Looking for advice on relining a .22 barrel

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A guy I know recently gave me a Winchester 1890 gallery gun to clean up for him. He said he’s had it for decades, can’t remember where or when he got it, has never shot it, and it’s just been sitting in his safe. I love rifles like this and thought it’d be a fun project.

The action and slide were so gummed up they barely moved, but after a full disassembly and some scrubbing, it functions almost smoothly. The finish isn’t going to win any awards, but for something manufactured in 1906, it looks okay.

So I took it to the range today to try it out. The good news is that it runs very well. The bad news is that at 25 yards, the group was about four feet. The few that actually hit my paper target all keyholed. This rifle is chambered for .22 short, but just as an experiment, I put a .22LR in the chamber and down the muzzle, and could wiggle it side to side at both ends.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to bring this back to a good shooter? I’ve heard of barrel relining, but only know about it what I learned from Larry Potterfield:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ7sQya7tyk


It doesn’t seem too difficult, liners aren’t too expensive (https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...-caliber-rimfire-barrel-liners-prod10974.aspx), and I don’t think this type of work would destroy a collector’s piece (photo below).

I don’t want to do it myself though – anyone know any gunsmiths that do this type of work well? Or any other options I'm not considering? Thanks.

Winchester1890.jpg
 
A guy I know recently gave me a Winchester 1890 gallery gun to clean up for him. He said he’s had it for decades, can’t remember where or when he got it, has never shot it, and it’s just been sitting in his safe. I love rifles like this and thought it’d be a fun project.

The action and slide were so gummed up they barely moved, but after a full disassembly and some scrubbing, it functions almost smoothly. The finish isn’t going to win any awards, but for something manufactured in 1906, it looks okay.

So I took it to the range today to try it out. The good news is that it runs very well. The bad news is that at 25 yards, the group was about four feet. The few that actually hit my paper target all keyholed. This rifle is chambered for .22 short, but just as an experiment, I put a .22LR in the chamber and down the muzzle, and could wiggle it side to side at both ends.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to bring this back to a good shooter? I’ve heard of barrel relining, but only know about it what I learned from Larry Potterfield:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ7sQya7tyk


It doesn’t seem too difficult, liners aren’t too expensive (https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...-caliber-rimfire-barrel-liners-prod10974.aspx), and I don’t think this type of work would destroy a collector’s piece (photo below).

I don’t want to do it myself though – anyone know any gunsmiths that do this type of work well? Or any other options I'm not considering? Thanks.

View attachment 240056

nice old piece. Maybe Turnbull restoration or a call to cody firearms research see if they have any good info on your rifle and a recomendation for someone to work on it.
Cody Firearms Records Office - Buffalo Bill Center of the West

https://www.brownells.com/userdocs/learn/Inst-143 Barrel Liner.pdf
 
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You said the .22LR round wiggled at both ends. Are you sure it's not chambered in .22WRF?
22 Win is still 22cal .224 bullet. Slightly longer case and bullet is lubed on the "inside" . Lots of corrisive ammo could have found its way through that rifle. Remington came out with kleanbore in the 20s or so.
Wonder is they had a "garden gun" option . 22 shot smooth bore.
 
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I wouldn’t do anything to that gun. It’s worth more as is than if you relive the barrel.
True although that looks like a blued model. They do not get the big money the case harden finish gets.
By the pic thats about 30% as far as "values" go ?
The case harden finish gets aprox 3x as much.

I would let the cody museum do thier thing. Pay for the research and write up. Its cool to have reguardless.
If you want a old shooter it might be best to sell this one and buy one that is in better shooting condition.
More info and pics would be nice
 
Good thing also is 22WRF is in stock. Its one of those cal. that are hit or miss on finding it.
i say give the bore a good scrub and the check the bore with a bore scope. All looks good , try some 22WRF
 
You said the .22LR round wiggled at both ends. Are you sure it's not chambered in .22WRF?

The barrel says "22 Short" but that's not to say it hasn't been rechambered somewhere along the line. I'll give it a try next time I'm at the range.

The bore is not in great condition - dark, pitted is some places, and you can barely make out the rifling. I hadn't considered corrosive ammo, but that's certainly possible.
 
The barrel says "22 Short" but that's not to say it hasn't been rechambered somewhere along the line. I'll give it a try next time I'm at the range.

The bore is not in great condition - dark, pitted is some places, and you can barely make out the rifling. I hadn't considered corrosive ammo, but that's certainly possible.
22 rifling is thin to begin with...
keep us posted on what you do. Look at marks carefully they did rechamber the 22wrf and
 
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