Author Topic: My longest ever delayed promise to myself has been fulfilled at last... (Read 1177 times)

Graybeard · « **on:** February 16, 2009, 01:15:49 PM »

and it only took about 55 years or so to fulfill it. With the fulfillment of this promise and the completion of my latest custom job I now have my first ever customized handi rifle and Wayne York is a Site Sponsor now.

Some of you will remember the story of how as a young lad of perhaps 8 to 10 years of age I was wading in a creek when I saw something shiny in the water. I picked it up and read the headstamp on a .25-20 fired cartridge. I believe it likely was the first centerfire brass I had ever held in my hand as dad never owned a centerfire rifle and at that time no centerfire handguns either. I've long since lost that case and can't recall the brand name of it. I'll never know what rifle it was fired in but have often wondered what it might have been.

I made a promise to myself that day that someday I'd own me one of those rifles so chambered even tho at the time I had no clue what sort of rifles even chambered the round. It might have been a lever gun a Winchester or Marlin most likely if so or it might have been a single shot from anyone of several different makers of the period. As a result I never was dead set on making it any one particular rifle tho the idea of a Winchester M92 was strong on my mind. I came close to getting one too out of PA once but the condition of it caused me to back out as the dealer wanted way too much for its altered and abused condition I felt.

Someone here on the forums a year or so back listed an NEF .22 Hornet that seemed in excellent condition and it had the front sight on it I have long ago fallen in love with. It went unsold for a really long time and so one day I asked him (don't even recall now who it was tho I do have the PMs and could check) what was a bottom dollar figure for it. As I recall it was a bit more than I was willing to spend so I made him a counter offer which he decided to accept and it was soon headed my way.

When it got here it appeared in almost new condition really as far as use is concerned. I can't imagine it had ever been fired very many times as it shows practically no wear. It's an ejector model. I have no clue if SB-1 or SB-2 and don't particularly care really. It will never wear any other barrel so that really matters not and it won't ever be hot loaded either.

Tim and I had once discussed Wayne York and the possibility of him becoming a site sponsor but at that time he didn't want to spend the money and then I had no work I wanted done to trade him for the banner. I asked Tim if he though Wayne might be interested and so he just called and asked and the answer was yes he'd like to trade a rebore and rechamber job for a year of advertising on GBO so the deal was struck and I sent the barrel off.

Today it returned to me now chambered to .25-20. I've put the sights back on and fitted the barrel back to action and tightened down the fore end. It's a plain jane nothing fancy or added to it run of the mill Hornet rifle now a .25-20 my long long wanted round from the days of my youth.

I'm pretty sure I have a die set and I have 99 cases as Wayne apparently didn't return the one I shipped with it or if he did I've failed to locate it so far. I have no suitable bullets or moulds to make them. My plans are to use perhaps one jacketed bullet of around 85-87 grains and to buy a mould to make a cast bullet of 100 grains or less with a flat point. A gas check mould would perhaps be more appropriate but I'll likely not push them hard enough to matter and I have plenty of linotype and foundry type metal so a plain base design will do fine I'm sure. I'll try to make arrangements to get whatever I need to get it shooting this month or next and hopefully by my 64th birthday next month I'll be able to fire the first round from a rifle I've wanted for the vast majority of my life but which until now I just never got around to buying.

So I'll post more when I have a chance to shoot it. You can now welcome Wayne as a site sponsor as well. Tim do you know if Wayne is registered here and if so under what user name? If so I need to change his status to site sponsor. Matt got the banner in the rotation on Friday he told me.

Slufoot · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2009, 01:24:59 PM »

Sounds great Graybeard, hope it shoots good for you. Be sure to give us a range report.

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

db22 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2009, 01:30:45 PM »

Mr. Graybeard, it's good to hear you have the .25-20 rifle you always wanted. Better yet, it's a Handi. .25-20 and .32-20 are a couple of rounds that always intrigued me. I sure wish Remington would offer the Handi in either or both of those -- perfect for a bullet caster, cheap to shoot, as long as you handload. Good luck with it, and do let us hear how it shoots.

PigBoy Crabshaw · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2009, 01:31:18 PM »

Congrats Graybeard on making your wish and want come true! Ain't that what living free is really all about? And a big atta boy goes out to Wayne York for granting another wish I keep reading about here on GB. -gary

Skunk · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2009, 01:32:23 PM »

WTG Graybeard!!! Can't wait to see some pictures.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2009, 01:32:40 PM »

That's gonna be one sweet little rifle, Bill. Congrats on realizing your dream. DP

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2009, 01:41:15 PM »

Congratulations Bill - What a great plinking round. Cheap to shoot and should be accurate with a range of 75 yards or so with low pressure loads. It would be a great "backyard gun". I am looking forward to a range report.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2009, 01:47:04 PM »

Congrats Bill!! Wayne is a registered member, but has never logged in, I didn't see his name in the links sponsor list or on the home page advertisers spotlight list, so Matt needs to add him there too.

