Cas City Forum Hall & CAS-L
Special Interests - Groups & Societies => The Winchester Model 1873 => Topic started by: dusty texian on January 11, 2019, 06:38:53 AM
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Yesterday afternoon was spent plinking with a 1873 Winchester Carbine that I restored a few yrs ago. The old carbine is a circa 1890's vintage and has seen lots of use , even though the bore is in pitted condition it still seems to digest and shoot almost any load fed it . Yesterday the load was a Meister 200 gr. bullet .429 , Starline brass , 15 gr. # 2400 powder , CCI primer . The little carbine has the early carbine sight that lifts up with the hart shaped hole in it and the normal front sight of a carbine . The front sight is steel and black so I rubbed a copper penny on just the top tip until it left a copper shine that can be seen better by my 59 yr. old eyes. All that said the afternoon was really enjoyed , the carbine is a pleasure to shoot and feather light in hand . Not a wonder after hunting season is over and the bigger rifles are used less the 1873 Carbine 44wcf get the nod for trips into the pasture .,,,DT
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I to enjoy my 44 wcf . carbine , didn't know about the penny trick ,, will give it a try. I'm looking at 73's w/ 24" barrels in 44-40 of course,, but will have to sell my carbine to get one. Thank's for the penny tip.
smoke'm if ya' got'm ,, Hootmix.
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I to enjoy my 44 wcf . carbine , didn't know about the penny trick ,, will give it a try. I'm looking at 73's w/ 24" barrels in 44-40 of course,, but will have to sell my carbine to get one. Thank's for the penny tip.
smoke'm if ya' got'm ,, Hootmix.
The copper on the front sight helps me Slamfire , hope it works for you ,,,DT
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Nice to hear that someone else abuses their heirlooms too! Last shootin' jaunt with friends I threw a couple of "full magazine from-the-hip" dealios for every ones amusement. Old guys in overalls re-enacting Custer's Last Stand.. You are right about feeding them anything tho. Old Cochise (1st Model that granddad got from the indian village near my childhood home) will gobble up nearly anything I lshove down the tube.
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You aint alone Scrubby , I shoot all my old guns , unless they are unfit and those are getting put back into shape so they can be shot . Bet that full mag from the hip was a hoot . ,,,DT
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I've got a pristine 1873 short rifle in 38WCF that is a joy to shoot. I use it regularly in our CAS matches with BP ammo. As you say - slick as butter and digests everything.
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BP Burn the 38-40 is one of my favorites , I see an afternoon shooting a couple of them next .,,,DT
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Dusty,
Yep, I've got two original '73 rifles in 38-40. The 2nd is a beater, but still runs like a Swiss watch. Great old guns!
I just bought (today) a new Winchester/Miroku '73 in 44-40. I'm really curious to see how it shoots and holds up in the long run - guess I'll have to come back and check with my great grandkids on that, though! So far, it's a nice looking and feeling rifle. Although the springs are heavy, it is much smoother than the Italian clones.
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Dusty,
Yep, I've got two original '73 rifles in 38-40. The 2nd is a beater, but still runs like a Swiss watch. Great old guns!
I just bought (today) a new Winchester/Miroku '73 in 44-40. I'm really curious to see how it shoots and holds up in the long run - guess I'll have to come back and check with my great grandkids on that, though! So far, it's a nice looking and feeling rifle. Although the springs are heavy, it is much smoother than the Italian clones.
That rifles may be broke in when the Grandkids get it , Miroku makes great guns. Hope to hear a good report on it . ,,,DT
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You and me both! I'm going to make smoke with it tomorrow at our CAS match. Should be a hoot! ;D
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More plinking with the 44 carbine today , today's load was one I have used in a few of my 73's . 200 gr. cast lead bullet , 8 GR. Unique and a CCI primer , Starline case with a good crimp . This load like most loads Smokeless and Bp. shoot great in the little carbine . Walking around in the pasture shooting , Life is Good . ,,,DT
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Thanks, Dusty. I love hearing stories like this. On days when I can't get out and shoot, it's like a mini vacation to read about what others are doing. It makes me smile...
CC Griff
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CCG , I feel the same way , its why I frequent CASCITY so often , its good to be around likeminded people . Hope you can get out and do some shooting . This time of yr. is our pleasant weather for woods walking . The Summer months are about seven months long down here and downright Hot !!! ,,,,DT
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A yr. ago today while checking feeder's I found this sow feeding on corn . Sneaking up to within about 60 yd's , I shot her just under the ear butt with the 44wcf 200 gr. lead bullet 8gr. of Unique , the bullet snapped her spine and did not pass through , she dropped on the spot . The little 1873 carbine has become one of my favorite knock around the pasture gun's . The sow was very good eating , just the right size .,,,DT
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WHAAA?? No Black Powder? I didn't know they had smokeless powder down there in Texas yet. Technology must be catching up down there, huh? ;) Great shootn there, Tex! Save one for me! ;D
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Great shoot'n!!!
