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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Single Shots & Combination Guns

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Promo
.224 member

Reged: 02/10/19
Posts: 8
Loc: Austria

J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle
#381050 - 09/12/23 05:59 AM

Recently purchased this J (Johann) Nowotný in Prag marked single shot rifle with a firing proof from 1897, caliber designation being 6.4mm. Similiar action rifles are listed in the 1910 catalogue, though might not had been made by himself, rather purchased abroad. This particular action btw reminds me a lot of the Krnka action as used for Russian rifles.

The bottom of the barrel carries a scripted stamp which I would read as JN, for Johann Nowotný, as the maker of the barrel too. The 1897 firing proof IMHO is Czech, but tough to make out the number in the Eagle Breast.

Attached are some pictures. Would appreciate any comments whether others have seen similar action Nowotny single shot rifles. Also I have no clue on the particular caliber, so educated guesses would be welcome.

Thanks!

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26999
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: Promo]
#381052 - 09/12/23 06:35 AM

What an intriguing action, reminiscent of the Snider & with a side-lever manual extractor.
Not much use, by the looks of the colour cased butt plate.
Which 6.5mm ctg? Obviously a rimmed version.

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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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93x64mm
.416 member

Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4200
Loc: Nth QLD Australia

Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: DarylS]
#381054 - 09/12/23 06:50 AM

Promo
guess you'll have to get a cast of the chamber, slug the bore & work out the twist rate of the barrel, being the date that it is it may be Nitro proofed, but most probably only to Nitro For Black levels.
Lancaster will probably give us an update on this one soon enough!
You have a wonderful piece there mate, certainly intriguing for sure!
It's in marvellous condition to say the least, hope you get her going again.

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lancaster
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Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: 93x64mm]
#381056 - 09/12/23 06:56 AM

Novotny was a best gunmaker, the cartride must be something small- rimfire or centerfire?
if centerfire the 6,5x48R Sauer&Sohn comes to mind or the even smaller 6,5x27R

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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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kuduae
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Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: lancaster]
#381058 - 09/12/23 07:41 AM

The caliber is marked as 6.4 mm. The .25-20 Single Shot was quite popular in the pre-WW1 Austro-Hungarian empire. (Not to be confused with the current .25-20 Winchester) I have seen several Austrian rifles for that cartridge.

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 26999
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: kuduae]
#381061 - 09/12/23 09:48 AM

Oh yeah - .25 SS makes sense. Cpt. Curly has a Stevens 44 1/2 in that calibre. I shot it, oh so many years ago.

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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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lancaster
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Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: DarylS]
#381072 - 09/12/23 05:01 PM

geting brass is not so easy - bertram have made this?

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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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DarylS
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Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: lancaster]
#381073 - 09/12/23 05:37 PM

??

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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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lancaster
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Reged: 06/05/08
Posts: 9034
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Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: DarylS]
#381077 - 09/12/23 07:39 PM

take a look https://www.thebarn.net.au/Products/BBC2...%20(100)/105548

"Please note: This is 25-20 Winchester NOT 25-20 Single shot. We also have 25-20 single shot available but it is a different product. "

this is hard to find brass if you need it, think there is no other basic case to make it from.

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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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85lc
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Loc: Georgia, USA

Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: lancaster]
#381083 - 10/12/23 02:18 AM

From time to time, 25/20SS brass is available on the ASSRA Forum.

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RB

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Promo
.224 member

Reged: 02/10/19
Posts: 8
Loc: Austria

Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: 85lc]
#381161 - 12/12/23 11:56 PM

Thanks for the feedback. An amateurish measurement of the chamber resulted in approximately 39mm length until the field/lands start with approximately 13mm diameter (including the rim). Unfortunately I do not have equipment to make a chamber cast.

Edited by Promo (12/12/23 11:57 PM)

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lancaster
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Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: Promo]
#381163 - 13/12/23 03:06 AM

for a quick chamber cast use candle wax. put a paper plug into the barrel, maybe 2 cm after the chamber ends. oil the chamber with gun oil and heat the candle wax. don't need cocking just enough heat the wax is fluid. mould the wax into the chamber, first only a little bit so the paper plug can soak it up. waiting two minutes.
than mould the wax into the chamber. be careful, the wax is shrinking when it becomes cold, wait and mould again if nessecary. the chamber cast will not hold 0,1 +/- mm but its enough to see the desig of the case and measure the length.

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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Marrakai
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Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3591
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: lancaster]
#381192 - 13/12/23 03:36 PM

lancaster: ditto, but always with sulfur rather than wax.

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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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lancaster
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Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: Marrakai]
#381195 - 13/12/23 04:41 PM

he have probably no sulfur at hand like you and me do. using candle wax give a cast that can not be used to order a die set because it shrinks unlike sulfur but its enough to get an impression what there.

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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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MiBruce
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Loc: Michigan, USA

Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: lancaster]
#381476 - 23/12/23 10:10 AM

I have a match to that gun marked with the same Nowotny-Prague markings. It is in a 7.8 x 36 R cartridge. It is considered a Tesching cartridge, which is similar to the English rook cartridges. I ended up making cases from 30-30 brass that worked well. It was a real challenge to make brass for, but is a lot of fun to shoot and does well. I suspect yours might be a similar cartridge, but with smaller bore. There were a lot of similar cartridges to that size.

Bruce

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LRF
.333 member

Reged: 28/03/11
Posts: 352
Loc: minnesota ,usa

Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: lancaster]
#381481 - 24/12/23 12:29 AM

Quote:

take a look https://www.thebarn.net.au/Products/BBC2...%20(100)/105548

"Please note: This is 25-20 Winchester NOT 25-20 Single shot. We also have 25-20 single shot available but it is a different product. "

this is hard to find brass if you need it, think there is no other basic case to make it from.

25-20SS can be made from .223 cases. There is currently a thread over on ASSRA site describing the process. 25-20 cases

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lancaster
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Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: LRF]
#381482 - 24/12/23 01:10 AM

thats interesting with the 25 -20 SS, its not new since nonte make 9,3x72R from 30 06 brass but good to know what works.

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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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Igorrock
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Reged: 01/03/07
Posts: 1649
Loc: Finland

Re: J Nowotný in Prag - 1897 dating Single Shot Rifle [Re: lancaster]
#381487 - 24/12/23 08:37 AM

What´s the lenght of barrel ? I have one old Nowotny shotgun leather gun case for spare without any interior so it´s possible to fit any gun if the barrels lenght just fits to the box.

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http://promaakari.wordpress.com/

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