Got my single-shot collection whittled down to just 4 rifles.
Top to Bottom:
1987 Ruger No.1 RSI in 7x57 sporting a Leupold VX-II 1-4x20mm Boddington Leopard Serial no. 15 of 250. Ruger No. 1 .45-70 Govt. 50th year anniversary Merkel K1 Jagd Stutzen Stalking rifle in .308 Win. with a Swarovski 3-10x42mm
Yes, I am a wood slut. But none of them are safe queens, all go hunting.
Dad collected a few of them in the 1970's. The .30-06 and .300 were originally bought by him. He gave the .300 to a friend of my grandad's. He was in his '80's by then, but did shoot it a fair amount. It was given back to Dad when that gentleman passed, and then it came to me. It has a very long throat, and will run 180's well over 3100 fps. With its preferred loads, the accuracy can be quite good, too.
The '06 I inherited after Dad passed. It does not have great wood, but is quite accurate, and MD's load of 58gr Big Game will run Nosler 150 AB's at 3125 fps The .270 Liberty I bought a year or so ago.
This is a better picture of the .22-250, with three consecutive 5 shot 100 yard groups:
It shoots 53 gr TSX reasonably well, so I will probably try it on deer this year.
The .30-40 is a Cabelas limited Edition. It has a nice stick of Circassian, though I have not shot it much, yet. Working up loads with 150's and Big Game.
I'm pretty sure I saw a flattened diamond on that wrist. You should immediately pack it up and I'll be by this weekend to pick it up. I'll nurse it back to health and have it back to you in, oh, twenty years or so...
I have seen a few of the Cabella's .30-40's and none were nearly as nice as yours.
The satin sheets are a nice touch also......
Thanks - yes I had been wanting a .30-40 for a few years, mostly to see what the cartridge will do in a strong action. That one came up a few months ago and I decided to bite the bullet. It cost me the list price for it, but I think it should hold it's value - as long as a pig don't eat it, or something.
The .45-70 above seems to be an excellent shooter with stout charges of H4198 behind a 300TTSX. So far they are running about 2250 fps. Hopefully I can nudge it up to 2350-2400 fps.
There's a prewarning .375 on the way to me, with some nice wood, too, which is not common on .375's.
The stockwork is beautiful. The satin finish over the Circassian Walnut I think? The checkered steel skeleton butt-pad is striking. Nice pictures also. Looks like a keeper. Definitely eye candy. Absolutely a classic look. The No.1 is very suited to that type of improvements. Bravo.
I haven't had a #1 in years, but like my Hyper Single.
My apologies, I'm afraid I opened my mouth and showed everybody my ignorance.
Tell me about your Hyper Single.
I saw some small things that didn't look like a No.1 like around the falling block lever. But I am ignorant of a Hyper Single.
The Hyper Single was built by Sam Lair in Jenks,Okla. They are listed in the Bluebook of Gun Values. Sam passed away a few years ago. My rifle is serial#002. Sam built it for his friend,Charlie Williams. Charlie was the designer and builder of the Benchmaster receivers used in the early 1970s on Benchrest rifles. Charlie also designed and made the predecessor to what is now the Shilen trigger.
That certainly is a nice looking and crafted single shot on the Hyper. Has been a long time since I heard that name.
I did not know the maker towards Tulsa way, but do remember stories about Charlie Williams. I remember the Benchmasters with some fondness. I suspect that both of those guys knew how. Every now and then, those names would come up in a conversation with Bunch.
John Bunch was responsible for all my gun habits, God rest his soul. John was a friend of both and Red Cornelison was the other. They have all gone to the shooting and gunsmithing Heaven.
This is the exact reason I have a tendency to buy first, think later. ( A fool and his money...) Every gun I have passed on or sold that I think about later, becomes a regret.
Very unusual decorative cheek piece. What would the age of this rifle be? caliber?
That would be a Field's patent falling block, which is a fairly rare action. It was in .500-450 #1 Blackpowder Express (gotta love British cartridge names).
It had a fairly rough bore. I did eventually get it shooting to the fixed sights, with 300 gr bullets at 1900 fps, but it lead fouled the bore after about three shots. That might partly have been my paper patching technique, which was crude at the time
It was sold by Rodda, and said on the barrel, "#6 & #8 Dalhousie Square, Calcutta It was clearly someone's favorite hunting rifle, and was surprisingly light, for having such a massive action and 28" barrel. The receiver was fully engraved with game scenes, but the engraving was almost totally worn away, from being carried so much.