:) :) :)
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I to enjoy my 44 wcf . carbine , didn't know about the penny trick ,, will give it a try. I'm looking at 73's w/ 24" barrels in 44-40 of course,, but will have to sell my carbine to get one. Thank's for the penny tip.
smoke'm if ya' got'm ,, Hootmix.
What ya got for a carbine? might be able to do a trade.
wM1
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WHAAA?? No Black Powder? I didn't know they had smokeless powder down there in Texas yet. Technology must be catching up down there, huh? ;) Great shootn there, Tex! Save one for me! ;D
Ha ! Unique powder I'm a little ashamed of using it but not enough to stop LOL. Like the smell of it and the biggest deal is when I shoot a hog or coyote in the evening with it and have to clean the pig that late , I don't have to clean the rifle also . Getting lazy as I get older . Don't think we will run out of pig's before you make it down here Amigo . ,,,DT
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Great shoot'n!!!
:) :) :) Thank's Bryan .,,,DT
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Weather has finally turned cold , spot of white paint on front sight , a pocket full of 44 reload's , piggy's at the feeder every day . I smell a BBQ in the air . ,,,DT
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It looks like you're going buffalo hunting! ;D
CC Griff
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Mine has a buckhorn on the rear, a replacement I think, from previous owner. Had a brass bead soldered to the front sight so I can see the damn thing. Only ever used it for CAS.
(Paint on the sights is cheating, innit?) ;)
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It looks like you're going buffalo hunting! ;D
CC Griff Wish I was ! ,,,DT
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Mine has a buckhorn on the rear, a replacement I think, from previous owner. Had a brass bead soldered to the front sight so I can see the damn thing. Only ever used it for CAS.
(Paint on the sights is cheating, innit?) ;)
When it comes to piggy's anything go's ! No mercy for them . TP&W even dropped the hunting license requirement if you are hunting pig's on private land with the owners permission .Some counties have a Bounty on them . They aint well liked around here ! ,,,DT
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Wish I was ! ,,,DT
It's a tiny little buffalo, though...
CC Griff
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Well I'm not hunting buffalo , but I am hunting wild hog's with the little 73 carbine 44 wcf . Bring's to mind how many times I have been ask if a certain cartridge is capable of taking a wild hog . My answer usually is how well can you shoot it . Most think that power in the range of 45/70 is required . Not so . The power level of the 44wcf is plenty if you can shoot it . I have taken several with the 44wcf and a whole lot more with the .22LR . It's all in the shot placement . I find the load mentioned earlier of 200 gr. lead and 8 gr. Unique in the little carbine an all around good choice ample enough for bigger animals and still not overly excessive for varmint size critters . I know I'm singing an old tune but it's still true . The 44wcf is a great cartridge now as much as ever .,,,DT
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Sorry that I keep bringing up the buffalo hunt. Typically people don't think that my jokes are very funny (most likely) or I'm just being a little too vague (occasionally). It's just that there's a little buffalo in your sights in that photo. I'm sure that the venerable 44 WCF would be more than adequate for such a little buffalo at that close range, but the robe would be kind of small...
OK, enough of my silly jokes. Living in Western Washington, I've never even seen a wild hog, but I think that they'd be fun to hunt. On the other hand, I'm glad that we don't have to deal with them in this neck of the woods. Seeing your gun and hunting pictures gives me the opportunity to enjoy then vicariously. Keep it up!
CC Griff
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We are probably just to far apart for you to hear me laughing , actually I did that for effect , and to show off my favorite vintage lamp . You are lucky that you don't have wild hog's yet ! Get ready they will come . My place on the border West Tx. dessert has them now . In the old day's the first settlers of that arid country had a hard time keeping hog's alive . Now we cant kill them off . After they reach maturity and some can get rather large , not much can harm them besides hunter's / trapper's .
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Maybe I'll have to rethink toting that big 76 down there. I got 3 44-40's, a 66, 73, and a 92. Plus a few 94's, none of which are nearly as heavy as the 76, or even the 86.
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All the ones you mention would work fine King . Sometimes I use the bigger gun's just for the fun of it . May just blast one with my 50-95 soon . ,,DT