I have read this entire thread with much interest. What I have to add will not be much. My problem is that I am mostly a shooter. I am not much of a collector. In short, in the eyes of most collectors I am probably a "Philistine".

I would cheerfully assemble most any combination of parts to make a shooter. The only criteria might be "does it shoot" (accurately)? I want it to look good but if it comes to "shoot or look" I would nearly ALWAYS choose "shoot". Every now and then I stumble and put a hooked butt plate on a bench gun or some such, but my definite predeliction is to do nothing that compromises its shootability. Of course, it goes without saying, it MUST be within the rules.

I'll add one more thing - I WOULD NEVER KNOWINGLY MISREPRESENT ANYTHING JUST TO MAKE A BUCK.

I am a good bit "insensitive" to the collector soul, sad to say. Oh well, maybe in the next life...

Dale53

Interesting, very interesting. First and foremost, your original question, I believe, was about lengthing a barrel. Just by chance, I am in the process of refinishing a badly neglected and abused high wall. It too needs a new barrel, the old one being without much bore, and also shortened. In my wanders while deciding how best to remedy this, I was discussing barrel work, ie:, chambering, fitting, etc. with a gunsmith fellow that I only that day had been introduced to. In the middle of that discussion he rather offhandedly suggested that if I would like, he could weld a section back to lengthen my old barrel, finish the outside, bore and re-line it back to the original chamber and rifling. He said that he has done this a number of times and that he was sure I would be pleased with the results.
     Now, it should be said right up front, this was NOT being suggested as a way to deceive anybody, but as a way for me to restore on old "junker" back to near original, much the same as replacing the barrel with another used barrel.
     I have elected to go another route and am in the process of buying a replacement barrel of modern manufactue. The above mentioned smith will be doing the fitting and chamber work.
     He has the ability and equipment to build a barrel from bar stock.I have not talked with any of his customers, but I have seen some of his work and it looks very good. I was quite impressed with a "rifling" contraption/machine he has designed and built that he was using to do his own rifling.
     If you are interested, I will ask his permission to give you the necessary contact information.

It is now about 9:45 PM on Tuesday.  I will try to contact him tommorow to gain permission to send you the necessary contact information.

John Taylor relined a low wall barrel for me. There is absolutely no way that you can see the seam at the muzzle. Amazing! I recomend him highly. John also helps us struggling amatures at (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) .
Bill

MOst of you have probably seen pics of Townsend Whelen's Fred Adolph 1903 Springfield that is in the NRA Museum.  A few years ago we of the Rifled Arms Historical Ass'n were exhibiting some of his rifles (we own seven) and borrowed the 1903 from the NRA.  To our surprise the whole inside of the bolt - two piece striker, striker collar, mainspring - was missing.  We were told that at some prior date the NRA had lent out the gun but it had to be "demilled" for an exhibit so the parts were removed and got lost.  Well when we at RAHA got four of the Whelen rifles from his grandson Townsend Whelen Bowling there was also a boxof 1903 parts.  We pulled the appropriate parts out of the box and stuck them in the Fred Adolph when we gave it back to the NRA.  So now unless they have lost the bolt guts again, it is complete and all Townsend Whelen, albeit not with the original parts it was made with.

Here's the finished barrel. I aged it appropriate to the rest of the gun's finish.
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