Opinions wanted!|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

Hello all,

Open discussion to all….I’d like to know what would be the general opinion regarding the following:

I have a very nice Winchester Model 1894, mfg’d June 1896, it also has several extra features and everything letters . BBHC ledger records show it to be a 38/55. In Nov.1898 it was R&R’d for an undisclosed reason, I suspect for a Bbl./caliber change to a .30WCF which is what it is today.

Questions:
1- Can it be re-bbl’d. and restored to a 38/55 to match the BBHC letter? (I don’t know about the receiver if it has to be changed also – I suspect if a recvr. change is necessary it’d be much too radical a restoration).
2- What’s the general consensus of what such a restoration would do to the value….up – down – nothing?
3- Most important…would this be ethical? Restoring it back to what it was seems OK but it is a major component, not simply a small part.

Regards to all,
Marty