My 1885 22lr low wall with a story.

[GARD72977]

I bought this gun about 8 months ago. It has a new barrel and Lee Shaver sights. The action is smooth and tight. That's the good.

The barrel is too big for the forend. There are 2 screws in the forend. The Color Case looks like a Chemical job to me. The wood is original and it shows. That's the bad!

These old guns seem to have a soul. She probably spent many years neglected and left in a closet. Someone may have put a barrel and sights on her for 22 BPCR.

Now she gets well taken care of. I take this gun to the range on most trips. She may not be beautiful but that's ok. She is handled and shot more than any of my nicer guns. I believe she deserves it.

280363

[green mountain boy]

glad you do that, you didnt happen to say if it shoots well.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Nice old rifle. She's beautiful to me!

DG

[GARD72977]

It's not a match rifle but shoots pretty dang good. I have not tested many different brands. I have a supply of SK Target and Match its shoots well. When 22's become avalible again I will try a variety of bullets.

[Chill Wills]

The color case does not look bad in the picture, but then you can really see it in person, and I only see it very small in the picture.
Is that a SS barrel? It looks heavy and on the short-ish side - maybe 24"?

I would take it! Just like you, I would like to shoot it a lot.
I should show you my project 22 low wall, which is an ugly pup at this point. But, it is a work in progress and I love the way it holds offhand and shoots. Pretty comes later.

[GARD72977]

Bbl is 26" with bright blueing. It just really shines in the sunlight. The color case hardening looks odd to me. It may have a shellac over it.

The limit the size of photos. If you click on it the photo becomes a bit larger.

In a way I think the gun is very cool. It is not in collector shape so you dont mind shooting it a lot.

I found out the sights are baldwin. I ordered some inserts. I have been wanting to shoot it in the 25yd match @ RFC. The apature was too small for the target which makes it impossible to shoot offhand.

The gun has no trouble ringing 10" plates offhand @ 100yds. I need to do some ammo testing. I would love to hit the 10" plates @ 200 with it

[uscra112]

That tall tang sight would make more sense if it was a .45-100 destined to be used for 800 yard buffalo.!

Case color looks like a very recent job to me. I'd use a fine Scotchbright pad to tone it down a bit. just sayin.

[GARD72977]

I would expect that sometime in the future the tang sight will be traded out with a Marbles and the Lee Shaver moved to future 1885....

[Chill Wills]

The limit the size of photos. If you click on it the photo becomes a bit larger.

Yes! ;);) I do know to click on the photo link. That did not enlarge or improve the quality of the image enough to really tell.

Steve Baldwin sights are among the best for match work. As said, maybe this rifle was intended to for 22 BPCR silhouette. 22BPCR is a great match. Try it if there is one held near you. Great fun.

You write: "The gun has no trouble ringing 10" plates offhand @ 100yds. I need do some ammo testing. I would love to hit the 10" plates @ 200 with it "

Ringing plates or hitting ten rams at 200 meters regularly (in my experience) requires using the top grade 22 match ammo like Eley Match or Ten-x, R-100, or the old Federal 900 (dimpled) ammo. "Target" marked ammo often gets confused with match ammo and the difference really shows up at distances past 100m.

[uscra112]

"Target" marked ammo often gets confused with match ammo and the difference really shows up at distances past 100m.

You ain't just whistlin' Dixie, bro.

[GARD72977]

My avatar is a Anschutz 1712 in a Pharr stock with Leupold 25x FX3


That's my Sillhouette gun

[Chill Wills]

We are talking two different games.
I think your singleshot could be set up for (200meter) 22 BPCR silhouette. Not sure.

Only singleshots in the BPCR game. FUN time!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

The color case hardening looks odd to me. It may have a shellac over it.

Sometimes gunsmiths will use heat to get a color case hardened appearance on less expensive guns. It takes some practice, but it can be done with a oxy-acetylene torch. One applies the flame to the receiver and moves it about slowly in swirls, and the end result is a lot like CCH colors. But, the big disadvantage is that it wears and isn't nearly as durable as the real thing, so sometimes a clear protective coating is applied to make it more wear resistant. Could be shellac, or clear poly urethane, or.........?

DG

[marlinman93]

I don't think it's chemical color case, just maybe a different bone charcoal mixture that caused more yellowish hues. The forearm tip is a Remington Sporter type, so maybe the forearm was a donor from a Remington?

[uscra112]

I'm agreeing with marlinman93, it's a result of something different in the material it was packed in. As far as I know the cyanide process that Stevens used won't create yellows, and I've never gotten big patches of yellow when I've tried the torch method.

Hope you don't think I was dissing the rifle with my comment about the tang sight or the loud case colors. Beauty is as beauty does, and there's nothing wrong with it being a bitza. Lord knows I've built enough of those in my lifetime, and am building another one now.

[Chill Wills]

Marlin, Good call on the forearm. I did not get past the nice setup for 22 BPCR and the great Baldwin sights. That could be a roller or Hepburn forearm on loan:shock:
GARD72977 I think you have a fine rifle! Enjoy! I think it is not going to get shot as much until the shine wares off that new CPA. That one IS tops!

[GARD72977]

No problems with any comments on the rifle.

Marlinman93- thanks for identifying the forend. That explains the 2 forend screws. I may try to fit a stock and forend my self.

I will try to get another pic of the reciever. The bright sunlight distorted the color.

I may never shoot 22Bpcr but I'm going to buy a gun. I have really been thinking about a DZ Hepburn with ridiculous wood.

I live in a trailer house in Mississippi. We had another close call with a tornado Saturday night. My woman is on me about buying a storm shelter. That's going to eat a good bit of my gun money!

[marlinman93]

No problems with any comments on the rifle.

Marlinman93- thanks for identifying the forend. That explains the 2 forend screws. I may try to fit a stock and forend my self.



Actually it doesn't explain the two forearm screws very well. Unless they used one Win. location, and one Rem. location. Both companies only used a single forearm screw to attach the forearm to the barrel.

[uscra112]

I live in a trailer house in Mississippi. We had another close call with a tornado Saturday night. My woman is on me about buying a storm shelter. That's going to eat a good bit of my gun money!

Like a parachute: Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Doesn't have to be huge. Just big enough for you, your woman, and your guns.

[GARD72977]

Actually it doesn't explain the two forearm screws very well. Unless they used one Win. location, and one Rem. location. Both companies only used a single forearm screw to attach the forearm to the barrel.

I have not taken the forend off. I think one is just a filler and the other is attached to the gun

[GARD72977]

We are talking two different games.
I think your singleshot could be set up for (200meter) 22 BPCR silhouette. Not sure.

Only singleshots in the BPCR game. FUN time!
I understand both games. I just have SK Match because it shoots almost as good as the high dollar stuff in my Anschutz.

I'm not planning to shoot any competition with the Low Wall. Just would like to hit the 200yd plates a few times. I understand the need for quality ammo with constant velocity because of the massive drop. I'm not paying $0.40 a round to ring plates.

[Chill Wills]

I'm not paying $0.40 a round to ring plates.
I don't blame you. I wouldn't either. CCI Standard velocity and its like will get them about half the time.