In looking around the dark recesses of my parents basement I came upon a 1885 Low Wall ( sn 43240) with most of the internals missing ( everything from the knockoff forward).  Having harbored a latent desire for a SS classic for some time this seemed like some form of opportunity.  I haven't given up trying to locate more parts (dad never threw anything away) but the number of boxes of small metal parts that a parent with a depression mentality has accumulated in 70 years makes me think that it will be faster to either buy or make the requisite parts.  Which brings me to some newbie questions-

Are the parts for the the High and Low wall 1885 interchangeable?  Several offerings on Ebay do not specify which version they are for.

What are the best sources for these parts Ebay, user groups, gunshows, dealers, etc.

If I have to make the parts are there any sources of drawings that are good enough to lift or have dimensions?

Obviously I am standing on a podium of ingnorance so any help will be appreciated.

Amen to everything the esteemed Mr. Shirt said.  I would add that most gun shops have or can easily get a copy of the NRA's disassembly guide for rifles, and that there is a very good breakdown of the last iteration of the low-wall (third model Winder musket) in that as I recall.  You might use that as a starting point even though your sn suggests that your low-wall is the earlier flatspring version.  From what you write, I am trying to visualize what is actually gone...it would appear that you are lacking the breech block itself with its included firing pin, the extractor, the trigger, hammer, and some assorted pins and screws.  Is the mainspring still in place under the barrel, or for that matter, is the barrel still there?  How about the lever and its link and cross pin?  Folks that mess with them would recognize those parts pretty readily amongst the other flotsam and jetsam, but perhaps it be easier for you to use the pictures from one of the sources mentioned to form a "search image" in your mind.  HTH, and don't hesitate to come back for more advice.  If nothing else, the price is right!  8)  BTW, where are you located?  Maybe one or more of us are close enough to give you a hand.

Froggie

In all likelihood, you will find/have all or none of the action parts...the missing parts come out when you remove the mainspring, then the little screw in that small hole at the bottom of the action to retain the lever axis pin and said pin, then everything else you list falls out in a group.  You might look in the top of the tang and see whether the sear on its pin and the sear spring on its screw are still present.    

If the action was originally a .22 rf, it should have a square slot and a screw hole in the front face of the receiver (where it is covered by the fore end wood) to mount the so-called kicking extractor.  If not, the rifle may have been a centerfire originally.  No biggie, but the block and extractor you need will be determined by the final application.  I like the .25-20 (either SS or WCF) for the low-wall, in fact I'm building a low-wall with a Green Mtn. bbl right now in .25-20 SS.  The .25-35 however is probably a bit overly ambitious for that action.   

The good news is that your area was and is a bit of a hot bed of single shots and schuetzen, so finding someone fairly nearby shouldn't be too great a struggle.  If you can't find sufficient pictures and instructions right away, drop me a PM and I'll be happy to Xerox some and send them to you.  Likewise, the parts mentioned change hands frequently (at least compared to most other SS parts) and shouldn't be TOO hard to find.  Down here in Central VA I've had to find each of the things you mention more than once for projects I have done.   

Continued best of luck, and keep us informed...we all seem to get a certain vicarious thrill out of each other's projects and successes.   

Regards,
the Green Frog

PS  With regards to your stock, the high-wall stock can be fitted to a low-wall by removing excess wood.  The reverse is not practical in most cases.  Is either piece of the original stock present and usable?

Bob,   

     Your parts diagram is perfectly fine for what you are using it for.  These are the differences FWIW;

1) It lacks the screw and spring for the rimfire "kicker" as previously mentioned .

2) The shape of the sidewalls and breechblock are different... the side walls are lower (hence the name -  ) and the top of the breechblock is scalloped on all but the first year production (if this latter is true for yours, the frame should have the flares at front and rear.)

3) Only the .22 rf has a different extractor...it functions pretty much just like the one shown, but instead of coming up to the side of the chamber it only goes up to the bottom and then extends all the way across.  If you change to a centerfire this point becomes moot but if you stay with a .22 rimfire, that will have to be dealt with.

BTW, while scratching through my parts I found a mainspring base (only) and a couple of extractors including a .22 rimfire that I might be willing to part with if they will help and you don't find your originals...

All for now, good hunting!
Froggie

JDS, I stand corrected!      I was thinking in terms of the high-walls that only have the kicker spring for those "intended" for .22 rf, and didn't even think about the low-walls that I have seen in cf or >.22 rf calibers...there really have been precious few of those compared to your experience.  You know that I really prefer my walls high anyway!     Besides, the way frames were made up and then assembled into guns on order, A) anything was possible, and B) it would be more expedient to standardize on that process with all frames.

Remember when FITZ and I were having that thread about the thick side take-down high-walls with the kicker spring cut also.  I wonder if all of them were intended to be further cut down and made into rim fire or whether that had just become a standard step on ALL frames by the time they were forged?

All for now, I've gotta slog through the rain to Winchester for the N-SSA doin's this weekend.  Keep your powder dry.   

Froggie

PS to JDS  Did you ever make up a .17 rf on an original low-wall?  It seems we were talking about that a while back, but I don't remember the final verdict.  I don't know why, but .17s seem to be popping up a lot lately.