Why I've not made many knives lately

KenH said:
Dennis - congrats on having that old rifle of your Grandpa's. Do you shoot it much? Would that rifle possibly be a 1873 model rather than 1876? They do look very similar. Have you looked up the date of manuf? If 1876 here's a link:

Winchester Model 1876 Centennial Rifle - Gun-Data

Winchester Model 1876 Centennial Rifle
gun-data.com gun-data.com
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I have shot it on several occasions. I will drag it out of the gun safe and do some digging. When I got it - it was in a box in pieces. My grandfather had taken it entirely apart and sanded it smooth. He thought it was dirty and needed cleaned up. Very sad state of affairs. All is back in order. I did not do the work. But a competent professional put it back together. Only took a year or so to get it back.
 
Ken - This is my grandfather’s rifle. It is a Model 1894 or Model 94. The serial number puts date of manufacture in the 1898-1899 range. Caliber is 25-35 WCF. Finding ammo was a challenge. Hornady had 11 boxes. Now I have 11 boxes.

When my father gave it to me it was in a cardboard box. Disassembled and sanded to silver finish. Probably missing some screws. A true basket case.

I found a reliable gun smith that reblued the entire gun, refinished the wood, and assembled the rifle. He did a great job and it is is shooting shape, again.

Not the most accurate gun. But, it is the most treasured. My oldest son has already laid dibs on it.

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Very nice Dennis! I'd love to have one of those old Winchester's. But they are getting harder and harder to find. And expensive to boot.
 
KenH said:
Thank you for nice words Ted. and I do agree, just take a look at my scrap barrel if you wish to see lots of mistakes revisions :)
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I meant my scrap barrel....was hoping yours was not as "prolific"....lol! The ol' breaking eggs to make omelettes...?
 
I also had a hobby of going to the forest and shooting in the trees or putting benches and hitting them, but after I accidentally killed an animal, I realized that I am not really like that. Very strong, and I decided to give up on all this. It was too emotional for me to see all this. But if you need information about bullets, you can find them here https://bulkmunitions.com/ because I always buy them from here. But be careful because this is not a game, although I know you are aware, when you get into trouble, do not get out of there.
 
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I don’t see what any of that has to do with the gun builds on this thread, but there’s a place called a super market that sells animals killed by someone else and already cut up for you. You should sell your guns to a person that will enjoy them for what they are.
 
Good eating, an old squirrel might need to be cooked up as dumplings rather than just battered 'n fried. I got a young fox squirrel that Mom fried up, and it was nice 'n tender.
 
I like to consider myself somewhat of a free range squirrel rancher, I run a deer feeder year round and all during hunting season the little fellas get nice and plump on corn.
Then come small game season I thin out the herd with a .17 HMR.
 
That kind of stuff is fun. But I feel like a heretic if I use anything but an iron sighted 22 and head shots. One must hone their skills somehow.
 
tkroenlein said:
That kind of stuff is fun. But I feel like a heretic if I use anything but an iron sighted 22 and head shots. One must hone their skills somehow.
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Yea, but my old eyes don't see good enough for iron sights these days. That's one of the BIG problems I have with the 1876 I built up is the iron sights so it's hard for me to tell just how accurate the old rifle really is. BUT - I can have fun shooting even if I have to use large targets :)
 
What a great project, preserving some irreplaceable history. Your patience and workmanship show, very nice job.
Your discussion of making black powder brings back memories as a teenager making my home black power brew using salt peter, sulphur and charcoal. Blew up a lot of stuff with that mixture! How the hell did I live to be an adult?
 
Very Nice. Do you know the production date?
I redid a very rusty 94 a few years ago, .30-30 cal.
I'ts now my favorite rifle in my collection, love to shoot it.
Always looking for the next one.......
Well done, sir.
 
Thank you for the nice words. I did enjoy the project and now have had a chance to shoot it some, both with black powder and smokeless. Even shooting some homemade black powder. While it's not a "tack driver", it does seem to hold a decent 2" or so at 50 yds.

The 1876 Rifle I have is serial number 408xx which puts year of manuf in 1883 per website; https://gun-data.com/winchester_model_1876.html.

A guy did some research for me, and found “Your rifle was shipped in October of 1884 as a standard 28" octagon full mag in .40-60 caliber. There were at least a dozen guns all exactly alike in the same caliber shipped the same day to the same order number.” Sometime in the 140 years since the barrel was shorten to 22". Perhaps to make it a better saddle rifle?
 
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