Finding Old-Obsolete-hard to find Gun Parts

Over the years I find myself buying more and more of the older guns, guns prior to 1960. Often I buy guns that need parts or work and come into a quandry of where to find the parts. The big distributors like Numrich, Bobs Gun Parts, Popperts, Midwest Gun parts are pretty well known and pretty much picked over and you are left with scraps and what is left over for very high prices (i.e. $15 for a colt side plate screw).

Wisners is a gun parts company that makes NEW parts based on old parts, the really hard to find stuff that you need once in a life time. They compiled a list of dealers, retired gunsmiths, manufactures of original and replacement parts. I have found this list invaluable for our shop. Through this list we have been able to repair guns that were deemed un-repairable. I can make parts to order, but most folks do not want to pay the hour fees for that, especially for guns that are maybe worth $100 or so but they really want it back to shooting condition.

Wisners will also make parts. This has come in pretty handy for some of the really old Winchesters I collect.

The most common part we get requests for are various maker single shot .410 barrels for older (pre 1988) shotguns. These barrels are NON existant and have been bought up and squirrled away long ago. When you do find them, they are $125 and more and when a gun is only worth $100, that is a hard pill to swallow. It is what it is though and the supply Vs demand condition sets the price. Most modern single shot barrels cannot fit or be made to fit the older frames (ATF ruling in 1988) so people do not try to make SBS or SBR (Short barreled shotguns and short barreled rifles) out of guns with no serial numbers like were made prior to 1932. Many folks (including me) buy 2 or 3 of the same older guns just so you have parts for them when you need em to include their barrels.

The second most requested part(s) are sideplate screws for older S&W and Colt revolvers, like the M&P-38, Victory, Model 10, K, N and J frame models as well as the Colt D and P frame models. People tend to FUBAR them up using the wrong style of screw driver or they just go missing. I long ago bought a very good supply of these but sometimes they are very hard to find in the correct style for the model year. These dealers can get them.... especially Midwest Gun Parts, they are expensive, but truly have the parts you need to bring an old warhorse back to new or usable condition.

I thought I would share this list with you all.....this list is not for the EBR crowd, this is for old, obscure and obsolete guns. Some of these folks are really hard to get a hold of, so keep trying. Also, some of the links are old and no longer work, some phones have changed etc... so do diligent work to find these folks if you really need the parts they are listed for.

Here is the link.... the list is long, but it is also detailed. Have Fun and feel free to ask me if I have the parts you need as well as I tend to have a good supply of really odd parts or at least know where to get them at.

As always, I am always willing to help with a project, just ask.

http://www.wisnersinc.com/otherparts_sources.htm

Thanks. I've bookmarked it.

I have a bunch of old gun parts. Never know what will come up. I was rummaging through the junk and pulled out a 86 winchester octogon barrel in 40-65. I thought gee can ya imagine that.

there is a old gunsmith that lives in southeast tenn, he was my dads friend. he would fix just about any gun for 20 to 60 dollars depending on what needed to be done. He would grab a piece of steel from his bench top and file out a part if necessary. he could rifle barrels and build guns from scratch. H e almost got in trouble for building a couple presentation semi auto pistols, these were built from blocks of steel. I have a old stevens visible loader that I wanted him to fix, he said it wasn't worth it. the last I heard the authorities had nabbed him coming out of the national forest by red fork falls. supposedly he had found john swifts silver mine or cache. he and his father had been hunting for it their entire lives.

Randy, if that Winchester barrel is in decent condition and an actual Winchester, it is worth about $400 retail....I know a buyer out West if you are interested, not sure what he would pay though.

Gawds, I have so many boxes of gun parts it is not even funny........mostly S&W, Colt, Ruger, Remington, Winchester and Savage. Almost all the parts I have are for pre-60's guns.

it's original winchester, I'm not sure on bore condition, probably not the greatest. I have a 86 that started out as a 40-65 and my granddad sent it to parker ackley and had it bored to 45-70. I've often thought about swapping barrels and putting it back to a 40-65.

Thanks for the info, may come in handy.
I don't know it they are still doing it, but the World Circus Museum in Baraboo Wisconsin also had a fab shop and did have parts for old Winchester .22's and such.

Friend had a collection of the old Win pump guns, and relied on them pretty heavy, some years ago.

I like projects like that. I have done many over the years. My best was making from scratch a "Hatfield" look-a-like in flint lock .32 Kentucky long rifle style. That was my project at Penn Gunsmithing College. I bored and rifled the barrel, made the lock, frizzen and trigger set from scratch (NO lathes or powered mills, all hand metal stock removal and did all the stock wood work with my hand made metal firniture. I am glad they had all the tools... I could never get all the tools needed into my shop to do it today. That one sits over the mantle up at the cabin along with a real 1820's horn and a late 1800's possibles bag and all the gadgets needed.