Ah the stories it could have told...no I wasn't smart enough to keep it.
I think someone else here has a Field's, and theirs is in nice shape. I'd love to have one again. Maybe someday that one will turn up for sale
***** edit to add:
Here's some better photos of a Field's though not identical to mine. It was made by Holland & Holland...
Well, the top one is a Haenal Aydt match rifle in 8.15X46. It is missing the orginal rear sight however, but the one that is on it works well. Shoots well, but the last owner ( a memeber here) doesn't have time for it and does not shoot targets much anyway, so he gave it to me. I have the dies and brass fro it , of course, and a bunch of proper sized cast bullets.
The second is an original Highwall in 38/55 that I bought from a another member of Canadian Gun Nutz.
I have a lot of providence on the rifle, when it was made and shipped (1907), when the stock was chamged, etc. You see, it was shipped with its original #4 taper barrel and single set trigger that is on it, but with a shotgun style stock. it was re-stockeed in the mid-50's by an Ontario gunsmith , and my CGN friend shot it when he was a member of the Canadian single shot rifle Association. I have several molds for it, the original, and another that was owned by Jack Secord, a well know single shot shooter back in the day. I have shot it with both BP and with light smokeless loads at 100 and 200 , and it shoots very well. The scope is a Unertl, but the sight is a receiver redfield that is glued on - not screwed, so one day I shall take it off , and install a proper tang sight for it. Both rifles are fantastic examples of their type and I feel very fortunate to be able to have and shoot them.:>) Cat
I have several Ruger No. 1's with better than average wood, but not in the same league as most I'm seeing here. How about a couple of blackpowder single shots?
Shiloh Sharps - bought off the rack in Big Timber as a No. 3 Sporter in 45-90 with 32" heavy barrel and standard wood. After shooting it for a couple of years, had it re-stocked in extra fancy, AA finish, accent line cheek piece, bedded forend w/ ebony tip, ebony pistol grip, bone & charcoal pack color case hardening, and shortened the barrel to 28". I guess now it's a Saddle Rifle:
Ballard #4 Perfection in 45-70 manufactured in Cody, WY with upgraded wood (was told French walnut), and 28" standard weight barrel:
I have several Ruger No. 1's with better than average wood, but not in the same league as most I'm seeing here. How about a couple of blackpowder single shots?
Shiloh Sharps - bought off the rack in Big Timber as a No. 3 Sporter in 45-90 with 32" heavy barrel and standard wood. After shooting it for a couple of years, had it re-stocked in extra fancy, AA finish, accent line cheek piece, bedded forend w/ ebony tip, ebony pistol grip, bone & charcoal pack color case hardening, and shortened the barrel to 28". I guess now it's a Saddle Rifle:
Ballard #4 Perfection in 45-70 manufactured in Cody, WY with upgraded wood (was told French walnut), and 28" standard weight barrel:
Love them both but the Ballard is on my short list
I like them with American influence. Some of the German Schuetzen stuff is so complicated with the humped stocks and extra pieces of steel hanging off in different places, I just can't find the beauty I do in a good old Sharps or Browning 78.
I have a couple original buffalo rifles sent to Montana in the 1870's, and a few others from Shiloh and an original carbine in 50-70.
This one was worked over in A. D. McAusland in Miles City Montana in the 1880's...
This one was customized by Walter Cooper in Bozeman in the late 1870's...
I thought I'd add one of my beauties. I think I must qualify as one of Mule Deer's "rifle loonies".
This is a #1 re-barreled by Todd Lockburner (gunsmith in Monument Colorado). It's a half octagon, half round chambered in 40-82 WCF and is a .406 bore. Todd modified the Ruger scope rib since the half octagon would not use the standard rib and blued the barrel and scope rib. He did an outstanding job. I mounted a Nikon scope.
I use Starline 45-90 brass reformed by Redding form/trim die and Redding 40-82 dies. The slugs are either Hawk 270 or 300 gr, or DKT 260 gr. and Federal 210 primers. I won't give the powder load but with the #1 action strength, it isn't the black powder load velocity. It measures around 2400 fps. This elk was shot with the DKT's and they make a 5 shot ragged hole at 100 yds. The elk was shot at 176 yds by range finder measure. Apologize for the blood. The backstraps had been taken out when the camera was available. She was quartered out as the only altenative was to get out the knife and fork.
