doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Griffin & Howe ... barrel band vs stock swivel

All,

When did Griffin & Howe switch to the use of sling swivels on the forearm vs the more tradtional barrel band for slings?

Was there one line of rifle they focussed on for bands vs stock swivels?

Regards...

Here is a bit of information that may help you pin down the date of change. I have a 1922M1 Springfield that was shipped from Springfield Armory to G & H in April 1934. It must have been one of their more basic custom jobs as they used the NRA stock the rifle came in. It does have the barrel band mounted upper sling swivel. It and the rear sling swivel bases are the wide type like are found on the old super grade Winchester Model 70. FWIW

I have seen both setups thus far. My uncle is trying to figure out of his is an original or a redone.

It has the smooth barrel and its a 1903, but, it has the Redfield 70 sight on it and the stock looks right for the NRA. But, it has the barrel band which kind of throws me.

I wish I had taken more photos of the stock and barrel, but, it looked in pretty fine condition.

I visit Griffin & Howe in Bernardsville frequently and over the years have seen many of their custom rifles. Barrel band sling swivels are typical through the entire production series, including the 1960's, and probably through to the present.

Some G & H custom rifles do have forend mounted sling swivels instead. These are probably due to the specific request of the customer ordering the rifle.

Tough question, when they started in 1923 the majority of the rifles had a barrel band sling swivel attached to the stock. At the same time there were some with swivels attached to the stock only and later a barrel band swivel ahead of the forend.

I don't know when they started moving it away from the stock but seems any time period I look at I can find several types.

A picture of the rifle in question or the G&H number from the barrel might help.

Very early G&H rifles, most likley before they had numbers.

Is accuracy affected by having a barrel band vs a sling swivel on the stock? I imagine it would affect it some, but, maybe not all that much the closer it is to the action.

Out to 100 yards, it probably doesn't affect it much.

If a tight sling is used shooting from a sitting position, as recommended by Jack O'Connor, Finn Aagaard, and others, a barrel band mounted swivel is definitely not a good idea.

It does seem to look right on a G&H rifle.

I am reminded of the shooting position from the cover of guns of Hemmingway and how he actually had his paw under the barrel and in front of the forend tip.

I might try this arrangement with another 30-06 I own and see now it goes.

this gun number 1503 i thnik was about 1930 has the stock swivel ,,its a great gun built on a sporter star gauge action /barrel but i may have the forend shortened and a griffin side mount added ,,i like barrel band swivels and a short forend so it may happen if i dont sell it beforehand ,,i doubt there is a time period where they were used as ive seen them on early as well as late guns.....paul

[img][IMG]http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/pjaln/IMG_5302.jpg[/img][/img]