Meriden Model 10

[TheCounty]

Hi all
Recently acquired a nice example of a Meriden Model 10. A nice boys rifle from about 1910 that was marketed through Sears. A falling block in .22 long and short. Yes it has the shorter twist for the light bullets. Yes it needs a "Thumb Knob". Yes I intend to get one made to match & install. Yes it has decent rifling, no chips out of the stock or buttplate, and functions well. (Enough of the "yes"..... haha)
Anyhow, I was surprised at how few seem to be out there as it was likely a fairly well sold item out of Sears for about 10+ years. Not an exceptional design, but nice and I have been a little enamored with it as it is a survivor.
Pic below, and comments/insights welcome
Cheers

[Ajohns]

I have my grandpa's model 15 pump
They're basically a Savage. This one you have looks pretty nice for sure!
Have fun with it

[Bigslug]

Nice! Good to keep the survivors surviving. A lot of those low cost rimfires were never intended to be lasting heirlooms, but they educated A LOT of shooters and fed A LOT of families. Most of them probably rusted away to nothing leaned up in barns and chicken coops.

An acquaintance brought me a family Meridan pump a year or to ago to see if it could be rehabilitated. Sadly, the parts needed were made of nonexistium, so wall-hanging it went.

[2152hq]

Meriden Gun Co was established by Sears
They were not fond of the prices the name brand mfg'rs were charging them for firearms that they (Sears) were re-selling in their catalogs. SO Sears built the Meriden factory in Meriden Ct to make guns exclusively for them to sell.
They also made them with the A.J Aubrey brand name. Aubrey was one of the Sears company directors of the Meriden facility.

The Model 15 pump .22 rifle was designed/patented by the 2 sons of Arthur Savage / Pres of Savage Arms Co.
One was named John,,can't recall the other
They also patented the Model 1912 Pump shotgun in 12ga that Meriden made and sold for a time.
Not sure they had anything to do with the single shot .22 rifle.
(It's a nice boys rifle. I had a couple of them in the 70's and 80's. Great project guns and really inexpensive at the time)

Meriden Arms went out of business in 1917 when it was taken over by New England Westinghouse Corp. The factory then used to produce parts for
Mosin Nagant rifles and other War Time contracts. Very late, some BAR parts I understand.
NE Westinghouse also took over Hopkins & Allen, Stevens Arms and likely others during WW1. All the plants were converted to War time production needs. NE Westinghouse was a shadow arm of the US Govt of sorts. Doing their work in procuring private industries for War Time needs.

Meriden never came back to life as a Sears sporting arms mfgr'
Bankrupt, the parts, patents, machinery was sold at auction in 1920/1.

A small startup firearms mfg named O F Mossberg bought the pat to the Merdien Model 15 pump 22 rifle.
They made the rifle as the Model K,M and L versions for a few yrs.
BBl style and length made the difference in Model designation. Sold also under the Montg/Ward name

Later Savage ended up with the patent rights if there were any and produced a version of it.

That Model 1912 pump shotgun...that ended up as a Savage product as well in a revised form. The Model 1920 I believe it was called.

[Ajohns]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing the info.
One day, I'd like to run some rounds through that 15 again. It works good, but the barrel has a bulge about mid way through the bore. Still shoots alright though

[TheCounty]

Just a cordial update... I fashioned a technical drawing of the thumb piece that is missing as best as possible from internet pictures and dropped it off to a talented local machinist who expressed interest in the chore. Hopefully it will look proper, but be assured I will address it as a repro piece if I pass it on.
Cheers

[jsizemore]

I think they're more better to shoot than look at!

[Manwe]

I have a nearly identical rifle, Mine was made between 1886 and 1903 (exact dating is not possible because of a lack of production records). It is a beautiful little rifle and works great with standard velocity ammo.

[Travlin]

That looks like a rolling block and not a falling block to me.