Picked this HW up today.  It was the last of Chuck Bordman's estate.  Pretty much a standard single trigger HW from the receiver to the butt plate except for mounting holes for a receiver sight adapter (which came with it- for a Redfield International)  The barrel is rather interesting.  It has been shortened (probably more that once by the look of the mainspring dove tails) and a large nut threaded on the end for a sight mounting base.  It is in 32 Miller Short, slugged at .321 and measured (twice) at 1-12.25 twist.  Came with the 10x Lyman All American scope.  Gary Miller said it was Bev Pinney's offhand rifle.  Some of you may have more knowledge of it.   

Jack

I took the 32 Miller out for the second time today.  Both times were in the early afternoon and the winds were switching every which way.  Tried to shoot when they calmed down, but my it was still a challenge.  One minute a head wind, then tail wind then right to left at 15 mph all in less than a minute.
I did manage to shoot two 5 shot groups of 1-7/16.  Looks like its a shooter!   
I decided to reward it with a set trigger and pistol grip stock.  Not sure if it enhances the looks or not

Jack

Yep.  Conditions were like Saturday at Tacoma.   

Jack

A blunderbuss flair would be way too cool! 

I thought the barrel might be threaded, but it turns out the end is turned down to 3.4" and the "nut" is a slip fit held in place by a set screw under the sight base.  A Harbor Freight freebee flashlight body is a perfect fit over the end on the barrel.

Jack

It may be ugly Bob but it appears to be accurate.  Next up is to drill and tap for a front scope block so I could use my Targetspot scopes.

I'd make up a "bloop tube" section that was the same size as the outside of the barrel, and long enough to end up with a 28"-30" look to the barrel. Make it a very tight fit, and it can be tapped into place with some Loctite to ensure it stays there. Make the inside diameter a .45 bore to keep it larger than bore size.
I have a Rolling Block in .22 that is done this way, and after bluing it's impossible to see the splice. It shot great before, and still does!

bpjack wrote on Oct 6^th, 2016 at 12:46pm:


Mine was made from an old piece of .45-70 barrel. Just smooth bored to clean up the bore. Pressed on snug, and turned to match the barrel contour. I reblued barrel and tube afterwards, to make it look like one piece. The mating gap doesn't show at all.

Satin black spray paint- just adds to the character

bpjack wrote on Oct 7^th, 2016 at 11:46am:

  Undercut the mating surface where the tube meets the barrel, so the outer edge is all that touches. It will make matching the surfaces easier to butt up cleanly, and less obvious.

The barrel is just turned down to 3/4 ".  No threads.  The 'nut has been bored out to be a slip fit and it held on by a set screw.  I am going to try and fit an extension of 4 inches or so.  The nut does attract attention at the range though

Jack

Joe, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it all depends on how many drinks you've had. 

Don't know Bob.  Took it out today with my 12x TargetSpot scope.  I was testing a few different wads and settled on the pipe insulation that SchuetzenDave uses.  I had noticed that the front sight block was tilted to the right, well that is because the barrel is tilted about 5 degrees to the right.  I lined up the front scope block with the existingholes and the cross hairs were tilted way to the right.  The barrel unscrews from the action easily by hand, so it may be able to tighten up a bit to straighten it, BUT then the extractor would have to be cut down.  The wind was switching direction every which way as the clouds swept across the sun.  I shot the 10 shot target at 200 with one getting away from me.  And yes, I the target was attached upside down.

Jack

Bring it to Spokane and I will attach it to the nut.  Not the one on the barrel but the one behind the butt plate

Jack

The nut behind the butt plate is not going anywhere I am afraid.  I may just turn down the nut on the barrel end so it matches the barrel diameter.  I have a 4 inch SS bar on the way.  Don't think I can do one much longer in my mini lathe.  By the time my crappy machining skills are done it probably will be only 2 inches long

Jack

Huge improvement in the looks Jack! Even without a perfect fit, it's a bunch better than that funky nut thing!

Going to wait and see how it shoots with the tube on the front.  Then I loctite the tube on and take it from there.  Maybe bright red paint!

Don't know.  When I asked Gary at Spokane, I think he he said the machines were gone already.

Someday I will have one!  Them I will not have any excuses.  Thread with the clutch, right

Jack

I finally put together a few spare stocks and a 5 inch bloop tube I machined for the 32 Miller short HW.  Here is the before and after pics.  Going to spend more time at the range to see if I can eliminate the flyers before considering a re-barrel.

Jack

You just have to no look too closely or take the for-end off and look at the dovetail cut with a hacksaw.  It was a deal I couldn't pass up.  Not quite as good as that heavy barrel low wall you scored but close.  It will probably get a new barrel someday, but for now it will provide some fun.  Going to try breach seating BP in a 32 Miller Short.

Jack

Common knowledge that Canadians are heavy drinkers

It is a requirement to use Scotch as antifreeze to survive Canadas climate.

Picture of my bloop tube to extend the line of sight when using iron sights.

There is a screw on cap (same diameter as the barrel) so you cannot see the threads on the end of the barrel when using a scope.

There is a indent line on barrel and bloop tube that needs to be aligned.

There is a lock screw to secure it in the correct position.