New, tiny little woods-walking levergun marketed. . . (not)

[AJMD429]

Just getting Sixgun's wonderful little Remington Model 25, and handling it, got me thinking a 'bad' thing, and a 'good' thing...

The bad thing... taking a hacksaw to it, and cutting to 16-1/2" and shortening the magazine tube.

• I'd never do that to a 'collectable' gun, but still can't help thinking how nice it would be; one of the reasons I never liked the Marlin 39A is that it is just too long and skinny and ungainly for what could otherwise be a nice little carbine.

The good thing... winning the lottery, and starting a gun company, and making my own levergun.

• It would be a scaled-down Marlin 1894 or Winchester 1892, specifically for the 32-20. Kind of like Bighorn Armory's scaled-up 1886 (sort of) design for the 500 S&W.

I really like the little Marlin 1984's in 357 Mag, but the Rossi 92 I have (16") is even 'handier' and makes a sweet totin'-gun for woods-walking. But one in 32-20 could even be MORE petite, and I would really like that.

The little Remington 25 is very cool, though, even if it IS sort of long and 'spindly'...

[msmith1228]

They made a carbine too.

[Blaine]

38 Special MoBetta....

[Sixgun]

They made a carbine too.

Yea Doc, But you have to have a doctors salary to afford one of these carbines. They bring some serious money.

I see no reason why you could not do it to yours. It's not exactly collector status

Beings that it will most likely stay in your family, go ahead. Do some research on the original carbines to see what differences there are. I'm guessing they were 20 in. , but make yours 16.5 . That would be the ultimate woods loafing rifle. You will never get any kind of a levergun to be that small.----6
.

[Griff]

YOU know better!

[AJMD429]

YOU know better!

Pics already on another thread:


viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50545



So here's a photo-edited 'youth carbine' version. . .



I'd probably shorten the stock, as well, if I really were going to all the trouble - but I really like it as-is.

I just want to win the lottery and start my own gun-company...

[piller]

I really would like a Rossi M92 in .327 Federal. It is very much the same ballistics as a .32-20, but the .327 is easy to reload with its straight wall case. That in a 16 inch barrel carbine paired with a revolver in the same caliber would be great for most anything up to stopping a bear attack. It might even do that, but I would not want to prove it in a close range situation. The lead 115 grain bullets for the .32-20 are great in the .327 using (If I remember correctly) about 5.3 grains of Universal. That little case does not hold much and this is one of the few things I load for that I weigh to the 1/10th of a grain.

[1894c]

AJMD429 -- i think i would keep it original, really neat looking rifle...BUT with that said, i definitely can see why you would want to reduce it...many older guns have been altered to suit the "end-user" (really like the youth model too)...i also am a big fan of trapper style leverguns, love the handiness, my Henry 22 has the 16" bbl., and i'm presently looking for a older volunteer Marlin 336 (Glenfield) to turn into a trapper...so in the end my comments are conflicted...ok, if it were me i would turn mine into the youth size... :)

[Pete44ru]

.

Hey, Doc - What about a pump-action single-shot Rook Rifle ?



This one's a .297 (.30cal) on a Comblaine-type action.

http://www.micksguns.com/rook%20&%20rabbit%20rifles.htm




.

[Ji in Hawaii]

The IMI Timberwolf in 357 magnum came pretty close to being an ideal woods rifle size and weight wise.


For a woods-walkin' gun I'm pretty happy with "Shorty" my bobbed 16.25" 3 lb. Rossi model R357S single shot trapper.

[1894c]

wow...I always and I mean always wanted one of those...only seen one once... :)

[mikld]

Well, I'd say leave it alone. I know it has no "collector's value", but it's still a neat old gun. If it were me and wanted a "woods gun", I'd look around for a gun that fit my needs and ain't a classic, like a 16 1/2" Mod 92 clone or the like. There's sumpin about old guns...

[msmith1228]

I think he should cut it down on both ends and send me the tang sight that he will no longer need.

[Old Savage]

I agree AJ, it is clearly too big for Indiana - send it here - I found two boxes of ammo and have a S&W tucked away for the same cal ee brae.

[AJMD429]

Well, I'd say leave it alone. I know it has no "collector's value", but it's still a neat old gun. If it were me and wanted a "woods gun", I'd look around for a gun that fit my needs and ain't a classic, like a 16 1/2" Mod 92 clone or the like. There's sumpin about old guns...

That's the plan, actually. . .

. . . but it would be cool to have a SHORT and petite 32-20 levergun (or pump).

Even a Rossi 92-sized one would be nice - the 16" ones they make are sure handy...!

[JerryB]

To AJMD429:: back in the early 1960's the gun shop I spent a lot of time in started converting Winchester 1892 small actions to .357 mags. and the large actions to .44mag and .45 Colt. Why can't it be reversed now and make a 32-20 out of a .357????? Like some folks say, Just saying.........

Reckon Steve would know if it is feasible.

[Mainehunter]

.

Hey, Doc - What about a pump-action single-shot Rook Rifle ?



This one's a .297 (.30cal) on a Comblaine-type action.

http://www.micksguns.com/rook%20&%20rabbit%20rifles.htm




.

OMG That is sweeeeeeeeeeeeet!

Mainehunter

[Old Ironsights]

To AJMD429:: back in the early 1960's the gun shop I spent a lot of time in started converting Winchester 1892 small actions to .357 mags. and the large actions to .44mag and .45 Colt. Why can't it be reversed now and make a 32-20 out of a .357????? Like some folks say, Just saying.........

Reckon Steve would know if it is feasible.

That sounds reasonable...

[AJMD429]

To AJMD429:: back in the early 1960's the gun shop I spent a lot of time in started converting Winchester 1892 small actions to .357 mags. and the large actions to .44mag and .45 Colt. Why can't it be reversed now and make a 32-20 out of a .357????? Like some folks say, Just saying.

True, but I can just use a regular 16" Rossi 92 in 357 Mag light-loaded for the purpose; what I'd really like is an even MORE petite one to take advantage of the smaller and lower-pressure round.

[JerryB]

Well doc, sounds like you want your Kate and Edith too. Are there any smaller actions around right now other than the small singleshots like a .310 Martini or something similar????? How about an original Winchester 92. My 1917 rifle seems to be a little slimmer feeling than my Rossi .357.

[Old Ironsights]

Convert a Model 39 to centerfire?

[3leggedturtle]

What a can of worms you opened up. My thought is you could have chambered for a 218 Bee and have a full power load for varmints up to 250 yards and work up a 15-1600fps cast load that's shoot to the same impact to 50 yards or so for edible game. Then find a mouse fanny burp load for 20 yards or less for garden patrol. Yep you opened up a mess of worms (thoughts).

[AJMD429]

What a can of worms you opened up. My thought is you could have chambered for a 218 Bee and have a full power load for varmints up to 250 yards and work up a 15-1600fps cast load that's shoot to the same impact to 50 yards or so for edible game. Then find a mouse fanny burp load for 20 yards or less for garden patrol. Yep you opened up a mess of worms (thoughts).

Well, Freedom Arms came out with the ultra-powerful revolvers in 444 Marlin and so on way back when, then went to the other end of the scale and made 17 HMR ones as well.

Maybe Bighorn Armory would do the same thing, since they make a 500 S&W levergun; with that scaled up 1886'ish action, and a scaled down 92'ish action for the 32-20/25-20/218 Bee series, you'd have two leverguns that between them would cover everything from squirrels to elephants.