Author Topic: Long lost 325 Stevens comes home (Read 3424 times)

geezerbiker · « **on:** January 12, 2013, 10:29:37 PM »

Years ago I dropped off my 325 Stevens .30-30 at a gun shop on the Oregon coast to have a new barrel installed that I had gotten from Numrich Arms. Long story short, he closes shop and I can't find him. I assume the gun is gone forever and I get over it. I didn't pay much for it anyway while I wasn't happy, I've had much worse losses in my life.

Just before Christmas I get a call from some friends in town that run a jewelry store a few doors down from the old gun shop. My gun is in their back room supposedly all fixed and no charge. I used to teach Sunday school to there son and he was coming for Chirstmas and they'd send the gun with him. Right after that I had some problems with my truck and it wasn't until yesterday that I could get over there to pick it up. To my dismay it didn't look any different, the new barrel wasn't on it or with it. To add insult to injury, there was a small patch of surface rust on the receiver under the front of the scope.

I couldn't just toss it in the safe so I took it apart, cleaned and oiled it. I decided to look down the bore to see if it was as bad as I remember it being. To my surprise, the bore is nice and the more I clean it the better it looks. As I best recall, it was a 325, no A, B, or C but now it's a 325 C. I assume he put a used barreled action in my stock and installed my scope and mount. I can't tell but the scope mount holes don't look as old as the rest of the rifle. I was less than thrilled when I first picked it up but I've once again gotten over it and while I didn't get what I asked for, it looks like it's going to be a shooter again.

The next thing is to replace the old cracked stock. Anyone here fit one a Boyds stock to a 325? Anyway it was a long way around to this question.

Tony

Deerhunter#1 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2013, 11:07:47 AM »

yeah all that is nedded or what i did was take a jig saw as you have to cut the half circles where the clip goes in. then you just have to drill a starter hole for the rear screw for the trigger guard and you are good to go.

geezerbiker · « **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2013, 06:08:37 PM »

I took the stock back apart to the broken pieces, wire brushed out the old glue and put it back together with gorilla epoxy. I put a 1/4" screw though the pistol grip and covered it with wood filler then painted it with OD green paint. It's not bad for a red neck fix... I'd like to get a stock like the one you installed on your 340 but I'm broke this time of year...

Here's a pic of it. I finished painting it yesterday and assembled it this afternoon.

It also has a Weaver side scope mount on it. I'm looking forward to putting a few rounds through it soon. Do you hand load spitzers for yours? I'm thinking about using the 130 grain Sierra game kings. I used to get good results with a 130 Hornady that is no longer made.

Tony

Cuts Crooked · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2013, 07:10:31 AM »

Good job!!!!!!!!!!!

geezerbiker · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2013, 12:14:03 PM »

As I've talked about in other forums here on GB, the Weaver side mount doesn't like the scope up with the barrel. The rings are built in so I can't use offset rings to fix it.

To make things worse, the weaver base has the mounting holes in a different place than on the later 325/340s that cam factory drilled. I found this out the hard way by ordering a new scope mount that designed to use the factory scope mount holes.

My options for an economical fix are getting smaller all the time. The Smith that had it all those years took the front sight off it before sending it back to me so I have have to start from scratch to put it back to irons. Williams lists a peep for it but it's only available directly from them. Numrich has the original front sight but are out of the screws to install it but I don't think that sight is tall enough for use with a peep anyway. I'd rather have a Lyman peep but they don't list one for this rifle. I've eMailed them about it and I'm waiting for a reply.

The least of my problems is which of my other rifles will get the 2-7x Redfield scope...

Tony

Ranger99 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2013, 12:52:48 PM »

durn- this stuff is like gravy.
i'd be thankful i even got it back.
i'm really surprised you seen it again.
the odds were against you for sure.

geezerbiker · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2013, 01:53:27 PM »

I would have agreed with you a year ago. Now that I have it back, I want to make it shootable again. I do have some hillbilly ancestry but not enough to shoot a rifle without sights... I've been looking for some used sights but so far none have turned up...

Eventually I'll have it all sorted out but it'll have to wait a little longer as I'm tapped out from other recent gun purchases.

Tony

Ranger99 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2013, 04:36:10 PM »

something will come your way eventually.
i have to make myself remember that
all the time. i had a gun to put together a
good while back and it was over a year
before i found the parts i needed. if i'm
remembering right, it was in a small shop's
"junkbox" . i try to make a habit of stirring
through one of those whenever i see one
somewhere. found some really nice (to me)
pocketknives like that too.
good luck

spruce · « **Reply #8 on:** April 08, 2013, 03:07:01 AM »

geezerbiker: Just came across a couple of good articles about the 325 Stevens/340 Savage yesterday. Very detailed and informative.