Tim

SM Bob · « **Reply #8 on:** February 16, 2009, 01:53:09 PM »

Way to go Bill! You've got to love it when a plan comes together! Sometimes it
takes a while, but I know you have to be one happy camper right about now!
Congratulations!

Robert

Smokin Joe · « **Reply #9 on:** February 16, 2009, 02:58:38 PM »

Bill, be sure to wear your goggles................that ejected empty is gonna come out of there at about mach 2!

Congrats!

dw06 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 16, 2009, 03:06:51 PM »

Congrats Mr Greybeard!!Glad it all came together for you. And we do expect a range report. And a big welcome to G.B.O. to Wayne York.

Bayou Stalker · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2009, 03:14:33 PM »

whitetailmaniac · « **Reply #12 on:** February 16, 2009, 03:53:36 PM »

congrats!!! My grandfather had a 25-20 in a mod 92 winchester. He said it was a great turkey gun

Stan in SC · « **Reply #13 on:** February 16, 2009, 04:02:38 PM »

My grandfather also had a 25-20 in a lever gun.He also said that at one time when rifles were legal for turkey,that was his turkey gun.

Stan in SCX

carbineman · « **Reply #14 on:** February 16, 2009, 04:57:00 PM »

GB, Good to hear you got your rifle wish.

lrrice · « **Reply #15 on:** February 16, 2009, 05:33:39 PM »

My grandad had a 25-20 remington pump for his saddle gun. I have always loved that little rifle. Maybe someday I can talk my dad out of it.

trotterlg · « **Reply #16 on:** February 16, 2009, 07:36:58 PM »

This one has seen a little use, but it still shoots well, they are very fine rifles. Larry

jon f · « **Reply #17 on:** February 16, 2009, 10:56:09 PM »

I have a 92 half mag 25/20 with the tang sight off a H&R Trapdoor springfield on it. I love it. I use a Lyman tong tool to reload the cases.
Jon.

cwlongshot · « **Reply #18 on:** February 17, 2009, 01:08:00 AM »

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Its very fulfilling to complete a lifelong quest!!!

I will have one of these in a handi one day as well. The 32-40, 32-20, 25-35 and 25-20 are some on my list for great handi calibers!

Good luck with it,

CW

Jimbo47 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 17, 2009, 02:39:38 AM »

Congratulations Bill for fulfilling your dream.

Those old memories and the nostalgia of the old rifles and what helped to form our lives as adults is worth more to us than some can realize.

Pictures and a range report would be great, and I would just about bet that there will be more 25-20 bore/rechamberings coming down the line.

Here's what Chuck Hawks has to say about them!
http://www.chuckhawks.com/25-20Win.htm

petemi · « **Reply #20 on:** February 17, 2009, 03:15:43 AM »

Welcome Wayne York. I'm hoping we'll do some business together in the near future.

Bill, It feels good, doesn't it? When I was a poor Seaman in the Navy I had to sell two of my favorite guns. After almost 40 years, I was able to get them back. Don't laugh, but one was a J.C Higgins 12 ga. pump my dad gave me at age 14; I killed my first pheasant with it. The other was a Marlin 336T .30-30 that I killed my first deer with. The replaced .30-30 was a gift from two buddies, one is now deceased. It has special meaning to me. Along with the rifle, they gave me a Buck knife. It's kept razor sharp and cuts nothing but game.

I'm glad it finally happened for you, Bill. And, again thank you for the privilege of being here in this family.

Pete

ONE HOLE 4570 · « **Reply #21 on:** February 19, 2009, 05:50:25 AM »

Way to go GB.

My dad tell of hunting with his uncles 32-20 years ago, those calibers from years ago could put the meat on the table.

Need a range report

Graybeard · « **Reply #22 on:** February 19, 2009, 11:21:19 AM »

Range reports will be awhile in coming. I was sure I had dies for it but I sure can't locate them if so. I have no suitable bullets on hand. I need to buy most everything except brass it would seem. I'll let ya know how it does once I get some ammo loaded up. It's but one of a dozen or so waiting on some range time.

petemi · « **Reply #23 on:** February 19, 2009, 11:33:56 AM »

I wish ya had the one you found in the river and reloaded it and shot it................that would be special.

Enjoy,

Pete

fish280 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 20, 2009, 03:48:50 PM »

Nice. Looking forward to a report.