Circa 1992 a Phoenix Gunsmith gave me a post-64 Winchester 94 that was rusted from one end to the other, inside and out, the stock broke off at the wrist, and was so sloppy you'd think it was going to fall apart when you cycle the action.
Got it free.
The receiver is some strange metal that doesn't blue, and I could get it electro-less nickle plated for $40, so, I cleaned the heck out of it (looked down the bore and thought no way this would ever shoot), shined it up a little and sent it off to get plated - bore and all!
Put a set of Williams sights on it and set a 3" black square on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper taped to a 3'-0"x6'-8" door, 70-yards away (that's the shot I had at the time). Took a shoot and looked (I was 30, I could see, and shoot), and I was miffed - no idea where it went. Calmed down, took a breath, sent another one - no idea where it went. Finally - 3-rd shot, I'm serious now - bam. Nothing.
I handed the rifle to my buddy - he wanted to take a shot. Boom - bullet hole 16" low, 4" left.
I walk to the target with my friend, not feeling so great, until we arrived at the target and there were 3 nice hole in the black 3" square (I could not see from 70-yards), about a 1.25" group!
Drove home VERY happy. It has been dead-on ever since! Most amazing thing I ever seen.
few years ago i bought a post 64 94 off an estate. the gun was new in the box, but sat in a swamp cooler house for over 20years. it was unfired but just brown from the rust on the exterior. I knew it was more than i could handle so i strapped it on the bars of my gold wing and took it to a guy up north for refinishing. he was able to get the pits out of the barrel, and reblue, but then that is when i found out those recievers were some other type of metal, and would not taking blueing. So that part was cerracoated to a light green. Sounds funky but it worked pretty good. 100bucks for the rifle, and about 150 to get the work done. so i was happy.