The shot was taken from bi-pod rest across a small cut where she was quartering away to my left. The shot entered back of her left (away) ribs and exited at the right chest in the crease of the right foreleg. The heart and lungs were liquified with the entry a nice round 40 caliber and the exit hole was between a quarter and half dollar in size. She dropped at the shot and never moved.
btw, since it was "unusual" I bought the chamber cutter and it is available for any other loonie to "rent". It has been used but once.
I thought I'd add one of my beauties. I think I must qualify as one of Mule Deer's "rifle loonies".
This is a #1 re-barreled by Todd Lockburner (gunsmith in Monument Colorado). It's a half octagon, half round chambered in 40-82 WCF and is a .406 bore. Todd modified the Ruger scope rib since the half octagon would not use the standard rib and blued the barrel and scope rib. He did an outstanding job. I mounted a Nikon scope.
I use Starline 45-90 brass reformed by Redding form/trim die and Redding 40-82 dies. The slugs are either Hawk 270 or 300 gr, or DKT 260 gr. and Federal 210 primers. I won't give the powder load but with the #1 action strength, it isn't the black powder load velocity. It measures around 2400 fps. This elk was shot with the DKT's and they make a 5 shot ragged hole at 100 yds. The elk was shot at 176 yds by range finder measure. Apologize for the blood. The backstraps had been taken out when the camera was available. She was quartered out as the only altenative was to get out the knife and fork.
The shot was taken from bi-pod rest across a small cut where she was quartering away to my left. The shot entered back of her left (away) ribs and exited at the right chest in the crease of the right foreleg. The heart and lungs were liquified with the entry a nice round 40 caliber and the exit hole was between a quarter and half dollar in size. She dropped at the shot and never moved.
btw, since it was "unusual" I bought the chamber cutter and it is available for any other loonie to "rent". It has been used but once.
Very nice rifle. But if it was mine, it would either lose that scope or at least get something that is more in tune with that sort of rifle.
Amazing that one person has that many artistic talents at that level. Quite the piece!
Mr Bradshw built this as his first single shot and did everything,including engraving. He's out of Texas and seems to really have a talent.This one is foe sale at my LGS for 11K... I think at one time it had a German scope,however the current owner had some eye problems and wanted the 6x42 that's mounted. I have handled it a couple of times,very well done
Fyrepowrx, I sure like the looks of those straight tube leupolds. Have you ever heard of or suffered any ill effects of putting the front scope rings so close to the lens? I seem to think it is located just behind the "golden ring". For eye relief purposes your scope placement is ideal. Nice collection oh by the way!
Fyrepowrx, I sure like the looks of those straight tube leupolds. Have you ever heard of or suffered any ill effects of putting the front scope rings so close to the lens? I seem to think it is located just behind the "golden ring". For eye relief purposes your scope placement is ideal. Nice collection oh by the way!
Thanks for the compliments, have been fortunate enough to come across a few that have wood with some character to it....that 25/06 is a '77 vintage if i recall that came to me new in the box; seller had posted it at auction with some really dark pix that made it look pretty bland, and i was pleasantly surprised.
never had any issues with the 1.5-5x's or the 1-4x's in regards to positioning the front ring near the tube area of the leupold objective lens.
Here is my 1A that I picked up in Germany a few years back. It has a custom Claw scope mount and an ugly butt pad... Some trigger work has been done to it as well, it has a trigger shoe. The scope is a Kahles Fixed 6 I don't get to shoot much here in Hawaii but I recently had it out at Koko Head Range and wow... It hits the bull from 50 yards to 100 yards w/MOA and I managed to "ring the gong" on the steel target out at 250yards. The wood is amazing.
On Freedumb1's lead - since we're bringing up ex'es, here's a former (with a tear rolling down my face) Ruger #1 RSI in 7x57. It belongs to someone else from the Campfire now. How's the old girl doing? You taking good care of her?
On Freedumb1's lead - since we're bringing up ex'es, here's a former (with a tear rolling down my face) Ruger #1 RSI in 7x57. It belongs to someone else from the Campfire now. How's the old girl doing? You taking good care of her?
