please help me understand what I am looking at here. mainly the stock configuration.

rifle is in an auction this summer. the only additional info is that it is a .40 2 1/2. I too without rowe's book am at a loss. stocks seem "creedmoor like" triggers seem more offhand rifle like. if the numbers match maybe it was someone's idea of the ultimate bench gun ?

thanks. I am a little weak on hepburns, I have only owned 1 and it wasn't anything like this.

while the great creedmoor matches ended early, the long range style (800,900, 1nd 1000yds) continued until 1912.
the creedmoor range was long gone by this time.
sea girt was one of the last ranges where this happened.
the long range any rifle had to be under 10 lb with a single trigger no less than 3 lb i think.
not sure of mid range rifles.
the hepburn could have been used .
the 40 2 1/2 was a popular mid range chambering in many brands of rifle.
the rem loading was often referred to as the 40/65 rem, and loaded as described.
trajectories of American hunting rifles, open library describes such a rifle being tested, and it was shot dirty.
should you get this rifle, and its chamber be an original pp one, please do not destroy history by rechambering it to take greasers.
I have measured a chamber cast from an original Hepburn 40 2 1/2, and a groove diameter bullet would not chamber in fixed ammo.
it also had a 4 degree transition angle.
keep safe,
bruce.

bruce moulds wrote on Jun 6^th, 2017 at 7:35am:


Have observed the same in several BP rifles, and read that use of an "undersized" (relative to groove dia.) bullet guaranteed reliable chambering even in a fouled chamber; when fired, the bullet was supposed to "bump up" to fit the grooves.  When shooting smokeless, such a bullet-fit mismatch obviously presents difficulties, and I had planned to have a Ballard I once owned rechambered like you warned against doing; but like a thousand other projects, I never got around to having it done.   

Sold for $1400  + ~20%+ shipping and taxes if applicable.   Hope it is going to a good home.

I wonder what that brass looking addition is on the barrel in the front sight dovetail area? Maybe some adapter to allow a owner to put a 3/8" dovetail sight in there? Or a scope mount, muzzle rest????
Guessing whatever it was, it kept the price down for bidders.

The "OG" code rating on condition is not specific. It doesn't necessarily have all those things wrong with it or I'm sure RIA wouldn't bother with it.
I think this rifle rated such as it needs a screw, a rear sight elevator, and whatever problem the front sight has.
It's no beauty, but onsite bidders had a good look and more than one thought it has some value.
Interesting configuration.
Aaron

Should not be a problem for parts. Looks like Numrich has the repro windage-adjust front sight back in stock (might have to buy all the parts and put together yourself - not a big deal) and DZ Arms will have all the needed screws (that's whatever they came up with for the main-spring screw sticking out of the lower tang - looks to be much smaller than the original, so there is hope for the threads) and any other parts required. Looks like it will clean up into a beautiful rifle.

"Sold for $1400" - someone got a very good deal.

I bought quite a few NOS Numrich parts from the Rolling Block late 1990's parts they got from Remington. Building a pistol grip RB using the parts, and so far the parts are all correct for early BP Rolling Blocks. They were listed as "out of stock" on some front sight parts, and I got the last set of tang sight parts. Hopefully they kept the front sight the same as old dovetail size, but I'm betting they went 3/8".

marlinguy wrote on Jun 29^th, 2017 at 9:27am:

Call or PM Steve Durren and ask. Feel sure he wouldn't mind measuring the dovetail on mine as long as you are not in a hurry. He has to cut the dovetail in my barrel over the next several weeks, so not a big deal for him (says the guy who doesn't have to dig it out and measure). They are sold as 'original', so would be interesting to know.

Would someone post a link to the sight parts please?
Aaron

I bought one of the sights in parts and got it assembled OK. It's kinda tight but I figure it will work loose. It's the large dovetail, about .450". I can't measure it, it's on a barrel already. I've got several sight inserts ordered from Distant Thunder. I've been told they were the Axtell sights???

Originals can vary a fair amount in Remington rifles! Mine are anywhere from .451" to .461"! So if it's the smaller end of the spectrum, do a careful check before spending the money!

Sold for $1400  + ~20%+ shipping and taxes if applicable.   Hope it is going to a good home

I hope so too, I bought it and it arrived today.
It seems to be an honest midrange Creedmoor, according to what I read in Rowes book. 
The barrel, receiver (actually lower tang) forearm and buttstock all match, SN# 5086.
The forearm has a hard rubber tip and the buttplate is also hard rubber, which is correct according to Rowe.
If it was just a shotgun butt, the plate would be metal, Rowe says.
The caliber is marked correctly for a Midrange Creedmoor, 40 x 2 1/2
The wood cleaned up very well, the checkering if fairly smooth though. The buttplate is un-marred.
The trigger return spring was installed on top of, instead of underneath the main spring. (see Pic).
The screw is too long and undersized, but when I assembled it "correctly" it holds. Luckily, the tang hole seems to have good threads and should be ok with the right screw.
The front sight dovetail is butchered, looks like Farkenparker cut it lower to try to make an unknown object that looks like a sight base with a 3/8" dovetail fit. (pics of dovetail and object)
The finish on the rifle isn't as bad as it looks in the zoomed pic.
If you know what that object is, please post.
He also put a 3/8" dovetail in the barrel for what looks like a pre-64 Win 70 rear sight, missing elevator.
Took off the forearm, Parkenfarker kluged a kind of leaf spring to substitute for the missing lever spring.
Pic below of the markings, Rowe says the V&W mean vernier and windgage sights, which is also correct for a Midrange Creedmoor B grade.
I don't know what the S.T. means, but he other markings are the rub. 
The barrel has been re-rifled, probably by EKT & Co, maybe it's 41.
The shiny beautiful rifling is a clone of Pope, left hand, narrow grooves, ETC. I'll try to get a pic. The twist is very slow, round ball slow.
More later, Aaron

Re-Barrel it and set the original barrel aside one could never get another original to the rifle and it might add some future value to the rifle or at a minimum keep it all original it not already having been screwed with. If so no future harm can be done by your choice so then go for what ever your heart might desire.

JLouis

Congrats Aaron,  After hearing your assessment of it I wish I had stayed in the bidding.  Look forward to seeing some Class II scores posted with it.   

-06

I had a bad experience when slugging a bore decades ago using bullets Aaron. Since then I only slug them using pure lead muzzleloader balls. A box is pretty cheap, and once I slug a bore the ball goes back in the box to use in a smaller bore later. Once I use it on something like a .32-40, then it goes in my lead pot to melt down.
The soft lead balls are very easy to slug bores with. I place them on the muzzle and tap them down with a brass hammer. Once they start in a bit, I use a brass punch to get them the rest the way into the bore. Then just tap them out with a cleaning rod and measure.

Looks like the E.K.T. &Co might be Edward K Tryon Jr., pretty famous gunsmith family, and later retailers.
My info is sketchy as to when the stopped the gunmaking and just did retail and marketing, I have a book coming from Cornell that might help.
Aaron

Rebel wrote on Jul 28^th, 2017 at 7:59am:

Get in touch with Tom Klinger, who posts here infrequently. He is outside of Orlando and can likely help, even if only to put you in touch with a good gunsmith/machinist in FL. Great looking Hepburn.