I've recently had a very early Lo-Wall converted from .25RF to .38 Special with all the appropriate receiver internals properly done.  I now have a very usable rifle with the original Lyman tang peep sight.
Are there many '85 admirers who would be interested in a converted caliber 1885, and how deeply into their pockets would they dig to buy one if found~?  It was converted to .38 Special because reloading components are so readily available.  The stocks were also stripped to the bare wood and refinished the old fashion way with hand rubbed BLO.  Nothing at all was done to the exterior metal parts which if done would make a beautiful rifle.  I have no plans to sell this unique specimen in the foreseeable future.

Your suburban is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.  I'll give you a buck two fifty if it runs. 
A low wall in 38 special may only be worth under a $1000 or so unless it has special features unless you find someone who really wants a shooter in that caliber. I am working on (someday) putting a 357 magnum barrel from a Ballard onto a small shank high wall and reaming it out to 357 MAX just because I can.  I found a reamer on eBay cheap.  I am doing it just to try that chambering knowing I am not really adding value.

Jack

OK, I'll give ya $7.50 if the tires are decent.

I'll give you $10 if you keep it!

marlinguy wrote on Oct 24^th, 2025 at 4:01pm:

I guess I did make reference to value when I asked 'how deep in their pockets would they reach'.  I wouldn't expect anyone to know the answer that.  What really wanted to know is do you thing there would be anybody but myself interested in such a rifle~?

I'd give $500 or so to rebarrel to an appropriate caliber. Maybe use the barrel in a small shank high wall. Not what you want to hear, but you made that decision when you picked the cartridge

A low wall in 38 special would be of interest to me.So would one in 38 Max. I could load the max with FFFG BP and have a fun little rifle. It would be very much like an English rook rifle, which I very much lust after. Come on guys, what is a low wall for? It ain't an Elk gun. It's a fun little plinker. A 38 in a long gun is a great little plinker. I'd be able to use it for squirrels, bunnies, even grouse, it'd be great fun.(Before you lecture me on shooting grouse with a rifle, know that the most common grouse gun in Alaska is a .22 rifle. We call spruce grouse "fools hens". They will not flush. They run ahead of you on the ground, or they tree. Most shots are about 10 yards, and we head shoot them). Have fun with your little rifle. I'd be in the market for a 20" TC barrel in .38 for the same purpose.

westerner wrote on Oct 24^th, 2025 at 9:31pm:

I've accumulated a bunch of responses which helped me narrow my choices down to one of my original thoughts.  I've made my decision and chosen my gunsmith, and now we are just waiting for the correct chamber reamer to show up which is on order.  In the meantime I've acquired a Beech Combination sight.  I already have a Marble tang peep sight.  The only thing we're waiting for is for someone to tell me what Winchester used to finish their stocks in 1890, but that's not something that will hold me up because I can do any time.
I think I've already told you that I don't anticipate trying to sell it for a long, long time~!!

I'm so confused and tired of this line of yours, that when finished I hope it leads the barrel, shoot's patterns and is twice as expensive as any hope of reselling- now or in 'a long, long time'.
I am rarely this antagonistic (nowadays), but I make an exception here. Got any new things to talk about, like buying a nice .32rf or something?

When Winchester made Low Walls, did they make them in .38 Special?  I thought the originals were High Walls.  I have only seen one.

The 1916 Winchester sales catalog does not list the 38 special as a factory chambering.  Interestingly Winchester does not refer to the rifles and model 1885s, only as the Winchester Single Shot.  There is also no mention of low wall or high wall variations in this catalog or the first catalog that the single shot rifle appeared in.

Old Soldier wrote on Oct 29^th, 2025 at 8:18pm:

Yes sir, read this thread and most of his others. 

I’m not the one hoping for a 1/2 MOA target rifle chambered in 38 Special, Old+Timer is. This has been about going on for more than 3 years. Still no shots fired.