One of the most skilled single shot gun designers in Great Britain was Daniel Frazer.  The Frazer patented falling block internal hammer single shot action was considered equal to or superior to the other British single shot actions of that period.

I am interested in communicating with anyone who is either collecting and/or shooting the Frazer falling block rifle/s for research purposes.

My interests are mostly historical in nature, however, future acquisitions of Fraser examples is conceivable.

Thank you, 

Creedmoormatch

I saw an early Fraser at a gun show in New York State last year and had a chance to examine it closely.  It looked like one of the plain guns shown in Kirton's book that had been sold in Canada. A bit rough  and the price of several thousand dollars was a bit high for me.  It closely resembled a Fraser that had been for sale on Joe Salter's website a few years ago.  

Mike,
You probably saw the Italian copy marketed as Fraser - by no means an original, in design or execution.  That one was pretty ugly indeed..

The small bore (.22 LR & .22 Hornet only) Italian made under lever single shot marked "Daniel Fraser"  was written up by Frank deHass in Rifle magazine sometime in the early 1990s. deHass found it to be interesting, but mostly junk.

The Fraser I saw last year was an honest to goodness Fraser, not very different from the rifle pictured on page 221 of Jonathan Kirton's book.  Considering how rare real Frasers are, the sellers price of several thousand dollars (I don't remember the exact price.) was proabably quite reasonable.

With all this talk about Frasers lets not forget that the Ruger No 1 (and No 3) are basically the Fraser action turned into an underlever.

Gentlemens:

Do you think there would be a market for a faithful reproduction of the original large Fraser action?


Glenn

Harry,

I would disagree - there's some things on the original action that could be omitted without anyone ever noticing (like - I believe - the half-cock option) without ever compromising the design itself.

I do believe someone in the US once made some (modified) Fraser replica's a few years ago.  Some minor changes were made, but I do believe it wasn't exactly cheap though...

Quote:


       Well put Harry !   I agree wholeheartedly,  and will remember to buy you a pint of the best Larger when I see you next.

Creedmoormatch

The Fraser would be a good thing - but for a Brit action having all the good features, very simple, few parts, and visually attractive too, take a look at the Field falling block - the bottom drawing:
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Very fast, light, center-hung hammer, very solid, pretty simple to make and most certainly not ugly....  Not the precision and complexity of a Fraser, but it would probably have a bigger market.  Maybe the only change to make is to use 2 springs instead of the mainspring also being used as trigger return spring.  Maybe also add a stockbolt fixture to improve it.  
Also, that would probably be an action I could afford    And also a good base for a nice target rifle - Greener made target rifles on these actions.

bouldersmith wrote on Apr 8^th, 2010 at 10:20am:



There is a side elevation drawing (without dimensions) in F.de Haas's book Single Shot Rifles and Actions on page 257 (in my copy).

Harry

Thanks Harry, I even have that book!

bouldersmith wrote on Apr 8^th, 2010 at 10:20am:


Steve:

I too am looking for information on a top tang safety.  I am working with the full size action, but I expect that as the firing mechanism is of the same design in both that the safety will be as well.

Let me know if you come across something.  The images in the DeHass book are better than nothing, but good photos would be a real aid.

Best,

Glenn

Thanks again Harry. I have Kirkton and was familiar with his writing on these actions. The De Hass lead was really helpful.

Glenn,
        After reading what De Hass had to say about how the safety works and its Half cock safety feature, I think will go a slightly more standard route and forgo that little tid bit. As far as adding the Tang and safety, which in this case is a simple sear blocking safety, I am very familiar with this system from working on double shotguns. It is really very much like the tang safety on PD Farq actions.  Now all I need is some free time. Too many projects.

OK, now you have my interest. Does anyone know of any W.Field rifles being produced, do not believe I've ever heard or seen one. Please post here if any pictures or additional info is found. Thanks

Fields patten in 22LR. whitey

The other side. Whitey

Toolmkr,
Here is a Military match rifle with the Field falling block action (made by Greener) in 500/450 No.2 that I am currently working with. As MartiniBelgian says it is a simple yet strong action and is very well made. Barrel has henry rifling and it shoots very nicely with PP.
Spud

Spud, more photos please, internals if possible, I like the way it looks .
MIKE-T

You could call it the Brit Hiwall - except it is quite a bit simpler.  I would only make 2 modifications to it:
1. Separate (and weaker) trigger return spring
2. Modify for stock bolt
IMO, it wouldn't give up anything to any other action out there - lock time would be quite a bit faster than a Farq while being at least as solid - not so fast as a Martini maybe, but then again, not everyone is born equal...    Moreover, it is extremely simple construction-wise.  quite a few years ago there was a gent in SA (Karl Schlager) making replica's of these, but unfortunately he doesn't do so anymore - and I missed the chance of getting his last one.  Then again, I was young and poor then (now I 'm old and poor    )  And yes, the patent information is on my website.
Of course, Spud's rifle is extremely desireable as it is chambered in my all-time favorite round - the #2 Musket.  I now have 4 rifles chambered for this round, and every one of them has proven to be a tackdriver.

