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June 15, 2024
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If anyone has an interest in being my editor :), I’m attaching a document I’ve created for one of my Winchesters.
I got sucked into this hobby a little over a year ago with zero knowledge when I started work on my 1927 carbine that was a rusty mess. Since then, I’ve rebuilt an 1895 first model rifle, a 1903 rifle, and am working on a 1916 carbine. I’ve posted about all of these on this forum at various points. As part of my journey, I’ve been documenting each one, really as part of my learning experience.
This is the document for my 1903. I welcome comments and suggested edits; especially if I have described or referred to something wrong.
v/r
Fred (Alaska94)
March 31, 2009
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Alaska94 said
If anyone has an interest in being my editor :), I’m attaching a document I’ve created for one of my Winchesters.
I got sucked into this hobby a little over a year ago with zero knowledge when I started work on my 1927 carbine that was a rusty mess. Since then, I’ve rebuilt an 1895 first model rifle, a 1903 rifle, and am working on a 1916 carbine. I’ve posted about all of these on this forum at various points. As part of my journey, I’ve been documenting each one, really as part of my learning experience.
This is the document for my 1903. I welcome comments and suggested edits; especially if I have described or referred to something wrong.
v/r
Fred (Alaska94)
WOW, that’s a lot of work.
April 15, 2005
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Fred,
The front sight that you used is not a Rocky Mountain Sporting (RMS) sight, and per the factory ledger information, the front sight should be a standard “sporting” sight (No. 21 series). A true RMS sight continues to taper all the way to the barrel on the front (forward) end of the sight. Further, they were blued steel unless specifically ordered with a different color blade (German Silver, Copper, Brass, and Ivory).
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
July 19, 2013
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Fred, That is the best I have EVER seen !
Bill
blueliner15
June 15, 2024
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Bert H. said
Fred,
The front sight that you used is not a Rocky Mountain Sporting (RMS) sight, and per the factory ledger information, the front sight should be a standard “sporting” sight (No. 21 series). A true RMS sight continues to taper all the way to the barrel on the front (forward) end of the sight. Further, they were blued steel unless specifically ordered with a different color blade (German Silver, Copper, Brass, and Ivory).
Bert
Thanks Bert. A couple of questions:
What kind of front sight do I have? Is this sight at least period appropriate for this rifle?
How do you know from the ledger info that it was a standard front sight? Is it b/c nothing special was called out? I was a little disappointed when I got the ledger info that the column header information was not provided.
-Fred
April 15, 2005
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I am not sure what type of front sight you have, but it is not common to any of the Winchester lever-action models that I am familiar with.
The basic rule of thumb for the Winchester warehouse ledger records is this… if nothing is mentioned or listed, it was standard (per the catalog). Barrel lengths were only listed if they were something other than standard, magazine tube lengths were not listed unless shorter than full length, butt stocks & butt plates were not mentioned unless special ordered with a non-standard feature.
Model 1894 Sporting Rifles were standard with a No. 21 front sight. The height of the sight varied depending on the specific cartridge.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
June 15, 2024
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Bert H. said
I am not sure what type of front sight you have, but it is not common to any of the Winchester lever-action models that I am familiar with.
The basic rule of thumb for the Winchester warehouse ledger records is this… if nothing is mentioned or listed, it was standard (per the catalog). Barrel lengths were only listed if they were something other than standard, magazine tube lengths were not listed unless shorter than full length, butt stocks & butt plates were not mentioned unless special ordered with a non-standard feature.
Model 1894 Sporting Rifles were standard with a No. 21 front sight. The height of the sight varied depending on the specific cartridge.
Bert
Roger all. Sounds like I should be on the lookout for a 21C at about 0.38″ height?
April 15, 2005
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Alaska94 said
Bert H. said
I am not sure what type of front sight you have, but it is not common to any of the Winchester lever-action models that I am familiar with.
The basic rule of thumb for the Winchester warehouse ledger records is this… if nothing is mentioned or listed, it was standard (per the catalog). Barrel lengths were only listed if they were something other than standard, magazine tube lengths were not listed unless shorter than full length, butt stocks & butt plates were not mentioned unless special ordered with a non-standard feature.
Model 1894 Sporting Rifles were standard with a No. 21 front sight. The height of the sight varied depending on the specific cartridge.
Bert
Roger all. Sounds like I should be on the lookout for a 21C at about 0.38″ height?
I believe you need a 21A (the 21C was for the smokeless powder cartridge, e.g. 30 WCF, 25-35 WCF, and 32 WS).
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 7, 2015
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Nicely done, Fred. Lots of work to research and assemble a gun that looks like it should. Very educational write-up.
Mike
August 27, 2014
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Good stuff, a labor of love
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
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