Just curious, as I've become a lever-gun convert. I had a BLR rebarelled to .375 Ruger, super-accurate, plus...its a take-down! I'm just wondering "how customized" lever rifles can get??

The only limit is $$$$ you are willing to spend on the work.

I'm knee deep in a custom Savage 1899 takedown, with three barrels- .30/30, .25/35AI, and .22 HiPower. Pics to follow, if I ever get it done!

I have semi-customized several older Marlins, new stocks, shortened barrels & magazine tubes. Doug Turnbull can take one to the limit depending on how far you want to go- octagon barrels, half round barrels, case colored receivers, fancy stocks, etc. A custom Savage 99 in 250-3000 would be the cat's meow.

check out SDH book listed in above post. very nice work there.

$250 Marlin from pawn shop

i believe it was rouge river that did a hellova nice job on a mod 88 winny

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
i believe it was rouge river that did a hellova nice job on a mod 88 winny

That is correct. The gunsmith that did there work is still at the bench, but now he is in his son's sporting goods store.

I've been meaning to send my late father's M88 to him for a trigger job. Maybe I will get to it one of these days.

88 in 260 Rem 24" stainless octagon.

Somewhere here are pictures of my rat M71 that my local gunsmith rebarreled to 50-110 and restocked. This January I sent it off with Doug Turnbull for tuning and color case hardening. Gorgeous work.

Rich

If you want to see some of the very best custom lever guns check out Steven Dodd Hughes' Custom rifle book.

A page from the Custom Rifles in B&W book: this one may come up for sale in the future as the client died last year(??) I built the rifle on commission in the mid-80s. It does not copy any historic rifle but blends period stylistic features. One of four pages of info and detailed pics of this rifle. I recently acquired a similar action. Very cool rifle an a Hoot to Shoot! See CR Book post for another image of a Custom 38-55...

More ! More !

I inherited a 336 from a great uncle with a broken stock. I'm slowly restocking it in the same fashion as the SDH gun. I already had the lever cut and welded to be square and the lower tang lengthened. It was blasted to remove rust from light pitting and is sitting in the white in my gun room. I'll rechamber it to .30-30IMP, do an action job, and reblue it. The rear sight dovetail was filled and filed down to match contour and I have a receiver sight to replace it.

The wood is a little more plain than the rifle above and there will be no engraving.

It will likely be late summer before I finish it up as the Army has me pretty busy most of the time.

7mm, Sounds like you have a great start on the project, do you have this book?
Phil, you asked...
One of 9 pages on a very sophisticated Model 1873, .44-40 project, all detailed in photos and story.

Thanks Steve, I actually have a copy of the book on the shelf beside my bed. It is along side the other book I bought from you, Three Centuries of Tradition.

You mean like this?



A Model 1895 rebarreled to .35 Whelen and stocked in English walnut by Duane Wiebe.

quote:

Originally posted by SDH:
7mm, Sounds like you have a great start on the project, do you have this book?

I do not have the book but probably ought to buy one. I got the idea from a Marlin 1893 Deluxe I saw a year or so back and began to plan out the project while I was in Afghanistan. I've been home for about 8 months but have been trying to hunt and shoot as much as possible since I'm likely do head back this winter. Now that it's warmer I'll get back out in the garage and finish up the stock fitting.

Had a 99 Savage in 250 Savage stocked in French walnut by Shelhamer with all the bells&whisles:chin strap,ebony forend tip++.Think it went to Emil McConnell's collection along with my G&H(#2000) Shelhamer stocked Farquharson.That wwas a lever action to leave you weak!

I have stocked a number of Savage 99s, one was a 338/284, another in 30/284..stocked a couple of 94 Win.

My best ever was my last Win. model 1906 (pre mod. 63) in .22 L.R. complete with quarter rib, barrel band front sight and swivel, Talley QD rings and bases and a Talley slide on peep, a wonderful piece of Russian Circasian walnut. The butt was closed and it loaded from the rear. Shot right under an inch at 75 yards with the 2.5X Leupold Alaskan scope or just over an inch with the talley peep. bases were integral to the quarter rib that I extended to the rear.

I always wanted to do this project, and I loved the rifle and it was my keeper, but had to sell it as the offer was too much to turn down, so all I ended up with was pictures..Maybe its time to do another. Love those 63s