Winchester 1890 value
What is the value of this piece? Winchester 1890 "Gallery Gun". Nickel finish, labeled 22 Short, but shoots 22LR. Functions flawless w/LR, hangs up a bit on shorts. Had a gunsmith tear it down and says it looks to be all original (misstamped?). Shoots very well, finish is terrific. [url][/url]
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All 1890's were cartridge specific. Because of the design of the cartridge elevator, the 22 LR models, which were few, would not handle the 22 Short, or 22 Long.
We could stand a few more photo's to give it a proper evaluation, including all of the markings on the barrel, and tang.
As it looks from the photo's posted, I would say that the Nickel plating is something that came after the fact, and that it has been converted from 22 Short, to 22 LR. If the chamber marking on the barrel says 22 Short, and the elevator handles 22 LR, and it chambers the 22 LR, then that part of it, almost assuredly has been converted also.
If this is the case, you are looking at a $500.00-700.00 rifle, at best.
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I've got a funny little story; well maybe not so funny. I've been looking for a nice 1890 for a while, well two weeks ago I bought this one from a very reputable dealer, I had been looking at it for a couple of months, it was 80% and I would have rated the bore at around 6 and it was marked 22 short, well I paid 1300 dollars plus tax and was happy with the deal. When I got home and went try it out it wouldn't function with shorts either, but it did shoot long rifle good. I did take it back and the dealer gave me my money back. If I'm going to spend that much on a rifle I wanted it to be all original. A person could change the lift and bullet stop back but someone had to have reamed the chamber out as well and you can't change that. I think a lot of them had been changed back who knows when so they could shoot long rifle; and that would have made sense back then, better hunting round than the 22 short. Well now I'm with out the rifle and I have two bricks of 22 shorts, couldn't bear to ask him to take the ammo back as well. 0 -
I really cannot tell anything from your pictures. I have original nickel plated 1890's in my collection.
Yes, probably reamed and reliftered to 22 Long Rifle. The original rifling twist will not work. Accuracy will be marginal, at best.0 -
they did not make it in 22lr till 1919 and that was low production about 10% of total 1890 production i have one it has gone grey but super bore[^] 0 -
Like MG1890 said, the ones chambered in .22 Short and .22 Long had a 1 in 20" twist. When the .22 Long Rifle came out, the twist was tightened up to 1 in 18" for the faster and heavier bullet.
If it hits paper and makes round holes with .22LR, I would wager it's had a liner installed, and chambered for .22LR. If it has been lined, a cartridge lifter from a Model 1906 or Model 62, will drop right in and feed Short, Longs, and Long Rifle.
Edited for Bert's correction, and my lack of coffee.[:)]0 -
The actual twist rate for the 22 Short and 22 Long was/is 1:20 versus 1:18. 0
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