I pulled apart a military Borchardt action yesterday that I am working on to make a sporting rifle out of.

I was surprised to see the breech-block is from a creedmoor rifle and has be lightened by cutting out the back sides of the block. It's also serial numbered. I'm too lazy to pull one from another rifle so does anyone have a picture or a link to a normal block?

Hello Michael,

It's not a brilliant picture but you can see one I made some time ago. It wasn't finished at the time but it really isn't that different in shape. Only the top contours of Breech block i.e. the rounding off of the firing pin housing and the groove for the cartridge have to be completed. I do have an engineering drawing that I can scan and send to you if you wish.
see:- Other bit and pieces of my home made Borchardt can be seen here:- http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k206/Rifleman_01/
Ignore the finished Borchardt, that belongs to one of my internet friends who I was advising about rebuilding, and also the countryside pictures which are of a local Red Grouse Moorland.

Harry. P.S. I'm a terrible photographer.

Michael,

There is a photo here:

http://brcrifles.com/partslist.htm

that shows the standard 1878 block profile.

Michael, If you still need one stop by, grab mime and take it to strip down and look it over.

Thanks Mike I have one I can pull apart but now that 1878 has posted a link I don't need to.

Can anyone name all the parts that were modified to reach the 10 pound limit on the Borchardt-Creedmoor?

I'll start with the stock bolt which was shorter than standard and hollow.

I'm not sure why I'm spending so much time cleaning the action up when I have not finished this project.

Too many projects, we all have them

Michael my Email friend,

You have had that project ongoing for several years, I also seem to remember you attempting to sell it on some time ago. I would be interested to know whether the Military action you are working on has the same serial number as that on the Long Range Breech Block. Would you be willing to post the serial numbers of both parts. Having studied the last years of the Sharps factory, I have a couple of theories regarding the production of the Model 1878 Borchardt. The numbers may help me sort them out.

Regards,

Harry

O/K, I'll have a go, lol. The previously mentioned Stock Bolt, the removal of considerable metal from the Breech Block, (as illustrated in your earlier picture), the lower front end of the action had a lot of metal removed internally where the lever spring is situated. The side panels of the action were also a lightening objective, as the wood or composite side panels that were inserted were much lighter. The Millitary sight was also removed, so just the special Long Range sights were fitted. The Ramrod/cleaning rod was omitted. The Web between the action tangs that the stock bolt is attached to the receiver was mostly machined away leaving just a threaded spigot to hold the stock bolt, and finally the additional machining of the contours of the front of the receiver on top and underneath also took away weight. That's about as much as my alcohol befuddled brain can manage at the moment. lol.

Harry.

Other project got in the way, I was trying to trade the oct-toped for a commercial round top.

The action which is a military is No. 7374 and block is No. 342. The breech-block is bushed and the firing pin is a small diameter. Most likley does years ago, someones project that was never finished.

Are you going to mill the reciever walls and do a wood inlay like the one that John W. did years ago?

No side panels on this one, I would like to do a Zischang type rifle, time will tell.

I think that the Zischang rifles are some of the most elegant rifles made.

Thanks for the reply Michael, I agree with you, someone else's project that didn't make it. I also concurr with you on the Zischang Borchardts, they are very elegant indeed.

Harry

Where did you get the prong butt plate? Thanks

Paul,

If you go here:-

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/696/1

you will find a selection of brass and steel buttplates with prongs both large and small. They will require finishing but it's not too hard a job to do.

Regards,

Harry

Paul, I got it here and like all cast stuff it's undersize before you even start cleaning it up. It needed a lot of cleaning up. When I stopped filing and sanding there are still a few holes in the plate.

http://www.singleshotrifles.com/buttplates.html

That's the trouble with castings. They don't usually allow for shrinkage when the molten metal cools.

Gary,

You are so right, I bought a Pope-Ballard lever casting about thirty some years ago same problem, undersize.

Seems to be a well understood problem to everyone save the ones making them.

Using originals as patterns no doubt. No excuse for that now with laser scanners and CNC routers.

Hello Michael,

Yours is not the only (more or less)standard Borchardt with a Long Range breech block.

I have recently had correspondence with another Borchardt owner who has a Zischang Mid Range Target Rifle cut for Zischang DST's (unfortunately missing). It is currently with Joe Lozito in New York to have a set of his reproduction Zischang DST's fitted. It too has the Long Range Rifle breechblock.

As most people know, A.O.Zischang worked for the Sharps Rifle Company during the time that the 1878 Borchardt was in production and on the closing of the Factory set up his own gunsmithing business in New York.

It would appear from my own research that the remaining stock of the Sharps Co was bought by Schyler, Hartley and Graham the Military Equipment dealers (who could equip an army if requested to do so). They sold off Borchardts for about $12.00 each but they were even cheaper if you bought a case of them.(circa 1905) They also had stocks of spares for the Borchardt and the 1974 Model Sharps rifle.

As you know Zischang favoured the Borchardt action and built many fine target rifles upon that design. It is very likely he sourced his parts from Schyler, Hartley and Graham who were in the same city, and it is probable that others did so as well. As long as the parts fitted together I don't suppose it was of any consequence that the action was assembled using a military or target rifle breech block. It's likely there are more out there than we know about.

Harry

Harry, once again you amaze me with your knowledge! Wow! Thanks!

I AGREE!!!!!!!!

I was saddened to learn that Harry Eales has recently passed away.

That is very sad, he was such a good member of this forum.

Harry was an asset anywhere he posted. Especially on the Borchardt rifles!

If there is a Hereafter, Michael and Harry can discuss Borchardts at ease. Perhaps Zischang will stop by to clear up some fine points.

"If there is a Hereafter, Michael and Harry can discuss Borchardts at ease. Perhaps Zischang will stop by to clear up some fine points."

Amen!

Thaine