Rust /pitting

dodge69

I have two really nice winchesters with a octagonal barrel that are nearly perfect except for one side of of the octagon has pitting for about 1/2 inch at the front of the barrel . It is deep enough I do not want to take a chance of trying to sand it out or it will end up with a out of shape barrel. Is there a way this can be repaired or do you just say that is what it is and forget it? They are over 100 years old and this is the only bad spot on them.

charliemeyer007

I think you are better off to live with them as is. Draw filing a barrel is an art. If it's a tapered octagon it could be draw filed from points towards the breach on all sides keeping the bore centered while changing the taper to remove the pits.

I did a few muzzle loading barrels. You need really good files and a file card. Keeping the flats the same is not that easy. A chip in the file leaves a scratch. Scrap barrels are good to practice on.

nmyers

I'm with Charlie; a gun is only original once.

But, I understand that it's difficult to look at a damaged gun, because you keep thinking about how good it would look if restored.

So, take a look at this website: http://www.turnbullmfg.com/restoration-services/

That may help you decide.

Neal

rufe-snow

To put them back in original condition. It would require a pro like Turnbull. To wire weld up the pits with the correct material. Polish and refinish them. Talking a lot of money, and time.

Even fixed up correctly. Cosmetically they will look OK. But still not be factory original.

IMHO, I would just leave well enough alone. Unless your willing to spend a lot of money on them.

machine gun moran

I think Rufe has the right take, once originality is gone, it's gone.

Kind of an oxymoron, but original pits may appreciate faster than a refinish.

I flat-filed an octagon '94 for a guy once, and he came back in bragging that he had sold the gun for original. Pizzed me off that he would do that. The next time, it was an octagon Remington 12, and I stamped the refinish date in small characters on the bottom rear of the barrel (bwahaha).[:)]

dodge69

Guess I will leave it alone. It is a 32 40 with a No. 3 barrel 30 inches long. Needs wheels on it anyway. Should be good trading material anyway.

beantownshootah

Repeat after me:

DO NOT attempt to restore collectible guns this way at home.

DO NOT attempt to restore collectible guns this way at home, especially nice and increasingly valuable Winchester rifles! [:p]

Guns derive most of their collector value from being in ORIGINAL condition (even with pits, worn bluing, patina, whatever). Unless you are a super-duper restoration pro, its more likely than not that anything you do will decrease the guns value.

Let them be, and your grandchildren will thank you later.