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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger (Read 13445 times)
Reverend Al
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Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Nov 16th, 2019 at 3:41am
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So, when you already have a LOT of other rifles that need your attention, and that you need to work up loads for, what do you do?  Why, buy ANOTHER rifle of course!

What can I say?  I'm a sucker for High Walls and Low Walls and I just couldn't resist this old girl (circa 1893 by the serial number).  A very nice Winchester High Wall in .32-40 WCF w/ a 28" #3 contour barrel and a single set trigger.  The bore is very good and the wood and metalwork are very good for a rifle of this age.  I love shooting the .32-40 cartridge so this is bound to become another favorite range rifle of mine.

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I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
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jimmy
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #1 - Nov 16th, 2019 at 6:12am
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Outstanding. I myself recently bought one.
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #2 - Nov 16th, 2019 at 8:52am
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Hard to pass up an unmolested 1885 like that. Most have some sort of problem or signs of people messing with them. That one appears to have been well cared for.
  
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Joe Do...
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #3 - Nov 16th, 2019 at 9:37am
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Nicely done Reverend Al ... like Val said, it’s hard to find a good “survivor”. Rifles without modifications and extra holes in the barrel are rare.
  
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calledflyer
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #4 - Nov 16th, 2019 at 12:53pm
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oil the trigger, clean the barrel and go shoot. let us hear how that beauty does!
  
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Reverend Al
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #5 - Nov 16th, 2019 at 2:04pm
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At a recent local gun show I was sorely tempted by a very similar High Wall in .45-70.  Overall it was in pretty good shape with a decent bore, but the barrel had been cut about 2 inches and re-crowned.  I agonized over it a bit, but in the end I passed on it due to the cut barrel.  I'm glad that I waited another month or so and bought this .32-40 instead ...

I'll have to go digging in my shop, but somewhere I have a Marbles tang sight with a Merit adjustable aperture disc that would be a nice addition to this old girl.


  
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CptCurl
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #6 - Nov 16th, 2019 at 4:31pm
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That's a nice find!  Let us hear how it shoots.

Curl
  
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Reverend Al
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #7 - Nov 16th, 2019 at 8:56pm
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Depending on our local weather I'm hoping to get it out and test fire it one day next week!
  
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #8 - Nov 16th, 2019 at 11:48pm
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"So, when you already have a LOT of other rifles that need your attention, and that you need to work up loads for, what do you do?  Why, buy ANOTHER rifle of course!"

Reverend - those words are music to my ears - the fact that there are others with similar conditions... NICE ONE!   Hope the weather holds.  Smiley

  
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #9 - Nov 17th, 2019 at 10:41am
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Great rifle. I have a similar one. You're gonna like it.  Dale.
  
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #10 - Nov 17th, 2019 at 8:39pm
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In 1998 I bought a barreled action, #3 octagon barrel 32-40 high wall.  It was all but complete except for the wood and sights, so I scrambled around and found first a butt stock then the fore end, both of which matched as though they came off the same tree.  I added a good Lyman tang sight with windage and a globe front and I was in business.  The bore is sort of salt and peppered and the exterior finish is “patina-ed” but when I got it all together John Campbell said it looked totally righteous original except the globe sight was “too new looking.”  Cool

What a way to get going with a high wall!  Wink

Froggie
  
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Reverend Al
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #11 - Nov 21st, 2019 at 10:13pm
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I finally loaded 56 rounds of .32-40 ammo today with some 170 grain plain base cast bullets and will test fire the High Wall tomorrow, along with an 1895 Winchester in .35 WCF that I've had for years and haven't shot yet, plus an 1892 SRC in .25-20 WCF that has never been shot yet either.

Are you sensing a pattern here?

Wink
  
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #12 - Nov 22nd, 2019 at 12:53am
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I see the pattern clearly!  Grin  It's well defined Grin
At least yours are rifles you bought that have been neglected and not something that was a passion for about 100 hours and then set aside and forgotten... Smiley

give us updates
  
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Reverend Al
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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #13 - Nov 22nd, 2019 at 7:56pm
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Range tested the .32-40 High Wall today.  Used my standard low velocity / low pressure Ballard load of 12.5 grains of 2400 with a 170 plain base cast bullet.  Fairly good result for a first outing (and only 50 yards so far), but will need to try some other powders to compare.  As I shot it and then scrubbed the barrel and shot it again it was improving, so likely will need some more deep cleaning to get the barrel up to snuff.  The flyers were likely just me shooting the coarse open sights.  I'll have to dig a bit in my shop ... I'm fairly sure that I have an old Marbles tang sight with a Merit adjustable iris down there somewhere and that will help.

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Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger
Reply #14 - Nov 25th, 2019 at 7:26am
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Looks good. Got mine out for the first time Saturday. No pics but almost the same load. 13.5 grains of 2400.
  
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