rust spots. For the butt plate I had to use a brass brush. I gave all of the steel several coats of Birchwood Casey Perma-Blue cold blueing. It's no Colt Royal Blue, but it should help protect it. I also waxed all of the metal parts. I stripped the stock using Citri-Strip, cleaned it with turpentine and used several coats of a mix of Tru-oil and Tung Oil on it. I didn't want it too shiny so I took the sheen down a bit with 0000 steel wool. I finished off with some Boston Butchers Polish.

MacD · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 12:55 pm Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

Nice job.

dhc4ever · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:01 pm Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

Careful Blue.
You're starting to get good at this stuff.
Nice outcome.
You had a chance to shoot it yet?

gelandangan · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:45 pm Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

Nice gun!

slimjim · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

BB, glad it found a new home where it will get the TLC it needs. Keep us posted.

Vince · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:20 pm Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

That beautiful looking '94 bought a wee small tear to my eye BB...you have done both it and yourself proud mate.

I'm looking forward to the range report.

Elvis · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:02 pm Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

very tidy restore job...it would fit in my cabinet nicely...

Aloysius · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:41 pm Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

BB, just for info for cold blueing steel (doesn't work on stainless):
(and please pay enough attention on all the safety rules of each component! You shouldn't eat selenious acid and you shouldn't burn yourself on the nitric acid!)

1. Selenious acid (H²SeO³) : 6-10 parts
2. Cupric sulfate (CuSO4) : 10 parts
3. water (H²O) : 1000 parts
4. Nitric acid (HNO³) : 4-6 parts

dissolve 1 and 2 separately in water (3) and when dissolved, put both solutions together. Afterwards add the nitric acid (4).

Use this solution as the Perma-Blue you bought.
Start searching selenious acid, for this is not so easy to find. But at the end when you look at the price of the end-mixture (and its performance!), you sure going to make many guns happy.

When somebody wants to put this formula in an easy-to-find section of this forum, please do (because I don't like to translate all this difficult components).

By the way: everyone who is using this formula have to agree with my rule: next time you see me you buy me a beer!

Have fun.

SingleShotLover · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 4:56 am Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

You could also try Brownell's Oxpho-Blue. I have found it to be incredibly tough when applied right and does a nice dark finish that really lasts. I heat parts to a point of almost too hot to touch and apply. Any finish that uses steel wool as part of the finish polishing process is obviously tough!

Bushmaster · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:52 am Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

Nice job...

How's the bore and rifling? If good, might I recommend 32gr of W-748 under a Speer 170gr Hotcore FN?

BigBlue · Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:34 am Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

The only shooting I've done with it so far was to check that it even worked before putting time into fixing it up. Off hand at 50 yards had the shot right on the mark with some Federal ammo I had laying around. I have to do a Cabelas powder run, so I'll see what they have. .30/30s I've had in the past always liked BL-C2 powder, but I'm down to a few grains and haven't seen it for sale for a long time. I was thinking of trying some Leverevolution powder if I can find it. Powder availability will probably make the decision for me. I'll sure keep the W-748 on my short list.

slimjim · Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 6:18 am Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

Leverevolution and CFE223 are almost identical powders. I shoot them from the same powder throw in my 6.8mm with 150gr bullets. 31.1gr of CFE = 30.6gr of LVR by volume. I've also used them with 130gr bullets and their velocity vs powder charge curves are touching each other with LVR having the slight edge. Both a bit sensitive to temperature change in my 6.8mm. May not be so much in a 30-30. I really believe in finding a powder that is insensitive to temperature change. However, insensitive powders like IMR 4166 and 8208 XBR don't look as potent but they will make up for it if you plan to hunt in cold weather. The Hodgdon load manual has LVR and CFE leading the back for velocity out of a 30-30.

Powder manufactures should show the temperature their load data was developed at. It makes a big difference.

slimjim · Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 6:35 am Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

BTW, I use .30-30 load data as a reference for my 6.8mm SPC II when developing heavy-for-caliber 130 to 150 grain bullet recipes since there is usually no load data out there for these weight bullets. E.g., 31.1gr of CFE under a 150gr Federal Round Nose yields 2270 fps from an 18" barrel.

BigBlue · Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 11:32 am Post subject: Re: Yet Another Winchester

Not a whole lot of choices in powder at Cabelas, at least no where near what they used to have. They did have both Leverevolution and BL-C(2), but no W-748. I picked up the BL-C(2) as I've had good luck with that in the past. Still no Unique, W-296, 2400 or H-110, but I picked up some HS-6. Bought a box of Sierra 150gr. 30-30 bullets and some small pistol magnum primers. As usual they want their guns more than I do. The prices on their used guns is outrageous and for some real fixer uppers. I could get rich just selling the ones I have if I could get the prices they ask.