Stevens-Pope barreled Low wall

[marlinman93]

Had a great time all weekend at the OAC annual collector gun show! Great folks, and a lot of eye candy, as usual! Looked at a Win. 1885 Low Wall during setup Friday, but decided to pass on it. It had a extra heavy #5 weight Stevens-Pope .22RF barrel on it, and had been converted to a pistol grip action in the past. Great gun, but more than I wanted to spend, plus I'm not a Win. collector.
But over the weekend I found myself returning to look at it. Even showed it to a buddy, so he'd maybe buy it and save me from doing so. He didn't as funds were short, and I just kept going back numerous times to look. With a couple hours left in the show I decided to offer a bit over half of the asking price, and ended up taking it home! Shocked the seller took my offer, but maybe he just didn't want to pack it out. It weighs about 13 lbs.! Price was cheaper than most brown beater Low Walls I've seen!
The bore on the Pope barrel is like new, which was a big point for me! A few blotches of rust here and there that may clean up with 4/0 steel wool. If not I'll refinish the barrel. The wood needs to be stripped on the buttstock and stained darker to match the original forearm, and the forearm needs some TLC too. No sights, as it has scope bases. I put my Belding & Mull target scope on, just to check spacing, and I think I'll leave it on now. Should be a great shooter with a Pope barrel!

http://i.imgur.com/xOkk2QLl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/vVtGMKRl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TdmYiyWl.jpg

[Reverend Al]

Good score! (And I'm envious if you can't tell already ...)

[Bill Torzsok]

Grrrr, some people have all the luck!

[Bigslug]

I dunno MM. . .little pencil tube like that's probably gonna shift around a lot as it heats up. . .

[marlinman93]

I dunno MM. . .little pencil tube like that's probably gonna shift around a lot as it heats up. . .

Yeah, probably have to shoot once an hour to keep it cooled off! ;)

[OlDeuce]

Yeah, probably have to shoot once an hour to keep it cooled off! ;)

Or have a blow tube LoL.............Ol Deuce

[historicfirearms]

Very nice. I love the low walls. Let us know how she shoots.

[Green Frog]

If you weren't already one of my favorite e-friends, I would flat out hate you Vall! It's a good thing you're all the way across the country or I would probably be camping out on your doorstep begging you to sell it to me. :roll:

Congrats on a super acquisition, and when I find a Pope barreled Ballard 22 over on this side of the country I'll be in touch about a trade, OK? :coffeecom

Regards,
Your 'phibian phriend

PS as long as you are refinishing that stock, you might thing about reworking the butt to use a small Swiss butt plate to help manage the weight of that barrel. Just a thought, and I know I would! 8-)

[marlinman93]

If you weren't already one of my favorite e-friends, I would flat out hate you Val! It's a good thing you're all the way across the country or I would probably be camping out on your doorstep begging you to sell it to me. :roll:

Congrats on a super acquisition, and when I find a Pope barreled Ballard 22 over on this side of the country I'll be in touch about a trade, OK? :coffee com

Regards,
Your 'phibian phriend

PS as long as you are refinishing that stock, you might thing about reworking the butt to use a small Swiss butt plate to help manage the weight of that barrel. Just a thought, and I know I would! 8-)

Thanks Charlie! And if you find a Pope barreled Ballard, let me know and we'll swap!!
This barrel is so big and heavy, I'm not sure I want a Swiss buttplate, or want to try to shoot it offhand! Going to leave it as a bench rest gun for now, and see how far out I can shoot accurately with it! I love pushing old .22 rifles to distances they say they can't hit, and this looks like it might be a candidate!
Started some work today to improve it. Blocked the flat spot on the forearm out with sanding block, and then cut a thin filler of walnut to fill in the missing wood. Glued and clamped it. Letting it dry overnight, and then shape it down. It's only about 1/8" thick now, and thinner once it's shaped down.

http://i.imgur.com/UhBjtbzl.jpg

Stock was a quick and easy fix to take the slightly high areas down. Then finish it with some N-35 to Win. color, and Wipe On Poly over that.

http://i.imgur.com/7NDVyLMl.jpg

Also ran a tap into the extra pair of scope base holes, and put some plug screws in them. Got some of the surface rust off, but a few spots are there to stay unless I polish it out, and rust blue it.

[50target]

Marlinman, quit playing with that thing and start shooting it. We all wanna know is she is a one holer.
LOL

[marlinman93]

Marlinman, quit playing with that thing and start shooting it. We all wanna know is she is a one holer.
LOL

It wont take long to take the small defects off this gal, and make her more presentable!

[marlinman93]

The new donor wood glued in place and ready to rough in:

http://i.imgur.com/JXIZ5Ael.jpg

Rough shaped with a wood rasp:

http://i.imgur.com/R5dbbXxl.jpg

Closely sanded, and ready for a little filler in the gaps and then final finish sanding:

http://i.imgur.com/gv9tPMcl.jpg

[woodbutcher]

:) Very nice sir.Please keep us updated on range results as you are able.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[marlinman93]

Anyone ever heard of a gunsmith with the name "H. Cartwright"? Removed the scope bases to do some cleaning on the barrel, and under the rear scope base in very tiny writing is, "Long Rifle" and "H. Cartwright".
Maybe he fitted the Pope barrel to this 1885? Maybe an owner?

