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Old February 24, 2020, 02:12 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Watson View Post
My reading indicates 32 SW Long black powder... if the chamber will clean up and you can convert to centerfire.
The chamber should clean up as there's a near .020" difference in diameter. Unless there's a spot that is heavily pitted, it should clean perfectly.

I was going to suggest .32 S&W Long as well. .32 Mag could be doable, but these old rimfire .32's are most likely black powder era guns, so no reason to try to get as much power out of them as possible.
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Old February 24, 2020, 02:14 AM   #27
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So Doc, I take it you didn't care to go the route of the .32 rimfire reloading?

If you are intending to go thru with a centerfire conversion, this video may help you some:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfFxjX4jMkU
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Old February 24, 2020, 12:54 PM   #28
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To TK, Yes...I saw that.

I kind of like the idea of owning it. If I can't find a breech block I won't need it at all.

I am not going to try drilling out the only breech block I have even if the rifle will never be a shooter.
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Old February 24, 2020, 01:02 PM   #29
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To TT

That video is the one that gave me the idea to do the rechambering. It looks easy enough but those sound like famous last words.

I need to inspect the extractor very carefully. It is already very thin.

Not interested in reloading the rim fire cartridges. Just seems too contrived.

No I want to either leave it as is or convert it to a BP cartridge rifle.
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Old February 24, 2020, 01:05 PM   #30
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I am working on the counterbores on the stock. The home made putty is a better color match for this stock than it was for the percussion shotgun. Photos when finished.
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Old February 24, 2020, 03:07 PM   #31
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Photos of stock repair.

The stock is now nice and tight with almost imperceptive lateral play.

Right side repair of tack holes was quite successful. Dowel hole is not quite so good, but better than a brass bolt head.

Left side tack holes are noticeable since I had to drill and fill with dowels. The dowel hole is a little better.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Doweled and filled left.jpg (82.9 KB, 27 views)
File Type: jpg Doweled and filled right.jpg (139.2 KB, 26 views)
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Old February 25, 2020, 01:20 AM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc Hoy View Post
That video is the one that gave me the idea to do the rechambering. It looks easy enough but those sound like famous last words.

I need to inspect the extractor very carefully. It is already very thin.

Not interested in reloading the rim fire cartridges. Just seems too contrived.

No I want to either leave it as is or convert it to a BP cartridge rifle.
Watched some videos of this rifle and it looks like the breech block is a lot different than the Rolling Block in the MidwayUSA video. So different that I think you would need a custom made breech block and hammer to do the conversion.

It seems the Remingtons are the best for doing rimfire to centerfire conversions due to the relative ease.
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Old March 4, 2020, 02:06 AM   #33
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Back to TT

I have looked all over the place and can't find a replacement breech block so I am having to make one.

This will be a first. I wonder if I can run a milling machine with my fingers crossed

Started with a mild steel bar and milled it down on both sides to the proper thickness.

Inked the surface and laid out the shape of the breech block.

Milled the billet to shape.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Breech block c.jpg (191.2 KB, 25 views)
File Type: jpg Breech block a .jpg (199.9 KB, 20 views)
File Type: jpg Breech Block b.jpg (226.5 KB, 23 views)
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Old March 4, 2020, 02:09 AM   #34
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Next photos

Next was boring the firing pin channel.

I just took measurements from the original to locate the starting point on the hammer end of the breech block and the depth of the large diameter.
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File Type: jpg Breech block e.jpg (167.1 KB, 17 views)
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Old March 4, 2020, 02:16 AM   #35
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Then the firing pin

For this part I started with some steel that is much harder.

I turned down the final diameters of the firing pin.

Then milled in the recess for the cross pin.

When I test fitted the breech block in the rifle I noted a very slight gap above the breech block. Entirely possible that the rim of the cartridge will be visible with the breech closed.

Wondering how I messed that up, I put the original back into the rifle and noted that the original leaves a slight gap as well.

Still trying to get the barrel reamed for a center fire cartridge.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Firing pin c.jpg (86.5 KB, 18 views)
File Type: jpg Firing pin b.jpg (167.7 KB, 14 views)
File Type: jpg Firing pin a.jpg (185.7 KB, 15 views)
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Old March 4, 2020, 10:31 AM   #36
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Rechambering

The Midway video, shows the rifle being rechambered for .32 S&W Long. Is the .32H&R Magnum too heavy? I would use black powder only.
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Last edited by Doc Hoy; March 4, 2020 at 11:52 AM. Reason: Failed to make one thing clear.
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Old March 4, 2020, 12:19 PM   #37
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I'm a Stevens Favorite fan as well and would like to point out that the breech block can but dose not always lock up on the receiver. This breech block on the right is for a current project shows the wear of touching the receiver yet the finished one shows a gap. I did weld the breech block and fit it to the receiver, it just doesn't show in the photo. This adds support to the action when closed.

IMG_0505 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
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Old March 4, 2020, 02:22 PM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc Hoy View Post
The Midway video, shows the rifle being rechambered for .32 S&W Long. Is the .32H&R Magnum too heavy? I would use black powder only.
The Midway video was a conversion to .32-20, not .32 S&W Long.
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Old March 4, 2020, 04:55 PM   #39
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TT.

Ooops, you are correct.
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Old March 4, 2020, 06:56 PM   #40
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To Oliver...

Your breech block covers the entire breech.
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Old March 4, 2020, 11:16 PM   #41
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Pretty much, just the way it came.
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Old March 5, 2020, 03:29 PM   #42
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So, tell me Ollie....

Two questions.

1. Did you make the breech block on the right?
2. Did you case harden the receiver and breech block to the left?
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Old March 5, 2020, 04:54 PM   #43
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The breech block is original and yes I did the case hardening. I will be doing the color case hardening to the other one this weekend.
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Old March 5, 2020, 05:19 PM   #44
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Super,

Are you using the charcoal process?
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Old March 5, 2020, 06:02 PM   #45
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Yes, wood and bone charcoal.
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Old April 2, 2020, 12:40 PM   #46
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Over-winter projects involving these older Stevens Favorite rifles are one of the best methods I use to get through the doldrums involved with winter:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:


When I received this rifle, there was no buttstock, so, one of those needed to be fitted:


On another Favorite I picked up, that one was chambered for the .32 Long rimfire round:

What I wound up doing was to line the barrel with a .22 rimfire liner 1:16 twist:

That choice was made so I could use the original .32 Long breech block:

Because of that choice, the need was necessary to make a new firing pin with the tip "off-set" to hit the .22 rimfire rim properly. See the pin below the breech block.
Can't seem to help myself. Whenever I go to gunshows or estate auctions, I seem to come back to the shop with more Favorite parts:

Seems nobody wants this stuff but me, so, sometimes they come cheap.
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Old April 2, 2020, 11:14 PM   #47
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Beautiful job
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Old April 3, 2020, 10:36 AM   #48
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Thanks. Some think it's "NUTS" to put the time and effort into a rifle that cost around $10.00 at the first point of sale. Draw filing the barrel flats on this Ideal Model 44 to get the flats to look a bit better wasn't half as tedious as recutting the roll stamped barrel markings with a push engraving bit. No coffee during that endeavor:

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Old April 3, 2020, 05:48 PM   #49
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Art isn’t nuts. Beautiful work.
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Old April 3, 2020, 10:56 PM   #50
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Good work, but I don't agree with lining the barrel for .22.
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