Hello Guys

Great thread of Bailey's (Favourite under $6K) that got me thinking on a slightly different tangent.

I have been trying to get a suitable high quality single shot shotgun frame as a donor to build a kipplauf style rifle on, but they are like "rocking horse poop" in New Zealand (and just about everywhere ??).

Anyhow after some casting around I see that at least one Gunmaker (F.A.I.R or Italy) uses their Under/over double frame (in their case a frame sized for 28 guage) as a "donor" action (see www.fair.it )

Even though its on a double frame their's is a sweet looking rifle, but it is not stocked in the style I like, even if I could afford one !!

So . . . . if one was going to start with a small framed under/over action as a donor (for I might add, nothing more powerful than the cartridges based on the rimmed mauser 57mm case, say 7x57R) what features would be desirable (I don't know too much about the locking geometry of the various types of these shotguns), what specific small frames are common and might be suitable ??

Cheers - Foster

I would think the main thing I ould look for, aside from suitable dimensions, would be a Greener-type or Kirsten-type crossbolt in addition to the standard "under-lugs".

Much as I might also like a side-lock, I think maybe I'd finally go with a box-lock for the additional stength in the small of the stock.

If I could, I'd also get "clipped fences" to help reduce development of looseness in the horizontal plane.

I dont think that finding a jones under lever single would be that hard. It would make a very cool single shot rifle in lite caliber. I made a rifled 20 bore to shoot sabot slugs on a sidelever back action single 12 bore....very cool stuff. Just a thought.
Steve