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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website (Read 33328 times)
Mike_S.
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Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Feb 11th, 2014 at 11:16pm
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A new Steve Earle No.1 Mid Range by Roger Ferrell shown on Hallowell's site.  Seven nice photos of the rifle, but none shown with the action open.  .30 WCF caliber in a Douglas barrel.

Found it while trolling the web tonight, thought you all would enjoy seeing a rare creation.  Mike

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Singleshotlover
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #1 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 12:07am
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Beautiful rifle, not to offend anyone but if they don't think it is beautiful then they have no appreciation for fine work. Frank
  

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Mike_S.
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #2 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 1:38am
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Singleshotlover wrote on Feb 12th, 2014 at 12:07am:
Beautiful rifle, not to offend anyone but if they don't think it is beautiful then they have no appreciation for fine work. Frank
I have to agree.

Looks like this rifle may have been the inspiration for the build:
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westerner
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #3 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 1:53am
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Beautiful rifle. Is it perfect? No, has a number of small faults. Most can be corrected.

      Joe. 

  

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harry_eales
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #4 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 3:11am
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westerner wrote on Feb 12th, 2014 at 1:53am:
Beautiful rifle. Is it perfect? No, has a number of small faults. Most can be corrected.
Joe.  


I have to agree with Joe, beautifully done, but, that Nickel finish is to my eyes ghastly and it's already showing fine scratching. If it were mine I'd get rid of the plating and go for CC hardening or blued finish.
As is, it looks like a pimps rifle.  Roll Eyes 

The Wesson shown on Mike_s URL has a tin finish, very unusual unless your in close proximity to a maritime environment where salt air will rust your firearm. I seem to remember reading about the USN buying rifles during the War of Northern Aggression that had at least the barrels 'tinned' to help prevent corrosion.

Harry

« Last Edit: Feb 12th, 2014 at 3:28am by »  
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QuestionableMaynard8130
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #5 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 7:59am
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RE: the tin plated rifle, I'm confused.  The description says "vibrant case hardening"  What are they referring to?  to me "vibrant' is usually an adjective used with colors.  I don't see any color-caseing except on maybe the hammer and the front sight.

I sorta like the FW/Earle midranges. That first example is really really nice. Every time Steve shows up at EG with one of those actions I start dreaming again. But I'm too gun-poor to act on it.   I'd  really LOVE to see one in gun-grade bronze.
  

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harry_eales
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #6 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 8:29am
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QuestionableMaynard8130 wrote on Feb 12th, 2014 at 7:59am:
RE: the tin plated rifle, I'm confused.  The description says "vibrant case hardening"  What are they referring to?  to me "vibrant' is usually an adjective used with colors.  I don't see any color-caseing except on maybe the hammer and the front sight.



I can easily detect CC hardening on the trigger, hammer and breech block. The rest may be CC hardened under that ghastly plating. I would agree with the colours being vibrant, but after a few years they'll fade unless kept in the dark when not in use. the same items are CC hardened on the Tin (plated?) original but are somewhat faded.

Harry

  
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graduated peep
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #7 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 8:42am
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Quote:
westerner wrote on Feb 12th, 2014 at 1:53am:
Beautiful rifle. Is it perfect? No, has a number of small faults. Most can be corrected.
Joe.  


I have to agree with Joe, beautifully done, but, that Nickel finish is to my eyes ghastly and it's already showing fine scratching. If it were mine I'd get rid of the plating and go for CC hardening or blued finish.
As is, it looks like a pimps rifle.  Roll Eyes 

The Wesson shown on Mike_s URL has a tin finish, very unusual unless your in close proximity to a maritime environment where salt air will rust your firearm. I seem to remember reading about the USN buying rifles during the War of Northern Aggression that had at least the barrels 'tinned' to help prevent corrosion.

Harry


I agree, nicely made rifle; but the nickel plate is blinding.
Can't appreciate the graceful curves of the action.
Maybe a satin nickel would have worked better; but still not as nice as CC or rust blued.
But to each his own !
I remember Sharps & Hankins rifles had leather covered barrels to protect them from salt air??
I wonder how well that worked if they actually got wet ??
  
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Redsetter
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #8 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 9:46am
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... Nickel finish is to my eyes ghastly and it's already showing fine scratching.


To my eyes as well, though the popularity of nickel in the 19th C. makes it traditional.  A more attractive alternative would be that pewter-colored finish called French-gray.  Don't know how durable it is, but probably more durable than CC.
  
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boats
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #9 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 11:18am
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High dollar rifle buyers want pimped up. Look at that stock wood, pretty but not the same at the factory rifle While Nickel is traditional on a Wesson when new it does not strike me right either.

Like to have one of Steve's mid ranges, if ordering from scratch I think I would look at as many originals as possible & order period correct.  May have to be Nickel, did they make them blue or cased ? Other question was .30 WCF a factory Wesson Caliber ? I don't think so.

No link between money and taste.

Boats
  
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #10 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 12:05pm
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boats wrote on Feb 12th, 2014 at 11:18am:
Other question was .30 WCF a factory Wesson Caliber ? I don't think so.
Boats


True, but he's not trying to make a counterfeit. If the piece is going to be put to some use beyond fondling in the gun room, an excellent choice:  no obsolete cases to worry about finding or making, & a zillion choices of bullets, or bullet molds, if you're in to drudgery.

If the action is strong enough to handle .30-40, that choice I'd like even better.


  
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #11 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 4:31pm
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Well to each it's own, Personally If I had a Wesson I would want original caliber.  Like you I prefer the 30/40 over the 30/30 in that case High Wall Winchester would be appropriate. Never made any sense to me to chamber old rifles in new calibers when original calibers are adequate.

Most of these boutique rifles never get shot and are sold to people who don't know much about them anyway

Boats

  
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graduated peep
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #12 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 4:57pm
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Seems like it would have been more fitting to have one of these built in a .30-30 Wesson; not .30 WCF.
  
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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #13 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 5:47pm
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The work is of the highest order, resembles Glenn Flewless's work or possibly Steve Durren's. Glenn's Wesson BP competition rifle is all of that if not more and not a safe queen. Nickle actions were not that unusual for the period so I fail to see the issue. Sure would hate to see you fellows ragging on a rifle that was possibly built by one of or own on this site, not very gentlemanly like. I find it to be an absolutely beautiful rifle and the work is perfection at its finest.

JLouis
  

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Re: Frank Wesson No.1 Mid-Range on Hallowell website
Reply #14 - Feb 12th, 2014 at 6:16pm
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I have no problem with the nickel plating. I see flaws in the inletting and checkering. Other than those items, it's a real beauty. A little glitzy. A few years of good honest use will tone it down.

               Joe.
  

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