Stevens Model 44 22LR - help requested

[JDHasty]

I have a barreled action sitting here that appears to be in pretty decent shape. The barrel looks to have been relined and barrel and action refinished in hot bluing. The refinishing work isn’t perfect, but I’ve seen far worse. The action is tight as a tick, but perhaps the trigger return spring is broken. It cocks only if held barrel down. I don’t have a butt plate, and they just don’t seem to be that easy to locate. Perhaps I’m not looking in the correct place. I don’t have any wood, but am thinking that a stock for a 44 1/2 from CPA might suit me. I think I will fill the dovetail cut and put a scope on it and use it for ground squirrels. Perhaps a shotgun butt plate would be a better fit for my purposes.

It appears that CPA sells the Model 44 trigger return and hammer springs, tang screws, butt plate screws.

If anyone has any experience rounding up parts for a Stevens 44, I sure would appreciate them sharing what they have learned. I’ve always really appreciated the looks of the Model 44 and have come quite close to buying a basket case and restoring it quite a few times.

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[Rockingkj]

Try homestead parts. A google search should get it for you. Or search Stevens parts.

[1Hawkeye]

Cpa has some wood for 44's as well.

[uscra112]

OK, first thing that glares at me is that it's got the wrong main spring in it. Looks like somebody tried to adapt it to a 44-1/2 spring, and probably the hammer, too. Beats me why.

Should look like this:

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[JDHasty]

I’ll try and break it down and photograph the parts. Thanks for the input so far. I know nothing about these, but have always liked the looks of them. It will be a winter project for me.

Just looking toward the future here and thinking: De Haas claims to have chambered them in 22 Magnum with good results. I would sure like to put together another barrel in either 22 Magnum or 17 HMR for it, but have some concern due to the area under the pressure curve being much larger and thereby imparting more total energy to the breach block for a longer duration with either 22 Magnum or 17 HMR. Not that I am by any means into hot rodding any vintage rifle, but if I were able to use it for rockchuck and prairie dog shooting as well that would be a plus.

There is a world of difference between these hot rim fire rounds and something like 22 Hornet, which I would not even consider given the vintage of the steel used and the design. I’ve found De Haas to be reliable in the past, but am open to considering other folks opinion.

[JDHasty]

Cpa has some wood for 44's as well.

I’m liking what I’ve seen there. Since this will not be an original restoration, so much as something nice to use, I will be putting a threaded brass insert for UM sling swivel studs in the butt and fore end. A great deal of our field shooting is done off Harris Bi Pods. They certainly aren’t period correct, but sometimes there are concessions made. I totally “get it” when a guy wants a period correct vintage rifle, I have a few myself. I have three kids and that is what works best for them, so that’s what I generally do.

[1Hawkeye]

I just was on CPA's site and they offer an unfinished model 44 buttstock with a shotgun butt.

[uscra112]

The old 44 is plenty strong enough for any known rimfire round, past or present. At one time they were even sold for .32-40 and .38-55, but those were a little too much. The .32-20 is about the most they should be barreled for.

To take the breechblock and lever pivots out, remove the screws on the right side, and then the "bolts" can be pushed out to the left. They have a little detent in them which has to be lined up when re-installing them, which is the only reason for the screwdriver slot on the left.

Reassembly goes much easier if you make a slave pin about 2" long and about .285 diameter, with a long taper on one end. This makes picking up the extractor much, much easier. Slide it in from the left, and push it through with the bolt.

The toggle linkage should clamp the breechblock against the barrel face. The great failing of the design is that the holes in the link wear, and when that happens the lever doesn't "snap" as the linkage goes over center, and the headspace opens up. I've fixed quite a few by reaming all the holes oversize and fitting 5mm dowel pins, which are harder and tougher than the originals. If yours needs this, ask me for the details.

Phil

[45workhorse]

Try homestead parts. A google search should get it for you. Or search Stevens parts.

Thanks for the link info. I might be able to get a little Hopkins and Allen back up and shooting again.

[marlinman93]

OK, first thing that glares at me is that it's got the wrong main spring in it. Looks like somebody tried to adapt it to a 44-1/2 spring, and probably the hammer, too. Beats me why.

