Other side.

Sure is a gorgeous rifle. 

jhm wrote on Feb 3^rd, 2025 at 5:10pm:


Hepburns have always been popular rifles to customize, and I also own some rebarreled Hepburns. 

I have a good friend in his 80's who pulled a Hepburn out of his safe one visit and said he was thinking of selling it. I immediately told him I'd take it that day, or any day he might be ready to let it go. He's in his 80's and I thought he seemed ready to let it go soon?
His Hepburn has an extra heavy 32" full octagon barrel in .45-70, and the wood is deluxe walnut, with a fully engraved receiver! Long range vernier tang sight, and windage globe front sight too! Just makes me weak in the knees looking at it!
But he kinda pulled back when I got to gushing over it, and told me he'd put a note on it to contact me if he died before he decided to sell it. So all I can do is hope he does put a tag on it, and that his son sees it and actually calls if he unfortunately does pass.

rifleman wrote on Feb 4^th, 2025 at 1:12pm:


No Remington records, so how would one know? Just have to look at a Remington and decide if it's worth the asking price.

jhm wrote on Feb 4^th, 2025 at 8:15pm:


Many years ago before I owned a Hepburn I told a friend I wished I could find an affordable Hepburn in any caliber, or even a project! He later called me to ask if I was interested in a Hepburn "kit". He had found an original Hepburn action fitted with a new #3 weight .45-70 barrel and it had two nice blocks of wood with it. Price was $700 and I jumped on it quickly!
I called Dave Crossno and sent him the pieces of walnut for him to duplicate his silhouette pattern and in the meantime I polished out the barrel, and finished fitting the stocks when Dave sent them back.
I was looking for someone to rust blue the barrel and do color case when I called the late Dale Woody a local engraver and asked who he used? He told me he could do all of this work and asked if I wanted any engraving? I thought that would be a nice touch, but told him not to go crazy and keep it simple. 
A couple months later he called to tell me he was coming to town and bringing my finished Hepburn with him! We met at a Harbor freight parking lot and he pulled the Hepburn out of the case and I was speechless. He had done a beautiful job, but engraving did get more than just the two side panels bordered as I asked. It ran over both sides, top of the receiver, bottom of the trigger guard, bordered both tangs, and even out over the chamber area on the barrel! I hesitantly asked what all the bluing, color case, and engraving cost, and he told me $500. I asked if I heard him correctly, and he said yes.
It was more than I wanted, but was so nicely done that I have never regretted him ignoring my suggestion, and I still love the Hepburn. The first picture was before getting the stock checkered.
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I've put a lot of lead downrange over the last 30 years, and it's a wonderful shooting rifle too. Of course it's only an original action, but I like it as much as any of my 100% original Hepburn rifles.

jhm wrote on Feb 6^th, 2025 at 3:25pm:


Checkering was done by an 85 yr. old retired logger who is self taught. He's about 25 miles from me and does some really exotic patterns also.

oneatatime wrote on Feb 6^th, 2025 at 6:56pm:


And he does them during breaks at the timber carnival show too!

.22Hepburn wrote on Feb 8^th, 2025 at 5:41pm:


I really liked Dave, and his work. I always called about 4:30 PM Ok. time and Dave would be taking a smoke break and he talked a long time. Usually had to apologize and excuse myself at some point.
When I talked to him about having a stock set done for my engraved Ballard barreled action he said he had a blank set aside for a Ballard he was doing for himself and thought my gun deserved it more. So he had it shaped and sent it to me for my project.

Dave was a great craftsman and good friend.  RIP