Quality part castings for the Model 1885 Winchester can be obtained from Boulder River Foundry, this is a subsidiary company of Shiloh Sharps in Montana. It's part of their own factory and has the same address. Shiloh Sharps cast parts for their Model 1874 there as well as other models. Contact Lucinda at Shiloh Sharps for a current price list. They do two versions of the trigger guard, the standard and the Helm, and two sets of 'set' triggers. All parts will need considerable filing and fitting and possibly machining. The parts are supplied as they come from the moulds with just the pouring sprue removed. I understand that Shiloh made their moulds for casting slightly oversize to compensate for the metal shrinking in the mould after casting so they should be a good fit rather than undersize. Shiloh's contact details are on their website. You can buy just the parts you need, you don't have to purchase a whole kit. (enjoy the music in the background. No clue's given as to where it originated). See:- (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
The castings kit is not shown on their website but I understand they or parts are still available, they cast them in batches so they may not have all their stock in hand until they do another casting run.

Harry

Is Boulder Harry on this list?  Does he still sell these parts and how do I contact him

John Mead

Ken, 
That is a very, very nice looking Helm lever with beautiful CC hardening. I have to agree with chuck also, it may not be as easy to do as some folks think.

John Mead, I think you may have misread Rafter 3's post. It's the Boulder River Foundry that make them and they are sold through the Shiloh Sharps shop.

Old Win, 
Bob, there used to be a fairly long and good video on the Shiloh Sharps website that showed the building of an 1874 Sharps rifle from start to finish including how the castings were made through to the finished rifle. It seems to have been taken down though some months ago, a great pity as it was very informative.

Harry.

John Mead,

Attached is a picture from my files showing the range of 1885 castings produced by Shiloh Sharps. I've posted it in the past but I couldn't relocate the topic, so here is again. Try ringing Lucinda at Shiloh, the contact number is on their website. It is a small family business and everyone is always very busy there, they will get back to you, it just takes a little time.

Harry

Hello Fitz,
As far as I am aware, these are the castings offered for sale by Shiloh Sharps as shown. I haven't hear of any complaints about them. I do know that Kirk at Shiloh Sharps (Boulder River Foundry) did use up a couple of tons of steel perfecting their casting method, until it satisfied him. I have also heard that he is a bit of a perfectionist in these matters. I think the secret is mainly in the way the moulds are vented during the casting process, and the fact that the moulds themselves are almost white hot when the metal is poured.

Given the quality of their finished Shiloh Sharps Rifles and the fact I haven't seen a single complaint about their finished rifles which also have many cast parts. I'd say they have solved any problems that may have occurred. I have also heard it said (unsubstantiated) that these castings are also supplied to C. Sharps for their model 1885 Winchester rifle. Don't quote this as the Gospel Truth. 

The Lost Wax Casting Process is nearly 5,000 years old, the ancient Egyptians used it in casting gold parts for Royal Jewellery. Yet the method has only been re-discovered in the past 50 years or so, hence it's name. 

Harry

This is the page under the manufacturing tab on the C. sharps website. Watch the videos, while short, they are very interesting and their firearms are definitely machined from steel stock, not castings.

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Edited to add, I watched the other videos and the last states the lever, hammer & butt plate are from castings. All other parts are from the solid.

I also see from the stockmaking video, their stocks are hand shaped, not made on duplicator lathes.

Nobody has mentioned the Laudensack lever for high wall schuetzen rifles.  While I've never owned one myself, I've seen (and lusted after) several.  I dealt with my feelings by using one of the Shelton-made schuetzen levers based on the Hepburn Walker from Remington.  It's about as close as you can get without being the real thing.

Froggie

Bob,  thank you for this timely information.  I'm fighting a CCST right now and this will make life much easier for me.

Lyle