.38-55 Hi-Wall-Turnbull restoration ?

J

jamo002

Inactive
About 10 years ago I bought the rifle in question. It's a beauty! It was sold to me as a 1960's-70's Doug Turnbull restoration. I didn't overpay, I paid what the rifle was worth, Turnbull or not. 2 questions:
1. I can't find a serial number?
2. Recently a non gun-knowledgeable friend commented that the barrel looks too new. I have always assumed it was Winchester NOS (new old stock). SEE PHOTO"S ON FLICKER. What do you think?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/114116877@N03/

NOTE: I added the tang sight (and a globe front sight). This gun is surprisingly accurate at 200 yards. First Cowboy match I shot I sighted it in and then used ballistic tables and a chronograph to calculate the "hold over" for 200 yards. It was right on and, except for my speed being slower than the more experienced shooters I could have won. I was using black powder that day but I have used smokeless too (SR-4759)
 
I'm not convinced it's a Doug Turnbull restoration since Doug is only about 50 years old himself. I don't think he was born yet in 1960. Still a nice looking gun though. If Doug did the work on the gun it would be stamped "Turnbull" on the tang (most likely the tang). I have a newer Winchester High Wall myself and it doesn't look like your gun. What markings are on the gun? Did you look under the forearm for any stampings?
 
IIRC Win stopped making the high wall in 1935. There are many high walls made by various people so tracking down the maker may be difficult if there are no markings . Is that set trigger ? How does it work.
I have a Rolling Block that was Color case hardened by Turnbull , a beautiful job. You might contact him for info.
 
Doug will be 52 this year, but he comes by his smithing honestly. His father was restoring and case hardening firearms as far back as the 1950's when he opened a shop in New York State in 1958.

Could be one of Turnbull senior's works.

The Barrel does appear to be a later, possibly Miroku or other with spurious markings. That is not to say that the original markings could have been removed in the restoration process and then these marking applied to the original barrel.

Note the Winchester Proof is between the caliber markings and the receiver and the use of sarifs in the caliber font of an original, below:


file_71_1.jpg
 
Very nice. Those close coupled double set triggers are not real common.

The serial number is or was on the lower tang. Which can be a problem since the lower tang is detachable.

Is there a Winchester roll mark on the top or top left barrel flat?
Is there a barrel size number (probably a 3) on the bottom barrel flat just ahead of the foreend tip?
 
Yes & yes

Thanks Jim. I see this is creating a lot of interest and I'm really happy about that.:)

1. I didn't mention in my first post that the top BBL flat has the roll mark
-MANUFACTURED BY -
-THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.-

2. There is a #2 stamped on the bottom flat of the BBL

I have tried to use a type font similar to the upper roll mark. This roll mark seems to be in the familiar Winchester style. Would Miriku have marked a BBL like that? Doesn't seem that they would.

Adding to what others said, it was sold to me as being the work of "Turnbulll" not "The Turnbull Manufacturing Company. It doesn't really matter if Doug Turnbull did the work or not because it's a beautiful rifle that shoots well. But it is interesting to learn more about it. I'm heading out to to farm to shoot it today.

One other question. If this is indeed a Winchester BBL, could it have been NOS (new old stock), installed at the time the case coloring was done? Certainly the unusual set trigger implys that this is not a recent replica. Actually, the butt stock and forearm look way too old to be replicas.
 
Almost certainly a real Winchester, not some repro.
The barrel markings are right and no, the repros would certainly not have permission to use them.
Mine has a later roll mark without the dashes at the ends of the line.

I wonder if your caliber and proof mark might be pantographed redos.

I don't think it matters much, the whole thing is a rework and what counts is that it looks good and shoots well.
 
If Miroku had made it, it would be stamped Japan/Miroku on the barrel somewhere. Both of mine are. I too think you have an original Winchester made gun.
 
I would like to see pics of all the markings on Jamo002's rifle, but IMHO neither the Winchester proof nor the caliber marking is correct for an original rifle. Now, I have not seen the Miroku replica, so it might have been put on by them, with Winchester's permission.

Jim
 
Miroku does not mark their knockoffs with the old New Haven stamp.

I think the caliber and proof were pantographed, like the fake markings the 1911 experts are always finding on other people's guns.
 
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