I was recently examining a commercial Mannlicher Schoenauer 1903 project rifle, that was re-barreled in .257 Roberts at some point in the past. Based on the serial number and date stamps on the action it was made circa 1911, and would originally have been chambered for a 6.5x54 Mannlicher cartridge. The conversion work was done fairly well (I'd give it a B+ on the Bubba-Meter), and matched the factory barrel profile very closely, and also used all the original barrel fittings. Magazine modifications were also done competently, and it seems to feed the larger case reliably (unlike many such conversions done over the years). Over the chamber area it is roll marked with a gunsmith's name "C.H. Morse" and is hand-stamped "257 ROBTS" and "No. 305".
My question is: Who was C.H. Morse? A quick Google search shows a few possibilities, including a Remington employee named Charles H. Morse who is listed on several firearms patents in the late 1950s, and was a co-inventor of the Remington Nylon 66 rifle. However, I haven't seen any references to him also doing custom gunsmith work, and the barrel number and custom name stamp both suggest a fairly long period of activity. Anyone?
Cheers,
Peconga in Boise, Idaho
Last edited by Peconga; 06/09/10 08:43 PM.
