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I have a Winchester Single Shot (erroneously referred to as High Walls or 1885s) with a factory .22 Hornet barrel date stamped 1932. It is my understanding that these barrels were made in one limited run for rebarreling Single Shots. This one was furnished with no provision for barrel mounted iron sights but with factory A5 scope blocks mounted. I have an A5 scope on it. Yeah, I use it as is and it works
What you have just described in my DREAM rifle. (Esp. the part about lacking sight slots.) The brls. & refitting work is discussed briefly in Campbell’s Vol. 2. Says 100 #3 round brls. were made up. If yours doesn’t have the “mail-order” brl. marking, it could be a factory job. By the time the brls. were produced, Winchester had sold mfg. rights to the A5 to Lyman, but there were still plenty of them in circulation.
I believe I have a couple of the hi-walls you described. Both are in exceptional condition. Serial #6550, ’36 barrel date, 25-35 cal., single set trigger. Serial #110222, ’38 barrel date, 218 BEE cal.. Both guns have the barrel mounted scope blocks with Winchester A-5 scopes and are blued. I was told Winchester blued all of these refurbished guns to avoid possible warping of the receivers during the case coloring process. I was very disappointed to not have the cash available when a 219 Zipper came up. 
They are really “good shooters”! RDB
rogertherelic said I was told Winchester blued all of these refurbished guns to avoid possible warping of the receivers during the case coloring process.
According to Campbell, the factory heat-treated & reblued CCH actions returned to be rebarreled for these cartridges. Curious that A5 scopes are fitted to both, as they had been out of production since 1928. After the deal with Lyman was made, all parts & unfinished scopes were shipped to Conn, & an announcement was made that Lyman would thereafter handle repair work on A5s. Possibly the factory retained a few finished, but unsold, scopes at the time of this transaction.
Frank Randall said
I have a Winchester Single Shot (erroneously referred to as High Walls or 1885s) with a factory .22 Hornet barrel date stamped 1932. It is my understanding that these barrels were made in one limited run for rebarreling Single Shots. This one was furnished with no provision for barrel mounted iron sights but with factory A5 scope blocks mounted. I have an A5 scope on it. Yeah, I use it as is and it works
Hello Frank,
What is the serial number on your Single Shot rifle? Thus far I have documented (surveyed) several of the factory rebarreled rifles in 22 Hornet, and would like to add your rifle to the survey.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
What is the serial number on your Single Shot rifle? Thus far I have documented (surveyed) several of the factory rebarreled rifles in 22 Hornet, and would like to add your rifle to the survey.Bert
Actually, all we know so far is that Frank’s gun has “a factory .22 Hornet barrel date stamped 1932.” Whether it was rebarreled at the factory, or elsewhere, remains to be verified. How the underside of the brl. is marked will (hopefully) tell the tale.
clarence said
Bert H. said
What is the serial number on your Single Shot rifle? Thus far I have documented (surveyed) several of the factory rebarreled rifles in 22 Hornet, and would like to add your rifle to the survey.
Bert
Actually, all we know so far is that Frank’s gun has “a factory .22 Hornet barrel date stamped 1932.” Whether it was rebarreled at the factory, or elsewhere, remains to be verified. How the underside of the brl. is marked will (hopefully) tell the tale.
Correction to my previous post. Clarence jogged my memory concerning the mounted scopes. 
I pulled both rifles out and found each has a Lyman “Target Spot” scope not a Winchester A-5. The 25-35 has serial #1668. The 218 BEE has serial #2940. I could not find a stamp stating the scopes power of magnification. RDB
Bert and all, the aforementioned Single Shot has a factory close coupled set trigger that was apparently added later. As you know the serial number was on the original lower tang with the trigger. The date stamp is in the proper location for a factory installed barrel, i.e., exactly like all my other Winchester barrels. All the barrel markings are on the lower left side to clear the factory installed scope blocks. I added the A5. It was not on the rifle when purchased.
With 1680 powder and 40 grain Ballistic Tips it does right well for a Hornet which is not known for great accuracy. An inch or so is good. I have a heavy barreled Single Shot in .219 Zipper Improved that is astonishingly accurate. Thanks for the interest.
Frank Randall said The date stamp is in the proper location for a factory installed barrel, i.e., exactly like all my other Winchester barrels. All the barrel markings are on the lower left side to clear the factory installed scope blocks. I added the A5. It was not on the rifle when purchased.
Frank, If the brl. was not installed at the factory, the mark applied to brls. sold separately was a small “P” within a circle near the date stamp; if you don’t see that mark, it means a factory-fitted brl.
rogertherelic said
Correction to my previous post. Clarence jogged my memory concerning the mounted scopes.
Makes sense–much better optics on those more modern scopes. (But today the A5 would be worth more.) The power should be marked in very small letters on the eyepiece, 8 or 10X.
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