I recently acquired this Winchester M-1890 "Gallery Gun". It's a shorts only rifle that I will only shoot CBs in....

The trick (from what I have been told) is to find one with a good bore. Many rounds of black powder were sent down the barrels of these rifles (not all, but a large number). Many we're not properly cleaned and have dark bores.

A few weeks ago I picked this old girl up at a local gun show. I bought it with the expectation that the bore would be poor. The seller told me it was poor. He should have cleaned the bore before he went selling. The bore was perfect (just a single swipe of the Bore-Snake proved that when I got home). I'd rather be lucky than good!

Anyway, if a noodle head like me can literally stumble upon such a rifle, so can you. I've been told the guns manufactured after smokeless was introduced are more likely to have a decent bore.

This one is just a shooter. But it's action is tight, it's got some nice patina and my wife giggles when she shoots this gun because at 25 yards, she hits everything she aims at! I guess I'll admit it, it "used" to be "my" rifle.

Good luck on your quest.

Bob

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Last edited by vonfatman; 04/05/13.