Author Topic: A Custom NEF Project Begins (Read 1773 times)

Graybeard · « **on:** January 04, 2009, 06:03:25 PM »

Long story with no real short version.

Way back in the days of my youth I'd guess I was at most 8 to 10 years old and I'm now 63 soon to be 64 so as I said a loooong story I was wading in a stream and looked down and saw a shiny object in the water. I bend down and picked it up and looked to see what it was. No it wasn't a gold nugget darn it. What it was turned out to be a recently fired and still shiny .25-20 case. It was the first centerfire case I had actually ever seen as we had no centerfires at my house in those days.

Right then and there I said I like the looks of that and will one day have me one of those rifles. Now I got to looking and found there was no one rifle that I could tie it to really as the round was used back in those long ago days in various single shot rifles as well as Marlin and Winchester lever rifles. So it could have been fired from a wide variety of rifles. My quest kinda stalled out for many years.

Then ten or so years back I picked up a Browning Model 1885 Low Wall in .22 Hornet with plans to have it rebored and chambered to .25-20. But again I ran into a stumbling block. I picture the rifle that round was fired from as having iron sights and the LW 1885 as imported by Browning had a clean barrel for scope use only. I wasn't able to locate any proper period type sights I thought would work so in time I abandoned the project and traded off the rifle.

I've been looking ever since for a proper rifle either single shot or lever rifle chambered to .25-20 or if not at least one appropriate to convert into one. Last year I think it was one of the members here had an NEF .22 Hornet listed and he and I got together on a price and it came my way. In the back of my mind was the thought that it would come close enough to being period correct for a single shot in .25-20.

A short while back I asked Tim if he thought Wayne York might be interested in trading a rebore and chamber job on it for a banner here at GBO. We had discussed him becoming an advertiser some time back but he was reluctant to come off the hip with cash to do so. Tim contacted Wayne and asked and Wayne allowed as how that would suit him just fine.

So about a week or less ago I boxed up the barrel and shipped it off to Wayne. Tonight I got an e-mail from him saying he has the barrel in hand and that it is now in the que for work and that it should take no longer than 12 weeks. What his real backlog is I dunno. Some smiths promise dates they can in no way keep and others promise dates they feel they can easily enough beat. Since I've never dealt with Wayne before I dunno if he falls into either category or if that's a pretty realistic expectation. Either way it kinda matters not in the grander scheme of things.

I've waited now for around 53-55 years assuming my estimate of my age at the time being 8-10 is correct for the .25-20 rifle I said I'd one day own. I guess a few weeks more one way or another can't possibly matter can it?

So my first custom NEF project has begun. Might be the last also who knows I own a grand total of two NEFs this one bought for this project and a .30-30 with mannlicher stock that belonged to my best friend Billy Doss before he died and now it is mine. I have had one other a BC but I didn't really keep it long.

As a result of this project Wayne will get a banner in the rotation for a year and become a GBO Sponsor. So that's my not so short story of my new project for all of you to read or ignore as you please.

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #1 on:** January 04, 2009, 06:16:04 PM »

Congratulations Bill. Persistence does pay off.

brennemanj83 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2009, 06:24:42 PM »

Congrats GB....please let us know how it turns out...............................and I wanna say thanks for this wonderful website where we can share such things as this.

LONGTOM · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2009, 07:19:48 PM »

That's a long time to want something and then finally get it.
What am I saying, I was almost 35 years getting my custom Ruger bisley blackhawk!

I guess to many others got in the way.
Let's see, who can I get to do that fancy SCHOFIELD I have in the safe?

I guess it's nice to have a dream and see it through to the end!
Way to go GB.

LONGTOM

quickdtoo · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2009, 08:53:13 PM »

Good for you Bill, another thing to mark off the ol' bucket list!

Tim

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 04, 2009, 10:44:25 PM »

Isn't it odd how small things can shape your wants and desires?

