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Thread: High Wall Rebore

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    High Wall Rebore

    I've got a Win High Wall, made in 1885, that I'm going to be sending off to rebore soon. The original chambering is 38-55, but the bore is in pretty sorry shape. I've seen sewer pipes that looked better....
    It's been sitting in the back of the safe for 15 years, and the time has come to get it back up and shooting again. Will have to make a new mainspring and do some badly needed stock repairs.
    I can't make up my mind as to caliber though, so thought I'd get some opinions. So far I've been considering 40-70SS, 45-70, 50-70 for a rebore. Another possibility might be a re-line to back to 38-55. Or have considered 30-40 as well, as that was an original chambering, although this one is a little too early for that.
    Any ideas?
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    If it was me, I would call JES and ask his recommendation.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I would talk to the person doing the reline and have the barrels contour dimensions handy when doing this. The liners dia and the outside dimensions will affect what can be done also. I would consider relining to 38-55 more so on an original especially if an early version. Since this retains the original barrel and markings.

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    Or keep the original barrel in a closet and make a new one for it so you can go shoot. Put the old one back on if you want to sell it some day.

  5. #5
    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tatume View Post
    If it was me, I would call JES and ask his recommendation.
    I've talked to him, any of them would work, just have to make up my mind. Whatever I go with, he will be doing the rebore. He's done a couple for me, and the quality of his work is just awesome.
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by country gent View Post
    I would talk to the person doing the reline and have the barrels contour dimensions handy when doing this. The liners dia and the outside dimensions will affect what can be done also. I would consider relining to 38-55 more so on an original especially if an early version. Since this retains the original barrel and markings.
    Yes, that's certainly a consideration. Fortunately, the barrel is large enough that pretty much any liner would work. If I do a relining, I'll be doing that myself. I've considered going with 38-55, makes a lot of sense. You're right, of course, the barrel markings would stay original.
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nobade View Post
    Or keep the original barrel in a closet and make a new one for it so you can go shoot. Put the old one back on if you want to sell it some day.
    That's an option that I hadn't considered, and a good one. New barrel would solve several problems, and modern steel as well. Not that I'm going to turn this into a varmint rifle, just keep it shooting. Thinking along the lines of BPCR, hunting, PP bullets.
    Selling it really doesn't even factor in, it's not going to get away from me. It was one of those deals where I was in the right price at the right time to buy a couple of old rifles that I could never have afforded otherwise. Wish I could've bought all that were there, but ran out of cash or they were a little higher than I could justify at the time. I got the High Wall, an RB, and a Rem Hepburn, all of which I'd dreamed of for years.
    I had to let a 50-70 Sharps percussion conversion, a RB in 25-20SS, and Low Wall musket go to someone else. But the one that really hurt was an Alexander Henry in 450 BPE. Hurts every time I think about it actually.
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    TCLouis's Avatar
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    40-65?
    OR
    back to 38-55
    Amendments
    The Second there to protect the First!

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    405 Winchester. Excellent with cast and all components are available.

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    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marlin356 View Post
    405 Winchester. Excellent with cast and all components are available.
    Now that's one I hadn't considered. Close to 40-70SS, with everything ready to go.
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TCLouis View Post
    40-65?
    OR
    back to 38-55
    This is why I like this site so much. Hadn't thought of 40-65. Easy to load, and everything available. I do have a couple 40 cal. molds that have never been used.
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

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    Boolit Grand Master Good Cheer's Avatar
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    I've been wanting to make a .41 Mag that way.


    Adding: But I'm about ready to give up and have a muzzleloader barrel to shoot the same molds.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master marlinman93's Avatar
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    I'd second the .40-65, but only if the existing bore isn't so bad that it would not clean up to be a .40-65 caliber. If it wont clean up then I'd consider going back to .38-55 caliber. A favorite of mine, and one of the great old calibers.

  14. #14
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    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    If the barrel is marked for caliber I'd keep it true to the barrel markings. You are just the current custodian of this fine rifle.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Good Cheer View Post
    I've been wanting to make a .41 Mag that way.


    Adding: But I'm about ready to give up and have a muzzleloader barrel to shoot the same molds.
    I understand the feeling. I bought the 40 cal molds around 15 years ago now, and still don't have anything to shoot them in.....
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by marlinman93 View Post
    I'd second the .40-65, but only if the existing bore isn't so bad that it would not clean up to be a .40-65 caliber. If it wont clean up then I'd consider going back to .38-55 caliber. A favorite of mine, and one of the great old calibers.
    Bore might actually be good enough to go to 40. But you're right, 38-55 is a really great old round. I've got a 375 win Marlin, that I load to HS 38-55 levels for everything with cast. There's a reason why the 38-55 was so popular, it worked, and it still does.
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Smith View Post
    If the barrel is marked for caliber I'd keep it true to the barrel markings. You are just the current custodian of this fine rifle.
    Very true, I've pretty much made up my mind that if I'm going to use the original barrel, I'll reline it. If I replace it, I'm going to keep the original, just to have it.
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    If you go with a liner, go with a faster twist. works on 38/55 and 40/65. If it was mine I would go with a 14 or 15 twist TJ liner in 38/55 caliber. and the ejector would work.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy Toolmaker TN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hiwall55 View Post
    If you go with a liner, go with a faster twist. works on 38/55 and 40/65. If it was mine I would go with a 14 or 15 twist TJ liner in 38/55 caliber. and the ejector would work.
    That's a good point on the ejector, everything would be as original as I could make it. I don't want to alter anything any more than I have to, and want to keep the original parts as much as possible. If I did rebarrel to a different cartridge, I would make a new extractor and keep the old one. As was stated earlier, I'm just the caretaker of this wonderful old rifle. Thought of the faster twist barrel has some appeal certainly. Turns the old round into a whole new cartridge with a faster twist for heavier slugs. I'm not sure if I've ever used a TJ liner or not, but have heard excellent things about them over the years.
    “The State that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.”
    ― Thucydides

    “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
    ― Thucydides

  20. #20
    Boolit Master marlinman93's Avatar
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    MVA sells all the High Wall parts you'd need new. So changing calibers isn't an issue and you could simply set your extractor aside with the original barrel if rebarreling.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check