Dale, I couldn't be happier for you! It's a gorgeous rifle, and I know how much you have desired this particular 1885 version for a long time! It's great when the stars align, and even better when it happens so close to home too!
Hope you and your grail gun have many happy years together!

Wow Dale!  It’s beautiful ... congratulations!

Joe

Nero wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2019 at 6:53pm:


My Special Single Shot looks much like the original poster's rifle as far as the transition between the octagonal and the round part.   That model could be ordered with a full octagonal barrel as well.   

I've never seen a round barreled one, but Winchester seemed pretty accommodating.  As an example, see Kurt's Special Sporting rifle which is a slightly different model, but his was ordered in an almost identical configuration.   The main way to identify the Special Single Shot, I think, is the lack of a dovetail for a barrel sight, the Swiss buttplate, and the XXX wood.

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Chris.
      

Gunlaker, very nice rifles.
Kurt

Over the years I had two high Walls made up for me by John Pell who traded under to Logo of Kogot.
His wife called him that as she told me she thought of him as the Kindly Old Gunsmith of Trinidad as he never charged enough.
Quite a guy as he flew in bombers in the latter part of the war in Europe and fighters in Vietnam.
Always amazed me how accurate these High Walls could be.

Hey Chris, What a beautiful pair of 1885's. Winchester knew what they were doing when they came up with the Special Sporting and Special Single shot rifles. Steve sure knows what he's doing. Matter of fact, I'm sending him my Special tomorrow to have afew minor issues taken care of. What twist rate does your 38-55 have ? Just wondering. With that #5 barrel I take it it's a bench rifle ? Dale.

Nero wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2019 at 6:53pm:


Nero,
That IS a tapered octagon on this Special Single Shot 1885. It might not be the taper you like or are used to seeing on other makes, but it is a tapered Winchester barrel. I'd guess only maybe .010" taper, but enough to just make them look nice.
The transition from octagon to round is typical of every US maker in the late 1800's and early 1900's. All the American gun makers used an abrupt change to go from octagon to round. I've seen some European guns that just gradually transition to round, and it always looks strange, or amateurish to my eyes. Probably because I'm used to seeing them done in this manner.

Very nice rifles. Military and fowling pieces had round barrels. Most sporting rifles had full octagon barrels
Just curious about half round barrels: Were they widely used prior to the Creedmoor match era? 
Gunsmiths were working real hard to meet the weight limits.
If well known match shooters were using them, then the public accepted them.
Chuck