Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Low Wall - have I been missing out?

For single shots, I've always pretty much been a Ruger #1 guy......, lots of 'em throughout the years, now I'm down to a decent collection of my favorites. I recently acquired a very nice Browning 1885 Low Wall in .223, serial # dates it to 1995 (first year production?) - my first one. Wow!! That action is as smooth as silk (almost makes my #1's seem clunky/chunky!). Also, the overall fit/finish is great, deep blue polished metal with the glossy wood. I threw an older Weaver 2-7 variable that I had laying around on it, when the weather breaks down here I'll get out and shoot it. I don't plan on parting with any of my favorite #1's anytime soon...., but I'll definitely be on the lookout for a few more Brownings!

They're neat rifles. A reasonably priced low wall in .260 has been on my wish list for quite awhile.

They're making them again, BTW. Check out the non-cataloged tab @ the Winchesterguns site.

LWs spoil a feller use to #1s in the small bores.

the real thing

Yes you have... But try not to broadcast it too loudly, It will reduce the supply to those of us who appreciate them.

GH

There's an interesting story behind the pic of the Low Wall if any one wants to hear it.
It's an original and not a repro.
Was a labor of love.

T

thommon

OK, I'll bite! Whazzup up with the low wall.
Also, some spec's on what we're looking at would be cool. Thanks.

It was given to me by an elderly man whose ranch I worked on in between College Semesters in NorCal.
He couldn't afford to pay me the last week I worked for him so he handed me the rifle.

It was a total wreck. Rusted up and completely unusable.
A fireplace hanger.

So I took it to a friends shop where I worked part time and together we came up with a plan to salvage it.
(I like working pieces not wall hangers or gun safe queens)

I tore it down and draw filed all the pits out.
Then ran it thru a surface grinder to get the slab sides of the action uniform. It was in 32 rimfire so we changed it to centerfire.

Fajen was still in business at the time so I bought Claro Walnut repro Butt and Forearm from them. 100.00.

Then I bought from Shilen a 22 Cal barrel Blank.
We turned it to a Target contour. 26 inches.

I decided on 218 Bee as the cartridge. (Cool little Round.)

The site ramp is from a Ruger Safari. We machined it to fit.
I wanted scope and a flip up open site.

All the original factory markings were restored by an engraver from London.

The wood was fitted by a stocksmith friend of mine.

I did a very fine polish and then light bead blast on the metal except for the butt plate and the lever.

Needless to say. It shoots extremely well and people do a double take when I pull it out at the range.

People say you ruin the value of an old weapon when you refinish them.
I think otherwise.

T

http://s656.photobucket.com/albums/uu285/thommon/

t

Interesting piece and "Good On You" for restoring it !

thommon,

could you tell me more about what's involved in converting these from rimfire to centrefire?

cheers,
- stu

Nice work

Saw one recently in .22 Hornet that had been punched K-Hornet. High gloss finish and $999 price tag were the only reasons it didn't follow me home..........

thommon,
Nice gun, and I say hogwash to those who think you ruin a gun by restoring it! Maybe a gun that's in decent shape will be ruined by a resto, but if the gun was already ruined, nothing can hurt it, and a resto that brings it back to shooting is great!

But not in 260

The new calibers, IIRC, are 22 hornet, 223, 22-250 and 243

I am looking forward to the new 1885 drop blocks, which are supposed to have an oil finish rather than the epoxy.