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August 31, 2024
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Hello, I am a new member and recently acquired my third Winchester. It’s an 1887 Winchester 10 gauge shotgun manufactured in 1893. It has a 20 inch barrel with a crowned muzzle and a saddle ring on the left side of the frame. On the right side, the rack number 37 is stamped on the stock and fore end. The action is perfect with no significant corrosion or pitting. I’d really be interested in the provenance of the rack numbers.
Thanks!
April 15, 2005
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The first thing that you should do is contact the Cody Firearms Museum records office and obtain a factory letter for this gun. I highly suspect that it originally had a full length (30 or 32 inch) barrel, and that it did not have a saddle ring. With no other identifying markings on the gun, I doubt that the “rack number” can be identified as to its origin.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
August 31, 2024
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Thanks for your suggestion Bert. I’ll contact Cody requesting further documentation.
Do you know what entities stamped rack numbers on shotgun stocks? I would guess primarily law enforcement, corrections and maybe railroad or express companies.
April 15, 2005
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DCook said
Thanks for your suggestion Bert. I’ll contact Cody requesting further documentation.Do you know what entities stamped rack numbers on shotgun stocks? I would guess primarily law enforcement, corrections and maybe railroad or express companies.
There were at least a few hundred different entities that marked inventory/rack numbers on their firearms, and without any other identifying markings, it is next to impossible to determine who might have marked the gun in question.
In addition to Police Department, Prisons (corrections), Railroads, and Express companies, you need to add Banks, Mining companies, Private Security companies, and probably at least a few dozen other entities.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
August 31, 2024
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Thanks Bert. Appreciate your expertise.
This weekend my wife and I are revisiting the area around Fort Lewis, WA where I was stationed years ago.
April 30, 2023
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That barrel is VERY short, I”m guessing it’s been cut down….still cool though. Taking them apart for cleaning is not bad (see youtube) or I can link you if you need it. It really makes you appreciate the genius and simplicity of Browning’s design!
August 31, 2024
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Thanks Jeremy. John Moses Browning was one of my ancestors. What a genius gun designer he was!
April 30, 2023
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DCook said
John Moses Browning was one of my ancestors.
Well, I do believe you’re going to have to expand on that a little around here…. 
August 31, 2024
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My wife is a genealogist, and discovered he was my 6th cousin on my paternal line. Not terribly close, but this is my second Winchester designed by him. I’m reading his book now, written by his grandson.
April 15, 2005
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DCook said
Thanks Bert. Appreciate your expertise.This weekend my wife and I are revisiting the area around Fort Lewis, WA where I was stationed years ago.
I am 20-miles north of the Bangor Submarine base (where I retired from).
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
August 31, 2024
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Bert, great being retired isn’t it! I retired at Fort Lewis with Army CID (Criminal Investigation Division). Before that, I retired as a detective with Portland ,OR Police Department. Shows how old I am!
😄😄
March 31, 2009
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I was stationed at Fort Lewis for a short time in 1971. I also worked with the CID occasionally while in Korea tracking black marketeers.
April 15, 2005
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DCook said
Bert, great being retired isn’t it! I retired at Fort Lewis with Army CID (Criminal Investigation Division). Before that, I retired as a detective with Portland ,OR Police Department. Shows how old I am!😄😄
Yes it is! I retired from the U.S. Navy in February 2000 (after 21-years of service in the Submarine service), then retired again (L3 Harris Technologies) in October of 2022. Next month will mark 2-years of being fully retired. 
Headed for Astoria next week for more “retirement” work around the homestead.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
August 31, 2024
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Hi Chuck, I’ll bet you and I could share some great CID stories. I was a detective with Portland, OR police department for 24 years and CID 20 years.
I’m going to really enjoy networking with a great group of folks on the Winchester Arms Collector site.
Along with the Winchester 1887 shotgun, I own a 3d model Winchester 1873 rifle in great condition with a 62 peep sight and a Winchester 62 pump action .22 rifle.
Have a great time in Astoria Bert, I live in Gresham, outside of Portland.
May 23, 2009
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You need to see if it letters with the 20 Inch Barrel. If it does, that will help its value, if not it will hurt it.
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
I have an 1887 Winchester 10 ga shotgun. My left extractor plunger is stuck below the hole it fits into. When I removed the extractor, it was pushed down and now I can’t get it out. There is a lot of old gunk in the extractor plunger hole and I’m sure that’s what’s holding it in place. I’ve been soaking it in pb blaster, tried heat, ultrasonic cleaner, tried tapping. No movement. I need some help. My last resort would be to drill, but I don’t want to damage it. Thank you in advance.
April 15, 2005
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Clint said
I have an 1887 Winchester 10 ga shotgun. My left extractor plunger is stuck below the hole it fits into. When I removed the extractor, it was pushed down and now I can’t get it out. There is a lot of old gunk in the extractor plunger hole and I’m sure that’s what’s holding it in place. I’ve been soaking it in pb blaster, tried heat, ultrasonic cleaner, tried tapping. No movement. I need some help. My last resort would be to drill, but I don’t want to damage it. Thank you in advance.
Try giving it a soak in Kroil and then some pure acetone.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
December 9, 2002
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I’m in agreement with Bert!
It might take a little time, and some patience, but it went in, and it will come out, if you stay at it, and let that stuff work properly. Using small pic like tools cleaning and being careful to remove the gunk inside can take a little bit, but those lubricants and proper solvents can break it loose while you’re sleeping!
Like you said, you’re last resort is to drill. I agree, and until you really, exhaust all you’re methods of removing the hardened gunk, in the hard to get at, close tolerance places, don’t give up. I can tell you countless stories of similar situations, and sometimes these things can take a while to get unstuck! Remember you don’t need to really saturate the area, as sometimes more is not better, and a little in an empty spray can plastic cap, or similar, and a tooth pick, or a very small sharp pointed gunsmith, type q-tip, works wonders!
Always remember to try to keep from getting any oils or chemicals on the wood, and on some of this stuff on the finished parts!
Anthony
December 25, 2016
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Bert, did not know your connection to my very favorite small city by the river. What part of town are you in? I’m up on the sunny South side overlooking the old youngs bay bridge. I’ll be down working on the house there later this week, right now it’s get the new GPS trolling motor mounted up on the boat, Buoy 10 soon! We will eventually relocate to Astoria and sell the place here in Longview. The oldest American settlement in the West.
April 15, 2005
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Rick Lindquist said
Bert, did not know your connection to my very favorite small city by the river. What part of town are you in? I’m up on the sunny South side overlooking the old youngs bay bridge. I’ll be down working on the house there later this week, right now it’s get the new GPS trolling motor mounted up on the boat, Buoy 10 soon! We will eventually relocate to Astoria and sell the place here in Longview. The oldest American settlement in the West.
Rick,
My family home is out Hwy 202 and off of Walluski Loop (Little Walluski Lane). When I make a trip to town, I turn up the hill on 7th St, cross over to 8th, and then down the hill into town. I graduated from Astoria High school in 1978. I was just in town this past weekend. My next trip down to Astoria will be 8/18.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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