Should look like this:

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According to Wisner's Gun Paarts they offered two types of springs. The early spring you show, plus one Wisners calls an "intermediate" that is similar to what his 44 has. Here's their bolt in spring:

http://www.wisnersinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Stev-12B.jpg

Long ago I owned an original Stevens 44 chambered in .44-40 also. Only one I've ever seen, but serial numbered to the action, and it was extremely tight action. Not sure how much shooting it had seen since it was in about 85% condition.

[sparky45]

You might even check Jack First Gun Parts for some Stevens parts.

[uscra112]

The 44 never used a cantilever spring, so far as I can determine. Wisner is wrong about that. Stevens switched the 44 from the "arch" spring to a coil-spring strut sometime before s/n 76437. How long before I don't know but it might coincide with the introduction of the 1915 Favorite, which used that "strut" design. Or it might have been introduced by Savage sometime after 1920, (s/n circa 65000). I know that my s/n 50744 has the arch spring.

Here's an interesting factoid, however. The 44 "arch" spring has exactly the same form factor as the earliest Favorites, except the Favorite spring is thinner metal. If you buy an early "Favorite" spring from Wisner or Jack First, you get a 44 spring, which fits in nicely but takes two hands to cock. (Ask me how I know!)

Now, the Favorite was switched to a cantilever spring fairly early during the run of the 1894 model, so that may have confused Wisner into thinking that the 44 did also.

I can see why Stevens might have switched the Favorite - the cantilever design accelerates the hammer better in the beginning of its' swing, and that compensates for the lighter hammer. Or maybe they didn't want two springs in inventory that looked so similar but weren't. We can only speculate about it now.

Personally I much prefer the arch spring. The cantilever spring puts more pressure on the sear at full cock. I'm of the opinion that the arch spring is the reason why we find so many old 44s that still have a good trigger, because the geometry of the arch design moves the force vector closer to the hammer axle at full cock, reducing the pressure and wear on the sear, (but increasing lock time). The 44-1/2 setup with its' stirrup also does this to some extent.

[JDHasty]

Thank you much for the responses. My action appears not to have the right side slotted head bolts, so it may be an early example?? It surely does snap closed though. Perhaps when I pull it down I will find that someone bushed the pivot holes.

[uscra112]

That made me look more carefully at the serial number. Yes, that is a specimen from 1899 or earlier; 1899/1900 was the approximate date that they changed over. It will have the extractor at 7:00, not at the bottom like the post 1900 models.

If the action is that tight, you got a good one.

I had to take one apart to be sure, but I can now say with certainty that the trigger springs for the 44 and the 1915 Favorite are identical.

[JDHasty]

Well, I gathered the courage to slip the block and lever out and it uses a pair of screws not the later bolt and screw assembly. The extractor is serial numbered to the frame and barrel. The trigger spring now engages and functions correctly upon reassembly. The firing pin may have a return spring that is frozen, damaged or missing. It just slops back and forth. It appears to me as though the barrel is lined and the liner stops short of the muzzle. I will get a good look with my Chinese bore scope tomorrow if I start feeling a bit better. Been under the weather the last couple days.

[JDHasty]

That made me look more carefully at the serial number. Yes, that is a specimen from 1899 or earlier; 1899/1900 was the approximate date that they changed over. It will have the extractor at 7:00, not at the bottom like the post 1900 models.

If the action is that tight, you got a good one.

I had to take one apart to be sure, but I can now say with certainty that the trigger springs for the 44 and the 1915 Favorite are identical.

It is tight as a tick. Perhaps a tiny bit too tight. There is a screw that may be an adjustment for wear that can be reached from the top.

[uscra112]

There is no spring for the firing pin. No need, since the breechblock rocks back away from the fired cartridge rather than trying to side down, catching the pin in the primer indent doesn't happen. (This was an endemic problem in the 44-1/2, and gunsmiths often installed a spring in those.)

Yes, that screw in the breechblock leg was one of Stevens' many schemes to counter the dread "floppy lever syndrome" that they all developed. Turn it in half a turn and see if the lever still "snaps" closed.

It does look like there's a liner in that barrel. Standing a bit proud at the breech end.

Can you detect any radial play in the link pins?