Good Luck on your project, I am sure you are going to be happy with your new rifle. When you get it back you HAVE to give us a range report

Cookiemann · « **Reply #6 on:** January 04, 2009, 10:57:35 PM »

Congrats on getting to see this through. Not many folks that get to hold a dream that long and actually get to see it come full circle. Good for you. Please, keep us up on the progress as things move along.
Way to go Bill.

cookiemann

Datil · « **Reply #7 on:** January 05, 2009, 01:25:48 AM »

Congrats Bill on getting a rifle that you wanted for so long.
Back in the forty's I had a girl friend that had a 25-35 that I liked real well.
I lost the girl friend and rifle as well.
I decide I wanted a single shot 25-35, Well with Wayne York I got my dreams
full filled a couple years ago. I have been a happy Old dog now.
Hope you are as happy with yours Thanks for every thing here Bill.
It is worth the wait. Marvin

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #8 on:** January 05, 2009, 01:33:28 AM »

Greybeards.... Where dreams come true.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2009, 05:02:33 AM »

Congrats Bill

Welcome to the crazy world of custom Handi's...It's an addiction once you start..just ask poor ole Tim or Stumpy

I've been fighting the same after having a few of mine done by Wayne..His work is excellent,and if he says it will be 12 weeks..then that is a fair assessment of how long it might be,but it can always come sooner too..

Let the fun begin..

Mac

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #10 on:** January 05, 2009, 05:26:21 AM »

WOW First a bullet eater and GB gettin a Custom NEF

Where's the flyin pigs. Kurt

dw06 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 05, 2009, 12:37:06 PM »

Good for you GB, of course a range report is expected when you get to the shooting part. And glad Wayne York will be a GBO sponsor for a year, bet he will stay longer I hope!

Skunk · « **Reply #12 on:** January 05, 2009, 12:47:51 PM »

Great Story! Congratulations on a dream that is coming true. Just curious, do you still have the original shiny .25-20 case that you found in the stream?

Hammerspur · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2009, 12:52:05 PM »

GB,
Sounds like a fun idea to me!

I have a 158 30-30 with the fluted (contoured) bbl. and frame like this one:

Sometimes think I'd like to find a .22 Hornet like it and have it redone in 7-30 Waters.
Replace/re-do the wood of both to match and it sure would make a nice set!
(OH, YEAH! And maybe blued steel forend spacer & trigger guard?!)
Maybe someday...

Graybeard · « **Reply #14 on:** January 05, 2009, 12:53:43 PM »

When this project is completed it will be the longest wanted and finally fulfilled project of my life time. BUT it is but too such long wanted projects recently fulfilled. The other too is likely to require a bit "more work to finish".

The other isn't a handi so might not interest you guys.

I used to look longingly at the Weatherby rifles in the old Sears, Roebuck catalogs back in the day when Sears still sold guns. I wanted one in the worst way (two actually) for the hunting out west I planned to do. I read the magazines of the day religiously. In that day and time that meant Outdoor Life, Field and Stream and Sports Afield. I yearned to be old enough to go west to hunt pronghorn, mule deer and elk like the writers of the day wrote of doing.

As it turned out I didn't get those Weatherby rifles nor do much hunting out west. In fact at age 63 soon to be 64 I've never fired a shot at either of the three animals I so wanted to hunt as a youth.

Those rifles I wanted or at least thought I wanted for my western hunting adventures were a .257 Whby. and a 7mm Whby. magnums. I have long since decided that belted magnums and my shoulder don't exactly mix well. A .300 Win. Mag. taught me that less many years ago.

Still the desire to own a .257 Whby. Mag didn't wane in spite of it as I just knew the recoil of it wouldn't be bad. I briefly had one a Weatherby Vanguard a couple years ago but it proved too heavy to suit me and very inaccurate.