The website is leeroysramblings.com (sorry, can't put in the link). An article about the history of the two models and also one about gunsmithing it, including details about the scope mounting setup (with excellent pictures).

It appears the 325 Stevens never came drilled and tapped for scope mounts from the factory. This may explain why you're having trouble getting the mount to line up. At any rate, there's a really good picture of what the scope base mounting holes SHOULD look like if done by the factory.

Hope it helps you figure it out. Interesting read even if it doesn't help!

geezerbiker · « **Reply #9 on:** April 10, 2013, 03:54:20 PM »

I found out about the scope mount after I bought one for the factory drilled holes. The one for the 340 doesn't come close to fitting the holes D&Ted for the Weaver mount.

After I find a good front sight, I'm going to put a Williams peep on it. It only seems to be available on the Williams sight so it might take awhile to get one. I've seen a few of the factory accessory peeps come and go on eBay but they all sold for more than my rifle cost me...

Tony

boarhuntr · « **Reply #10 on:** April 21, 2013, 02:01:08 AM »

Quote from: geezerbiker on January 12, 2013, 10:29:37 PM

Years ago I dropped off my 325 Stevens .30-30 at a gun shop on the Oregon coast to have a new barrel installed that I had gotten from Numrich Arms. Long story short, he closes shop and I can't find him. I assume the gun is gone forever and I get over it. I didn't pay much for it anyway while I wasn't happy, I've had much worse losses in my life.

Just to share my experience. I bought a Boyd's stock for my Swedish Mauser and took it to a gunsmith in a nearby town to properly inlet. The original inletting wasn't good enough for the action to fit in good and steady. I thought the job would only take a week or so. But the smith dragged it on for over a year. I had health problems and did not want the headache of pursuing the issue. Then when I got well I decided to drive the 40 miles to his shop and confront him. Lo and behold he had been shut down by the ATF for sloppy book keeping. There was a sign on his locked door that all the guns had been transferred to another gunshop by ATF edict and could be recovered from that shop. So I went there, wondering if I could recover my gun, which shoots dime sized groups at 100 yds, a true keeper.
I finally found the gun among others, but the Boyd's stock was missing. All I had was the barrel and action. I had to pay the new shop a 30 dollar transfer fee.
Back home I told the story to another smith in my town, and he said contact the local ATF office and they will track down the smith. Within a week or so an ATF agent called me , but since I had recovered my gun he wasn't interested in helping me find the Boyd's stock, due to the fact a stock is not considered a firearm.
So if a gunsmith goes out of business contact the ATF. They will help you find the smith and you can go on from there.
Gunsmiths have to log all firearms in and out, even for repairs. Sloppy book keeping is what caused my smith to be shut down.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 01, 2014, 11:37:11 AM »

Any more develop on this project Tony?
BTW, Ive got a 325 (1947-49, mods made it A,B,or C), so I think I can think of a straight 325 as a '1947ish' pretty legit.
Pretty cool old rifle for what was an inexpensive one in its day. The butterknife bolt handle harkens to the Mannlicher, the somewhat pregnant stock around the detachable box magazine to some British sporters.
This is not your typical 30-30; cast bullet loads from 32-20 equiv. on up to the 170 or even the Savage 303's 190 gr. bullets, or any jacketed bullets including spitzers and a reputation for accuracy too.
BTW, the bolt has one locking lug and the bolt acts as a lug, these are not a high pressure action (dont magnumize loads for one). That said, with todays powders and seating a heavier spitzer you can get quite improved performance over a regular 30-30 RN cartridge. I've recently read an article that concluded having the bullet base intrude below the case neck is not detrimental to accuracy, only powder capacity, so by choosing the right powder you can still make it go.
For a varmint load Ive used the .308 110JSP at about 2000fps, OAL 2.505) to emulate the 30Carbine (or even'+P') and it is a dandy out to 100yd., but as it is an open sight rifle that is my limit anyway.

geezerbiker · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2014, 04:41:07 AM »

I put it away for now. I'm as poor as a church mouse in the winter months as can be expected of the motorcycle business.

Since the scope mount didn't line up with the barrel I decided to loose it. The mount I bought turned out to be for the later rifle it doesn't fit either. I've decided to put a Williams peep on it once I have a replacement front sight. Gun parts has or at least had the front sight but not the screws to install it. At least this way I don't have to have more holes drilled in it...

Since the stock was in 3 pieces glued back together, I'd not going to feel bad about chopping of 3 or 4 inches so one of my grandsons can shoot it. One of the boys like's peeps and I think it'll be good for him. Then when he's older, I'll put a new stock on it and it'll be his first center fire rifle. I'm thinking about a youth stock on a Handi rifle or something used that I don't care if I chop the stock.

