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I have started shooting a family heirloom (shooter grade, not collector grade) 92 in 32 WCF. I think I'm going to like this to plink with! From what I can find, its serial # puts its age as before WW1. Octagon barrel, bore is pretty good, minor pitting but hey, its old. I've kept it in the safe for many years with no interest in shooting it but lately I've had the lever gun itch so bought some ammo and touched a few off. Ammo is Winchester factory lead bullet stuff, seems very mild; and thats ok with me since I don't want to stress the old girl.

I wasn't happy with the accuracy with that so I picked up some dies and some cast bullets with gas checks, 115 grain sized at .312 and took my first loads to the range today to test. I'm using Unique with loads starting at 4.2 grains, at .2 grain intervals up to 5.2. I found great happiness at the 4.8 and 5.0 levels. Groups dropped from 3-3.5" down to about 1.5" with the factory iron sights. To say I'm pleased with that performance is an understatement! I'm going to load up more of those and try again to see if it was a fluke.

But what a ball to shoot! I hope to use this gun on a regular basis now that I've shot it; just a little bit of a kick and not too loud or anything.....just right all around.

Are the 92 actions of that era considered a strong action? I was perusing the Hornady book and notice they have some jacketed loads listed but wasn't sure if this gun was considered one of the strong actions. No sweat if its not as I'm perfectly happy keeping things fun with the cast lead and Unique.

Welcome to the forum Rule #1 we love our gun pictures please post pictures, its required. just kidding

Ask and you shall receive.......I hope.....



and a try at the gun only



Its the only 92 we have in the family. I do have some other 94's and as I use them I'll try to get some pics of them up, too. The newest is from the 50's, then one from the teens or so and one from before the turn of the century.

Awesome we love pictures

9Fingers,
If your 1892 has a nickle steel barrel it'll be fine with modern jacketed bullet loads that don't exceed about 26,000 psi pressure.

Your rifle appears to be in really nice original condition. Shoot it, enjoy it, but please don't mess with it! Keep it clean and lubricated, that's all.

Just my .02

Beautiful lookin' specimen 9fingers...congrats !!

Alan, how will I know about the nickel steel barrel? I'll have to look closely at all the markings next time I'm in the basement and have the safe open.

Someday, someone will have to explain to me (using small words!) how the grading system works on old Winchesters. I'm tempted to have the old levers I have appraised as others have mentioned to me about original conditions even if rough can be very valuable. Doesn't really matter as these guns will remain original and as is simply 'cause thats the way I got them from Dad. I've explained to my brothers about the potential values of them so hopefully no one will mess with them if anything happens to me.

One thing I would like to do is have them professionally disassembled and have the actions cleaned and lubricated. I'm not real good mechanically to take them apart via a schematic and stand a chance of getting them back together again. I have a Marlin 336 and its simple but these 94's and the 92 don't look so simple.

Edit: forgot to add, I tried some 115 grain, same design as before but sized at .310 and they are too small for this bore; they were keyholing at 50. Tried a few Laser Cast from Oregon Trail Bullet company sized at .313 and they shot fine. So it looks like anything in the future better be .312 or bigger for best results.

That is a beautiful old rifle with a lovely patina.

9Fingers wrote:Alan, how will I know about the nickel steel barrel? I'll have to look closely at all the markings next time I'm in the basement and have the safe open.

The barrel should be stamped.

Check the left side of the barrel at the area of the rear sight.

I finally got around to looking for the nickel steel marking but there is nothing there, only the Winchester info stamped on the top of the barrel between the sights, and the 32 W.C.F stamp right next to the receiver/barrel junction. Serial is 596xxx.

Good looking rifle.

Grat looking rifel, I have one the same model but mine is not in as good shape but the old girl still shoots good.

very nice looking gun, this summer im going to look into getting an older gun right now i just have some new babies.

9Fingers,Nice rifle..I love those old 92`s.

I haven't been doing too much with the boom sticks lately; been fishing and scrambling for next years firewood, etc. In fact, haven't been back to this forum all summer. Just stopped in last week as I was going through my bookmarks.

But, I've been getting the itch again and was in the basement earlier refreshing my memory on where I stood with this gun. I think its high time I got some more loaded up and headed downrange!

Kinda getting the itch to get all the levers going again, actually. Too little free time for all the fun I WANT to have!