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bohemianway
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Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Jan 5th, 2014 at 7:54pm
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I am just curious where 5899 fits in. By the number it should be an 1886 build. 32RF, 28" #1 full octagon, highwall block, rebated sides, plain jane, unmodified. I have been saving it for building something from but I do not want to if it is "special".

Thank you,
Charles
  
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Redsetter
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #1 - Jan 5th, 2014 at 8:49pm
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Campbell's Vol. 1 discusses the earliest low-walls in considerable detail--seems they were already being produced very soon after high-walls.  So, yours would not be an ultra-early one.  However, all the ones having the HW block are scarce enough that they deserve to be preserved unaltered, in my opinion.

Checked the book--says the lowest no. he's seen was 28xx, but believes the first ones came in at 22xx.
« Last Edit: Jan 5th, 2014 at 9:10pm by Redsetter »  
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waterman
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #2 - Jan 5th, 2014 at 9:13pm
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Scarce enough to preserve it as a .32 RF?  They make very nice offhand rifles in .22 LR.
  
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Redsetter
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #3 - Jan 5th, 2014 at 10:36pm
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waterman wrote on Jan 5th, 2014 at 9:13pm:
Scarce enough to preserve it as a .32 RF?  They make very nice offhand rifles in .22 LR.


I wouldn't balk at merely relining to .22; but I'd keep the action, barrel & stock together.
  
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BP
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #4 - Jan 6th, 2014 at 12:20am
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Redsetter,

Are you saying that original 32RF block and extractor won't need to be modified to use with your proposed relined 22RF barrel?

  
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Redsetter
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #5 - Jan 6th, 2014 at 7:39am
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BP wrote on Jan 6th, 2014 at 12:20am:
Redsetter,

Are you saying that original 32RF block and extractor won't need to be modified to use with your proposed relined 22RF barrel?



Of course it would--and that wasn't MY proposal.  But if someone's determined to shoot with it, wouldn't that be preferable to more drastic alterations, such as re-barreling, or what you see in the above photo?  If the bore was any good, converting it to 32 Long CF would be the least invasive thing that could be done.
« Last Edit: Jan 6th, 2014 at 7:58am by Redsetter »  
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waterman
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #6 - Jan 7th, 2014 at 1:33am
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Re: the above photo.  That is the original 22 barrel, but it probably has been lined. It was probably either a Short or a Long, because the rifle was made before the LR was marketed.  The original stock is back in the shooter's workshop. The original screws that held the original stock have been preserved.  I do not know if that is the original lever.  If so, it has been modified.

The stock in the photo is a work-in-progress, with modern screws holding it in place. 

Remember, all those old original Winchesters started out as parts in bins or on racks.  Winchester was pretty good about interchangeable parts.
  
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waterman
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #7 - Jan 7th, 2014 at 1:49am
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If you want to really gnash your teeth, here is a close-up of the lever.  It's hard to see from this angle, but there is a hand-made set of finger rests attached to an original lever with two small hose clamps.

I think these modifications are a tribute to a man with a lot of imagination and a limited budget.  Others may think it's time for the pitchforks and torches.
  
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BP
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #8 - Jan 7th, 2014 at 1:53am
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waterman,

How much more radiused are the upper rear corners of your early (tall) lowwall breach block compared to the standard hiwall block?

  
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waterman
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #9 - Jan 8th, 2014 at 12:22am
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BP,
I had a close look at the Low Wall with the high block today.  The SN on the tang is about 44,700.  I do not know where that fits with the high block series.  Maybe the whole rifle is parts.  The barrel was originally a 22 Long and now has a liner.   

Before I went to the range, I looked at the block of my 1903-vintage High Wall.  The blocks do not appear to me to be identical.  Here are 2 pics of the high block action.
  
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bohemianway
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #10 - Jan 8th, 2014 at 6:34pm
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Pictures of Lowwall #5899
  
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Re: Lowest LowWall S/Ns?
Reply #11 - Jan 8th, 2014 at 7:00pm
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The only lowall with tall breech block I ever owned, had a block like the one in Bohemianways post. Serial number 5XX. It had been hammered on also.   

      Joe.
  
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