doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com 22 Springfield sporter

I recently got a maple stocked 22 sporter with some neat features. Fred will be along to post some photos for me. I would like some opinions as to who may have made the rifle, I have my own idea but wonder what you all think.

Dan

First off, Happy 4th of July everyone and a big thank you to those of you who have helped to keep this country free.

Here are the pictures from Dan. I hope I remember how to upload images, it has been a while.

Dan,
Whenever I see a maple stock, I think "Hal Hartley".
Mike

Mike,

It's definitely not by Hal Hartley, he usually marked his in the barrel channel. Plus I think he only did the stock work, not metal work.

Dan

With the custom metal work involved with the safety and the closeups of good work that is outside “the style”, I’m going to guess James Howe. Diamond inlays, “swamped” sides on the front ramp, and somewhat unusual checkering are my other clues. Am I close?

Bryndon,

That's who I think made the rifle, another clue in my mind is the dished cheek piece. Only one of my Howe rifles doesn't have the dished cheek piece.

Dan

Well, for what it is worth, I think it is a Howe as well. But here is a question, do you ever look at Howe's rifles and
then read his chapter on stock finishing and think "I bet he used this formula?" Right now, I am finishing a maple stock for a
flintlock kit that I am building with and for my son. I've been using Howe's formula #1 and I wonder how similar my stock will look
to this stock when I am done.

I'm not good at all at matching build features to a particular gunsmith.
But I have to say I wouldn't think that the wood work and especially the checkering & diamond inlays would be anything I'd think were done by a 'Master'.

The Single Set Trigger is an interesting feature.

What's going on at the back corner of the trigger guard tang? Is is a mistake made at the time of construction, or maybe a repair?

It just looks like checkering overruns when looking in person. There are some more on the back end of the forearm pattern.