I am sure you already know that orig none altered 40-60's in an '86 go for about $4000 in shooting condition. The fact that Ackley did the work has saved most of the value. A lessor smith and the price of that gun would drop to about $800 at best in 45-70.

Very interesting it went from a 40 to 45. 40 & 45 being the caliber and the later number 65 & 70 being the grain or weight of what we know as FF Blackpowder and back then it was known as "Double Grain or Double Screened Gun Powder." I personally would keep it at 45-70, the rest of the work on internals would be a nighmare of tinkering and tweeking due to going down in size rather than up, up is always easy, down is saved for the Millingers of the world LOL. If it were me, I would sell the 40-60 barrel and get something you have been wanting.

I have a few orig Winchesters in 45-70, one even a take down 1895. I have shot the 40-65 a few times in a marlin, not a bad round. I also have a 70-110 in a 1895 thick wall that will honestly stop a freight train. I cannot stand to shoot it actually. Dang near a 3/4" bullet at 520 grains. I had Speer do the ballsitics on it for different loads and got a Lee mold for the bullet made as well as a set of loading dies and a company out west made 50 pieces brass for me, I make my own primers or can use shotgun primers.

I am going to be posting a project I am currently on ... but it is just a .22. Finding orig orphan parts for it and bringing them all together to make a gun again.

I also have a 1903A3 DRILL rifle, plugged barrel, chromed and parts missing... etc. project going on, It will be a .22 magnum when I am done, outside will look and dimensionally be an 03 but will shoot 5 .22 mags from it as fast as you can operate the bolt. I have the bolt finished for offset firing pin, extractor and ejector. I have the barrel blank which is a Douglas and just need to machine to fit the receiver and the 03 parts. re-making the internals are a real nightmare, but a fun project.

The other project I have is a Winney 1894 made in 1967 with 20" oct barrel (if it does not sell). It is currently an factory upgraded Canadian Cent and I want to make it into a take down with both the 20" carbine barrel set and then make a "Trapper," barrel set (barrel, bands, sights and magazine tube.") These will be interchangeable between the two and the entire set held in a back strapped shoulder scaboard. That is next years winter project.

I really dig old winchesters. My favourite is a 86 in 50 express. on the 40-65, ackley did the conversion but I don't know how to prove it, maybe under the hand guard there's a stamp.

a 70-110 that sure sounds like a rare one. can't stand to shoot it eh, walk with me talk with me <G>

It is just huge... .70 cal with a paper patched bullet in the case. Last time I shot it was like 5 years ago. According to Winchester and the letter they sent, it was a Buffalo Head Gun....and goes on to tell the orig owner and stuff. The round was actually a Marlin round for the single shot Marlins and Winney imporved it and kind of stole it and put it in thick walled 95's. The barrel is half round and oct, it has a tang sight and a front post stand that will fold down so you can shoot from a post rather than lay down, some I guess call them a mono-pod. I will unsafe it and take some pics soon when the weather breaks. According to Winney, they stated only 17 were made. I found this one up in Ontario in Orillia at a place called Sportsman Junction.

Anybody got the complete guts for a '73 winchester laying around being unused?

I picked one up in trade that is stripped down to the frame.

I would think with all the reproductions being produced these days, parts would be readily available for most guns.

Here I am looking for a 73 frame and you the parts, I have most of the parts...just need the pins and screws, but I have most of the orig internals and a half round/half oct barrel..............* rubs hands together and offers some of my trading elixer..... errrr garlic flavored tomato wine and wild boar summer sausage......Is the frame, small, medium or large? Does it have the brass rails in the insides of the frame? How are the barrel threads, corse or fine? What serial number is the frame?

I will dig it out and get with you Grizz.

I believe we might be able to arrange something benificial for both of us.

As a start; it is full octogon, rifle length, .44-40, the forend is cracked but the butt stock is presentable and intact with sliding door in the crescent plate. The frame is patinaed with a light coat of rust, nothing deep. It is missing complete internals and lever. No sideplates present. No SN anywhere! This thing is old. I think Oliver test fired it himself.

did a quick check,

2nd model, sporting rifle .

OhioGrizzlapp,
Would any of those boxes of parts be for a Rem. model 121 ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ken P

OhioGrizzlapp,
Would any of those boxes of parts be for a Rem. model 121 ?

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Unfortunately OhioGrizzLapp will be unable to answer your question.

I have an old Wards Western Field .22LR Model 14M 491A and Im looking for the plastics butt plate for it. Anyone have one or have any ideas where to locate one ? Thanks

A start on your resarch...It was made by Mossberg
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_made_w...A_22_cal_rifle