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January 20, 2023
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This is a rifle I’ve talked about several times in the last couple of years but never properly photographed. I had it out this evening and decided to show what I think is a restoration on which most could agree.
This was not an attempt to make the rifle historically correct — as you can see, the buttplate, lever, and nose cap are not case colored, the tang sight is Lyman’s then (circa 1999) current reproduction, and the front sight is a modern Marble’s.
The reason I bothered to have this work done was (1) the gun had been badly abused by more than one owner, although the bore was pristine and the gun perfectly functional; (2) I bought it for $399 USD; (3) first trial at the range it shot 50 yard cloverleaves with 86 grain Remington factory ammunition.
As bought, the steel had been over-buffed and rounded, although bozo did leave the rollmarks and serial alone. Screw heads were flattened. Garish blue job. Left receiver wall had been drilled and tapped for a side scope mount. The wood had been hopelessly sanded down.
I turned it over to Scott May, the talented gunsmith and custom stockmaker who has since gone on to manage Beretta’s custom shop in Dallas. Scott ordered new Walnut and screws, stoned the steel back to contours, welded up the extra holes – had a hell of a time find welding rod that wouldn’t be a sore thumb — rust blued the barrel and the receiver, fitted and finished the furniture in oil.
This was more than 25 years ago. The tab was $700. So $1,100 all in, in 2000 Dollars. Could I have bought an original small bore 1992 with a pristine barrel for that money back then? I don’t know. I don’t think so because Cowboy Action competition was hot. But I had no intention to spend $700 more until I saw how accurate the little rifle was.
In any event, the gun was so far from any sort of original condition, it needed to be either parted out or given back some portion of its dignity.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
January 8, 2025
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That appears to be a brand new 1929 92 to someone like me.
May 14, 2025
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MidwestCrisis said
That appears to be a brand new 1929 92 to someone like me.
Yeah to me too! It looks amazing and would love to see the before pics if any exist. If you are feeling guilty for owning a restoration and need to get rid of it to cleanse your soul, I will be happy to give you back your original $399 😉 Kidding of course. Great job Zeb and thanks for sharing!
April 30, 2023
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He did a pretty damn nice job I think…I like the restoration choice in this instance.
January 20, 2023
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Scott was and is an excellent and meticulous craftsman. Decades ago, when he was the in-house gunsmith for old Nix and making custom stocks on the side, there was a restocked and rebarreled Winchester Highwall in a glass counter, one a customer ordered and failed to pick up and pay for. It was chambered for 280 Ackley Improved and was stocked in exhibition grade French Walnut with lots of 24 LPI checkering in a point pattern. The steel was rust blued or salts blued to match (a feat largely achieved in the polishing), and the barrel was 28″ half-octagon. There was a quarter rib for a scope.
Scott was asking $4700 and that included a set of custom dies. Now, that money was the 2026 equivalent of at least six or seven grand and was well over my pay grade then (and now.)
But it showed me what he could do when he was let. I would put his work up against Dale Goens, Earl Milliron, or Al Biesen for grace and execution.
I’ve always felt I got a small piece of Scott’s work at a bargain price.
Did I mention how long it took to get this 92 back from him? Seventeen months.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
January 20, 2023
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Buck1967 said
MidwestCrisis said
That appears to be a brand new 1929 92 to someone like me.
Yeah to me too! It looks amazing and would love to see the before pics if any exist. If you are feeling guilty for owning a restoration and need to get rid of it to cleanse your soul, I will be happy to give you back your original $399 😉 Kidding of course. Great job Zeb and thanks for sharing!
Buck, I was still in harness then and enamored of Kimber of Oregon and Sturm Ruger rifles, having been soured on Winchester products since 1964. My re-awakeming came later when I rescued a nice 1950 Model 70 Supergrade 30 Govt ’06 from a local consignment rack.
I wish I had taken “before” photos of this 92 as well. My Dad was still alive and we had it in his workshop, installing a tall brass blade he’d made I could file down as needed to zero the gun with the Lyman tang. Whoever had installed the Lyman never changed the front sight to match. I’d give a lot to have a photo of Dad with the rifle clamped in his big Wilton machinist’s vice (between softwood blocks.)
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
January 20, 2023
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The thing that is a jarring note about the Walnut is it is flatsawn sapwood and at least one cathedral of grain shows. Of course, Winchester never wasted anything but my impression is their 19th Century wood was riftsawn heartwood, when they could get it. [CHUCK, if you see this, please comment.]
Of course, this gun’s d.o.m. [per Bert] was 1929 when the kitchen sink was likely being used for material, so maybe a sapwood stock is semi-authentic?
