CaseyFields said
Hi everyone,
Collecting and studying Winchester firearms is fascinating and it’s interesting to see how the principles of handling, safety and trigger control translate across different types of guns. In my experience, practicing with paintball guns can actually reinforce some of these fundamentals.
Paintball guns may not fire live rounds, but they still teach grip, stance, aiming and reaction timing, skills that feel surprisingly relevant when handling real firearms responsibly. Even though the purposes differ, there’s a shared appreciation for mechanics, control and precision.
  

Casey, I don't disagree with what you say about grip, stance, aiming, etc. But I have an inherent aversion to paintball as a sport.

I was taught, and taught all my kids gun safety, which started with 'never swing a muzzle through a person; never point the firearm at a person, etc.'.  That had to be ingrained, along with 'every firearm is loaded, always, until you personally and safely inspect it'.

How can you instill all those safety doctrines when some young person goes to a paintball range and spends the day aiming at people then pulling the trigger.

Just my opinion, but a long standing frustration with me.  I know a lot of responsible hunters and target shooters enjoy and participate in the sport of Paintball, I just was never comfortable with it.

NP

Collecting and studying Winchester firearms is fascinating and it’s interesting to see how the principles of handling, safety and trigger control translate across different types of guns. In my experience, practicing with paintball guns can actually reinforce some of these fundamentals.

Paintball guns may not fire live rounds, but they still teach grip, stance, aiming and reaction timing, skills that feel surprisingly relevant when handling real firearms responsibly. Even though the purposes differ, there’s a shared appreciation for mechanics, control and precision.

Eric Coleridge said
I have a copy of the Winchester 1895 book, but not much info on the .303 musket. There is a copy of a catalogue from 1900 that shows the musket was available in .303. The only one I found was advertised on gunsinternational.
1895’s in 303 were popular in Canada, hard to find one in excellent condition as they were well used. Hoping to find a musket in 303, it would be my holy grail!
 
https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/winchester-rifles---model-1895/winchester-95-musket-303-british-.cfm?gun_id=103265576#md-19
  

Eric - 

The gunsinternational listing your show certainly proved they exist.  Did you purchase that one?  I'm sure you would prefer one in better condition.

You're probably on to something with the elevator wear, hadn't paid attention to that before. Was the original likely a 22B w/ elevator?

TR said
  I would look it over, $6600 is cheap, maybe a reason it's cheap. Any damage or repair to the receiver is a deal breaker. T/R
  

Well he’s got 5 66s there and probably more guns than any shop in Nc, and that’s no joke it’s pretty crazy, but originally he wanted $7500, I left and then called back eh a couple weeks later to talk some more and then he came down after I offered him 6k. But if that’s cheap then I dunno I thought it was a fair price from what I’ve seen them realistically go for and not just the high prices posted. 

Bob

See pics. This is gun #105747, purchased from a fellow WACA member a couple of years ago or so.... The current ladder sight is in a dovetail 2-15/16" from the receiver edge to dovetail center. It has no spring tension and just flops around, looks like it's missing the period spring that sits laterally along the barrel from other guns' pics I saw.

The blank filler you see is 1-3/16" forward of the receiver to center of dovetail. The blank looks very well fit and is aged to almost exactly the browned color of the surrounding barrel material.

Thoughts from you sharp-eyed viewers on the theory behind the sight swap (or anything else)? Let the thoughts and observations flow!

View pics here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/HuDNnLrimVvz1ZfU7 

Bob

TR said
  I would look it over, $6600 is cheap, maybe a reason it's cheap. Any damage or repair to the receiver is a deal breaker. T/R
  

In such a case, what’s its worth?   The sum of the parts? I’m starting to see a correlation between original old guns and original old tractors.  

I haven't looked for these purposes, but im fairly sure Hawk would have or could make the ideal bullets for either, and probably none better for performance on game!

1895’s in 303 were popular in Canada, hard to find one in excellent condition as they were well used. Hoping to find a musket in 303, it would be my holy grail!

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/winchester-rifles---model-1895/winchester-95-musket-303-british-.cfm?gun_id=103265576#md-19