Bramble,

Thank you for the common sense production tips which I most certainly would have overlooked on my own. It's the weekend and I can't contact anyone here by phone but you are correct, at least according to their websites, as to the four barrel manufacturers you mention and which will produce a set of .600 barrels. Lothar Walther does not. I found a vacuum brazing company on the web located right nearby. web page Thermal Vac I'll call them Monday as well as the barrel makers. I haven't heard back from Damastlaufe yet.

As there are no nay-sayers to the shoe lump proposal. That's what I'm going with. Tomorrow, I'll disassemble the action and "blueprint" it. This should give rise to a great many more questions. I know it has "dogtooth" strikers (integral to the hammer) and the the hinge-pin does not go all the way from one side of the action to the other at least not while maintaining its full diameter. There is a pin there, on each side, but it is much smaller in diameter than that of the hinge pin. So, I'll have to see what that's all about. The pic below illustrates that.

One question no one has commented upon: do I need to be concerned about the metallurgy of the action? It was built in 1890 or 91. If there is a concern, can heat treating solve that? I hope the general rule of "The larger the calibre, the lower the pressure" applies here and I'll be OK.

I also notice most people who have made a .577 have used a 12b to start with. Even though I'm going with the .600, could it be possible that my action is actually too big to achieve a pleasing result. Nowhere have I read of anyone starting with a 10b. Is there such a thing as TOO beefy for a .600, or a .577 for that matter?

Thanks Again