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What to do with a mistaken purchase (Read 717 times)

Old+timer Participating Member Offline Posts: 44 Location: Ft.Pierce, FLA Joined: Sep 24^th, 2025	What to do with a mistaken purchase Oct 10^th, 2025 at 4:41pm	Print Post
	I bought an 1885 Lo-Wall at an auction not knowing that the cartridge (.25 rimfire) is unavailable unless you're willing to pay 3.00 each for them if an d when you stumble on the. OUCH~!! It was built in 1890 as is in really, really good shape. I spent far too much to use it as a wall hanger~!!


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frnkeore Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7504 Location: Central Point, OR 97502 Joined: Jun 16^th, 2010	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #1 - Oct 10^th, 2025 at 5:11pm	Print Post
	The way I see it, is that you could line it to 22rf and see if the extractor and firing pin will still work (sometimes they will) or, rebarrel to 25/20 SS or 22 Lovell and convert to CF pin.

	ASSRA Member #696, ISSA Member #339
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singleshotsam Oldtimer Offline Posts: 588 Location: Silver City NM Joined: Jan 15^th, 2009	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #2 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 4:26am	Print Post
	Agreed, A 22 Long rifle or 22 magnum liner and a new extractor blank from MVA should get you a nice 22 caliber rifle without doing any work to the breech block or firing pin location. Another option is a 17 caliber liner and extractor replacement and chamber in any of the various 17 caliber rimfires. I recently did a 25 rimfire in 17 Winchester Super Mag and the original extractor worked fine. Just a few more options to consider.


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Old+timer Participating Member Offline Posts: 44 Location: Ft.Pierce, FLA Joined: Sep 24^th, 2025	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #3 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 9:42am	Print Post
	I had thought about converting it to center fire and lining the barrel to .38 Special. When it arrived and I saw the overall condition I described it to a very successful dealer who buys and sells rare guns, he advised against altering it in any way. In my mind I don't see a collector having a great deal of interest in this particular rifle because it's not in pristine condition, and being 135 years old it does show its age, not in wear or mishandling, just in the kind of deterioration that taks place over the years. As I stated earlier the bore is amazing having been built in the days of black powder, and the wood finish still shows what I would describe as 70% with just a scattering of scratches. It's the condition of the bore that amazes me~!!! Whoever owned this piece back then must have known the deleterious effect of black powder and given the bore more than a modicum of care. AND as far as .22 goes, not being a purist I have 2 Miroku built 1885s in .22, one for WRA and one for BACU, and they really shoot~!! I just love the appearance of the 1885 Lo-Walls and believe in one "one shot, one kill. Thanks to those of you who chimed in. I'm hoping more of you respod.
	« Last Edit: Oct 11^th, 2025 at 9:51am by Old+timer »

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Old+timer Participating Member Offline Posts: 44 Location: Ft.Pierce, FLA Joined: Sep 24^th, 2025	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #4 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 9:45am	Print Post
	singleshotsam wrote on Oct 11^th, 2025 at 4:26am: Agreed, A 22 Long rifle or 22 magnum liner and a new extractor blank from MVA should get you a nice 22 caliber rifle without doing any work to the breech block or firing pin location. Another option is a 17 caliber liner and extractor replacement and chamber in any of the various 17 caliber rimfire. I recently did a 25 rimfire in 17 Winchester Super Mag and the original extractor worked fine. Just a few more options to consider. .22 is the smallest caliber I have interest in. The bore in a .17 is just too tiny and a PIA to clean.


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Old+timer Participating Member Offline Posts: 44 Location: Ft.Pierce, FLA Joined: Sep 24^th, 2025	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #5 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 9:57am	Print Post
	Let's count the purists and see how many more buyers there are by separating the potential buyers into two camps. I'm a: ( ) Purist ( ) Modifiers


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John Taylor Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1811 Location: Lewiston, ID Joined: Oct 23^rd, 2006	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #6 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 10:16am	Print Post
	Old+timer wrote on Oct 11^th, 2025 at 9:57am: Let's count the purists and see how many more buyers there are by separating the potential buyers into two camps. I'm a: ( ) Purist ( X ) Modifiers I picked up a Stevens Favorite a while back in 25 rimfire. Someone had welded the firing pin in place and ammo would be a big problem so it got a new breach block and converted to 32 S&W. Collectors want things that look like they have never been used.

	John Taylor Machinist/gunsmith
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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17193 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #7 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 11:06am	Print Post
	I appreciate the original rifles, but since my main interest in single shot rifles are those customized by the great master gunsmiths of the late 1800's and early 1900's I can't be a purist.

