Thread: Grandfather's .22

Thanks for the replies guys.I have talked to an engineer mate who has a bit of spare time on his hands at the moment.He is confident he can rebuild the dovetail's to a better fit.
I agree with comments about the patina,it doe's tell a story and I think it is best left as it is.
Cheers

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Thanks again for the input guys. I pulled the gun apart ready to get fixed up.The hanger closest to the action was a little lose so gently peened that a bit. @garyp ,it's a good fit now.Thanks for the heads up about twisting the hangers @Waynesworld . I totally would have hammered it out. I had a bit off trouble removing the mag tube but after reading the post @muzza posted got it out in one piece
This forum really is a fountain of knowledge. Will post some pics when everything is back together
Cheers

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Thats a nice looking rifle with lots of history behind it. If it were mine I'd give it a really good clean all over, maybe a scotchbrite soaked in oil to wipe it down, but definitely retain that aged patina look. I'd have the magazine loop fixed properly, which could possibly be as simple as rebuilding the ring to fit the dovetail rather than playing with the dovetail. Then I would have it checked to make sure its good to go. And then I would take it out and shoot it. And take my kids out and let them shoot it, and then my grandkids. I would also ensure that it always stays in the family and create more memories.

@Husky1600 That's the plan mate

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I have my fathers old Lithgow Model 12 I learned to shoot with as a kid and likewise used to bring many a hare and rabbit home, and the occasional quail, tut tut. Went home from Uni one summer and found it rusting behind the cowshed water heater in the dairy, full of fucking mason bees, a broken bolt and a barrel bulge just past the fore-end wood. He'd lent it to the sharemilker to shoot rats with. I appropriated it, told him it was now mine. Fortunately the mag was still in it, with rounds loaded !! Cleaned it and took it to a gunsmith in Tauranga, this would be early '80s. He sorted the bolt for me. needed the arm refitted. There was no blue left, but little to no rust pitting, the bore came up shiny, and it still drives tracks. Apparently there is enough barrel past the bulge to re-stabilise the projectile. He persuaded me not to shorten the barrel or to reblue it - just polished it with dry fine steel wool and oiled it. Been like that ever since and I love having it in that original condition. The butt plate has a chunk out of it and the wood is dinged and scratched and dented from kicking around in the wardrobe and living behind the kitchen door all those years. Still does the job any time I want it to and just fits naturally in my hand. The patina is part of it. No more mason bees tho!

Mate rang up today"Done that gun for you" so I mumbled something to the missus about taking the recycling to town and shot in to pick it up. Pretty happy how it turned out. The gap between the dovetails was quite big so he ended up tig welding the hanger to the barrel, but at a glance you can't tell.
Gave everything a good clean and oil then assembled. Out of curiosity can anyone give me any info on the gun. Date of manufacture etc,or point me in the right direction of such info?
Did a quick mag dump at 25m leaning on the fence to make sure everything still worked. Needs a bit of fine tuning but still shoots minute of rabbit....Although I must be getting old because I don't remember the sights being that hard to see!
Thanks again for all the input guys,really appreciate you taking the time to help out.The old gun looks better than ever and will now spend many years making more memories with the next generation of our family.

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Thanks @muzza by my reckoning that puts it about 1913/14....that's over 100yrs old!

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Here's some info out of my copy of Ned Schwing's book Winchester Slide-Action Rifles. Probably the bible for those rifles.
Your serial number he dates between the 11th and 12th month of 1913.

I give up. I can't get rid of the sideways image.

Thanks @zimmer that is interesting. I knew it was old,just hadn't realized how old @muzza will keep that in mind,luckily I have a brick of low velocity ammo on hand so will run that in it now.

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