doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Rifle built by Seymour Griffin

I gave this a bit more thought while sleeping last night and here's an interesting comparison.
Michael's Wundhammer
Michael started with a stock and the rest is his story. All or most of us looked at it as a great rifle, even if not "pure", because it brought back to life a classic work of art. Now all that would be needed to place the Griffin rifle into the positive "usable" side would be an action a couple of years older with a finish match done to the action. The original action could be bagged and set aside for the next caretaker. After thinking this over again I guess it probably wouldn't make a difference to most and would be "ok". I still wouldn't do it, but could understand if someone did.

There were no G&H markings on the rifle, as it is a pre &H Griffin.

Just another .02, pretty soon I'll have a whole dime in this!
Thaine

Speaking from my own experience, I would be sure my glasses are Randolph Ranger Edge glasses. They have a proven track record with respect to low number 03s. Then I would try the action substitution and keep the low number action for restoration or whatever the next caretaker cared to do with it. But I would not be shooting it with any loads of any type. Just sayin'

Whether the value is degraded or not depends on your point of view; you would lose the value of a good action and the work. If it hasn't blown up in more than a hundred years, it is not likely to blow up tomorrow with moderate handloads.
Mike

If I was doing the action swap, I'd use an action made circa 1920 so the serial number fit the era of the stock and engraving.

Actually, if it were mine, I'd just leave it alone as a piece of gunmaker art.

Wow lots of great input.
Brent I believe you were who I was thinking of with the glasses remarks.
Great point Terry
Mike, that is always the question. All can do as they believe. All would have to assess the risks on there own.
Thanks Thaine!
Thanks for the remarks. I never had any intention of owning this gun and the thread started from a discussion between me and my friend Ric. (see I did get you brought into this LOL)

Oh how I (and my face and wallet) beg to differ.

yup, that is me. I'm a bit gun-shy of low number '03s. I wish Michael were around to talk to him about this.

Maybe someday, I'll own another 03. I do have one other bolt rifle, a sporterized Krag, but I'm not comfortable to shoot it, or any other bolt rifle. Just me.

Certainly can understand your feelings, I and many others may feel the same if what happened to you, happened to us.
The vast vast majority of bolt rifles are perfectly fine as long as in good functioning order. However the low number 03's are not in my opinion and the Krag I just steer clear of.

I would use my Marble's inserts, if I could find them.

Unless said high number receiver post-dated the time when Griffin built it. I feel the value in this rifle lies primarily in the wood work and overall craftsmanship due to Mr. Griffin's talents. Replacing the receiver would certainly detract from its value somewhat, but as long as the original receiver were retained and not one whisker's worth of harm was done to Griffin's work then I could sort of support doing it.

Personally I would shoot it with some low-vel cast bullet loads occasionally and leave it go at that. I wouldn't employ it as a hunting rifle and as such wouldn't have a need/desire to ever introduce full throttle loads into its chamber.