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

While, I am here at my computer, I might as well start another thread, this is a Worthen sporter that Dan picked up a few
months ago. I am sorry I took so long to post these. But I think that they are a nice start to a New Year.

finer details

I have a few Barney Worthen '03 sporters and thought this one would fit in with them. The two ivory dots must mean he had contact with James Howe or saw his work? He shortened the magazine box and made it non-detachable. It's a Remington Lee in 30-40 Krag caliber.

I am wondering if someone else checkered the forend maybe at a later date. Does not look like worthen quality. It appears that when they got to the short point rows on the ends of the pattern and just said f'it and quit. Otherwise very nice unique rifle.

John

I noticed that too about the forend checkering.
I think it's a case of the pattern being re-cut by someone less than skilled as the builder.
The butt stock checkering looks re-cut as well with over runs and less than well guided LPI work.
On the forend checkering in at least one pic (Pic#2, RH side of FE checkering), you can see a few of the orig very short checkering lines in the sharp angles 'peak' where the re-cut breaks down and quits, Enlarging the pic helps.
However the person that did the re-cut just didn't have the patience and skill to do checkering as it was intended to be.

Maybe a refinish of the entire wood preceded everything and they thought sharpening up the checkering was a good idea as well.

Nice rifle though and the checkering can be saved of course. I'd do something about the white line pad as well in the process. Even a classic leather covered replacement well fitted would do
the rifle well and keep LOP at good reach.
I like the Remington Lee factory sporters. Something different is part of the draw I guess.
Very rarely do you see any of the Rem Lee rifles custom built into sporter rifles.
My 30-30 basket case Rem-Lee Sporter awaits re-birth!

Does the grip cap have a Silver (or Gold) oval inlayed into it? The pic makes it look like it had something inscribed on it and that was obliterated/scrubbed off.

I agree the pad needs to be replaced. The cap inlay is silver which is typical for Worthen. I think what you see as an inscription is just scratches and corrosion.