Gunsmith challenge, Win. 94

[trblmaker]

I have a Winchester 94 AE Trapper in 45 Colt 16" barrel.
Through various misques I ended up with a small hole in the barrel where the front sight was.
I took it to a supposed reputable gunsmith I've used for many years. First idea was to replace barrel, but the concern was twisting the receiver. I talked to Winchester (right after they bellied up), they would replace barrel and receiver for $300.00. They repeated concern on twisting as well as sight alinement issue. He farms it out to someone that claims to be able to do it.
It ounced back and forth yes/no, yes/no, finally it's agreed upon to cut an inch off to get rid of the hole then thread and solder an extension on to bring it back to legal length.
3 years to date I finally got the rifle back, completely untouched.
Now supposed gunsmith says no one will touch it because it becomes an illegal rifle before it gets fixed (why wasn't than an issue to begin with). Now it's supposedly ok to replace the barrel without twisting and that's what I should do, but he's not offering to do it or know's anyone that's up for it.

Question to those more honest and reputable, is the barrel extention ideal not doable? I understand it won't be pretty.
Is barrel replacement a doable/better option? I'd like to keep the 45 Colt but would rather have a usable rifle than a parts gun.

Thanks,
Wayne

[ttousi]

welcome............

someone will chime in........ie pinnacle, 1911 fan etc. Lots of contact info and knowledge here.

[trblmaker]

Thanks ttousi.

[Pinnacle]

Help me understand here

You have a small hoke where the sight WAS - does this mean that you would like a sight there again? Does this effect the way that the gun shoots? Is this a matter of esthetics?

You have to tell me where you want to wind up with this gun - there is nothing that cannot be fixed - as long as you have the wallet for the job. I suspect that the answer to this one is pretty obvious.

Just let me know

[trblmaker]

It has no front sight right now.
It all start with me wanting XS ghost ring sights, eyes don't care for the buck horns and a scope just isn't right. All information I gathered said it was dovetailed in and should be easily replaced. A lot of banging and flatened brass punches nothing, so I thought I peened the dovetail tight so I cut a relief slot in the middle to allow the metal some room to pull away from the supposed dovetail thus destroying the sight completely. While carefully cutting with a dremel tool and cutting wheel a small back spot appeared, it was a hole. Upon visual inspection there was no way it was dovetailed, that came in later models. A call to Winchester told me it was induction welded.

My original goal is to have a white line partridge front sight with a ghost ring appeture.
If that can't be done reasonably, my pockets aren't very deep, then I'm open to other options.

[1911fan]

I can help you, PM sent