Winchester '93 Q&A; Glocks Go Boom? GunFax By William Miller Glocks Go Boom? On March 12th, the Portland (Oregon) Police Bureau issued a press release of interest. They've ordered all of their nearly 250 officers to transition from their .45-caliber Glock model 21 handguns to 9mm models. The department's officers had been using the .45 models since 1992. It's not that they want to reduce their stopping power, they're concerned about safety. During the first week of March, two of the Glock .45s failed drastically during training. They analyzed the failures and decided to just swap the guns. This story made me remember reading an online post about such an accident. The 2002 message told about a shooter at a range who witnessed the explosion of a nearby G21. The gun's frame and magazine baseplate were broken apart, and the magazine was blown out. The witness said there was no barrel obstruction, but the empty shell was still visible in the chamber with its bottom blown out. One opinion was that over time the sharp edge of the chamber shaves off enough of a cast lead bullet to reduce headspace and make such an accident possible. An opposing view held that the case ruptured at the feed ramp. While the shooter was not seriously injured, it was determined that he had violated a couple of the basic rules of the Glock: He was shooting reloads, and they were cast lead bullets, not copper-jacketed types. To me, that's probably the bottom line, and it should serve as a warning to shooters everywhere. It's also a good idea for owners to contact Glock at glock.com or at 770-432-1202, give them your model and serial number, and ask if there are any factory modifications that yours might need. And if you don't have an owner's manual, ask them for one! Gun Q&A Q. "I have received a Winchester model 1893 pump shotgun as a gift. I cannot locate an actual serial number anywhere on the external parts, but the number 525xxx is lightly scratched on the left of the mag tube just aft of the pump. The actuator arm is marked Winchester Model 1893 and on the bottom of the receiver, just in front of the loading port it's marked "A" with the letters "WRACO" in a stippled rectangle. The ejection port has a large cutout toward the rear on the left. I was wondering if there was a location on the interior where it may be factory marked with a serial number. Any info you can give will be appreciated. I hope to use the shotgun for cowboy action shooting and have heard that it's not rated for smokeless propellants." - from Scott via e-mail. A. The "thumb cut" you mention on the left side of the receiver is a ready identifier of an M1893, and at first blush, it sounds like you have a series A model 1893. But the serial number should be between 1 and 34,050 and you mention a number over 525,000. That really makes me wonder about this one, whether it's an original or reproduction, if it's had some parts replaced, or if there might be extra marks on it. The "WRACO" mark of course identifies the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. If the gun's in good shape, you may be able to use it as a shooter. Before you do, please get a thorough inspection by a good, competent gunsmith with specific experience with old Winchesters. If yours has Damascus barrels, inspection is even more critical. You'll have to shoot 2-1/2" or 2-5/8" black powder loads only, and no smokeless loads whatsoever! Loads for this scattergun may be a bit hard to find locally, but one good source is West Virginia-based Kent Cartridge, and you can reach them toll-free at 888-311-5368 or online at kentgamebore.com. Jim Hrisoulas (jim@atar.com) of Salamander Armory is a metallographer, master bladesmith, writer, and lecturer who does some cowboy action shooting and who had his 1893 restored and rechambered it for 2-3/4" black powder loads. You might consider contacting Jim about his experiences with the '93. You can probably get more input from members of the Single Action Shooters Society, too. See them online at sassnet.com or call 714-694-1800. Often nicknamed "cornshuckers", some of the '93s were made with Damascus steel and fancy stocks. The original model had some real problems with mechanical weakness, and it was modified and improved to the point where it was finally renamed the 1897. Winchester recalled quite a few of these guns, giving customers a new model 1897 shotgun in return. This further reduced the number of specimens in existence today, also increasing their value. I would hesitate to take any guesses at your particular gun's value, since Winchester analysis and valuation is an art in itself. I've seen pretty rough '93s for sale at over $500. You can check the Blue Book of Gun Values on paper or online at tinyurl.com/BNKML9P where you can even download the latest firearm information section from the book. The Cody Firearms Museum Records Service can provide you with a factory record based on the make and serial number of your Winchester, L.C. Smith, or Marlin firearm. You can learn more about this interesting and valuable service online at www.bbhc.org/firearms or call 307-578-4031. Also see my new Winchester links at gunfax.com.