A few weeks ago I started a thread regarding a strangely chambered FBW Model J that I had recently purchased.  All that is now over as the barrel was so badly chambered that is was unusable and so short (26") that it could not be set back.

One of my friends offered a pristine, in the white Barry Darr 7-groove, 16-twist full octagon barrel blank.  Another friend fitted the barrel, chambered it in .32-40, and cut a new extractor.

The maple buttstock and fore end are just as they came with the rifle.  The original builder was a well known muzzleloader and it shows.  He also cut 1/4" off the rear of the action and inlet the lever into the buttstock - making the lever essentially useless for normal operation.  In this configuration, it is necessary to first cock the hammer manually and then lower the lever.

It's an odd looking thing but it promises to be a shooter. I first shot it yesterday morning in mid 30 degree weather and it produced three satisfactory groups using 14.5 grains of 296 and one 7/8" 10-shot group using 13.9 grains of 296.

JackHughs    

Don't often see guns with maple stocks, but I do enjoy seeing them. That looks like a well done purpose built single shot!

Off the top of my head I can count nine rifles in our group of Schuetzen competitors that are built around the Model J FBW's Action including my own and one on a FBW's Model K.

JLouis

Great looking piece of work there Jerry. How you going to get those little 25 bullets to rattle down the barrel and make it to the x ring???
Happy New Year to all !!

Jack, how do like sakoman's (Allen) bench rest sled? I see you put longer 'legs' on the front of it. I haven't used mine yet
And might add - One Sweet Looking Rifle!

Quote:


Hi,

As John noticed, the sled was made by Jerry Vanwey and comes with the wheels installed.  It's the older version which is very, very good.  The newer version is even better.

JackHughs

I see your point in how awkward the buried lever tail is. And, it seems to me that even if a misguided soul wanted to do that, it'd be so much harder to shorten an action that to just bend a lever. All one can ask here is, Why? Happy New Year.

JerryH wrote on Jan 1^st, 2018 at 2:39am:


Hi Jerry,

Already done.  The rifle is up and operating.  Chamber is beautiful, headspace and crown are perfect, and it seems to want to shoot - at least at temperatures below 35 degrees.

JackHughs