'37 Winchester in the White

4205raymond

Finished one last week and started another today. 1936 1st year Red Letter 12Ga, pigtail break lever. small spur hammer(cocking lever) with two holes in lower tang. Still doing the prep and polishing by hand. Sometimes I wish I had a Baldor but guess I am too old and set in my ways. Those things are expensive now with the variable speed control. Besides if not experienced on machine you can ruin stuff in a hurry. Stripped stocks and stained over week end. Prepped receiver and parts today. Boy am I tired. Way after midnight. Good night all------------- Ray

jimdeere

Wow, that’s slick!

Sam06

That looks good. 

I have been looking for a 410 M37 for a few years.  I want one that is not too pretty or expensive, so far I haven't found one.

MIKE WISKEY

that's about 5 min. on a buffer with felt wheels

mmppres

Fantastic work. Now these youngsters dont understand true skill

4205raymond

MIKE WISKEY said:

that's about 5 min. on a buffer with felt wheels

Yes that is true but I have seen too many of those five minute jobs on GB auctions. I usually won't go near them if someone else has tinkered with them. If a fellow has the experience you can come close to duplicating work done by good old boys in New Haven on a Baldor. The variable speed attachment with multiple grit belts are really great. I guess I am trying to say it comes down to experience, patience, and grit size. Don't forget the '37 is a production gun and too much buffing will ruin it or having it look like a Weatherby. Oh well, maybe someday I will spring for a Baldor. --------Ray

BobJudy

Looks like a good job! Nice flats and crisp lettering and no dishing around the holes. What type of finish will be on the metal? Bob

4205raymond

Sam06, getting real hard to find under $400. Few on GB now. One thing I learned the hard way. Buy the whole gun and most of the gun won't come up to my standards. A lot of the pictures on auctions are not close enough. You know the old story "Pig in a Poke". Nothing like the old days and holding it in your hands at gun show. What you see is what you get. Those days are disappearing fast. You just don't see the "37's at shows much anymore. A lot of buying/selling happens between dealers before customers arrive.

Pictures on individual parts are usually much better and you can pick the cream of the crop. Sometimes I wander over to FleaBay.  Problem there is supply/demand and once item is bid up the next seller wants same or more. It takes a hell of a lot of patience to lay a receiver on work bench and wait 3/4 years for 80+ year old barrel to come along in good condition. As for reproduction stocks, too many out there think they know what they are doing. They don't! The Good old Boys in New Haven did know what they were doing.
 
One thing I find to be very sad. Many sellers I feel are stripping receivers and selling internal parts on auctions and FleaBay. The receivers are being cast into junk pile or destroyed. To me this is almost criminal. When they are gone, they are gone forever. Sellers know buyers don't want to pay for transfer or go thru NCIS. But it does not have a serial number. Does not matter, it is still a violation of federal law to sell receiver without FFL and NCIS. Please on Nov 3rd everybody get off your butt and go vote. If the wrong person takes the White House an awful lot of receivers will get the band saw blade or torch. "Mark", please don't boot me to "Politics".

Sam06, please keep looking, it is out there. Just takes a lot of patience.----------Ray

4205raymond

BobJudy said:

Looks like a good job! Nice flats and crisp lettering and no dishing around the holes. What type of finish will be on the metal? Bob

Bob, wished I had a good camera, just a cheap flip phone. Try to get grit lines like older '37's. Late model quite a bit courser. The bluing on some older barrels "FULL" holds up great on some and I leave them be. Years ago rust blued some barrels but had a greyish cast that did not match black oxide. My metal will be black oxided. I do all except dipping in tanks.-----Ray

Chief Shaway

I have a 16 and .410. 
Neat old guns for sure. 

pulsarnc

I have the 16 . I need the 12 and 410.

BobJudy

KenK/84Bravo said:

That's sweet Ray. Nice job.

Definitely nice work.

Be careful, I gave Ray a well deserved compliment and got one of the dreaded disagrees! Oh the horror! I may develop a complex because of this.🙄 Bob

4205raymond

Ken, thank you. If you look at line created by shoe shine grit on belly meeting horizontal lines on sides of receiver it will be as straight as a arrow. As to Line above locking block pin hole the top wrap grit (vertical) to sides grit (horizontal) not always straight but sharp edge. Guess there is a way to do on Baldor with variable speed belt attachment but would be tricky I think.-----------Ray

4205raymond

Sorry about pictures. You can't see grit lines like factory "37's. Looks like over buffed instead of straight line sharper edge.

4205raymond

BobJudy said:

KenK/84Bravo said:

That's sweet Ray. Nice job.

Definitely nice work.

Be careful, I gave Ray a well deserved compliment and got one of the dreaded disagrees! Oh the horror! I may develop a complex because of this.🙄 Bob

Bob, got to be one of those NR guys having "FUN" you think? Last '37 I bought on GB the NR guy cost me extra $150. Only Mark knows for sure, I guess. --------------------Ray

gjshaw

I swear it wasn’t my fat finger, I just checked.

BobJudy

4205raymond said:

BobJudy said:

KenK/84Bravo said:

That's sweet Ray. Nice job.

Definitely nice work.

Be careful, I gave Ray a well deserved compliment and got one of the dreaded disagrees! Oh the horror! I may develop a complex because of this.🙄 Bob

Bob, got to be one of those NR guys having "FUN" you think? Last '37 I bought on GB the NR guy cost me extra $150. Only Mark knows for sure, I guess. --------------------Ray

Sorry Ray I didn't mean to hijack your post by feebly joking with Ken about the disagrees. The rejection of my peers makes me want to go curl up in my safe place.😆
Seriously, I am awed by the patience and craftsmanship you show in your work. Bob

4205raymond

BobJudy said:

4205raymond said:

BobJudy said:

KenK/84Bravo said:

That's sweet Ray. Nice job.

Definitely nice work.

Be careful, I gave Ray a well deserved compliment and got one of the dreaded disagrees! Oh the horror! I may develop a complex because of this.🙄 Bob

Bob, got to be one of those NR guys having "FUN" you think? Last '37 I bought on GB the NR guy cost me extra $150. Only Mark knows for sure, I guess. --------------------Ray

Sorry Ray I didn't mean to hijack your post by feebly joking with Ken about the disagrees. The rejection of my peers makes me want to go curl up in my safe place.😆
Seriously, I am awed by the patience and craftsmanship you show in your work. Bob

Bob, thanks for compliment. Anyone who could communicate with GG like you could is ok in my book. Never really could understand the way GG's mind worked so I stayed away from him. Read his posts for years. -------------------Ray

4205raymond

Sam06 said:

That looks good. 

I have been looking for a 410 M37 for a few years.  I want one that is not too pretty or expensive, so far I haven't found one.

Sam06, here is one that might appeal to you. A late model '37 with high spur, not so bad, a little drag by break lever. Could be fixed up real nice. I tend to go for the older or 1st year Red Letter ones. See GB#881870260   ------------------------Ray

select-fire

Nice