For as long as gun makers have been using laminated stocks made of the gray laminate often called pepper as well I've wanted my hunting rifles to wear such stocks and stainless metal work. So the desire for a .257 Whby. magnum with a gray laminated stock and SS metal was born long long before anyone made such a rifle. Last year Remington's limited edition LSS was chambered to .257 Whby and came with SS metal and gray laminated stock.

Yup I own one of them as well. I have shot it and so far the three different loads I've tried (one factory and two reloads) have disappointed me some. It seems about a 1.5" at 100 yard shooter that is gonna require a bit of TLC to turn into a tack driver. So that too is on my list of things to rectify this year if I can find a gunsmithing firm who offers a proper accurizing service and will trade work for advertising.

I might or might not ever make it out west to hunt pronghorn or mule deer and am pretty sure I'll never hunt elk but dang it I'm gonna have that rifle I've so long wanted for the task regardless.

Troyboy · « **Reply #15 on:** January 05, 2009, 12:55:08 PM »

Handi rifles are cool custom handis are even cooler

Graybeard · « **Reply #16 on:** January 05, 2009, 12:57:22 PM »

Quote

Great Story! Congratulations on a dream that is coming true. Just curious, do you still have the original shiny .25-20 case that you found in the stream?

No sadly I have nothing from the days of my youth except my memories. Whatever happened to it I really have no idea. There are a lot of things I had as a boy I wish I had held onto but didn't. Really the only thing I can think of that dates back to those days I have now is an old J. C. Higgins pump shotgun that was originally my grand dad's gun. Dad sold his Winchester Model 12 and kept this one and it ended up coming to me after his death. It is the first shotgun I ever fired and the one I used as a boy until I left home and bought my own a Remington Model 870.

Graybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** January 05, 2009, 01:01:13 PM »

NEFs and the older H&Rs don't particularly appeal to me as much because of that push lever opening system as any thing. If it had a push across thumb lever ala double shotguns I'd like it far better just based on looks.

Still I do like the looks over all of the old H&R 30-30 I have with full mannlicher fore end and I'd not pass on picking up a Hornet like it if the opportunity came along. I agree one in 7-30 would make a nice hunting rifle. I do love that round.

Quote from: Hammerspur on January 05, 2009, 12:52:05 PM

GB,
Sounds like a fun idea to me!

I have a 158 30-30 with the fluted (contoured) bbl. and frame like this one:

Sometimes think I'd like to find a .22 Hornet like it and have it redone in 7-30 Waters.
Replace/re-do the wood of both to match and it sure would make a nice set!
(OH, YEAH! And maybe blued steel forend spacer & trigger guard?!)
Maybe someday...

nichols · « **Reply #18 on:** January 05, 2009, 02:13:55 PM »

Good to hear that your getting what you've wanted since you were a kid. My father in law has a 25.20 lever action Winchester. It did a number on that ground hog at 25 yards!!!

BCall · « **Reply #19 on:** January 05, 2009, 04:02:58 PM »

I felt the same way you did the first time i ever saw a 22 Hornet. I was enamored with it. As I am only a little over half your age, and the rifles being more readily available than your 25-20, I did not have to wait nearly as long. I now have 3 hornets, and it seems I am always looking at another. I was recently drawn to an older H&R 22 hornet with a full mannlicher style stock on Gunbroker. As I am not a big fan of full stocks, the price is a little higher than I want to pay. I still can't help checking on it everyday though. It is still there for now. I think there is something to be said for fulfilling the dreams of our youth. I am still always thinking of the guns I dreamed about as a child. Someday, I will have my Weatherby too, and a double rifle in a Nitro Express caliber as well. Not sure why I want them, they will serve no practical purpose, but that just seems to make the want stronger. Perhaps it is all of the dreams of my youth about Capstick in Africa and all of the great elephant hunters of days past that keeps the dream alive. Someday I hope I can fulfill that one as well. Have fun with yours. Thanks, Billy

Jeff H · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2009, 05:02:22 PM »

I have long thought that the .25-20 and .32-20 would be terrific rounds for the H&R Handi-Rifles, but never verbalized the thought - primarily because most people I know look down their nose at either round as well as the H&R rifles. I have kept that thought to myself for a long time - not as long as you have harbored the dream yourself,... probably only a bit over half that long.