[JDHasty]

There is no spring for the firing pin. No need, since the breechblock rocks back away from the fired cartridge rather than trying to side down, catching the pin in the primer indent doesn't happen. (This was an endemic problem in the 44-1/2, and gunsmiths often installed a spring in those.)

Yes, that screw in the breechblock leg was one of Stevens' many schemes to counter the dread "floppy lever syndrome" that they all developed. Turn it in half a turn and see if the lever still "snaps" closed.

It does look like there's a liner in that barrel. Standing a bit proud at the breech end.

Can you detect any radial play in the link pins?

I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather the last few days and have been reluctant to touch anything with a tool, lest I bugger up a screw head or mar the finish. I’m going to try and leave it alone over the weekend, but will check the link pins for play when I take it down again.

The liner isn’t standing proud, it has a shallow relief cut encircling it. I’ve been intending to do a bit of research to see if I can figure out what that’s all about. I was standing in my buddy’s driveway about 300 yards from Redman’s front door last week, but I learned my lesson about asking them anything decades ago. Not real pleasant folks.

John Taylor who really knows liners used to be in Puyallup, fifteen or twenty minutes from me, but he escaped to free Idaho a few years ago. He’s a very pleasant man and his work is absolutely incredible. I sure miss him being local to me, but totally salute him for putting distance between himself and Olympia.

[uscra112]

+1000 re: John Taylor. He's done some liners for me recently, and I find his work flawless.

[Deadeye Bly]

For what it is worth, I have a pattern for a straight grip shotgun buttstock for the 44/44 1/2 and a duplicating machine. It takes the large Stevens repro plastic butt plate.

[JDHasty]

+1000 re: John Taylor. He's done some liners for me recently, and I find his work flawless.

Oh my God, he used to be located 20 minutes from my home. Everything he does just gives a person who appreciates fine workmanship and attention to detail such satisfaction just to admire it.

[JDHasty]

For what it is worth, I have a pattern for a straight grip shotgun buttstock for the 44/44 1/2 and a duplicating machine. It takes the large Stevens repro plastic butt plate.

I will keep that in mind.

[JDHasty]

Well, looks like we overlooked something. It is obvious this is a very early action, someone has tried to replace the mainspring the wrong one.
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[uscra112]

I expect you will find the hammer is from a 44-1/2 (or a DST 44) which connects the spring to the hammer by a stirrup, so switching back to the right spring would require also finding an old style 44 hammer. I still wonder why the 'smith whole built the rifle did it, but if it works, leave it alone.

In any case that graphic from Wisner's covers the Favorite, not the 44. The top picture is the same as an original 44, as I posted earlier. Late 44s used the coil spring strut. The two in the middle were never used in the 44.

[JDHasty]

No stirrup. I had it apart yesterday. I’ll try and take it apart again and photograph the parts. I think it looks like the top one, but with a deeper half cock notch.

[uscra112]

Well, that IS strange. What I could see of the spring looks just like the DST/44-1/2 spring.

How well does it function?

Yes, pictures, please.

[JDHasty]

The spring that is in it has a hole in it and is only under tension for the first 1/4 to 1/3 of it's travel after being released by the sear. Momentum caries it forward to strike the firing pin, but with just barely enough force to fire a round. I was thinking that it had the correct spring, but it had taken a set. After thinking it over, since it has screws that go through and engage the threaded holes in the receiver wall it is obviously a very early frame and would therefore use a spring w/o hole in it, not the spring that is in it currently.

I have deer stands that we need to get out and set up, but once that chore is behind me I intend to tear it down and photograph the parts. Jim Wisner is local to me. I haven't seen him in some time, but will try and give him a call.

My inclination is that the spring w/o screw hole is placed between the screw in the lower tang and the hammer and the stock is what keeps it in place.

Frank de Haas Single Shot Rifles & Actions book

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[John Taylor]

The spring without a screw hole usually gives the best trigger pull. In the full cocked position there is very little sear pressure. I believe the coil spring is the late model, my Walnut Hill had a coil spring.
My 44 is in 44-40, lots of fun to shoot.

[uscra112]

DeHaas' drawing is wrong, as far as the spring is concerned. The spring shown in the top Wisner drawing is correct. Note the orientation.

