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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) New items for the collection (Read 6068 times)
runningiron
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New items for the collection
Jan 28th, 2014 at 6:37pm
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I haven't been on the board for a spell, but I did a bit of trading today, and I wanted to show off my new acquisitions.  
Apparently the guns have been in storage since the '80.  The bores are just about perfect.  The Hepburn needs new wood, but, otherwise, appears to have its original finish.  It's .45-70.
I don't know how the German (?) falling block is chambered.  It's a .22 and a Zipper case appears to fit.  I need to do a chamber cast.  
The Clerke is really nice, but it has the thinnest .45-70 barrel I've ever seen.  Looks almost like a .410 shotgun barrel at the bore.
The Martini-Henry is another .45-70.  The receiver markings were totally eliminated when it was built.
I also picked up a Savage 219 in .32-20 and a Savage 99 in .250-3000.  

  

Murphy was an optimist
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ssdave
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #1 - Jan 28th, 2014 at 7:07pm
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Look like nice acquisitions!

I have a Clerke that looks just like that one.  The barrel was so thin, that when I went to take it off and rebarrel to something more reasonable, the barrel twisted like a pretzel.  It was a bit tight, took a 4 foot cheater bar and then hitting that with a 4 lb hammer to shock it loose.  Thought for a while I was going to have to part off the barrel at the receiver face to get it loose.  It had been torqued on HARD!

dave
  
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runningiron
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #2 - Jan 28th, 2014 at 7:13pm
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That's good to know, Dave. Smiley
  

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RoyB
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #3 - Feb 2nd, 2014 at 5:15pm
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NICE!
  

Roy B
Dartmouth, MA
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hickstick_10
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #4 - Feb 3rd, 2014 at 12:43am
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All beutiful guns, the Hepburn is my favourite of the pile even without a forearm.

What the heck is going in with that Martini though?
  
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runningiron
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #5 - Feb 6th, 2014 at 7:37pm
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The Martini wood is beautiful, but whoever built the butt stock got a little too enthusiastic with the sandpaper, just like on the Hepburn.  He took just a little too much off where the wood meets the metal. It's unsightly, but I can shoot it.
I can't identify a maker for the action.  It seems to be a commercial action, but the ones I see with a similar profile all have a safety (?) above and to the rear of the cocking indicator.
I wish I could find a receiver sight that mounts similarly to the target sights on the BSA target guns.
  

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Singleshotlover
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #6 - Feb 6th, 2014 at 11:54pm
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Greener made a bunch of shotguns with a safety. If your martini was one origionally it's quite possible that the holes that were used for the safety and it's spring detent may have been plugged and welded up. If you take out the breechblock one look will let you know if it was a greener shotgun action. Unless the welder was really good you should see some remains of the holes. have fun with your new toys. I've never seen any of them down here in Louisiana at our gun shows. Frank
  

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John in PA
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #7 - Feb 7th, 2014 at 7:13pm
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You may already know this. Whoever last reassembled the Martini has put the cocking indicator in 90 degrees out of whack.  Uncocked should be nearly vertical, cocked should point about 10 oclock.  Real easy to change as the hole in the internal cocking lever that it passes through is a perfect square.
  

John Wells
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Peabody and Peabody-Martini's Wanted!
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Fazer
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #8 - Feb 8th, 2014 at 11:44am
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On the German one, if it is .22 and a zipper case fits, it will probably be 56X52R, same as 22 Savage Hi-power, common European round.
  
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runningiron
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #9 - Feb 20th, 2014 at 7:57am
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Thanks, Fazer.  I've got some new Hi-power brass around somewhere.  I'll try it for fit.
  

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runningiron
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Re: New items for the collection
Reply #10 - Feb 20th, 2014 at 8:02am
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Nope, not a .22 Hi-Power.  Fully a quarter-inch too long.
  

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