ASSRA Forum - Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger

ASSRA Forum › General › Collecting Single Shot Rifles › Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger

(Moderator Group: Moderator)

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

Page Index Toggle

Pages: [1]

Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies)

Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger (Read 13442 times)

Reverend Al Oldtimer Offline Posts: 568 Location: Victoria BC Canada Joined: Jun 25^th, 2016	Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Nov 16^th, 2019 at 3:41am	Print Post
	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. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

	I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
	IP Logged

jimmy Senior Forum Member Offline Now available in Oklahoma. Posts: 299 Location: Skiatook Joined: May 12^th, 2009	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #1 - Nov 16^th, 2019 at 6:12am	Print Post
	Outstanding. I myself recently bought one.


	IP Logged

marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16272 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #2 - Nov 16^th, 2019 at 8:52am	Print Post
	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.

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)
	IP Logged

Joe Do... Oldtimer ASSRA Board Member ASSRA Journal Editor Offline Posts: 594 Location: 'burbs of Chicago Joined: May 19^th, 2012	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #3 - Nov 16^th, 2019 at 9:37am	Print Post
	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.


	IP Logged

calledflyer Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 3585 Joined: Mar 9^th, 2015	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #4 - Nov 16^th, 2019 at 12:53pm	Print Post
	oil the trigger, clean the barrel and go shoot. let us hear how that beauty does!


	IP Logged

Reverend Al Oldtimer Offline Posts: 568 Location: Victoria BC Canada Joined: Jun 25^th, 2016	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #5 - Nov 16^th, 2019 at 2:04pm	Print Post
	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.

	I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
	IP Logged

CptCurl Full Member Offline Posts: 191 Location: Botetourt County, Virginia Joined: Jan 23^rd, 2017	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #6 - Nov 16^th, 2019 at 4:31pm	Print Post
	That's a nice find! Let us hear how it shoots. Curl


	IP Logged

Reverend Al Oldtimer Offline Posts: 568 Location: Victoria BC Canada Joined: Jun 25^th, 2016	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #7 - Nov 16^th, 2019 at 8:56pm	Print Post
	Depending on our local weather I'm hoping to get it out and test fire it one day next week!

	I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
	IP Logged

GT Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2047 Location: Northeast Wyoming Joined: Jun 28^th, 2015	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #8 - Nov 16^th, 2019 at 11:48pm	Print Post
	"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.

	"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk" T. A. Edison "The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right" M.T.
	IP Logged

DWT1885 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 401 Location: New Jersey Joined: Nov 25^th, 2010	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #9 - Nov 17^th, 2019 at 10:41am	Print Post
	Great rifle. I have a similar one. You're gonna like it. Dale.

	35th Security Police Squadron, Phan Rang AB, RVN, May 70-71. All gave some, some gave all.
	IP Logged

Green_Frog Frequent Elocutionist Offline "It ain't easy being green" ASSRA Life #281 Posts: 4063 Location: Lynchburg, VA Joined: Apr 18^th, 2004	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #10 - Nov 17^th, 2019 at 8:39pm	Print Post
	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.” What a way to get going with a high wall! Froggie


	IP Logged

Reverend Al Oldtimer Offline Posts: 568 Location: Victoria BC Canada Joined: Jun 25^th, 2016	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #11 - Nov 21^st, 2019 at 10:13pm	Print Post
	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?

	I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
	IP Logged

GT Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2047 Location: Northeast Wyoming Joined: Jun 28^th, 2015	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #12 - Nov 22^nd, 2019 at 12:53am	Print Post
	I see the pattern clearly! It's well defined 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... give us updates

	"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk" T. A. Edison "The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right" M.T.
	IP Logged

Reverend Al Oldtimer Offline Posts: 568 Location: Victoria BC Canada Joined: Jun 25^th, 2016	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #13 - Nov 22^nd, 2019 at 7:56pm	Print Post
	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. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

	I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
	IP Logged

jimmy Senior Forum Member Offline Now available in Oklahoma. Posts: 299 Location: Skiatook Joined: May 12^th, 2009	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #14 - Nov 25^th, 2019 at 7:26am	Print Post
	Looks good. Got mine out for the first time Saturday. No pics but almost the same load. 13.5 grains of 2400.


	IP Logged

Reverend Al Oldtimer Offline Posts: 568 Location: Victoria BC Canada Joined: Jun 25^th, 2016	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #15 - Nov 25^th, 2019 at 1:59pm	Print Post
	I'm going to go digging in my reloading shop today to see if I can find that Marbles tang sight with the Merit adjustable iris I'm sure is buried down there. Then I'll need to find a suitable front sight to go with it. There should be something suitable in one of those buried down in the shop too ... Hoping to get out and shoot this rifle again in the first week of December if the weather holds. Might take my Labradar chronograph along with me if we go up to shoot at the club and then I can check some velocities on a couple of rifles.