Here's one I just picked up yesterday for a wood junkie fix.
What rifle is that may I ask?
As tex n cal noted above, it's a Thompson Center TCR 87. This model pre-dates the much uglier Encore, but a fire at TC destroyed all the TCR production/parts. The rest is history.
I like them with American influence. Some of the German Schuetzen stuff is so complicated with the humped stocks and extra pieces of steel hanging off in different places, I just can't find the beauty I do in a good old Sharps or Browning 78.
Originally Posted by stantdm
That is one great group of rifles Shrapnel. Friggin wonderful to see those.
10pointer, That is some pretty creative checkering. I've never seen anything like it. Who did it? I think I could really get to like something like that.
The Stevens 43 is way too cool. I would love to have one of those.
Just got another two piece stock blank from my cousin and contemplating one last custom rifle. Chambering may be a 7x65R or .280 Ross. I like the "cool factor" of the Ross, but not sure I want to deal with the bullet availability in the .288 diameter.
I did not get to pick up the gun until a couple of weeks ago but the pics really do not do it justice. The rifle was shipped in 1996 with semi fancy wood and AA finish, 26 inch standard octagon barrel in .45 2 1/10. It handles superbly and balances right behind the rear barrel sight. This is going to be my primary hunting rifle. Here are a few more pics:
I have two custom #3s -- a Swede and a 7mm BR. (The latter is currently being redone as a 7mm-08.) I do not have a factory original #3 however; largeley because they make such great doors for light kicking, handy, stalking rifles.
DMC, I have two custom #3s -- a Swede and a 7mm BR. (The latter is currently being redone as a 7mm-08.) I do not have a factory original #3 however; largeley because they make such great donors for light kicking, handy, stalking rifles. 1B
Hello 1B I don't have an original #3 anymore either. I guess if we did, it outta be a 44 Mag. Here's another "Custom" 45-Thumper-70:
Good Morning Lee. Your rooster crows mighty early kind sir! I'm thinking you must have a milk cow! Here's a picture of Lee's 25-06. I was fortunate enough to have had the pleasure of seeing it in person. After fondling it for a few minutes, no other #1 since has had quite the luster. So as they say, "if ya can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!" I haven't even looked at another #1 since seeing Lee's. This "porch sitter" believes Ruger needs to stick "El Numero Uno" on their R&D team!
10pointer, That is some pretty creative checkering. I've never seen anything like it. Who did it? I think I could really get to like something like that.
The Stevens 43 is way too cool. I would love to have one of those.
The work was done out of Llano Texas by the late Lornard Storey. Its chambered in 30-06 and is by far the most accurate gun I own, If I do my part can place them inside each other. Interesting legend to this gun is it was being built for Slim Pickens but was not completed before his death.
3 Cooper 38 17 Ackley Hornet/Nikon Monarch UCC Long Range 5.5-16.5X44 Target Cooper 21 Varmint Extreme 17Rem
That bottom Cooper is amazing.
Thanks, it's an early Cooper with exceptional wood. It now lives in TN doing coyote duty. The other Cooper on Kodiak Island doing fox duty. Both are owned by past forum friends who had to put up with just pictures of them posted on-line for years.
i was talking to a friend and he said he had a set of sights he would send me off an old Buffalo Classic in 45/70. they arrived today and i got em put on the ol 45LC. i think i am gonna like them! if not i will buy a low power, compact scope and install. this should be a fun little gun with the right loads!
Picked up this 30-30 Handi rifle today. Had a Buffalo Classic stock set waiting on it, so i swapped out the crappy wood stock these come with in favor of the nicer stock. Then i took a walk.
Here she is with anniversary present from my wife, a Ruger Vaquero in 45acp.
And with old cartridge. And old Winchester silver tip. Probably shouldnt be shooting these. Ha
I have a Leupold vxII 2-7x32 waiting for me to get a rail and its gonna go on it.
This was done a while ago, so I don't know what his turn around time is now. Whatever it is, it's worth it. His color case hardening looks great on single actions too.