[uscra112]

@John Taylor
Right again, the Model 44 was changed from the arch spring to the coil-spring strut somewhere between my s/n 50744 and Sureshot's s/n 73467.

A careful review of Stevens parts lists confirms that the Model 44 never used the cantilever spring with the hole in it. Only the Favorite model did that. Again looking at parts lists, that seems to have happened between 1905 and 1907.

[JDHasty]

I talked to a Jim Wisner and he put a spring like the top example in the four illustration graphic above in the mail yesterday afternoon. It went right in and it is working splendidly now. I’ll probably get the butt stock and fore end blanks coming this way from CPI Monday.

This one: https://www.cparifles.com/collections/buttstocks-1/products/stevens-44-44-1-2-buttstock-shotgun-plate?variant=28161366025

What I believe I’m seeing with regard to the bore is an insert in the chamber. My inclination is to get a stock on it and see how it shoots. If it doesn’t shoot it’s off to John Taylor for however long it takes to have it lined and chambered in 17 HMR.

[uscra112]

Excellent! Keep us posted.

Phil

[JDHasty]

It functions such that the bolt or lever is cramming the hammer back to full cock position. Having kids, I’m not sure how I feel about that.

Holy smokes, does it ever have a trigger any sporting rifle would be proud of!! The firing pin indent is substantial. My inclination is that the geometry of the hammer/spring interaction is such that when the hammer is cocked the force curve on the hammer peaks early and remains high then rapidly drops off before sear engagement allowing for low sear engagement pressure, resulting in very fine sear release because the spring force is being directed at a very shallow angle to the hammer pivot. When the sear is tripped the force is increasingly directed at an increasing angle to the pivot and builds rapidly as the hammer accelerates and spring notch rotates up and around the hammer pivot and the spring tip to hammer pivot angle increases.

If I were a betting man, I would lay money that efforts were made to substantially reduce the rotating mass of the hammer on these rifles in order to shorten their lock time.

[uscra112]

Reverse the link to make it leave the hammer at half-cock. The deHaas drawing in your post #27 shows it in the half-cock orientation. This was touted as a feature by Stevens when these were new.

Ii don't know what may have been done to hammers in the 1896/1903 period when 44 variants were in common use as Schuetzen rifles. When Tom Rowe's next book comes out in the fall we may learn more. Tom has done an exhaustive study of the premium grades, which I haven't.

The Model 417, which was the last iteration of the 44 action, was intended to compete with the Winchester and Remington bolt-action competition rifles. It had a very stiff mainspring (of the strut type) and the full-cock notch was where the old half-cock was. Both changes reduced lock time, but it put a very high pressure on the sear. I can't imagine the trigger pull not changing pretty quickly with regular use.

Phil

[JDHasty]

I’m loving it. If there is a book coming out on Stevens single shots, sign me up.

I haven’t done anything with single shots, unless you want to include Contenders, up until now. I’ve also got a Low Wall barreled action sitting here now. It has a new 22 Hornet barrel on it that I know nothing about. My goal is to use these to get familiar and then make up a really nice CPA 44 1/2 in 17 Hornet, 219 Donaldson Wasp and 219 Zipper Improved. Then I will have my goal of a cased varmint rifle set.

I’m a big C.S. Landis fan and re read his books annually. I’ve shot bolt action varmint rifles for 50 years, but have really wanted a Stevens most of that time.

The Low Wall has been refinished over pitting, I don’t intend to use the barrel either. I will clean up the receiver over on my large bench stones to get the pitting dealt with (thankfully no dished holes or messed up lines) and then have it barreled 1/3 octagon w/wedding band transition and stock it. I want it to be Stevens #2 profile or close to it, 24 inches, 17 Hornet or maybe 22 K Hornet, just because we don’t have one.

I don’t know if it is a converted rimfire, or started life as a center fire. Either way I’m going to have someone look over the breach block and make sure it’s brought up to speed if it hasn’t been yet.

[uscra112]

Watch the ASSRA forum for announcement of the book.

