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corerftech
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Experiences and impressions of Bo Clerke HW action
Feb 5th, 2016 at 3:25pm
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Please fill my head with truths regarding Bo Clerke HW single shot actions.

Are they worthy?

Did he make barrels as well and were they worth a diddle?

Issues with them?

Thanks in advance
  
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spdalcher
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Re: Experiences and impressions of Bo Clerke HW action
Reply #1 - Feb 6th, 2016 at 9:31am
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Seems that this subject is difficult to get many people talking about. I have several of the cast receivers and partially finished receivers. Very little information has come forward when I asked about them or him for that matter. It has been said that he is still alive but will not discuss these rifles... It is a shame as the partially finished receivers are very nice. I look forward to learning more about the man and his rifles.
  
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frnkeore
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Re: Experiences and impressions of Bo Clerke HW action
Reply #2 - Feb 6th, 2016 at 4:45pm
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Bo is no longer alive, he died within the last two years. 

More in a while.....

Frank
  

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frnkeore
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Re: Experiences and impressions of Bo Clerke HW action
Reply #3 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 3:30am
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I knew Bo but briefly, there are many more on this forum that knew him well.

My first target rifle was one of his HW's. It had a Douglas 15 twist, 32/40 barrel on it and I won many matches with it.

The receiver ring is about twice as long as a Winchester HW and they are made of stronger steel.

The breech block is the same, as well as the trigger parts.

I also have one of his LH twist barrels and a bullet mold, all quality products.

The finish isn't as good as a Win HW but, they are stronger. Some say that they don't like the looks of them, compared to a Win HW but, I think they look good.

I still have my original rifle and I picked up a DST action with a excellent butt stock on it, last summer.

Frank
  

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blk43
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Re: Experiences and impressions of Bo Clerke HW action
Reply #4 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 2:33pm
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I picked up a .33 barrel by Clerk a couple of years ago and built a 33/47.  Shoots real good, left hand twist.
Bruce
  

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corerftech
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Re: Experiences and impressions of Bo Clerke HW action
Reply #5 - Feb 7th, 2016 at 9:22pm
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I ask because I found this last week.

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Working another rifle or two so I have no interest, but I do have interest!
This is the #3 or 4 I have seen for sale. Thought Id get a grip on what they are and who the man was.

Thank you for all the insight!
Sounds  like Mr. Clerke was a redeeming part of California, there are few (I know better than most the evil of CA).

Mike
  
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jfeldman
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Re: Experiences and impressions of Bo Clerke HW action
Reply #6 - Feb 8th, 2016 at 12:29am
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I met Bo in Raton NM, where he had his shop.  At that time (around 2000) he was making barrels for Ruger - the 10/22 - on the rifling machine that he had designed and built himself.  He was quite a guy, with a very inquisitive mind.
He seemed to always have a new project in mind.

Regards, Joe
  
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jfeldman
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Re: Experiences and impressions of Bo Clerke HW action
Reply #7 - Feb 10th, 2016 at 12:06am
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Here is part of an article from Guns Magazine of 6/1/2005 about switch barrel .22RF rifles:


Does the name Bo Clerke conjure up any images? It should because Bo Clerke is one of those gunmaking geniuses who has developed everything from the original 30mm chain gun for the Apache helicopter and the 25mm chain gun for the Bradley fighting vehicle to spirit level target sights and picked-up a room full of national high-power shooting awards along the way. Now located in Raton, NM, his firm. Clerke International Arms, is a major OEM manufacturer of 17- and 22-caliber barrels. 

The nice thing about Clerke is that he sells his interchangeable target quality barrels directly to our rimfire shooting clan and, priced from $123.50, they're very affordable. 

The platform that Clerke has designed his switch-barrel concept around is Ruger's 77/22 magnum. I've hunted a lot with the .22 Win Mag, even using it for small African antelope. If there ever were a more ideal .22 Win Mag than Ruger's 77/22 Varmint model in low glare stainless steel with its brown laminated stock, I have yet to see it. Right-out-of-the-box, my Ruger has always shot like a house afire. The only improvement I ever made was to rework the trigger a bit.

Regards, Joe 
  
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