It's a 16" saddle ring trapper, and it cost me just a little more than a new Henry would have, but is just cooler to me.
I opened it up and the inside is completely spotless of any wear marks, even the top of the hammer black as the rest of it. Not anymore though.
The action was very stiff and almost sticky. I put a couple rounds in the mag and it cycled but just not smooth. I put 5 rds. in it and first round cycled, but when I went to eject, it ejected but 2 rds. slipped out of the mag and under the lever. My first thought was this is going to be a jam-o-matic like the new Rossi R95 357 I bought back in Jan. That is still back at the mother ship.
I pulled the mag tube cap, dumped it and those other 2 rds. Being that the Winchesters guts fall out the bottom it did make it easy to fiddle around and get them back into the mag tube and out of the rifle.
Put it all back together, and sprayed some clp all in the action and worked it for 5 to 10 mins. Blew most of that off and wiped it down. Put some rounds in it and after cycling a few through it, it runs fine now.
I put 20 rds through it, 10 158gr xtp's and 10 of the 180gr pugnose. All ran perfectly without a hiccup, shot it at 25 yds, then from the patio, so 45ish, and only miss the 10" once on a hurried second shot.
Then put up a couple plates and from about 35 yds slung 5 each at those.
The left was the 180gr and the xtp's on the right. It's a late 80's production so not one of the true collectibles which is fine by me. I'm a shooter much more than a collector.
And one with an early AE 30-30 Ranger for the barrel comparison.
And there will be some rounds going through this over the weekend.
Hope all have a safe 4th.
RP
