Hello Folks

My Low Wall action arrived from the Land of Oz (Australia) and I'm sitting down here in New Zealand very pleased.

The action is fully functional. It is what de Haas called a "smooth-side", has the flat spring (yippee, I thought I was getting a coil spring type) with the Winchester single set trigger (which is also functional). Serial is 1332, so marked on the lower tang along with the '79 patent date.

The firing pin is the old large diameter type, bolt-face is clean. The action frame has been heavily "cleaned", I'd almost suspect draw filed, but if so its not a bad job, everything is straight, nice and flat. Barrel thread is small, must be the .825 size. I have a slight feeling that this action may have been assembled with some non original parts, several of the screws and the extractor are definitely not original.

If the tang is in its original frame, the serial makes it a very early action, so now what to do with it is the question.

I was thinking to use this action for a 218 Bee, but am now sorta wavering a bit - should I consider another chambering given its antiquity??

I've seen photos of some rifles Joe Steele has built, and also the recent pictures posted up here by Mr Steven Dodd Hughes. My thoughts are to follow Mr Hughes stocking style, but with a slightly more modern internally adjustable scope, maybe something like an early Weaver steel tube.

Am I committing some sort of mortal sin in thinking this way ??

Thanks Foster