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November 7, 2015
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Good point, Bill. The next custodian is unlikely to be a purist collector but will hopefully appreciate an attractive firearm with family history.
Nice job on the flinter, skierd. Around here you’re not the only fan of the gentleman from Ogden.
Mike
August 27, 2014
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Looking forward to update & pics
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
May 13, 2025
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What better way to spend the Fourth of July then refinishing a piece of Americana. Found a double boiler pot at value Village and cut up a Piece of gutter to boil my parts using distilled water.
The small stuff got one round, the barrel bands, tang, lever, hammer, trigger, magazine, and receiver+barrel are on their second round. It’s amazing what you could find under all that grime…
October 29, 2011
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You are having too much fun..Good Job..Bill
May 13, 2025
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Progress. All of the metal has been boiled, carded, and oiled.
December 9, 2002
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It’s coming along nicely! 
Anthony
January 20, 2023
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Concur 100%. Per Pogo, “Who’d a thunk it?” The receiver, in particular, really looks sharp.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 19, 2006
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skierd said
Progress. All of the metal has been boiled, carded, and oiled.
WOW. That is looking really nice.
May 13, 2025
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Made it all the way to the end, and finally buggered something up. The lower tang screw got its threads mushed trying to find its way through the lever and carrier lifter. I’ll try to figure out a way to repair the threads but worst case
I’ll try to figure out a way to repair the threads but worst case I’ll source a replacement.
The rear sight is bent, like it was dropped with the ladder deployed and bent itself at a 45 degree angle to the lower part of the sight. Might try to replace the ladder, might just get a dovetail blank and a tang sight.
October 14, 2024
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Looks great!
April 15, 2005
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skierd said
Made it all the way to the end, and finally buggered something up. The lower tang screw got its threads mushed trying to find its way through the lever and carrier lifter. I’ll try to figure out a way to repair the threads but worst case
I’ll try to figure out a way to repair the threads but worst case I’ll source a replacement.
The rear sight is bent, like it was dropped with the ladder deployed and bent itself at a 45 degree angle to the lower part of the sight. Might try to replace the ladder, might just get a dovetail blank and a tang sight.
I hate to be guy to “piss on your fire”, but I have noticed that you installed both of the barrel bands backwards (the screw is supposed to enter the band from the left-hand side when looking downrange).
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
May 13, 2025
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Bert, thanks for catching that! No apologies necessary, I appreciate it actually and will switch those bands around when I can.
December 9, 2002
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I have to say, that you sure have done a nice job in trying to keep it as close to not being refinished or redone. IMO!
It looks fabulous as you’re family can appreciate it for years and years to come!
I really feel that you did the Rifle justice, as Grandpa would be proud!
Anthony
May 13, 2025
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Epilogue:
I replaced the rear sight with a skinner peep sight. I picked up a screw set from Homestead Gun parts and was able to get the lever spring screws and tang screws replaced. I cleaned up a couple other screw heads too.
I built some dummy 44WCF rounds to test feeding, and everything seemed to be good to go. So I decided to go for it and load it up 10 live rounds. Starline brass, WLP, Missouri bullet company 210gr black powder bullets, and 2.2cc (36-ish grains) of 3F Swiss.
Average velocity for the 10 rounds was 1200fps and I was able to ring an 8” steel plate consistently at 25 yards. Considering this rifle probably hasn’t been shot in 50+ years, and I have never sighted it in, and I replaced the rear site, I’m extremely happy. Exactly
November 19, 2006
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There was a lot of good suggestions made and the outcome is a fine one.
One more suggestion I would make is get a letter from the Cody Museum. I think it would be interesting to have given how long the carbine has been in the family. But my main interest would be to verify the buttstock. This is a SRC and should have a carbine butt. The rifle butt on a SRC would be special order. Which did happen – I have a ’73 SRC with a rifle butt myself (that letters).
December 9, 2002
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Great point Steve!