I got as far as lapping the bore of the 325 with a few patches with some 600 grit lapping compound and it's starting to shine up. It's not as nice as the new barrel the damn smith was supposed to put on but it's better than never seeing it again like I expected...

Tony

gcrank1 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 02, 2014, 04:59:55 AM »

Did you pour a lead lap and use it for the 600grit? If you do and come in from the rear you can stroke shy of the muzzle a few inches and end up with a nice choked bore.
Maybe plug it and fill with Kroil to soak until you get the inclination to go at it again. Even 50-50 ATF/ordorless mineral spirits would make a decent soak.

geezerbiker · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2014, 12:22:06 AM »

I used a cotton patch with the 600 grit for about 6 passes then I washed it out with Ed's Red bore cleaner. I'll probably plug the chamber with a cork and soak the bore with Ed's Red one of these days. The bore is a bit dark but not horribly so. If I was more energetic I would get back to polishing it with something like JB Bore Paste but I'm more likely to shoot it and clean it between shots to burnish the barrel. If I could get my hands on some steel jacketed 147g FMJ bullets, few hundred of those down the pipe would help...

I'm sure this isn't the rifle I originally dropped off for the repair. It's probably some used one he got in trade and put in my old beater stock. The one I dropped off was so corroded that only boring it to .35 caliber would have fixed it.

I'm still up in the air if I'm more PO'ed that I didn't get the new barrel I bought installed or just happy to just have it back... About 25 years ago I think I gave a fishing pole and 25 bucks for it. Then another $50 later on for the new barrel from Gun Parts... I suppose I should quit bitching and get on with making it a shooter again.

Tony

HWB13 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 17, 2014, 08:46:23 PM »

Tony, Just came across this post. I have a question, (not that I want to know yours) does your 325 have a serial number. The reason I ask is when I got mine, my father picked it up at an auction many years ago. Before all the background checks and such. When I was stationed in Colorado he shipped it to me for my step-son to use. Well I had a friend who had a shop in the Springs. When it got to the shop my friend had to confirm the serial number and it did not have one. Not that had been scraped but he then I went over every inch of it and nothing.

Do love the look of that butterknife bolt, it has to be the most interesting bolt in the gun room.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 17, 2014, 10:37:04 PM »

The model 325 with the spoon handle predated the ser. no. requirement.

HWB13 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 17, 2014, 11:12:10 PM »

that was what we thought. Thanks yours looks great

geezerbiker · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2014, 08:13:51 AM »

Yes there is no serial number. Sorry I just had to say it that way. I'm looking forward to shooting it if I ever get sights on it...

Tony

HWB13 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2014, 09:19:28 AM »

Mine doesn't see much action these days. I still have the original sights as well as a side mounted scope. Have fun with her.

Nessmuk#1 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:13:28 PM »

Those holes can be filled either by a SKILLED tig welder, or with screws.
Screws: Install the screws into the very clean, and fluxed holes. Heat with an old school plumbers soldering iron, or a very large electric one. Using Brownells 44 solder, (it's flux is great btw), solder them in place. Cut the screw off nearly flush and using a ball peine hammer, peen them in so that they fill the whole as best as able. Smooth them more if you want, but your getting into bluing damage turf. To do peening like this, I use a small ball piene hammer, like a jewelers size. I hold the hammer on the screw, rounded head down. Then I use a larger, but still small hammer to strike with.
Lastly, get some solder black at the same time as the solder and flux. Blacken the silver outline around the screws. Cold blue the screw heads. Clean and oil the metal as the flux will rust it like something not nice.

Nessmuk#1 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:17:00 PM »

Oh, a very handy thing to have is a simple wooden "V" stand. One board attached to one for a base and upright, like an inverted "T". Put a V notch in the upright and use some old leather belt or sling to line it. That gorrilla epoxy you have should work to hold it. I have several of these made of plywood. They are always in use.

Nessmuk#1 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:19:31 PM »

Then give it scout scope set-up. I redid one of these into a high gloss wood finish w/ a cerakote 2 color metal finish, several years back. It came in like yours was, it left a thing of beauty.
I like the stock on yours.

ironglow · « **Reply #23 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:42:32 PM »

Isn't it great to renew a relationship with an old hunting friend !

geezerbiker · « **Reply #24 on:** March 01, 2014, 02:20:36 AM »

The 325 wasn't factory drilled and the weaver side mount used on it won't line up with the bore so it's going away. I can live with scope mount plug screws to fill the holes. It's not a pretty rifle anyway so it doesn't hurt my feelings.

I had not considered a scout mount but I do like the idea. Any chance there's one that will tap into the old dove tail mount on the barrel? I'm not thrilled about paying for more drilling and tapping for sights.

Tony