Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

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KirkD
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Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by KirkD »

I couldn't stand wondering any longer, so I just stepped out into the backyard for a few minutes to see how this old Winchester Model 1892 44-40 carbine works (see earlier thread for photo of the old-timer). Set up a target at 25 yards, slipped five rounds into the magazine, leaned against a tree and cycled all five round through. The five-shot group at 25 yards was 1/4" by 3/4" but most of the spread would be my fault, especially the vertical spread. That front sight was waving around like a tree top in gale force winds, and my 65 year-old eyes are a pretty sloppy when it comes to getting a consistent vertical sight picture in these wide v-notch carbine sights against a black target with no clear bullseye, so the vertical spread can probably be cut down to the same as the horizontal spread, and the horizontal spread would be smaller than 1/4" if I had rested the carbine on something rather than just leaning against a tree. Anyway, the objective was to see if the 106 year-old 44-40 carbine could throw bullets reasonably close to each other, and if the cartridges loaded, and fed without a hitch. Pleased to say all is well. Now to try this out at 100 yards at the range next week. I'll have to adjust the windage a bit before I hose down the 100 yard target.
44-40 target.jpg
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Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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GunnyMack
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by GunnyMack »

I'd say it's a keeper!! Great find from the great white north!!
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by wm »

That's a weird looking keyhole.

:lol:

Very cool!

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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by gamekeeper »

That shows promise 8)
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by Blaine »

Looking good, Kirk....
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.45colt
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by .45colt »

Geeee!! with a group like that I would be asking for a refund..................................... 8) :mrgreen: .
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Pitchy
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by Pitchy »

Cool beans Kirk, wish my eyes were good enough to do that. 8) :)
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by KirkD »

When I saw the photos of the old carbine, it looked so "rode hard and hung up wet" that I was hoping it would give me a 4" group at 10 yards to use inside the house during a home invasion. However, this gun has been a real good surprise to me.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
rossim92
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by rossim92 »

congratulations, I love my miroku winchester 1873 in 44-40 cycles and shoots like a ***dream. :D
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by 1894c »

KirkD -- that is more than amazing... what a great find... :)
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by Nath »

Haha, I knew it, in fact I was surprised! Surprised you had not already had a pop in the back yard.
See I know your soft spot for 44/40 Kirk 8)
Good man.

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Grizz
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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by Grizz »

that's good shooting! you seem to be a magnet for high quality old time shooting iron. I never see anything like that around here.

My guess is that was a trapper's rifle... innards cared for and outside weathered, just like people. Perhaps he was a salt water trapper, running traps along the shoreline and skiffing from set to set.

a gun that shoots like that doesn't get shot out because it's the working gun. Maybe 20 shots a year to harvest the year's meat supply? My meat guns were like that

or I could have an overactive imagination I suppose.

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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by twobit »

Very nice shooting Kirk. Bring the rifle down here t oTexas and it will Kill hogs all day long with that sort of group. Hit them right behind the ear and about an inch low and they tend to go FLOP!

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Re: Tried out my new 106 year-old 44-40 SRC (photo)

Post by KirkD »

Nath: you are right about my soft spot for the 44-40! There is something nostalgic about it. It put the meat on the table for an awful lot of homesteads during the late 1800's and early 1900's.

Grizz: I think you probably have the best explanation for the external "rode hard and put up wet" look, but an immaculate bore and inner action. Mere hunting only sees the outdoors for a week or so. A trapper's rifle sees action for at least 5 or 6 months of the year.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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