Tony
May 13, 2025
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Actually, yes, I did order a letter from the Cody museum! This rifles produced in 1900 and was sold as it is configured.
December 9, 2002
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skierd said
Made it all the way to the end, and finally buggered something up. The lower tang screw got its threads mushed trying to find its way through the lever and carrier lifter. I’ll try to figure out a way to repair the threads but worst case
I’ll try to figure out a way to repair the threads but worst case I’ll source a replacement.
The rear sight is bent, like it was dropped with the ladder deployed and bent itself at a 45 degree angle to the lower part of the sight. Might try to replace the ladder, might just get a dovetail blank and a tang sight.
David,
As I said before, I like what you’ve done to try to keep this 1900 mfg. carbine, that was you’re wife’s grandfathers, original. A few things I noticed that you said, so I’ll whey in. These carbines we’re designed as short, 20 inch barrels, for handy quick work. Putting a tang sight on this carbine just doesn’t seem practical to me. I would rather try to straighten the old ladder sight and keep it original or replace it with another period correct one, as you stated. The thing is, when you get into a project like this, the hardest part is to not go too far, with trying to make it better than what it was or is. You’re SRC has a lot of nice original finish remaining on it, and needs to stay as is and not get enhanced at all, as you’ve done a great job doing. IMHO!
Whether you source another tang screw that got buggered up, or take you’re time and fix it is another choice you will decide on. It’s easy to get anxious to start rushing along also and life’s chores and responsibilities can demand our time, and this weighs in on our decisions. My point is the screw can be worked on and fixed without removing too much original metal from the threads. It takes time, and in many cases a nice winter project as I have a few for in climate weather days on my list myself. I would also try to re straighten the rear sight! IMHO!
I’m thinking that you’re latest picture of the gap in the wood vs. the earlier picture was because of the butt stock not being tightly secured in place revealing that gap at the receiver. Possibly a rushed picture do to daily responsibilities and time limitations. That’s how screws get buggered up. Assembly oil, (gun grease), while putting it back together, is a must for me, while doing this. IMHO!
I’m wondering what the letter looks like and a picture of it would be great to see, even if you want to block the letter head with you’re address out as most here do. Showing that crescent rifle butt, with the trapdoor, is something we don’t see a lot of, as Steve mentioned. I’m wondering how many actually left the factory like yours did, and in the third model vs. the first and second models. Maybe Bob can weigh in and let us know his thoughts or what the updated survey indicates.
You’ve done a great job with the re freshening of this honest example, (and keeping it all original), and were all very grateful you took the time to share it with us along the way. It’s okay to put it down until time allows to carefully work on it. I’ve been there before, where trying to rush or hurry, near the finish line can happen. It’s human nature! IMHO!
Tony
January 20, 2023
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Tony, the tang sight can be as fast or faster if it has a big enough hole! What’s the expression, a “ghost ring”?
I’ve got a Marlin Mountie with a Williams FP receiver sight, a blank in the barrel dovetail, and Redfield Sourdough up front. To sight in, I use a .125 disk but remove it for tracking jack rabbits and cottontails underway with the hammer down.
Same thing with my Winchester 62 and a Marble’s tang sight, except there’s a big fat “ivory” bead up front.
I’ll admit to my close friends there is a reason both rifles are repeaters.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
December 9, 2002
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Bill,
I am in complete understanding of you’re statements, and have been accused of playing the banjo, while hunting deer in my younger days, back in our hunting woods in PA, on our family farm. A lot of deer and meat have been harvested over the years in that Timber.
To me the carbine and having a tang sight, may be quicker and a lot easier for some, to gather they’re sight picture to squeeze some rounds off, but not for me as open sight in my younger days, when my eyesight was pretty darn good, was a lot faster and easier and a lot of fun! We also have the right set up with several thousand acres of private hunting timber, that’s been in the family since the early 1950’s.
Tony
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