	I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
	IP Logged

CptCurl Full Member Offline Posts: 191 Location: Botetourt County, Virginia Joined: Jan 23^rd, 2017	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #16 - Dec 16^th, 2019 at 6:07am	Print Post
	Hey Rev, I'm standing by for an update. I just gathered up a nice High Wall in .32-40 and will be quite interested to hear how your load development works out. Curl


	IP Logged

Reverend Al Oldtimer Offline Posts: 568 Location: Victoria BC Canada Joined: Jun 25^th, 2016	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #17 - Dec 16^th, 2019 at 2:16pm	Print Post
	I'd love to tell you that I've got the High Wall out to shoot some more, but no luck. Just WAY too busy lately with other things to get any shooting done. We're dealing with a best friend who is in the final stages of terminal cancer. We're trying to stay somewhat upbeat about spending the holidays with our family members, but it will be tough this year. I won't get any more range time until sometime in the New Year ...

	I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
	IP Logged

Green_Frog Frequent Elocutionist Offline "It ain't easy being green" ASSRA Life #281 Posts: 4063 Location: Lynchburg, VA Joined: Apr 18^th, 2004	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #18 - Dec 23^rd, 2019 at 1:41pm	Print Post
	Back to this thread after a long layoff. My best fixed ammo results came using the old 200 grain Ideal 31952 in front of 13.6 gr of 4759. Even with the salt and pepper bore, I still get respectable results out to 100 yds and even 200 yds on a really good day. I’m seventy years old now, so even though 4759 is discontinued (apparently for good this time) so I’ve accumulated what I expect to be a lifetime supply so I can keep playing with this load as long as I keep shooting. Froggie


	IP Logged

Reverend Al Oldtimer Offline Posts: 568 Location: Victoria BC Canada Joined: Jun 25^th, 2016	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #19 - Dec 23^rd, 2019 at 2:57pm	Print Post
	Yes, I have a bit of hoarded SR4759 too, but haven't tried it yet. No range time lately. Still dealing with our terminal friend's affairs and helping to sell off some of his effects. We hope to get out to the range at some point in the New Year when things settle down a bit. (There are several of us old retired "curmudgeons" that try to get up to our local range together a couple of times a month.) I'm 67 in February and I'm sure that I have more components than I can shoot in my remaining lifetime too!

	I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
	IP Logged

Old-Win Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1692 Location: Minnesota Joined: Nov 24^th, 2005	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #20 - Dec 23^rd, 2019 at 4:48pm	Print Post
	You two are just a couple of "young pups." I'm going to hit the 3/4 century mark in April but as one of my shooting buddies says, "keep on having fun."


	IP Logged

CptCurl Full Member Offline Posts: 191 Location: Botetourt County, Virginia Joined: Jan 23^rd, 2017	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #21 - Dec 24^th, 2019 at 7:44am	Print Post
	Hey, gray hair is a badge of honor in this hobby. I will be 66 in three weeks. Still going strong! Curl


	IP Logged

Green_Frog Frequent Elocutionist Offline "It ain't easy being green" ASSRA Life #281 Posts: 4063 Location: Lynchburg, VA Joined: Apr 18^th, 2004	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #22 - Jan 22^nd, 2020 at 8:47pm	Print Post
	A gathering of “average” ASSRA members looks like a town hall meeting in Punta Gorda, FL! Froggie


	IP Logged

marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16272 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #23 - Jan 23^rd, 2020 at 11:08am	Print Post
	I'd say 99% of enthusiasts with interest in old single shots are collecting their social security!

	(You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)
	IP Logged

rkba2nd Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1945 Location: earth Joined: Feb 16^th, 2009	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #24 - Jan 23^rd, 2020 at 1:36pm	Print Post
	Yep, I will agree with Marlin guy, will turn 76 next month, and can't say still going strong ( a relative thing ), but still going, a good thing. Krag

	rkba2nd
	IP Logged

Reverend Al Oldtimer Offline Posts: 568 Location: Victoria BC Canada Joined: Jun 25^th, 2016	Re: Winchester 1885 HW .32-40 w/ single set trigger Reply #25 - Jan 23^rd, 2020 at 2:08pm	Print Post
	Have to agree too. I'm only 67 next month, but with a fair number of health issues to deal with I'm just happy to still wake up and be vertical every day!

	I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't quite reached my "Expiry" date yet ...
	IP Logged

Page Index Toggle

Pages: [1]

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

« Board Index ‹ Board Top

Top

ASSRA Forum » Powered by YaBB 2.6.12!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2024. All Rights Reserved.

Valid XHTML

Valid CSS

Powered by Perl

Source Forge

Page completed in 0.7658 seconds.