7.62x39 sure sounds asaulty to me! I'll never forget the night some kid got a hold of a C02 gun and took a shot in the general direction of his little broher. Terrible thing for sure, but the local media on our NBC station, who to this day couldn't tell the different between an assault rifle (whatever that is) and a point stick just would not let go of the fact that is was CO2, which in their minds was 10x worse than just a BB gun. As a kid I hated CO2s. Your first 10 shots were ok then things just got weaker from then on out and I had to buy more canisters. You better be careful about stating you own a 7.62! Or just call it a .308 stumpy and everything my be ok for a while.
In my browsing of this older thread I ran across your photo of the one that got away. It looked very familiar. I bought the Ballard, #10, Junior from Gene Kramer from Iowa at the Tulsa show several years back. I haven't seen another stock like it. The stock is numbered to the Ballard and all numbers match on it. If the stock wasn't original to the gun, it certainly was a period replacement and the lettering stamps are the same.
As soon as I figure out how to post a photo on this forum, I will post one of the rifle. Richard
Richard, Thanks a bunch for your post. I'd really like to see your photos.
The guy at the Tulsa show from Iowa, was it maybe Gene Farmer rather than Kramer? Gene Farmer was a notable gun collector, shooter and historian who went to Tulsa frequently and specialized in Ballards. He often shot at the range where my photo was taken. In fact, he basically built that range and the Pine Ridge club with the owner of the rifle, Roy Watson and a group of others. We still shoot there twice a month.
Ah well, I got to rambling, but I do look forward to your pictures.
You are correct. I went back to my notes and it was Gene Farmer. He was selling it for Roy Watson. Gene was a really nice guy and I visited at lenght with him. I had bought a Schoyen Ballard from Gene the year before at the Tulsa show.I read on the ASSRA forum that Gene passed away a year or so ago. When Gene was at the Tulsa show with the #10 Ballard, I stopped by his table several times trying to buy the rifle, he came down a little and I came up alot, but I did finally come away with it. He was a very enjoyable guy to deal with and I certainly have no regrets about buying the rifle.
Buy the way, near what city is the Pine Ridge range? I live in eastern Kansas, so Iowa isn't that far away.
I like your longhorn photo-- raised registered longhorns for twenty years and still have one!
Yes, that was Roy's rifle. He was using it to beat me that day that I took the picture. And yes, Gene drives a hard bargain. Never saw anyone get the better of him in a deal but he was pretty reasonable most of the time.
Can't make your picture work though. Not sure what the problem is.
I don't remember exactly where, but I saw a 7.62x39 K1A with nice wood, and almost bought it, but missed out. Nothing traditional about them, but it's a appealing combo, and a bit off the beaten path. Looks like yours is a really good shooter. What bullets do they prefer?
Richard, Roy and I talked about the stock and where it might have come from. He had no information from the prior owner and we never saw or heard of another like it. She is beautiful though. You now have what I consider the single most beautiful Ballard of all time. Looks like you are a bit of a Ballard fan there.
I don't know much about longhorns, but perhaps you have heard of Dave Hillis - he raises longhorns on his Double Helix Ranch in Texas and I believe he is fairly well known for it. http://doublehelixranch.com/
Thanks for the information about Roy and the compliment on the rifle. I really like it too. To bad about the lack of history on the rifle, so much has been lost over time on these great old guns.I do like the Ballards best, but still have a few High Walls and Hepburns too.Dave Crosno has one now that I can't wait to shoot this summer. It has an unfired Stevens-Pope barrel (#1179)and Dave is mating it to a Ken Hurst engraved receiver along with some of Daves XXX wood. I picked up the barrel about a year ago and when Dave bore scoped it, he didn't think it had ever been fired, perfect bore. The chamber cast I did shows it to be a 33-40 or 47.
Afraid I don't know Dave Hillis. I know alot of TLBAA breeders though, I was the National President during the late 80s and on the board over 20 years. I do know alot of Texans as over half of our membership are from Texas.
No, it was not a new gun, 300 Winnie. I'm it's third owner and ordered some modifications. Oil finish wood, matte finish steel, set trigger and compression point under barrel for consistency. My only complaint is that I can't find a Qd swivel ring which properly fits the front swivel stud. The factory stud on the barrel is too thick,
Bingo! Bring an apple to bribe the teacher and you'll get 100% on the test! The first one is a WR 500/450 #1 Carbine. It's a tiny little 458 cal. that is pretty close to the 45-75 but shorter.