The 44-1/2 is the finest of the pre-WW1 single shots, without question. Only knock possible is that it doesn't have a big enough barrel tenon to comfortably allow .30-06 and it's legion of derivatives. Although Ned Roberts did use one while developing his eponymous .257, his pressures didn't exceed 50kpsi. I have the idea that CPA uses a bigger tenon, (but don't quote me).

No Winchester can ever have the trigger pull of a Stevens. Aside from all the monkey-motion between the trigger and the sear, the spring geometry is wrong. If you look at the 44's DST setup, which was lifted verbatim for the 44-1/2, you'll see that it does the same thing as the basic 44, moving the force vector closer to the hammer axle at full cock.

If you're a reader of Landis, you'll eventually have to have a .22 R2 Lovell in the fold. Why not start now? Brass is a problem, but it can be made from .223 if you've got the gumption. :smile:

[JDHasty]

Good Lord! It’s hard enough just getting 218 Bee brass.

It was Landis’ 170 Landis Woodsman who motivated my interest in the 17 Hornet.

Our first was a Contender carbine with EABco 23 inch barrel for my seven year old daughter. We need hunting license to shoot chucks in WA and since she hadn’t passed Hunter Education class yet (she passed on her second attempt) I decided to put a man stock on it and took it to central Washington with two friends. The first shot was an off hand shot at a big chuck at 80 yards that tossed it. My buddy ask me what the hell caliber are you shooting. Let’s just say that the three of us shared her Contender for the rest of the weekend and came home and ordered three CZ 527 Americans in 17 Hornet.

We never have been able to get better than ~ 5/8 - 3/4 inches consistently out of the CZ Americans at an hundred yards and she doesn’t let that go unnoticed. Her Contender goes sub 1/2 - 5/8 easily. My American now has a factory varmint barrel and is in a CZ HS Precision Kevlar Varmint stock and will keep up. FWIW, my younger two kids are very small for their age and they have a 17 Hornet Contender carbine with 21 inch MGM tapered barrel that shoots just as well.

By shooting these 17s we have been able to shoot ranchettes and vineyards that we didn’t have access to in the past.

As a heads up to others: Once you put together a Contender carbine for your kids, you need to secure permission to use what had previously been your uncontested property. In other words, you no longer have an ownership interest in that frame.

[uscra112]

Good Lord! It’s hard enough just getting 218 Bee brass.

But think of the satisfaction!

Interesting benefit of your .17s.......that you are welcome in more places. Something that's not an issue here in rural Ohio.

[JDHasty]

But think of the satisfaction!

Interesting benefit of your .17s.......that you are welcome in more places. Something that's not an issue here in rural Ohio.

We still shoot irrigated hay meadows on large ranches, but the 17 has opened up opportunities that we previously didn’t have.

A funny story happened about 7 years ago. Before I had my CZ in 17 Hornet I was camping at an RV Park that has a golf course with my kids over Memorial Day weekend. I had been out since ~ 05:00 Saturday morning shooting chucks and got back at about 09:30. I was in the gift shop with my daughter and she said to a guy registering for a golf tournament that her dad had shot 32 rockchucks this morning. The owner of the resort we were staying at then told him that I get up at the crack of dawn and had killed every single one on the golf course on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday I had been shooting irrigated alfalfa that had a wheel line in it and the owner won’t let anyone else shoot it. The guy we were talking to was part owner or club president of another golf course and all but begged me to come kill the chucks digging up that outfit. They had been trying to shoot them with 10/22s and as a result they were really wild and would disappear as soon as they saw anybody. What was nice is that there is a canal and high ground that is separated from the golf course by Russian olive trees and I could set up and shoot through gaps in the cover about 190 - 225 yards off Harris Bipod. I pretty much had my way with them, but it took me a while because I had to limit my shooting from first light until the golfers started showing up. I was also able to put a mat down on the roof of a couple pump houses and then shoot off the peak of the roof using a Protektor bag that is made for straddling fence rail. It was shades of Karl Spackler and his war on gophers at Bushwood Country Club.

[JDHasty]

OK, I’ve got my strategy figured out. I’m going to order a new 17 HMR barrel and have the one I have relined in 22LR.

I was intending to get stock blanks headed my way last week, but got distracted with another project. I’m a bit hung up on how much more than just plain wood I want to go for too.

