Winchester 1895 Carbine Project almost done

[Arroyoshark]

I was starting to work on bringing this neat piece back to life before I signed up on this forum, nearly 3 years ago. When I started, all I had was a barreled receiver with a fore stock. I gleaned most of the parts to complete the action off the internet and I inletted and finished a reproduction butt stock, which was glass bedded to compensate for a couple inletting oopses. I must apologize for not having in-progress photos, but I worked on this sporadically and it did not occur to me to document the process. I am still trying to find a steel crescent buttplate.

It is a Saddlering Carbine, chambered in .30 Army (.30-40 Krag). Production of 1895's ceased around 1938, and this one was made in 1926. I don't know anything of its early life, but in the southwest, I'm told, the 1895 carbine was in use by the Border Patrol, the Arizona Rangers and TX Rangers. The 1895 was a favorite of Teddy Roosevelt, who got them issued to his troops of "rough riders" during the Spanish-American War, and he used it with success on some African hunts. The Colorado record elk was killed in 1899, around Gunnison-Crested Butte area, with a .30-40 Krag, so the cartridge was capable. That record stood for nearly 70 years. Gun writer, Elmer Keith, was not fond of the 1895, likened it to a "poisoned pup dog". The 1895 has been an object of interest for me since my college days, some 46 years ago, and I will disagree with Elmer's assessment.

I have 100 pieces of brass, and I have prepared some test rounds for when I can get this out to the range.

I thought perhaps readers would enjoy this neat glimpse into the past, brought forward.

[Archer]

Cool,
Congrats on finding the parts!
That's probably a royal PITA.

Mine is one of the Jap reissues in .30-06.
The action is NOT typically Winchester smooth like most of the Browning lever designs but it is fun none the less.

The African version Roosevelt was said to have enjoyed was in .405 Winchester and they reissued some from Japan in that caliber as well. I sort of wish I'd picked up one of those as well.

[akuser47]

That is beautiful

[Missionary]

Good morning
That is one fine looking "as new" carbine. Well done !
The 30-40 is one of those cast bullet friendly cartridges. Never designed for what we call high pressure it handles heavy cast bullets with no trouble. That long neck gives a lead bullet excellent support chambering and moving through the magazine.
Have several 1895's in 30-40. I am very partial to the 220 grainers. I would not hesitate to pop most any critter with one of those. With WW they will chug through a lot of critter. Cast of 50-50 (WW-range lead) they will blossom out to caliber .70 and larger.
Mike in Peru

[Ranch Dog]

That is a very nice looking rifle, you have done a great job!

[Hombre]

Nice, I always enjoy a rebuild of a classic rifle in a historic cartridge. Seems like critters back then didn't realize they only had to die if hit by the latest super zoomy hyper mag.

[Arroyoshark]

Good morning
That is one fine looking "as new" carbine. Well done !
The 30-40 is one of those cast bullet friendly cartridges. Never designed for what we call high pressure it handles heavy cast bullets with no trouble. That long neck gives a lead bullet excellent support chambering and moving through the magazine.
Have several 1895's in 30-40. I am very partial to the 220 grainers. I would not hesitate to pop most any critter with one of those. With WW they will chug through a lot of critter. Cast of 50-50 (WW-range lead) they will blossom out to caliber .70 and larger.
Mike in Peru

Thanks, that's good info. I have a box of 500 190 gr. Commercial Cast spire points from some long ago trade. I will work up some loads with those then. They are probably harder than your hunting bullets.

[Missionary]

Greetings Arroyoshark
The 190's will be fine as long as they are fat enough. Hard bullets will not obturate at ignition to fill any groove diameter. If your bore measures .310 at the throat area I would plan on .312. Have on 30-40 that measures a whopping .315 at the throat. That one was a challenge until I lapped out a Lee mold to .317.
If they are not at least groove diameter that little piston will not seal the gas behind the bullet and all sorts of undesired things happen.
Mike in Peru

[Arroyoshark]

Thanks again, missionary. I need to locate my calipers to measure the cast boolitz that I have. I shoot a '70's Marlin 1894 in .44 mag. It has the microgroove rifling, which gives cast boolit re-loaders fits, me included. I recently tried poly coated cast boolitz sized to .431, and have had surprisingly good results with that combo. I don't cast my own boolitz, so I have to seek out casters that will size to .431 and .432. It may take some similar trickery with the 1895, but I haven't tried it out yet.

I located a steel crescent buttplate yesterday on line. Spendy little bugger.

[Missionary]

Good morning
Origonal parts are costly. You want to especially treat the curved spring steel "feed lips" tenderly. I have read they will break if they are roughly pried on to clear a jam. I have been at these 1895's 15 years and have not had any jams. Just pay attention to COL and they seem to function fine.
Mike in Peru