The second one is very similar to mine but I was too lazy to drag it out of the safe tonight. This one is many times nicer than mine. I recently read that the 'stalking safety' shown behind the hammer is very rare when it's in the rear like this. Most are in front of the hammer.
The trigger has a small shoe attached that reduces effort. When I do my part, this older rifle shoots 1.5 to 2.5 inch groups at 100 yards with Sierra 125 grain spitzer bullets. Very fast in this 26 inch barrel.
It's not even close to a Farky. The farky was operated with an underlever sort of similar to a Ruger #1.
Thought that was a Fraser. I shared a magazine with a friend many years back that had an article on these. That's all it took. Next thing I knew he was building one. Ended up going with the 30/40 Krag. Nice piece!
It's not even close to a Farky. The farky was operated with an underlever sort of similar to a Ruger #1.
Thought that was a Fraser. I shared a magazine with a friend many years back that had an article on these. That's all it took. Next thing I knew he was building one. Ended up going with the 30/40 Krag. Nice piece!
Nope...just the one. Between wood, barrel, action and finish, and least three different pros had their hands on the piece before it was all put together. Then my friend went out and first thing he did was accidently run it into a barbed wire fence (slightly). But, that's the kind of guy he is - he got over it. It put it together to hunt with style, and a hunting with it he went.
That's my kind of guy! Keep them as nice as you can but at the end of the day it's a tool meant to be used.
This one was built by Classic Rifle Company. I don't know much about him/them. But from what I was told the man that did this one has/had the big C. The company may have folded afterwards. He built 2 of these and mine is 1 of the 2. I was told he kept the other for himself.
Here's my Stevens 44 1/2 in .22 LR. It will be headed to CPA in the near future for a new barrel and breech block fitting so that I can use a centerfire to hunt deer with great-grandpa's rifle.
A Martini Cadet in .223 with Bob Snap's rimless extractor, bushed firing pin, and a new scope mount setup (the old one fell off when he test fired the rifle) The wood was reshaped with nice lines by Jim Katzung (it had looked like a 60's Weatherby with a 2x4 for a forearm). One before , three after photos. Fun little carbine.
Wow, that 9.3 is beautiful a great shooter to? Any shots on game?
Not yet. Hope to bloody it the next time I go to my lease(1 to 2 weeks). Hill country hoglets make the perfect test medium for rifles and bullets. Not only that, they make excellent table fare.
This is my #1 270.... also purchased from Leonard Storey, the same person 10 pointer bought his from (see page 12), in Llano, TX. It was his personal rifle, he was terminal and selling some of his guns when I came across it in his shop. Had wanted one for over 20 years !!! Have been looking for other owners of this man's work for a long time, now. An old gentleman from Burnet actually did the stockwork out on his backporch. Freehanded. Quite the artist. He was a WWII vet. Anybody else have one ??? Most are on Mausers.
I don't remember exactly where, but I saw a 7.62x39 K1A with nice wood, and almost bought it, but missed out. Nothing traditional about them, but it's a appealing combo, and a bit off the beaten path. Looks like yours is a really good shooter. What bullets do they prefer?
The caliber just seems made "to shoot"...
As far as what "bullet" it likes...don't know. I bought several cases of Lapua 123 grain loads and never plan on shooting anything else in it. Every time I pull the trigger I actually make money as the once fired brass sells for more than I paid for the loaded rounds.
Thanks very much Dwayne; PB changed their format some time ago and short of chants, incantations, and spreading ashes of charred bat guano over the key board under a full moon, I've tried everything I can think of.
Thanks very much Dwayne; PB changed their format some time ago and short of chants, incantations, and spreading ashes of charred bat guano over the key board under a full moon, I've tried everything I can think of.
I'll probably PM you tomorrow night.
At least I am not the only one having this problem. What was a simple one click move now takes 4 steps, just to make things easier.
This may or may not qualify as single-shot porn and I may have posted this pic elsewhere, but here's my Ruger #1 in .405 Winchester. Best training rifle ever produced in my opinion- it is AMAZING how quickly it taught me how to properly place the buttstock against my shoulder. I just LOVE this rifle.
If you think it qualifies, it qualifies. Looks like a pretty serious hunting rifle. I'm not a big Ruger # fan but that looks like a nice one set up well for hunting on ones feet. I like it!