My Brother has bagged a lot of deer with a .243 Handi-Rifle, but the Handi-Rifle, to me, always seemed an appropriate platform for a lot of the "low pressure" rounds, like the 250-3000, 6.5x55, 7x57,.... I just (finally) started my quest for my own SB2 to send in for some extra barrels and was disappointed to see the 7x57 not listed.

Good luck on that 25-20. I am excited to hear how it turns out.

Hofs01 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2009, 02:14:01 AM »

Quote from: Hammerspur on January 05, 2009, 12:52:05 PM

GB,
Sounds like a fun idea to me!

I have a 158 30-30 with the fluted (contoured) bbl. and frame like this one:

Sometimes think I'd like to find a .22 Hornet like it and have it redone in 7-30 Waters.
Replace/re-do the wood of both to match and it sure would make a nice set!
(OH, YEAH! And maybe blued steel forend spacer & trigger guard?!)
Maybe someday...

Good luck finding the contoured Hornet! I do not think they exist!!

petemi · « **Reply #22 on:** January 09, 2009, 03:37:30 AM »

Quote from: Graybeard on January 05, 2009, 12:57:22 PM

Quote
Great Story! Congratulations on a dream that is coming true. Just curious, do you still have the original shiny .25-20 case that you found in the stream?

No sadly I have nothing from the days of my youth except my memories. Whatever happened to it I really have no idea. There are a lot of things I had as a boy I wish I had held onto but didn't. Really the only thing I can think of that dates back to those days I have now is an old J. C. Higgins pump shotgun that was originally my grand dad's gun. Dad sold his Winchester Model 12 and kept this one and it ended up coming to me after his death. It is the first shotgun I ever fired and the one I used as a boy until I left home and bought my own a Remington Model 870.

Bill, My dad gave me a 12 ga. J.C. Higgins Pump when I was 14, 53 years ago. I got to be about 21 and traded it in on an Ithaca 37 l6 ga. which kicked the crap out of me dove shooting in Florida. About a dozen years ago, I walked into a local gun show, and there, on the first table was my old J.C. in like new condition. I never went through the rest of the show, I just took it home. It still gets used alot.

It's great to have old times and memories come back around.

Pete

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #23 on:** January 12, 2009, 03:51:43 PM »

Good for you GB!!!!!!

I would also like to hear more about this rifle when you get it together. I did some reading up on it and it sounds like a fun little round. Here is some information on this round for those who have interest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.25-20_Winchester

GB did you ever get your Remington R-15 together yet and get it to the range? Dale

Graybeard · « **Reply #24 on:** January 12, 2009, 06:28:41 PM »

Quote

GB did you ever get your Remington R-15 together yet and get it to the range? Dale

I got the EOTech Holosight on the 18" R15 but have taken it to my range only once so far. I've not taken the 22" out of box yet other than to look at it. I did look at mounting a scope but it requires some sorta spacer arrangement to get it up higher and so far I've really done nothing regarding getting it set up. I was hoping to get with Bugflipper who had invited me to come up and look over his guns and sights to see what I wanted to use to set it up by he has dropped off the site so it looks like that's not gonna happen.

Hammerspur · « **Reply #25 on:** January 13, 2009, 04:58:52 AM »

Quote from: Hofs01 on January 08, 2009, 02:14:01 AM

Good luck finding the contoured Hornet! I do not think they exist!!

I think they do, that is they were made.
Seems to me I saw one in a pawn shop in FLA at one time... long time ago now but .22 Hornet was a regular chambering in H&R's back then. Saw a contoured .410 from that period just awhile back on one forum or another, can't find the pic just now.
But considering the several chamberings that were in contoured configuration, why not Hornet as well?