Come on we need to get something going after all Josh's work!

What you all shoot? 

Me I Shoot all CPA Stevens, now own three at last count and am lucky enough to own one Stevens Pope Sporting Rifle in 28-30 that has an interesting story behind it.

Can we talk loads here or is that not a good thing?

My favorite rifle is one I am getting to shoot at any given time!  My PREFERRED rifle is probably the high-wall because that is what gave me my earliest single shot inspiration and indoctrination, but I even enjoy a Stevens if that happens to be what I am shooting at the moment (but don't tell leadball!  )

Green Frog

This is a tough one because a lot has to do with what's been done to them. One of the things I like is for the butt stock to have a thru bolt installed like the Ballards. But Ballards are not really noted for their strength. High Walls and 44 1/2's are good but their stock "lock-up" leaves a lot to be desired. So to improve these two guns I've had installed a thru bolt in a Low Wall and a 44 1/2. That makes either about ideal in my estimation.

Ballards have about the best DST's going and they seem to fit most people. I'm not overwhelmed with them!

As for discussing loads I'd think that would best be discussed on "Loading the SS Rifle". Wouldn't mind talking about working up loads for the .28/30 with both black and smokeless.

PETE

Pete,
How did you put in the through bolts?  Did you do this yourself or did you hire out?   

At what caliber to you think a through bolt is really necessary?  A .22 lr?  Or maybe anything less than a .32-40 is okay w/o?

bjd,
Boy! You must have posted that between the time I read and answered Schuetzen's message.

Putting in the thru bolts is not particularly hard with either the Stevens or Low Wall. Of course you need the hole thru the stock. The hard part is making the cross piece between the top and bottom tang. We set up offset pieces that used existing holes. Some of the stock has to be cut away.

Please don't do this with an original gun!! I had it done on basically basket cases that had to have a LOT of other work done to them.

The gunsmith who did the work is our local SS gunsmith. Can't remember if I paid him for the job or not.

When should you use a thru bolt?.... Actually anytime you can put the gun in a vice and by twisting on the butt stock you can see it move. Unless a previous owner was very careful you can move just about any SS stock set up like the Winchester SS's and Stevens. Of course you can always buy you a new stock blank.

What cal. should you start using a thru bolt at?...... Probably not a .22 RF, unless it's loose as mentioned above. My Low Wall has had a .25 Hornet, .25/20SS on it over the years, and currently has a .22 Hornet barrel back on it for some experiments this Summer using swaged 60 gr. Spitzers.  The 44 1/2 originally had a .32/40 barrel, a .25/20SS was added and currently has a .28/30. so you can see that, as far as I'm concerned, if you want to install one caliber shouldn't be a consideration.

If you will think about how a gun flexes under recoil you can imagine how the point at which the butt stock joins the frame, that this is where the gun will flex if things aren't attached solidly. As things flex in this area the screws work loose and the amount of flex will change. You tighten the screws back up and the amount of flex will change.

You want to set your gun up so that it recoils as straight back as possible in relation to the target. If the stock flexes, and flexes differently for each shot, you can see that it's going to affect the impact point on the target at 200 yds. Even 100 yds. could put you out of the 25 ring if the gun is barely capable of holding that size.

PETE

Pete so true about flex and loose screws! If I do not keep a carefull watch on the tang screws on my CPA. when my start to come loose my rifle will start throwing shots all over the target! This has cost me more than one match for sure. Good bedding and tight screws good scores if I do my part.

kmedins,

Good! NEVER re-chamber a .22 Short to Long Rifle. The rifling twist on the older Short rifles is different than the LR's because of the difference in bullet wgts. used. You'd probably be very disappointed in the accuracy afterwards.

PETE

40 Rod WOW SOUNDS NICE !! I WANT ONE !!

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

I love my rollers, trapdoor, and Ruger #1s, but, I would have to say my Contenders and Encores because I can drag them through the woods and not worry about scratching them or reducing the collector value.
Best,
Mike
Central Va.

Ray;
Well said.

Dale53

  I am a sucker for a .22 rimfire with a nice butt set trigger and some hand cut checkering!!! as song as it has style and grace!

this one makes my knees week every time i look at it , hold it  and shoot it. Strativarious violin??? not quite but it also makes sweet music to my ears!!!

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No. 7 remington rolling block lift tang beeches front and .22 lr

rafter-7

With a couple of single shot rifle projects at the smiths and not in my greedy hungry fingers to head the list. The rifle that grabs me every time I open the gun safe, is a .243 Mannlicher Schoenauer fullwood carbine. All the Schoenauers are a beautiful rifles to me... Once I have my martini .22k hornet customised some more and the other 2 single shot BPCR's finished, the order is bound to change. But at the end of the day everything in the safe is a favourite from time to time, even an old custom win '94 that rides in the ute [pickip]I use for pigs... It's all fun.

Cam...

As to my favorite rifle, I agree with Green Frog, only I would add that “only accurate rifles are interesting.” The rifles I like are the ones that will hold their own in competition, either center fire at 200 yards, 22 Long Rifle at 100 yds. or a gallery rifle at 75 ft. Although Ballard rifles are “A1 Special” and Stevens rifles are “Ideal”, I find that my true “favorite” is the Winchester highwall and sometimes lowwall. Both of these fine actions are easy to operate, easy to load and extremely strong, I would also add that they are very forgiving. To borrow from Will Rogers “I’ve never met a Winchester Single Shot I didn’t like.”

Bob 

High Wall.  Strongest of all the classics, good looking, AND (which noone has mentioned altho very important) almost complete interchangeability of parts.  Needs a through stock bolt though, which is not too difficult to install.