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
December 9, 2002
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BILL,
I can certainly understand what you chose to do here. Not being a true piece you would collect, but instead, a very nice and accurate shooter, that you brought justice to.
I applaud you for you’re evaluation and how you handled it! This is a good example of bringing something back from being a poor example, and not spending a fortune to try to make it something that it wasn’t! 
Tony
January 20, 2023
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Tony,
You are gracious.
As you know, in Texas we have large — almost unhealthy — populations of the Rio Grande turkey subspecies, from Westward of a North-to-South line drawn through Fort Worth to Austin to San Antonio and Laredo. Meleagris Gallopavo Intermedia is slightly smaller and reputedly more gullible than its Silvestris Eastern Gobbler cousin, although they have wised up considerably after Texas introduced a Gobblers Only Spring Season in 1989.
I mention this because Texas permits hunting the Rio with a centerfire rifle and the 25 and 32 Winchester cartridges are really ideal for that purpose. While I know the 22 Hornet is supposed to be the ultimate wild turkey round, I have considerable experience with it on turkeys and it needs to be handloaded down to no more than 2000 foot seconds, preferably less, if body shots are taken.
Among my peers on a couple of leases in West Texas, sniping clueless turkeys with headshots at 100 yards with a scoped high velocity rifle is considered the moral equivalent of shooting your own bird dog. It does not require the skill and artistry of calling a bird into spitting distance before whacking him mid-strut. At that distance, it matters not whether you use rifle, handgun, or shotgun but meat damage becomes a consideration if a single projectile is used — the head is never still and headshots are too risky
The 25 Winchester with 86 grain lead at 1200 – 1400 foot seconds, fired from a tang sighted Model 92 cannot be beat. Given our large populations in some counties, hens are legal as well and a lever gun can be very handy.
So, here in the Lone Star State, this little Winchester has considerable utility. I restored it to use, not just to look at
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
December 9, 2002
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Well said Bill!
I like it!
Tony
November 7, 2015
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From a practical standpoint, where are you going to find a 25WCF 92 in that condition? I intend to add a 92 in 25-20 to my modest collection someday but it must have a great bore, be in good to excellent condition and must be affordable. Several years into my casual quest I haven’t had the occasion to make an offer, let alone reach for my wallet. Sometimes you can’t find what you want to you must build it Thank goodness Scott was able to (eventually) help in your quest, Bill.
Mike
January 20, 2023
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A number of Model 92s were converted to 357 magnum years ago and some still show up from time to time. Because of the conversion, they may be available at a discount. For a handloader, these can be very desirable. As you know, there’s hardly a more flexible pistol/carbine round than the 357. Or more available brass.
Anything the 25 or 32 Winchester can do can be replicated handily with the lightest stubby lead .357 slugs and some Unique. And more. 160-180 grain JFPs over enough H110, 296, or 2400 — whatever on hand — out of a 20″ barrel will drop a Whitetail at 50 yards. As my late father-in-law proved several times to defend his vegetable garden.
I haven’t owned a conversion but in the last years I’ve shot a lot of different 38 Special and 357 magnum loads through my 1873 carbine and have been impressed with how well it digests both length cases and with various bullet profiles – all flat-nosed, of course. If I’d had this carbine and the same experience ith it, I’m not sure I’d have sought out a 25.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
January 8, 2025
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Zebulon said
A number of Model 92s were converted to 357 magnum years ago and some still show up from time to time. Because of the conversion, they may be available at a discount. For a handloader, these can be very desirable. As you know, there’s hardly a more flexible pistol/carbine round than the 357. Or more available brass.
Anything the 25 or 32 Winchester can do can be replicated handily with the lightest stubby lead .357 slugs and some Unique. And more. 160-180 grain JFPs over enough H110, 296, or 2400 — whatever on hand — out of a 20″ barrel will drop a Whitetail at 50 yards. As my late father-in-law proved several times to defend his vegetable garden.
I haven’t owned a conversion but in the last years I’ve shot a lot of different 38 Special and 357 magnum loads through my 1873 carbine and have been impressed with how well it digests both length cases and with various bullet profiles – all flat-nosed, of course. If I’d had this carbine and the same experience ith it, I’m not sure I’d have sought out a 25.
I keep looking for a 357 rifle. I don’t want a torus. So it’s going to be a reproduction or a period conversion. I think the conversion would be cheaper. Just waiting for the right one to come along.
January 20, 2023
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Well, the current production 1873 is not cheap but it is the most bone stock original of the line. No rebounding hammer and no tang safety. Don’t ask me why. Manufacturing quality, fit and finish is top shelf. Here’s the 357 carbine. 
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
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