CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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I have received a neat little park rifle by G.E. Lewis for a 3 day inspection. I think it needs to go back to the seller as the top rib is visibly loose from about the rear sight back to the breach.
Who might fix this, and any guesses on what that would cost? I'm in the USA.
Background on the gun: jones undercover, non-rebounding locks, great bores. Will chamber loaded and unloaded 360x2.25" BPE cases. Mechanics seem OK otherwise. Gun is from 1877-78.
Rifle looks to have been refinished properly long ago. Buttplate has corrosion and stock near butt needs its finish refreshed/reoiled, but otherwise the gun is in decent shape and not bad for the price (if the rib hadn't been off).
Advice on who to talk to?
Chris
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rglenz
.300 member
Reged: 14/03/08
Posts: 137
Loc: w. Minn
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https://jjperodeau.com/contact-us-2/
I'm sure JJ can repair it.
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CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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Thanks. Just gave him a call. His advice was to return it, given uncertainty of what's under the loose rib. I heard from another smith to expect ~$3,000 to regulate and relay, although there's a possibility it might be a simpler. But that wasn't a probability.
Bummer. Would be nice to have a 360 double.
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85lc
.400 member
Reged: 19/01/18
Posts: 1156
Loc: Georgia, USA
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Did you call Bill Schwarz?
Also I would probably call Ken Owen. The work he did for me was not that expensive.
I agree that a 360 double is very nice.
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RB
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CJF
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Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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Hi RB,
I did not call Bill. He did a great job on the takedown AH. Didn't think he did this kind of work. I'll ring him tomorrow AM. I'm traveling starting Sunday so I need to sort this before 12 tomorrow to have it back w/in the 3 day inspection.
thanks,
Chris
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Huvius
.416 member
Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3599
Loc: Colorado
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I personally don't worry so much of what's bad under the rib on a rifle as I would on a shotgun.
Are the barrels chopper lump or other?
That could make a difference in relaying the rib.
I'd shoot Steve Bertram a call. I know he's done shotgun ribs and he could at least give you his opinion of this.
Looks like a fine rifle otherwise.
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He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.
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CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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Hi Huvius, The barrels don't appear to be chopper lump. It's tougher to see on the rear lump as with a Jones undercover, the rear lump is rounded. I did speak with Steve and he had shared the rough estimate of $3K. I did not share pictures with him...just a call. Regards, Chris
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85lc
.400 member
Reged: 19/01/18
Posts: 1156
Loc: Georgia, USA
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Chris,
My first call would be to Bill. He can reattach ribs. He also has regulated rifles.
I sent Ken's info separately.
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RB
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Marrakai
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3674
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
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If the rib is solid from the rear sight forward, and the under-ribs are sound, it may not need re-regulation.
Nice little ULH double BTW.
If it was just me (and the price was right) I'd take a chance on it and tin the rib back down to see what happens.
Not like there's a lot of recoil to stress the repair.
Certainly understand erring on the side of caution tho and sending it back!
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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au
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85lc
.400 member
Reged: 19/01/18
Posts: 1156
Loc: Georgia, USA
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Marrakai,
I agree about no need to regulate unless the barrels are apart. If the barrels have not separated, the rib should be soldered without impact to regulation.
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RB
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CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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I spoke with the seller and he is open to a return as well as lowering the price to offset the repair. I paid $2500 plus sales tax and shipping, so about $2800 right now. It sounds like if just the top rib could be relayed (tinned?), repair costs might not be too bad.
$1000-1200 sound possible to fix this? If need be, I could re-rust blue the barrels myself. I've got a few more calls to make. Seller said take the time to figure out a solution so I'll make more calls on Monday.
(Marrakai - I know very little about soldering. Last time I soldered, brazed or welded was in shop class in high school 40 years ago this year. Are you thinking this could be done without removing the rib?)
(Roy - I tried Bill a few times today and didn't connect. I've got a little more time so will try him Monday. There's also a local gunsmith who I've used who has relayed shotgun ribs. I spoke with him and will bring it over to his shop next week when we are back from the beach.)
Regards all and thanks for the advice. Please keep it coming.
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85lc
.400 member
Reged: 19/01/18
Posts: 1156
Loc: Georgia, USA
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Chris,
Bill only works Monday thru Friday. If Bill needs to see the barrels, you could email pictures to his apprentice.
I have reattached a sling mount that had just pulled loose. I fluxed the mount, clamped it to the barrel, and applied heat.
If the joint is slightly dirty or oxidized, I think it needs to be cleaned. It likely can be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner, then fluxed, and heated.
Best success.
BTW, How are the bores?
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RB
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CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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The bores were excellent
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tinker
.416 member
Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada
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Neat little rifle
If the bores and chambers were good I'd want to get it running
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--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--
"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...
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Marrakai
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3674
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
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Quote:
Are you thinking this could be done without removing the rib?
If you were planning to keep the rifle (and at that price I would), then a clean without lifting the rib (as per 85lc's suggestion?),
followed by lightly clamping the top-rib in place and soldering (tinning) would be a low-cost first step that may very well end up being the final solution.
I like Brownells Hi-Force 44 btw, which was 95% tin/ 5% silver iirc last time I bought a pound.
But if that doesn't work, I guess you would need to be comfortable with taking it further!
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Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
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www.marrakai-adventure.com.au
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CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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I appreciate all your input. I’m going to take a chance on repairing the rifle and the seller is crediting back $ to cover relaying the rib. I visited with my local smith yesterday.
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CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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I got the rifle back last week. There was pitting under the rib and prior repairs had left a ton of solder under there. The ribs, sights, and sling swivel were all removed and any old solder removed. The reassembled rifle shoots pretty well. Pictures to come
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CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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Yesterday's range trip with the repaired rifle was a decent success. Still work to do, but regulation doesn't seem to have been destroyed, even though the top and bottom ribs, sights and forearm lug were removed and relayed. Gunsmith said there was pitting below the ribs and those had been off once before in his opinion.
Range was only 30 yards. Load working the best so far was 150 grain LRN hollow base 358" bullets from Bear Creek Supply. I tried this patched and unpatched. Unpatched worked better. Powder was H4198, at 21.3gr. Target shows the barrels crossing by 2-3". I also tried 170gr LRN and 158gr JSP.
Next step is to try a lighter charge to see if that brings the impact closer together. And I want to pull the locks and see if there is a reason the right lock's trigger pull is so much higher than the left/rear. Might be overtightened into lock mortise?
Pics to follow.
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CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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CJF
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Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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93x64mm
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Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4323
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
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Your smith did good work CJF!
I hope now that your trigger can be adjusted low enough to a reasonable figure so that you can do better groups - it doesn't help one bit having a heavy trigger!
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27512
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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Perhaps this gun is different than mine was but to get the barrels of mine to shoot parallel from crossing, I needed more powder which in my case, was black powder.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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CJF
.333 member
Reged: 07/08/17
Posts: 317
Loc: United States
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93x64mm -- I was happy with how well it turned out, and the final bill was strangely lower than the original estimate. I don't know why, but I paid a bit extra as I was grateful for the work. I will need to look into that trigger.
DarylS -- I'll include some with heavier charges when I next take this to the range. I'm only going by what I've read...I have next to zero experience working up successful loads (although I've gotten two rifles going well on the first go with common loads.) Thanks for the advice.
Do you mind sharing a success BP load?
Edited by CJF (22/09/23 05:03 AM)
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