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Winchester 94 big bore 375

dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 954 ✭✭
edited May 2015 in Ask the Experts
Could somebody tell me how long they made the made the Winchester Big Bore 375?

Comments

  • dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 954 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Winchester Big Bore 375. Can you use the bullet from a 38-55 to reload the 375? I can not find anybody that has bullets for reloading the 375.
  • dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 954 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Winchester Big Bore 375, one of the early models, no safety. The gun has a lot of light pitting and heavy pitting on the receiver and barrel. If I sand the pits out and take the receiver back down to a polished medal Will I run into the problem of getting the blue to take on the receiver like some of the Winchesters have?
  • dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 954 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Winchester Big Bore XTR 375. The gun looks new inside and out, bore clean as can be and I see nothing wrong with the chamber. I fired 6 rounds through it and it cycled just fine and is really smooth. I figured on having the ammo reloaded as the stuff is hard to find and expensive. I am not sure why I did it but I put a fired round in the chamber and it would not go all the way in the chamber, it will not allow the bolt to close all the way. I can see about 1/4 of the end of the brass. I am taking the gun to a gunsmith but wanted to ask you guys what you think the problem could be.
  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
    edited November -1
    "Will I run into the problem of getting the blue to take on the receiver like some of the Winchesters have?".....................if this is a 'top eject' model then yes, it will not 'blue' (the receiver will be dark cherry red). also note; a gunsmith will not 'sand out the pits', they use buffing wheels (felt)and polishing compound.
  • dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 954 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mike I am not a gun smith and not trying to be a smart * but I do not understand what the difference would be in sanding out the pits until your get close to where they are cleaned up and then buff them out. You end up with a clean level surface.
    I know Winchester made some guns that were nearly impossible to take a blue or you would end up with a different color than the rest of the gun. My guns serial number is BB010950 no safety. I would think the gun is near the first of the production of the Big Bores maybe 78 or 79.
  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I haven't hot salts blued a gun in a long time. High nickel content stuff tends to take a reddish purple tint. Home cold treatments generally stink.

    I have never sanded out pits, but I have buffed hard with some courser grits. I have draw filed flats on octagon barrels.

    In this case I would strongly consider degreasing the unit and do a spray and bake finish, your pits will help with adhesion.

    added I once bought a Belgium Browning BAR in 30-06. The left side was scared bad with road rash as the result of falling off the roof of the truck at about 35 mph. I buffed it out, though I did take a file to it in a few places to start with. I did bead blast it, then hot salt blued. Wonderful satin blue/black finish. With the Leopold 1.5 x 5 set on 1.5, I could see half of the barrel in the scope, the low glare finish was nice on sunny days when shooting at running rabbits.

    As a side note, that rifle would shuck brass so hot that you didn't pick it up right away without gloves. Have shot plenty of other autoloaders where the brass was very warm, but not too hot to touch.

    added2 The reddish/purple "failed" blue jobs were IIRC some Winchester's, Krag's and Springfield's. The salts we used were the stuff from Brownell's. Some steels needed extra time and more salt to raise the temperature. High nickel content. I glass beaded the Browning, no clue what the glass beads were, the machine was at the shop my dad's worked at the airport. When I sold the rifle (not into autoloading rifles), the new owner just loved the matt blue/black finish.
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with Charlie. In the condition you describe, with the "light & heavy" pitting. Your just wasting your time, trying to "sand" it down to a smooth surface.

    Sandblasting it with course sand. Will give it a overall mat surface. That will blend in with and obscure the pitting. You can than either Parkerize or paint over the bare metal. And it won't look, half bad.
  • Missouri Mule K30Missouri Mule K30 Member Posts: 2,092 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello dodge69, what are you trying to do with the final outcome of the project. Are you trying to refinish to original, make a truck gun, salvage to make useful.
    Having one myself, an early one also, I had found out long ago that loaded ammo was hard to come by, and $1.50 plus per round. I do load my own now but rarely take it out to use it.
    I would take the advice of the prior posts, sandblast the metal, and refinish according to what you like.[;)]
    Please let us know more about the final outcome for I have a 30 30 winny that I am thinking of...[:D]
  • dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 954 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was trying to get the gun in shape to sell it. I purchased the gun to help a friend out but really had not seen the gun for some time. I should have left it alone and sold it as is as I had forgot about the receiver blue problem. I had the same problem with a 30 30 and I blasted the receiver but gut a little to heavy of blasting material. Ended up with a mat finish and just had all the parts hot blued. Found a guy that liked it and only lost a little bit of money.
    This entire gun has to be blued so I will wait and see what I end up with. If it looks that bad a little naval jelly and a green scrub pad will put me back to where I am on the receiver.
  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
    edited November -1
    I think Charlie has this nailed, sand blast then one of the bake on finishes. The receiver is 'investment cast' and the alloy Winchester used just will not take blueing.
  • hslaterprycehslaterpryce Member Posts: 927 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just a note on blasting and or sanding. Silicon carbide abrasives have a tendency to imbed themselves in the base metal you are working. If that occurs to plate or blue may become an issue as the SiC particles imbedded will not accept a coating or the bluing. Aluminum Oxide abrasives, however, tend to cut and not imbed and would be a better choice if you go that route on any project. Just a thought....
  • dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 954 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think I will use the Dura Coat stuff. They have one that is mat that requires a oven and another that does not. I have never tried this stuff and it is always something that is super easy to do. I understand they have a Blue/Black spray on that does not need a over. The only oven I have is the one my wife cooks in so there goes the mat finish. If anybody has used this stuff let me know.
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