Brownie Bits

[Mac118]

I recently came to own an old Davenport Brownie 22 rifle that has some issues. I can't seem to stop myself from buying broken old 22's. This one has issues I would guess are common; broken lever and missing the extractor. By design, it seems to me the extractor could easily get jammed and broken and cause the lever to get stiff and then break. But, that is history and currently I am looking to make a replacement extractor but cannot find a schematic diagram anywhere. Naturally no parts are available anywhere but I was hoping a member here might have one these little devils. Maybe take the extractor out to take some pics and note some specs? I don't believe the extractor is anything more than a simple armature but there may be some shaping that is custom to this rifle.

Anyone have an old brownie they'd be willing to take the extractor out of and send me some pics and measurements? Or have a diagram?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Steve

[RED BEAR]

can't help with this but if you can find some pictures of the gun you maybe able to kinda scale the parts from it using parts on known size such as the trigger to get you in the ball park. i also buy a lot of broken guns mainly because they are cheap and i enjoy fixing them. i get a lot of satisfaction going out and shooting a gun after it was repaired.

[uscra112]

Wish I could help, but all I can do is commiserate, as a fellow collector of mistreated orphans. If it were mine, I'd be making pattern parts out of cardboard, sheet plastic, or whatever comes to hand.

Here's one that was for sale on GunsAmerica: https://www.gunsamerica.com/96615466...OY-S-RIFLE.htm

[1Hawkeye]

Check and see if it's listed in DeHass's book on single shot rifles. If it is then you will have data to go on.

[Wayne R. Scott]

A relative of Davenport is my neighbor and he collects Davenport firearms. I have sent him a message about your .22. He has a gun shop and is a gun smith, imagine that.

https://www.facebook.com/soapcreekarmoryguns/

[Mac118]

Thanks for all the responses and good suggestions. I have a book on single shot rifles with diagrams but for the life of me can't find it. I'm not sure if it's Dehass's book but finding it would be a big step. Wayne R. Scott: I appreciate you're mentioning this to your neighbor. Maybe he has some info to add to the conversation.

[uscra112]

There are patent drawings to consider. Search Google Patent for patents by W. H. Davenport.

I see one reproduced in Jim Perkins' book "Boys Single Shot Rifles". Out of brint and the very devil to find, and when you do the seller wants the moon and stars.

I'm off to the doctor shortly. I'll try to photograph the page and post it later. Even though it doesn't show the extractor.

Perkins writes that the barrels were rifled on turn in 6", (insane). And that they didn't shoot very well because of it.

ADD: Also found a drawing in DeHaas' first book. Shows the extractor sorta-kinda. Will photograph that also.

Extractor & breechblock layout is very similar to the Hopkins & Allen, which isn't a surprise since Davenport worked at H&A, and before that he designed the Bay State, which the grandpa of the whole family.

Gotta run!~

[marlinman93]

Page 199 of DeHaas' Single Shot Rifles and Actions shows the diagram and parts for your Davenport rifle. It's a backwards L shaped extractor that works by the bottom of the backwards L being pushed on as the action opens to extract cases.
Copies of DeHaas' book are pretty easy to find, and a must have for those of us who like to fix up old basket cases.

[uscra112]

OK, lets see if this works. This one is from deHaas

[uscra112]

And:

[Mac118]

Nice! Thanks for posting these images. The first one is very close to design of my rifle but not exact. I'm sure there were variations within the model. I'll study this a bit and see what my next move is. I wasn't expecting the L Shape. I'll have to disassemble the action again and take a look and see how that would work around the breech block. Thanks again. Still open to pics and measurements if someone's willing. Steve

[uscra112]

One key thing is whether the extractor pivots on the lever screw, or on a separate screw thru the side of the frame, forward of the lever pivot screw. The deHass drawing shows the latter, and I see the screw in your photo. I think that screw will have about 3/16 of thread under the head, and then be a shaft that runs all the way across.

[Jedman]

I have a Davenport and several Hopkins and Allen rifles both centerfire and rimfire. All of mine have the backwards L shaped extractor that sits in the left side of the frame and tips back when the breech block lowers and hits the short side of the L and extracts the shell from the left side of the chamber.
Yours looks to be on center and below the shell casing. It could still work in the same fashion as the left sided extractors but the L shape would be not as long on the end that has the rim cut.
If you end up trying to make one yourself the critical length is upright part that engages the cartridges rim, it needs to be long enough that when lowering the block as soon as the top surface of the block is about to clear the bottom of the shells rim the short side of the L on the bottom is stuck by the bottom of the block and the upper part of the extractor tips back . There is a spring and plunger that holds pressure on the finger lever that keeps it held snug when the rifle is loaded and just at the point the top of the block clears the bottom of the shells rim when lowering the bock the plunger goes over center on a small roller and gives the lever a downwards snap and extracts the shell at the same moment.

I have made several of the extractors myself as my 2 centerfire guns were originally 12 ga. Shotguns and now are rebarreled and converted to 50-70 GOVT and 357 Maximum.
You should be able to make one from a piece of metal plate 1/4" and hacksaw it out and finish shaping it with a file.

I wish you luck !

Jedman

[Mac118]

Jedman, if the L Shape extractor is in the center and the breechblock contacts it when lowered, would the "L" portion have two fingers to flank the flat bar that moves the breechblock? Thx Steve

[uscra112]

Y'know, that got me to thinking. I took apart my Hopkins & Allen 932, which this Davenport very closely resembles, and kludged up closeups of its' extractor. It is not the L-shaped thing that deHaas shows. Just a rather straight flat bar that is pushed backward by the roller at the tip of the lever when the lever is fully open. Not unlike the later model Stevens Favorite extractor. This design does not interact with the breechblock at all. Lots easier to make. Dimensions of mine wouldn't help you, but you can probably mock one up out of cardboard or plastic.

[Mac118]

OK, so that's pretty much what my first impression was. There's a screw hole in the frame above the lever and a notch in the upper lever frame to accommodate it. If the arm of the extractor was pivoting on that screw then it would rise into place in the breech, which has a spring loaded round end protrusion under the barrel that would push the extractor out when the breech block is dropped. Even my first sketch was based on it but I second guessed my self. I thought there may some secondary bulges or angles that guarantee the extractor fits into the notch properly when the breech is closed.

[uscra112]

Yeah. You want the bottom to be as wide as possible so the top end won't rock side-to-side.

BTW that lever is probably malleable iron, so don't try to weld on it. Braze, or make a new one. There are high strength brazing alloys that will be plenty strong enough.

[Mac118]

Agreed, max the width to prevent rocking. Likely I will make a new lever or should I say, pass the fun off to a retired friend who has a machine shop and is always looking for ways to fill his days! Thanks for your comments.

[Jedman]

Mac118, Now that I see the internals of your Brownie it is all together different from the centerfire Davenport rifle I have. About the only part that is similar is the breech block and curved link, the way your broken finger lever works is all different also.
One thing I have seen with rimfires is the extractor needs to fit into the space for it closely as it needs to support the rim when fired or the thin rolled rim on the cartridge brass can blow out.

Jedman