doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Wickliffe 76 Single shot Rifle

Gunsmith:

I doubt Wickliff used Shaw barrels. I think that Shaw bought the Federal Firearms barrel making firm later than Wickliff existed.

As far as Douglas diamond lapped barrels are concerned, Douglas told me that they do not lap barrels due to the fact that if one knows how to make a barrel, one does not have to lap it!

I own two rifles with barrels made by Federal Firearms and they are the worst barrels that I have seen!

I lived in Wicliff in 1964 but never visit Wickliff Arms.

I may wrong, but that is how I remember the past.


Franchi

I apologize to anyone who has a Wickliffe and enjoys it for I do not wish to diminish your rifle. I feel I must post my experience with one example of these guns. I bought one in 3006 back in the 80s, it had beautiful wood. The blue was more a purple, but that didn't both me. What did bother me was the first time a took it to the range it consistently misfired. After examination I discovered that while the firing pin was centered in the breech block the receiver had been machined off center for the barrel and thus the breech block/firing pin did not align with the rifles chamber. It was a clear explanation for why the firing pin hit so far to one side on the primer. I was unable to return the rifle or find someone to repair it so I set about to fix it myself. I will say once I had completed the task I was so fed up with the piece I had thoughts of placing it muzzle down in the yard and hammering it till the butt plate disappeared. I owned it for several more years and sold it for $175.00. It was without doubt the worst experience I have ever had with a gun! I am not saying this is the standard with these rifles, but I feel and obligation to advise, those interested, to look them over carefully if buying one. I also have seen a few young guys walking about gun shows looking to sell them.

Best to you,
Kurt

There were some origional frames & parts being sold as kits in the last few years. There was some smithing required and that may be where the problem arises. IF, the tinkerer or smith didn't know his biz, a rifle similar to what is being described can appear. This is the first person I have evr heard of that has had such a problem ---- perhaps this is the cause of the problem. FWIW, Ken

Douglas may perhaps have quit lapping their barrels, I do not know, but they sure as heck used to do it. I toured their dirt floor factory 25 years ago and they lapped them at that time, I saw them doing it. Things change, no doubt, so maybe the new technology does not require lapping, but I would be surprised that they totally eliminated it.

Anyone have a picture of these guns?

Post deleted by Dave Weber

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Gunsmith,...was triying to send you a pesonal message but it does not seem to be working....looking for info on these rifles

please email me

copacak@arraymarketing.com

Thanks,

CJ

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