[JDHasty]

I glued a barrel liner in my 22 LR barrel last night with Loctite 262 and will be finishing up the muzzle and breech and there is will it will sit until my action gets back form John Taylor in the spring. He is going to make a new 17 HMR barrel for it that is the same contour as my 22 LR barrel, but it will have a wedding band transition. I drill and tapped the 22 LR for Weaver bases for a flat front Savage 110. Other than that, I'm pretty much stuck. I have a Niedner checkered steel shotgun butt plate that I've polished up and a set of two screw sling swivel studs for it. So, that's about all of the news I expect to have on this little fellow for a while. No sense ordering the stock set until spring.

[uscra112]

By the way, JD, Tom Rowe's book on the Stevens has gone to the printer, and he is taking orders. Email him. That'll keep you entertained while you wait.

[JDHasty]

Absolutely. I just sent an email.

I’m really enthused about getting the 44 going. I sure hope I have it ready by May or so. We shoot chucks through mid June. It takes me a month minimum to finish a stock though. If I get it back late March/early April it could happen.

I’ve got a friend trying to get me to trade him out of a 20 power Target Spot earlier tonight. We had Target Spots, Unertls that we practically gave away in the 1970s & 1980s. I’d kind of like to have one again. That would look nice on a Stevens 44.

[Chill Wills]

Yes! That Lyman Target Spot would be just the think on that era rifle. Plus, they are so repeatable.

[Rockindaddy]

I have been using NC Ordnance for years for replacement butt plates and grips. They are in the Carolinas. They will have the correct butt plate for your rifle. Treebone wood carving makes replacement wood.

[JDHasty]

Treebone doesn't list wood for Stevens, that is where I bought my Low Wall stock and a couple Neidner butt plates. Absolutely outstanding, without a doubt the best experience ever buying a stock set. I will call on a Stevens stock. Thank you.

[uscra112]

For Stevens, call CPA, obviously. https://www.cparifles.com/ I just ordered a plain forearm for the .28-30 barrel on the 44-1/2 project.

[JDHasty]

I talked to George at Treebone and that is exactly what he said. I also told him I was thinking of ordering a MVA High Wall action and he said: Do it, you won't be sorry.

[JDHasty]

Ordered the stock from CPA this morning. Four to six weeks lead time. I went with this one https://www.cparifles.com/collections/stevens-cpa-stocks/products/stevens-044-1-2-buttstock-1?variant=28161250825

I went with their "standard" grade wood. Two steps up from the bottom and what they use on their factory base rifles.

I have another Niedner butt plate that is all polished up and a set of Super Grade sling swivels. Once the stock gets here I can work on inletting the butt plate and swivels.

I noticed that Midway has a discounted Bentz chamber reamer available. I prefer to shoot Mini Mag HV HP ammo, we shoot varmints like ground squirrels with our rimfires, is this a 22LR chamber that others have experience using Mini Mag (or similar) in. I know that I don't want a real match chamber on this rifle, we have match rifles and they do great with target ammo, but not all that well with straight up hunting ammo. Mini Mag is consistently really good in almost all of our sporting rifles, so it is something we always have cases of.

[uscra112]

The Bentz would certainly be better than the typical sloppy "sporting" chambers. It's a compromise design intended for semi-autos; fairly tight and short in the throat but looser in the back to ease feeding. Apparently very popular with the 10/22 crowd. I can't say from personal experience though; I've used a Lilja for all my single-shots. It certainly shoots MiniMags well enough to hunt with. I don't expect target-rifle accuracy from the MiniMag because it's a supersonic load. YMMV of course.

[JDHasty]

I went ahead and ordered a removable pilot Bentz reamer from PTG after talking to quite a few folks yesterday. About 3/4 the cost of the discounted reamer from Midway.

[uscra112]

Hope you get it. I waited six months for the last "in stock" reamer I ordered from PTG.

[JDHasty]

John Taylor should be sending my action home with the new 17 HMR barrel about March. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the reamer gets here by then. The new barrel will have to come my way by way of north Idaho, John doesn’t do any bluing. We start varmint shooting about April 15. Funny how every year I’m really scrambling from about mid February to get everything ready.

