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Thread: Old page Lewis model B sharpshooter.

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    lka's Avatar
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    Old page Lewis model B sharpshooter.

    Dad gave me this little guy torn apart, I cleaned and put her back together, figured it would be great for the kids, easier on my 22lr stash (been shooting a 10-22)

    Anyways anyone have one of these? It shoots but the pin hits very low making it a very picky ammo gun, I was wondering if others have noticed this or if I need to perform some redneck engineering. I believe it was my great grandpas gun, a redneck as well, the screw shims were made out of a beer can, I picked up some aluminum tubing and swapped them out.

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    Figured some would like the pics, and maybe I'll find some info on it, looks like they were made between 1923 and 1926 then savage brought them, that's about all the I for I've found.
    Hope for change.

  2. #2
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    Bent Ramrod's Avatar
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    I have a Model B "Sharpshooter." The previous owner had contrived to mangle the takedown screw and socket until the headspace was off, and then "repaired" this condition by sawing the link partially in half and prying the two halves apart with a chisel or screwdriver to widen the pin distance. (So don't feel bad about your stove bolt block and lever replacement pins.)

    This "advanced gunsmithing" obviously didn't work for more than a few shots, so he rest of the gun was nearly pristine when I got it. After I redid the takedown screw and seat I had to make a new link, and by the time the thing was together, the firing pin hit out on the rim pretty far, and misfires were routine. I thought it was because of a miscalculation of the link pin distances made from the old link. The headspace is all right, but the pin does hit low. Typically they would go off on the second snap.

    I did some judicious file work on the lower edge of the firing pin so the upper part that did hit the rim hit with more impact. There is still the occasional need to snap the hammer twice, but at least it helped some.

    A friend has the Model C "Olympic" and has never reported any problems with misfires so maybe it's just that criticality of parts fitting that makes or breaks the reliability. The only original part missing on his was the tang sight, and I found him one. If you can get well fitting block and lever pins made for your gun, it might bring the firing pin back to the right position without any need for redneck engineering.

    The Page Lewis single shots might be called the "last of the Stevens rifles." Page and Lewis were "downsized" from Stevens when Savage took over. Instead of going to the news media about their "plight" as overaged, unemployed engineers, they formed a company to manufacture boys' single shot rifles. Their enterprise must have made Savage nervous, because when they got the chance, they bought Page Lewis out and closed out the line.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks! Great info.

    I fired the new shims and it seems to be hitting harder, I've only hit an empty case and examined the difference, I'll take her to the range tomorrow am and test.

    When you "cock" it do you still have to pull the hammer back? Meaning after dropping the block and inserting the cartridge then closing it, I still have to pull the hammer back, it automatically comes back about 1/2 way but not all the way. It's no biggie but I was interested if this was normal or if I have some messin to do.

    Thanks again for the info, I think it will be a great little gun for the kids and won't eat as much hard to find 22s as the semi-autos.
    Hope for change.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Bent Ramrod's Avatar
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    That is normal. The link should cam the hammer back to the "safety" notch. By far the best deal for a kid's rifle, that they have to consciously cock the hammer before firing.

    The Page-Lewis was a really clever design. If you ever want to reproduce those block and lever screws, they are approximately 0.220" diameter with the shanks 0.620" long. They both have a small 0.140" long threaded extension which is 0.188" x 28 TPI. Exact diameter will depend on the wear of the holes in the block and lever but the nominal ought to be close.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    elk hunter's Avatar
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    One needs to be thoughtful regarding shooting old 22 caliber firearms as a lot of them were made before the advent of the modern high speed/higher pressure ammunition. In some of the weaker designs a few rounds of modern ammunition can cause them to become very loose.
    BIG OR SMALL I LIKE THEM ALL, 577 TO 22 HORNET.

  6. #6
    Boolit Bub
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    I have the C model. Have not fired the rifle. It is in great shape. Need to get this and several other boys rifles to the range soon.

  7. #7
    Boolit Mold
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    I have a model B also. My grandfather said he bought it in the 20s from a Sears Roebuck catalog. I really enjoyed it as a kid but the two main screws on the left side are now missing. Does anyone know where to look for these or is machining new ones pretty much the only option. Thanks

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    The Page-Lewis is a very fine little rifle. Made entirely of real steel, with the hammer and trigger of tool steel, through-hardened like Stevens should have done. It is plenty strong enough for any modern .22 ammo. Well worth putting in the effort to fix what Bubba mangled.

    I treasure my near-mint Model A. Had Irving Page not died prematurely, the company would have been very successful. The company was sold to Savage only because nobody in the Page family wanted to carry on.

    That's all I can add to Bent Ramrod's posts.\

    Oh, and my Model A hits the .22 rim where it should. Any that don't must have a very loose linkage. The firing pin has a "chisel" tip, so ammo with the priming poorly distributed in the rim will be more likely to misfire. Of the 50 or so rounds of CCI SV that I've put through mine, there were no misfires.

    Nobody I know of has parts. Whatever you need you'll have to make.
    Last edited by uscra112; 05-05-2022 at 09:09 PM.
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  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    I've had the A,B and C models of the swinging block design and the model 49 and 50 in the bolt actions. They were a unique design with the entire mechanism in the breech block operated with one spring. I've never had misfire issues. I only use standard velocity ammo in mine. New screws and or a new firing pin may fix the misfire issue. As said, no parts are available so they would need to be made.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    I speak under correction, but the 49 and 50 models were made by Savage, copies of the Page-Lewis Model D, no?

    I case it hasn't been noticed, the frame of the A/B/C models is a sandwich, pinned together. Surely the pattern for deHaas' "Chicopee" design for homebuilders.

    Good to see a few still around. They don't come up for sale very often.
    Last edited by uscra112; 05-06-2022 at 11:22 AM.
    Cognitive Dissident

  11. #11
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    In these old guns, 22 Standard Velocity is your friend
    Enjoy this jewel and happy days
    Mike
    NRA Benefactor 2004 USAF RET 1971-95

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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