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Sure shot Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1051 Location: East central Iowa Joined: Jun 22^nd, 2020	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #8 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 12:42pm	Print Post
	Why not rebarrel it to a mild centerfire round, locate a centerfire breach block,and save the original barrel and breach block so it could be returned to original.


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gnoahhh Oldtimer Online Posts: 978 Location: Gaithersburg, MD Joined: Mar 31^st, 2010	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #9 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 12:44pm	Print Post
	marlinguy wrote on Oct 11^th, 2025 at 11:06am: I appreciate the original rifles, but since my main interest in single shot rifles are those customized by the great master gunsmiths of the late 1800's and early 1900's I can't be a purist. Rather "pure in heart" instead? I fall in the same philosophical camp. I think the basis of all debates about maintaining originality is that everyone has a different definition of what constitutes originality. Strictly speaking "original" means exactly the condition it was in when it left the factory or the hands of the artisan who created it (to include a pristine unfired bore) - mint in other words. That, after 100-200 years, is a very very rare condition which leaves us with defining "degrees of originality" which is very subjective indeed. When faced with nice vintage guns whose main detriment is an un-useable bore, my approach has been to re-barrel with either a new barrel, a nicer vintage duplicate barrel, or an equally crappy vintage duplicate barrel which has been lined - in any event then retaining the original barrel for posterity as in a successive owner wishing to restore it to "originality" (even if by definition the bore is no longer "original" anyway). I wonder if "in the spirit of originality" is a more workable philosophy? I also wonder if there'll be an appreciable number of people extant 50-100 years from now who will give a rat's patoot about these things we adore today and how "original" they are.


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Dellet Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 1178 Joined: May 19^th, 2017	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #10 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 2:20pm	Print Post
	Collecting firearms is a lot like collecting cars. You have the pristine low mileage, the daily drivers, special editions, junk that you buy for parts, nice examples restored to near new, over restored that never looked that good new, hot rod/ modified in the day. At some point the junk you used for parts become all there is left affordable on the market, or reproductions. Some get used, some just move from garage to garage on a trailer and may or may not run, too valuable to turn over or even sit in. They all have their following. Long before a decision can be made over whether or not it was a bad purchase and how it might be salvaged, photos, serial number and barrel weight need to be known. I like the cartridge, you never know what will follow me home some days.


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westerner Frequent Elocutionist Online deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 11894 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #11 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 2:50pm	Print Post
	Sure shot wrote on Oct 11^th, 2025 at 12:42pm: Why not rebarrel it to a mild centerfire round, locate a centerfire breach block,and save the original barrel and breach block so it could be returned to original.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
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MrTipUp Frequent Elocutionist Offline Quality is to a product what character is to a man Posts: 1367 Location: Indiana Joined: Feb 19^th, 2020	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #12 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 3:14pm	Print Post
	About this saving parts so that some future owner can restore the gun's "originality". If the gun and parts are sold privately, that's not a bad plan. But if the gun is sent to auction, my own long experience is that most often the parts don't stay with the gun but are sold buy themselves or lotted with other parts. More sadly, in those instances when I've pointed out that a gun and a set of parts were clearly intended to stay together, the auctioneer has almost always told me what I can do with myself; his/her job is to make the most money. Bill Lawrence


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Old+timer Participating Member Offline Posts: 44 Location: Ft.Pierce, FLA Joined: Sep 24^th, 2025	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #13 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 3:28pm	Print Post
	Sure shot wrote on Oct 11^th, 2025 at 12:42pm: Why not rebarrel it to a mild centerfire round, locate a centerfire breach block,and save the original barrel and breach block so it could be returned to original. Now that's an option I hadn't given thought to and it's a good one. Thank you~!!


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Old+timer Participating Member Offline Posts: 44 Location: Ft.Pierce, FLA Joined: Sep 24^th, 2025	Re: What to do with a mistaken purchase Reply #14 - Oct 11^th, 2025 at 3:47pm	Print Post
	I guess the skinflint in me with an Accountant's background is getting in my way. I've seen several used original 1885 barrels which I could buy for under $150 and have one of them lined with the .38 Special bore for a total of $???.00, or buy a new barrel from GM in the caliber of my choice and use that. I keep wondering what I'd be able to sell it for (which I call the "back door) or down the road what my son could sell it for when I'm gone and he inherits it. Am I overthinking all this?


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