doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Fraser Side Lever

Hello Folks

I'm considering actions for a nice single-shot build. One of the actions under consideration is Steve Earle's Fraser.

Try as I might down here (in New Zealand) I have not been able to handle an original or replica although I'm sure there are a few about.

Anyhow could someone please enlighten me as to how the Fraser action feels as it is cycled via the side lever, both from fired or uncocked, and cocked. I want to know if the side lever is always under some tension, does it rise from the block down position by itself or does the operator have to "thumb" it back up.

Thanks
Foster

This is the one I built. After lowering the lever (by pushing down on it) which lowers the BBlock, cocks the hammer, and ejects the spent case (action open position). You need to manually lift the lever to its closed position. In mine the lever is held in the closed position by an over center spring mechanism I designed. I think original Fraser's used both a mechanical latch or some kind of dent to hold the lever in the closed position. Also on mine the little lever inside the trigger guard is the safety, which is in the fire position in the photo. It functions to block the sear which is safer them blocking only the trigger, as was on the original Fraser's.

My Frasers pretty much feel the same when cycling either from fired or unfired.
The only spring back from open is just from the extractor rebound.
The block can be completely lowered under very little or no resistance and then the extractor is loaded which, of course, is where the resistance from extraction is felt.
Mine both have the rotating lever latch, one oval, and one with the thumb lever extension. These latch the lever, keeping the block up and the action closed.

The unlatched Frasers I have examined have a groove about .050" deep in the left action wall to accommodate a leaf spring latch to hold the breech block closed. The latch is screwed into a groove in the left side of the breech block. I think this closing system was only used a little early on, as the wall of the receiver is left only a little over 1/8" thick. The oval latch Ben described is the most often encountered.

Many of the later Frasers had an intercepting sear, but the ones I have seen differ in their construction from the patent drawings.

FYI on the one I built I use a small leaf spring which pushes down on a small foot located on the breech block just before it is fully closed. Remembering that the operating mechanism of a Fraser is an "over center" toggle link design, (similar to a Sharps and Highwall design) the leaf spring's pressure causes the toggle push on the lever and hold the action closed by pushing the lever clockwise.

You might contact Glenn Fewless. He sometimes looks in on this group, but I don't know if he is looking now. He has what might be the only Earle/Fraser in the wild. He has taken it to one match so far. The action is truly incredible. His has a latch on the lever but you can ask him more about it.

This a view of the Steve Earle Fraser action. The top of the side lever rotates back slightly to unlock the lever. The lever can then be rotated down. This is a wonderful action to build a single shot sporting rifle on.

I very much second that statement.

Gentlemen - Thank-you very much for such useful and informative replies. I have much to consider.

Doug - may I ask if we might see some more pictures of this rifle

Thanks

Tentman, I'll post a couple of side views of the rifle. Please excuse the photography it not my strong suite. This is my personal rifle chambered in .275 Rigby #2 (aka 7x57 rimmed). The barrel on the rifle is a piece of Glenn Fewless art work with a matted full length integral rib. The wood is a piece of feather crotch Turkish walnut. I should note that designing a forend for these actions is difficult because of the depth of the action. After three tries this is what I ended up with.