Winchester Model 24 SxS

[Hawkeye Kid]

Anyone using the Winchester 24 for SASS?  Can it be slicked up to be competitive?
 

 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Seen one used 12 years ago, not often encountered.   Rather a whale of a gun.

 

good luck, GJ

[Warden Callaway]

Had one for a while.  Never use it to shoot cowboy. Nicest looking 24 I'd ever seen.

 

[BLACKFOOT SASS #11947]

I used one for a while about  25 years ago.  It will certainly work but I wouldn't recommend it for a CAS match gun.  Lots of iron there.

Blackfoot

[Marauder SASS #13056]

Great guns!
Just curious why they are not recommended.  They have the better action for loading, etc.
Is it due to the weight or?

[Crisco]

Shot one for a while, and it was a great gun.  Only complaint I had was that if you get a sticky shell those spring activated extractors won’t start it out of the chamber for you.  Had to use a rod to remove some junk reloads now and then.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

17 hours ago, Hawkeye Kid said:

Anyone using the Winchester 24 for SASS?  Can it be slicked up to be competitive?
 

 

 

Yes and sort of.  The 24 was built by Winchester when there still was a Winchester.  American built of quality materials.  It is large and somewhat ungainly.  It is, however, striker fired and the trigger pulls feel like a quality rifle trigger.  I have a large collection of takedown manuals and books but have never found take down instructions for the Model 24.  All you can find on-line are schematics.  The only thing I found in searching the Internet was a thread on a website where someone cautioned against removing a large screw on top of the receiver that appears somewhat like a stock screw.  The reason being if you remove that screw the internal mechanism falls into the action.  With that caution I did remove the stock and spend many hours playing with the striker mechanism.  The problem for SASS is that virtually no one has any experience working on them.  They can be set-up to work well but finding someone that can do it is pretty much impossible.   (Photo, no hammers.  The one in the photo was made in 1936.)

 

[Frontier Lone Rider]

I have two, but do not use them for CAS.  One is a straight stock and the other a pistol grip.  They are built solid and are a little heavy.  Winchester made these as Field Guns and to last.

[Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655]

I have one in 16 ga I inherited use it once in a while for sporting clays.  Would not even think of cutting it down to something SASS friendly as they don't make them anymore and this one belonged to sisters late husbands grand father so a bit of and heirloom.  They are stiff and clunky.  If it is all you have and can't afford something else use it but there are much better options.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

On 7/23/2023 at 12:21 PM, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

finding someone that can do it is pretty much impossible.

 

Plus, no parts available.  GJ

[Rootin Tootin]

I have a bag of parts for a model 24. Sold the one I had to a collector but kept all the extra parts I collected. If you hear of some one that wants them I have spare parts. Used one early on in SASS.  Great gun but went to 97's for about 10 years, now shoot both 97's and SKB's  RT.

[Johnny Meadows,SASS#28485L]

On 7/23/2023 at 11:21 AM, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

 

Yes and sort of.  The 24 was built by Winchester when there still was a Winchester.  American built of quality materials.  It is large and somewhat ungainly.  It is, however, striker fired and the trigger pulls feel like a quality rifle trigger.  I have a large collection of takedown manuals and books but have never found take down instructions for the Model 24.  All you can find on-line are schematics.  The only thing I found in searching the Internet was a thread on a website where someone cautioned against removing a large screw on top of the receiver that appears somewhat like a stock screw.  The reason being if you remove that screw the internal mechanism falls into the action.  With that caution I did remove the stock and spend many hours playing with the striker mechanism.  The problem for SASS is that virtually no one has any experience working on them.  They can be set-up to work well but finding someone that can do it is pretty much impossible.   (Photo, no hammers.  The one in the photo was made in 1936.)

 

I had one brought to me that the owner took the screw out that holds the internals together. Luckily I had a 24 and when trying to figure out how to put his back together I ended up with the same problem. It took awhile and I'll never take one apart again. Johnny Meadows

[Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655]

I am not smart enough to figure out how to take the barrels off of mine.

 

[Marauder SASS #13056]

Thanks for the info!
To sum up:
They are a mystery to work on.

We know of no gunsmiths that work on them.

We do not have a supply of parts.

 

Hey, I really need one of these!!! 

[SASS# 23321 Canelo Kid]

I've been shooting a Mod 24 for about 15 years, with BP loads exclusively.  I've never had any issues with it except the time, in a moment of stupidity, I took the top screw out to remove the stock. I forgot, it went thunk, I knew I was screwed.

 

Fortunately, I took it to a local pard that could fix it. He had one of his own to compare it to. He got it back together and said he'd never take one apart again.

 

[Shawnee Hills]

Just reassembled one for a friend of a friend two weeks ago.  He removed that top screw and couldn't figure out how to get it back together.  The problem is getting the hole to line up with the screw while the spring for the lever is pushing against the plate.  I used a ring spreader between the rear of the strikers and the safety to line it up.  Made the job much easier!

 

Cpt. Dan - remove the forearm by holding the barrels vertically and use your other hand to briskly pop the front of it away from the barrels.  It should pop right off and then you can remove the barrels from the receiver like any other double.

 

 

[The Saturday Kid]

I’m in my second season using a 12 gauge 28” Model 24. It’s un modified and uncut. All I have done is smoothes the chambers with scotchbrite. Watching others shoot in my club with imported SxS I think it’s just as fast as any of their guns, just held back by my own lack of speed. And I get the satisfaction of shooting an American made classic (mine was made in 1946). Two others in my club also shoot the 24. I stick with smooth sided shells and they can be easily flicked out after firing. 

After reading this thread I hope I don’t have to take it apart anytime soon. Lol.

[Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655]

Once upon a time I did get the forend off but for what ever reason could not get the barrels loose maybe did not apply enough pressure.  What ever my problem was put the fore-end back on and called it good.  Cleaned barrels in situ being careful not to get gunk or solvent down in the works.

I may need one on one instruction from a 24 guru.