[marlinman93]

Been doing some sprucing up on the 1885, and I think it's done, other than allowing a few weeks to totally dry before waxing the stocks. The forearm came out better than I thought, and I found a replacement for my beloved Tapaderas N35 Win. red (ran out, and it seems they're out of business). Went to my local Woodcrafters and the guy there directed me towards "Transtint Bight Red" dye. It did a great job of duplicating the old Win. color from the 1800's! I used N35 on the buttstock, and the Transtint on the forearm, and got a good match.

http://i.imgur.com/y9oE6QMl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/IVj6sVjl.jpg

And even more surprising was the deep cleaning I did on the barrel! I scraped the rust spots with a penny, and then went over them with 4/0 steel wool and 50-50 mix of acetone-ATF. Took all the loose stuff off the barrel, but left the patches of lightly pitted metal. I then took a very small 1/2"x1" long wood block, and wrapped it with 240 grit emery paper. I worked the pits out, and then used Oxpho Blue to touch up the bare spots. The barrel looks very nice, and no sign of the bad spots or repairs showing!
Done for now, and probably hit the range next week to see how it shoots!

[blackbahart]

looked good before you gave her the once over ,now it looks great .Nice work

[marlinman93]

looked good before you gave her the once over ,now it looks great .Nice work

Thanks! Just didn't care for the mismatched wood, or the ugly flat, with holes on the forearm.

[Bigslug]

Looking really good MM, but to quote Daffy Duck, "SHOOT HIM! SHOOT HIM NOW!!":mrgreen:

Not immediately clear from the previous posts; is this thing a short, long rifle, or other?

[WILCO]

Enjoying the progress.

[marlinman93]

Looking really good MM, but to quote Daffy Duck, "SHOOT HIM! SHOOT HIM NOW!!":mrgreen:

Not immediately clear from the previous posts; is this thing a short, long rifle, or other?

It is a .22LR, as indicated by the marking I found under the rear sight base. And of course by dropping one in the chamber. I guess "dropping" is not quite correct, as it has a pretty snug match chamber, so pushing is closer to correct.

[marlinman93]

Enjoying the progress.

Thanks Wilco!

[skeet1]

I'm anxious to see how it shoots!

Ken

[50target]

"Transtint bright red dye". Where might a feller find some of this magical potion as I've always been partial to that Winchester red. Any paticular secret as to how you use it? Darn nice match if you ask me.
Like everybody else, can't wait for the range report. Scope an A5?
Bob

[marlinman93]

"Transtint bright red dye". Where might a feller find some of this magical potion as I've always been partial to that Winchester red. Any paticular secret as to how you use it? Darn nice match if you ask me.
Like everybody else, can't wait for the range report. Scope an A5?
Bob

Scope is a 1920's Belding & Mull. Same company that made the great powder measures.

I bought the Transtint Bright Red at my local Woodcrafters store. They had a wide selection of colors, and the bright red looked closest to the Tapaderas N35 I used to buy. It can be deluted with water, and applied over the wood like a stain. But it can also be applied full strength if needed. Best to try a mix first, and see if it's dark enough. Then you can make it stronger with more dye if needed. Only takes a few drops of dye, so don't start with much water, or you'll use a whole bottle of dye! Maybe teaspoon of water, and 4-5 drops of dye. It goes a long ways, but a small bottle was $20 for about 2 oz. Should last a lifetime considering water is free!
Here's a list of dealers from their site:
http://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/transtint-dealers/

[Discus420]

Nice job that dye looks great

[marlinman93]

Nice job that dye looks great

Thanks! Waiting on a new firing pin now. I tore it down and found the tip missing off the firing pin. If my friend doesn't come through I'll drill this one and press in a new tip. I keep drill rod for repairing broken firing pins.

[50target]

Dang, you're killing me! No groups yet. This is like waiting for a youngun to be born. Hope those groups make for a pretty one.
LOL
P.S. if you think me impatient, please be advised that last June was 30 yrs with a natural red head. AND she's still alive. LOL

[marlinman93]

Looks like I need to order a firing pin, or fix this one. My friend came to the show today without it! Going to have to wait a couple weeks until I'm back from deer hunting, as that takes priority! Headed out Wed. and lots to get ready before then! Plus picked up another project today! A Remington Hepburn in .40-50SS to go with my Rolling Block in the same caliber!!

[Green Frog]

Vall, as an old Win-wall kinda guy, I'll give you a free tip (no pun intended?) The standard fix for a broken firing pin tip is to grind the face of the broken pin flat then drill it for a piece of piano wire. It can be soft soldered or even epoxied in place. I used to see them like that all the time. Now let's see some groups!! :kidding:

Your phriendly 'phibian

[marlinman93]

Vall, as an old Win-wall kinda guy, I'll give you a free tip (no pun intended?) The standard fix for a broken firing pin tip is to grind the face of the broken pin flat then drill it for a piece of piano wire. It can be soft soldered or even epoxied in place. I used to see them like that all the time. Now let's see some groups!! :kidding:

Your phriendly 'phibian

That's what I normally do Charlie, but Win. RF pins are a PITA because the pin sits on the edge of the firing pin body. I may still give that a try when I get back from deer hunt in a week. I keep an assortment of piano wire, and also drill rod. I usually use permanent Loctite to install them as I like not heating the parts.

[madsenshooter]

Wonderful place for a Belding and Mull scope, marlinman!

[marlinman93]

Wonderful place for a Belding and Mull scope, marlinman!

Thanks! This was the first I'd seen of one. A friend had it and I was selling him my Ruger #1 in 7x57, and he asked if I would take the B&M scope as part trade. The price was right, and I was excited to own a B&M scope as part of my shooting collection.

I did finally get the firing pin replaced, and took this Low Wall to the range to test fire. Shot it at 50 yds after bore sighting the scope. 10 shots at 50 yds. off my Caldwell rest with PMC Target resulted in one ragged hole group I can cover with a dime! It's definitely a decent shooter!