I am pretty skeptical that the stock for Stevens 44 will be ready when the season starts. I will be able to inlet the butt plate and sling swivels, but inletting it to the barrel and action and shaping will have to wait until I get the action home. Stock finishing takes another month and it’s pretty tender until it’s had a good three weeks or so to cure. It can be hauled out to the range without much worry, but it really doesn’t do it any good to be drug around in the field until it’s had time to cure.

I shot quite a bit of PMC Zapper when I was shooting SB silhouette and taking home my share of hardware. To the best of my knowledge I was alone among the guys who were competitive in shooting HV ammo. Most who weren’t buying ammo by the case were buying their ammo from me. I sold a lot of PMC Target in the yellow boxes. But I sold any ammo people ask for and I could get my hands on. That Zapper shot extremely well out of my Kimber Mini Classic and that was the rifle I shot silhouette with.

We have been blessed with being able to rely on Mini Mag HP out of all of our 22LR sporting rifles to provide very, very good accuracy. This is the first one I had any say in what chamber reamer will be used.

[JDHasty]

Hope you get it. I waited six months for the last "in stock" reamer I ordered from PTG.

Was sitting on the porch when I got home today.

[JDHasty]

I got a tracking number from CPA, the stock should show up Friday. If somebody can measure from trigger to the back of the frame I sure would appreciate it. My action is in Idaho and I want to double check the length of pull so I can get to work inletting the Niedner butt plate.

[uscra112]

Trigger pivot to the flat is 11/16 on the one I'm looking at.

[JDHasty]

Thank you! That will allow me to get busy on the stock.

[JDHasty]

I received the stock yesterday and am underwhelmed by what I am looking at. My inclination is that somewhere between me ordering it and it being shipped out there was some misunderstanding regarding what grade of wood I ordered and was charged for.

I ordered and was invoiced and charged for Grade 3 wood

Grade 3: Standard American Walnut
Figured in the butt area 30-50%, perhaps not equal on both sides. This grade is standard on our rifles and suitable for any high-grade rifle. Best value in figured wood.

321790

321791

https://www.cparifles.com/pages/wood-grades

I wetted down a blue shop rag with mineral spirits and wiped it to see if perhaps there was something I was missing when I unpackaged it. It’s a good solid piece of American walnut heart wood with no sap wood. Nothing wrong with it, but it certainly doesn’t impress me as being consistent with the description or photo on their web page.

[JDHasty]

I got a call from CPA, it was a big mixup on their end. They are going to get the right stock coming my way pronto.

[JDHasty]

Barrel is almost done. Stock blanks should be here today or tomorrow. This show should be getting back on the road soon. I am going to make an effort to learn how to have photos hosted off site and linked to. Instead of here.

[uscra112]

Just be aware that photo-hosting sites are a serious security risk.

[jdsingleshot]

... I am going to make an effort to learn how to have photos hosted off site and linked to. Instead of here.

I hope you don't do that. After the photobucket betrayal, I don't trust any hosting site. What's more some sites put a watermark that shows up when the image is displayed. Upload them here and they'll be there when we want them.

[JDHasty]

OK, so I’ll figure something out so I can post photos.

[JDHasty]

I got the 17 HMR barrel from John Taylor and it’s absolutely stunning. Third octagon w/wedding band transition #2 weight. The stock is about done, it’s a chore to use the CPA 44-1/2 stock on a 44, but worth it. Just need to dress up around the rear Super Grade swivel stud and go over it with 600 and 1,000 grit sandpaper then I’ll get the butt plate off to be blued and seal it up and begin finishing it.

I bought a really nice Redfield 3200 and a Fecker, both 16X and both with rings and intend to use the Fecker on this rifle. It’s a Jim Dandy.

I need to chamber the liner I put in the 22 LR barrel, and file the extractor notch. Drill the fore end for the screw and escutcheon and finish the wood. I’ll order a couple pair of undrilled blocks from Steve Earl and I’ll worry about mounting them when they get here.

I’ll do something about getting photos of this rifle posted soon.

Don’t know what I’m going to do with the 3200 yet. We’ve got an ultra rare factory slick barrel Model 43 in 218 Bee, might see how it looks on it. My inclination is it will be too big to look good