40 Rod,
Jack Dever in Oklahoma City made some very nice Zischang Borchardt conversions years ago, including real sweet double set triggers and paneled sides. I barreled a couple of his actions and they were a joy to shoot. Borchardts are without a doubt the most difficult action (original) to convert since almost every action part needs to be remade or reworked, suchas the firing pin, breechblock face, lever, cam plates and timing, but when done correctly its a hard action to beat. Had the opportunity to shoot several original Zischangs, one in particular was actually quite comfortable and accurate to shoot from benchrest. Lock time is great and no heavy hammer slamming into the breechblock to disturb the sight alignment. Had rebuilt a few myself but never made double sets. Its quite easy to make an adjustable sear engagement for them though.

Just an old stoolshooter

Yep, this is a tough one, it's like asking who was your favorite girlfriend in highschool! Well, as for the guns it is the one in my hands at the time. I am going to shoot my stevens 44.5 this weekend at thurmont for the first time, So it will be my favorite tomorrow! I am pretty fond of the old Sharps I am trying to restore. I think it is safe to say, I don't have a favorite, I have a bunch. But if I did, it would be a singleshot. Although I do have a soft spot for my old Merwin hulbert .38 revolver as well, but that would be a different message board. Jon

A Peregrine because it is the most accurate of the rifles I own. I did my own stocking job and as they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
mes

Hi Froggy,
The trigger is a standard single trigger, which upon disassembly has been modified to an adjustable sear inside. This is the only mod, and since it's internal, I can live with that.
The buttplate is a nickel plated, but with most of the nickel worn off. Front sight is a Lyman with gold bead, as is the rear tang sight. The sight blank is one of the fancy ones that is double pointed. The wood is really lovely, with tons of figure, typical of these high grade Winchesters. The receiver is the heavy thick side, as used on some Win. single shots. The barrel is a #1, but this gun was sent from the factory with a #2, in 1902, and then rebarreled at the factory with the #1 in 1911. Had the features verified by Cody, (via email) and it all letters correctly.
I was pretty lucky to find this gun, and even luckier to get it. The seller eluded myself, and everyone else interested for the entire first day of the gun show, and when I returned the second day, I was sure it would be gone. Imagine my surprise when I went straight to his table, and not only was the gun there, but I finally caught the seller. When I struck the deal, he mentioned his surprise that it had not sold the day before. I thought about telling him to stick around his table, but I was so excited I just took my toy and left the show!
About the Ballards...I seem to have found a corner in the safe for the Low Wall, without having to push any Ballards out. I did have to sell one of my other LW's to make the space, but it was pretty rough by comparison!
Found room for this sweetheart too, purchased at the same show. I'm so broke, I need to borrow lunch money, but then you can't take it with you, right?
Stevens #47, with single trigger, nickel buttplate, Pope lever, Stevens vernier tang sight, and Lyman 7a front sight. 28" half octagon, .32-40 barrel.
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Hi,
A couple of years ago I did a projact around a discarded Remington 30 cal. tactical barrel. Its owner wanted a 6mmppc.He is a cast shooter like I am and I had seen the rifle shoot several sub moa groups with cast. A local gunsmith screwed the barrel into a 310 martini and put a tight 30-30 wesson chamber in it. I stocked it. Weight is 7.5# with a Burris 4-12 compact scope. The Wesson is driving the same bullets at about the same velocities the previous owner used with better results. I have several targets with 20 shots under 1 moa. I want to learn to shoot this rifle off hand. My second favorite even though I have half a closet of single shots, Ruger#1, Martinis, Highwalls, a low wall, #4 reminfton, stevens 14, and a new pedersoli sharps target. Number 2 is my manlicher stocked 350 Remington mag. 600 carbine.The king of noise and recoil.
Thanks for indulging me.
Tom










3

Any of the Martini's I'm shooting - whether it be a military rifle, a sporter, or the sweet little set-trigger francotte...  Reasons?  Some are objective like the fast locktime, strong action, stockbolt (and let's add affordable too... ) I'm cheap!).
Of course, there is also the subjective aspect - I LOVE hammerless rifles of simple design, and this has to be one of the simplest.  If I were to go to a US-made rifle, I would second ole7groove and go for a Zischang Borchardt, but unfortunately my pockets aren't deep enough for those 
Of course, any of the Brit-made single shots will also cause some spontaneous drooling (like Frasers, Fields, Farqs,-  you name it!), but they would need either be striker-fired, have an inside hammer - maybe a lightweight external one, that could work too.  Certainly no sidehammer designs for me though!

Richard;
I can appreciate your fondness for the Winder Musket. I have a nice one (last issue) and I too wish it was chambered in .22 L.R.

I must admit, tho', that it shoots VERY well in good conditions outdoors. Ammo is always a problem. It's not always available and always a bit pricy.

Dale53