Sorry some of the pictures are a little blurry.  That’s about as good as I could get them while getting the file small enough.

Need to know more, esp. whether it has adjustments for both crosshairs or just one.  I cannot by any stretch be considered a scope repairman, but I did replace the vertical crosshair in mine, some years ago.  My scope is weird in that the horizontal  crosshair is at the first focal plane, and the vertical at the second.  I was able to remove the rear cell to replace the vertical one.  

I found the patents using G**gle's patent search, and have attached some files here.  Also have some photos I took of the cell and a tool I made to emplace the new crosshair correctly.  It is merely glued to the face of the cell.

My rifle is a Model 45, chambered .32 Ideal.  If yours is .25-21, I implore you to leave it alone unless the bore is trashed.  The .25-21 is a fine, accurate, economical cartridge that is worth shelling out to obtain brass for.   If the bore IS trashed, I'd have John Taylor reline it and chamber back to .25-21.  That rifle deserves to stay as close to original as possible!

It only has adjustment for elevation. I partially disassembled the scope for a light cleaning.  It had about a 6 inch long brass tube at the rear that I didn’t disassemble as the caps were stuck.  I just didn’t think that the scope would have the crosshairs on 2 different focal planes. As for the caliber I would love to leave it.   It’s just hard for me to justify spending $110 on 20 pieces of brass.  I was thinking I could put a new barrel in a slightly more common caliber. And keep the original barrel to go back on for collectability if I ever sold it.

The old 44 will breech-seat a bullet using a plugged case.  Following that scenario, just one good case will last you indefinitely.

They are pretty easy to set up a barrel for, but there's a very specific sequence that things must be done in.  I have this written up if you decide to do it.  Extractors are easiest if you have a rotary table for your mill.  I can provide you with my fixture drawing.  I don't do them now owing to health issues.  Oops! My fixture is for the central extractor - your has the 7 o'clock extractor.  Have to think about that one.

Phil

Keep that fine little critter in the original chambering. There are readers on this forum pining for it. You buy a couple pieces of brass and I’ll send you some bullets to shoot breech seated.

Since you have machining skills, you can turn brass cases to fit, rather than turn a barrel to fit.

I think the 25/21 is the perfect case size for a 44, for longevity and accuracy, with 86 gr bullets.

The Cummins scopes are so scarce that it's impossible to put a value on them because almost nobody knows what they are.  And if they do, they know they're fragile, not something to bang around hunting the way you can with today's scopes.

That said, I paid $1100 for my rifle, which is approximate same vintage and condition as yours, in 2014.  I can't say if the other GB bidders knew exactly what they were bidding on.  I knew only because there's ad for Cummins in the 1895 Ideal Handbook, and I was curious.

>frnkeore< suggests making some cases, and I second the motion.  The case is a straight cylinder inside, (Stevens made much of this, alleging that shooters were asking for a straight .25-20.) It is only mildly tapered outside.  The only problem is that the proper alloy ("cartridge brass") is not available as bar stock.  This case doesn't get "worked" very much, so that's not a big problem.   

While I think of it, I would love to add your rifle to the database I've been building.  Please let me know the serial number.  I already know or can infer everything else that I normally record.  Private Message if you'd prefer not to broadcast it.  It will be only the second Cummins scope among the 500+ entries.  (I could say that mine wants company.)

Phil

Even RMC is over $5 a piece.       (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Even so, I'd buy 20 in a New York Minute.  

I've made up loading tools for my .25-25 using a set of tong tool handles and a couple of long universal decapper dies.  My range box mounts a powder measure and scale.  You won't need to FL size that case very often, just "muzzle resize" and load.

uscra112 wrote on Jun 24^th, 2024 at 2:36pm:


Outstanding range box! It was setups like this that first attracted me to Schuetzen and ASSRA.  It’s not just the guns and shooting, it’s the toys and gizmos on the bench! 
Froggie

Tonight I made a practice case but left it solid with a 8-32 thread in the center to use as an adjustable seating tool. It did have a better surface finish but apparently my rifle has a fairly tight chamber so I had to stick a screw in the end and chuck it in a drill to polish off a few thousands. And all I have is 320 grit sandpaper at the moment. So maybe later it will get polished better, but it’ll work for now.  Does anyone have pictures of a rifle with offset sights such as mine.   I’m sure I will have to make a front site but would like to make it as close to original as possible.   I’ve tried searching but all I come up with is offset sights for ar15s

Never seen an offset sight like that on a Stevens.  Making one  isn't hard.  I've drawn up a "process sheet" for myself to do 44 front sights.  Will email it if you ask.  Let me know what you have for CAD if anything.   

You get a commendation for being the first person I know of to make brass from solid himself.  

From memory, I was shooting about 6 grains of AA#9 in mine.  Around 8 grains of 4227 is widely used, but didn't do quite as well in my 44-1/2 .25-21.  Quickload says 6 grains of 2400 might work.  Also 10 grains of ReLoader 7.   Those loads are about maximum, not for pressure but for the velocity that a plain base bullet can stand, which is generally held to be 1400 fps.   A hard gas check bullet would allow 10 grains of 4227 before you get close to my arbitrary breech thrust limit.   

Your homebrew brass is probably thicker than OEM, so back off a grain or two and watch your chronograph numbers.  (Quickload says the water capacity of OEM brass is 24 grains.)

About half those charge weights of fast pistol powders will get you a slower velocity, but don't run them up past about 1200 fps, since peak pressures will rise.  You won't blow the gun up, but the link starts to suffer, and eventually the gun "shoots loose". 

90 grains is about the heaviest bullet you can expect good accuracy from in the stock twist.   Do slug your barrel. Stevens wasn't very consistent with their groove diameters.