I’m sure a few of you can remember this project from previous posts. I know the purists won’t appreciate it but there are a few who will.
The rifle as purchased:
After a few minutes of polishing and whittling.
Now it matches the letter. The letter does not mention the sights, I feel pretty confident they are original. When removing the tang sight the Nickel was as shiny as the day it left the factor. If not, they were still a nice upgrade.
Erin
November 7, 2015

Very nice, Erin! No idea where you found that wood but that butt stock is pretty spectacular.
Mike
Tang sight may be original, but the “open top” looks like the result of the original staff having been shortened by someone who thought it was unnecessarily tall for a .22; the original length may have caused it to hit the point of the comb when folded down, as they often do.
Thanks for all the kind words and compliments guys.
Clarence: I tend to keep track of time, This project was exceptionally long due to the degree of work. It came in at 135 hrs. +/- a bit. That does include the out sourced work. Checkering, plating, welding. This one required a new butt stock, intensive metal work, barrel liner, the barrel shank had to be built up and threads chased with a new extractor cut along with all the regular “stuff”. If a long gun only requires polishing and wood refinishing it’s generally a 35-40 hr. job. I believe you are correct with the shortened sight, made to clear on a 1890.
Mike, That piece of wood came out of a barn in lower Michigan. I picked it up from the grandson of a deceased fellow. The wood had been stored in the top of a barn since 1954. I bought about 700 board feet that all came out of the same tree. (as the story goes) It was mostly 4 quarter but there were a few very nice pieces of 12 quarter which is ideal for gunstocks.
Best,
Erin
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