92 Winchester 357m
I just inspected a 92SRC in 357magnum. The entire gun is 75-80% and the barrel is marked completly as a Winchester barrel should be. I didnt think Win made a 357m in the 92. My question is "Did Winchester rebore/barrel guns to customer specifications?.Could this gun be legitimate ." If not how bad does it affect the value?
Thanks for any input!
Thanks for any input!
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From approximately the 1950's on it was common for skilled gunsmiths to rework 92's to .357. If the barrel has Winchester markings it's probably a rebored/rechambered 32-20.
Since the 92 isn't original it has a negative affect on collectors value. Need quality pics for accurate identification and valuation.0 -
I've recently seen one pretty much as you describe; and this one is definitely a 32-20 re-chambered to 357. A nice job though and according to the owner it cycles well and shoots well. The owner was trying to get $1000 for it. . .and I've seen him at several recent shows still carrying it around and asking $1000. Value for one of these I'd guess is somewhere between $500 and $1000. 0 -
When '92 conversions were common, Numrich sold unmarked barrels in 44 mag and maybe also 357.
The conversion for the then, dead duck, obsolete calibers of 218Bee, 25-20 and 32-20 was 357 mag..
I've read recommendations for either reboring original barrels or preferrably, reboring nickel steel Mod 94 barrels to use on the '92 as they were of tougher more durable steel.
In either case the resultant barrel retains Winchester markings.
I've also seen pieces of Winchester carbine barrels used on SAA revolvers.0 -
Bob(hangfire) has a takedown done from a 32-20 and it is great fun! Does destroy the collector value because .38 or .357 were not factory offerings in the '92. 0 -
I had an 1892 Winchester in .32-20 cal converted to .357 Magnum in aboout 1962. The barrel was bored out by a gunsmith named Ward Kuzer who lived out west somewhere. My local gunsmith did the modification of the mechanism, rust blued the metal and refinished the wood. It turned out absolutely beautiful and is fun to shoot and functions flawlessly but as time has shown, I spent $110.00 to turn a rifle that would now be worth $1,000.00 into one now worth little more than half that. 0 -
Thanks for all the help!!! 0 -
There are also recently manufactured model '92 rifles, made in Japan by Miroku, chambered in .357 mag, and branded "Winchester"! BT 0 -
Times change.
When these conversions were popular, many old rifles were converted to currently more useful calibers.
More people hunted then and obsolete and inferior calibers were changed or rebarreled to better ones. 32-20, 38-40 and 44-40 were illegal in many if not all states for deer hunting.
The '92 was nice and handy but not a collectors' item.0
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