Send me a PM with your email, and I'll send some scans to you...

Spud thank you for all the info & photos you have already provided me, have been looking for my next winters project, had about settled on the De Haas round bolt single shot, modified to a striker action as the Gerfen SS rifle shown in the 2010 GD page 76. After seeing your Military Field falling block and the prints thanks to MartiniBelgian, I have reconsidered and when not casting bullets for this summer’s matches will start collecting up the scraps of hard wood and lexan/delrin etc to start putting together a working model right after Deer season, may try to incorporate a striker similar to the striker in the Gerfen.
Spud I do not have the books you mentioned for more Field info, reduced  everything I owned before my move from PA to northern MI a couple years ago to make weight, decided to keep my shop equipment, books were the next heaviest thing, so they had to be drastically reduced, had at least one of Winfer's excellent books, sadly   it did not make the cut and was sold. 
As toolmkr said keep the info/photos coming, 
MIKE-T      

Creedmoormatch,
I am new to this forum and as the Fraser is of much interest to me I thought I would ask if you are still seeking information. Please let me know?
There was quite a bit discussion about the complications of the Fraser and found my own thoughts to be quite to the oppisite. I believe one of the attributes of the Fraser id that it is not complicated. However this is opinion and to all there own.

LRF

Resurrecting an old thread, but if there's still any interest in D. & J. Fraser I have a page on them on my web site. See: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links).

David

For any of you that are interested in the Field's patent. Tom Oppel has a great article on one he built from a kit in the new Journal. 

40 Rod

Gone Fly Fishing wrote on Apr 8^th, 2010 at 8:42am:


Many of us are just a little slow to join the forum...

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Creedmoormatch,
Thanks for the welcome!
I frequent a couple other forums - with the same user name (Huvius) so my posts over on those are pretty easy to search out.  That way, regardless of which forum I am posting on, everybody knows it's me (for better or worse... )
My Fraser is a very interesting piece.
From what I have pieced together, which is obviously conjecture for the most part - but some very expert conjecture at that (mostly others' not always mine...), is that it was originally an early model with the safety within the trigger guard.  It was later converted by Fraser to the newer top tang safety configuration and I suspect rebarreled to Fraser's 400/360 at the same time, which, by the way is the same as the 400/360 Purdey but with a different bullet design.
Anyway, the conversion work is definitely Fraser.
My rifle is a rather standard grade gun by Fraser standards - many were highly engraved - but mine has a simple border with most surfaces left open.
That being said, I feel the art of the Fraser rifle is in the design and the quality of the execution.  I doubt there is a genuine Fraser that isn't a best rifle in every respect.  The high level of adornment of some of them is just icing on the cake!
I know one forum member here has had my gun apart - hope he took plenty of pictures and measurements!
Here are a couple more pictures.  The beauty is often in the details...
A couple things of note that I want to point out.
See how the checkering runs right up to the metal of the top tang?  On an original top tang safety model, the checkering would have a border which runs parallel with the metal.  Also the border is different on the tang.


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I am a bit hesitant to revive this very old thread, but good information doesn't go stale with age.

The Fraser single shot rifle is one of the best ever produced, and I'm a fan.  These rifles are much to expensive for me to acquire a "collection" of them, but I did buy a really nice one in .303 some years ago in a Julia auction.

I'll share some images.  The first are re-sized from the auction photos and are credited to Julia.

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Once I got the rifle in hand, I did disassemble it to properly clean and lubricate it before using it.  Here are some of the photographs I took of the internals:


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Continuing with next post.

Curl

That is one beautiful rifle! Treasure it!

Neat piece. Thank you for letting us have a look at it. How does is shoot for you?

I'm surprised nobody has brought this one up.  Produced by Steve Earle and if anybody's seen or used Steve's products, they are top shelf. I have seen both the Fraser and Wesson actions by him on rifles and they are smooth and beautiful.
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